tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51263864425665084582024-02-08T07:25:03.078+01:00Mrs Wallergård's homeWhen an italian girl ends up living in Sweden!aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.comBlogger264125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-16741267529558075432017-05-30T07:21:00.001+02:002017-05-30T07:21:15.585+02:00A goodbyeI have been thinking for a while about the destiny of this blog and I have realized that, differently from the times when I have started up, blogs are being a bit outdated.<br />
Especially this kind of blog, where a lot rotates around reviews and screenshots of "daily life".
Everything has been replaced by other tools/websites, which I had already tried to integrate on the blog (see the https://www.goodreads.com/).<br />
Of course, I could use this to write something different than what I had tried to make this blog for, but time is a very limited and I have ended up prioritizing other things and this blog has never took off as I'd wished.<br />
Therefore, it is a time to call it a day.<br />
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Nowadays, Mattias is the chef at home, so there is little I cook worth mentioning<br />
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For the other "activities", without taking in consideration that the time put into them is very limited so there is not that much happening:<br />
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You can still ready about our house related activities on <a href="http://villabellevue1910.blogspot.com/">http://villabellevue1910.blogspot.com</a><br />
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For travels or restaurant I am using Tripadvisor: <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/members-reviews/AriannaB">https://www.tripadvisor.com/members-reviews/AriannaB</a><br />
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For books and manga I use Goodreads: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1054618-arianna">https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1054618-arianna</a><br />
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For movies, there is Rotten Tomatoes: <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/user/id/790202006/">https://www.rottentomatoes.com/user/id/790202006/</a><br />
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For games, there is BoardGameGeek: <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/user/aryhann">https://boardgamegeek.com/user/aryhann</a><br />
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And for anything else, I am mostly using Instagram, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aryhann/">https://www.instagram.com/aryhann/</a><br />
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For the few ones that have been reading here, I thank you for your time and hope that you will follow some of my stuff by checking the sites above.<br />
See you!<br />
<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-79117528806622456082017-01-17T06:16:00.003+01:002017-01-17T06:16:59.606+01:00A tiger becomes 3!Few days ago was Oscar's birthday. Of course, although completely unconsciously (and differently from Isabella, who at three had already very clear ideas about her birthday party and what she wanted) we organized a "little" birthday party.<br />
About 12 kids, in a mixture between kids his age and all the older brothers/sisters that are at Isabella's age, came with their parents and celebrated Oscar, who for the occasion turned into a tiger!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhPSZZo9iCT3etqxV6GWvTNy76v9JbSlAkjR0-ruB5rJiIzVW6yAr022F1zJmmeGFjqfLEpA9vlCPKW2P6-XPpIQbxqg81T-9ihg_tz3YzVfWIDBaEI8Z8SOWe-KEZOPJ8S3qiBV35tM/s1600/DSC_8982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhPSZZo9iCT3etqxV6GWvTNy76v9JbSlAkjR0-ruB5rJiIzVW6yAr022F1zJmmeGFjqfLEpA9vlCPKW2P6-XPpIQbxqg81T-9ihg_tz3YzVfWIDBaEI8Z8SOWe-KEZOPJ8S3qiBV35tM/s400/DSC_8982.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oscar is turning 3!</td></tr>
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As for her birthday, Isabella had clear ideas of how Oscar's should be and since he didn't care...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQ4UKjcc-BISXMzaATkh-OGMKgzbqqgrnOmO3F8U6_XPiQEkGc6_fg009JjLpjiGDyVTT8j9HvZP39Jgg2Mp8lH4_OAcI26qTq4Qi6R323bo2TK38Y2CwO2ZiMr3ljEgexoJzp5pCcQA/s1600/DSC_8981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQ4UKjcc-BISXMzaATkh-OGMKgzbqqgrnOmO3F8U6_XPiQEkGc6_fg009JjLpjiGDyVTT8j9HvZP39Jgg2Mp8lH4_OAcI26qTq4Qi6R323bo2TK38Y2CwO2ZiMr3ljEgexoJzp5pCcQA/s320/DSC_8981.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is place for princesses and pirates</td></tr>
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We tendentially didn't do anything complex, but it was decided that the there were a mixture of pirates and princesses.<br />
The plan was to welcome all the kids. Eat some snack. Play a little (the games were Italian classics "The witch commands color", "1, 2, 3, star" and the more international "Dance and stop"). Eat the cake and the Swedish classic "Pond of fishes" (<i>Fiskdamm</i>) that allows the kids to indulge themselves in a little package of candies.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMgkQee6gZt7-IHdw6DOZ47hVCcpaxY_iRyzxGKDC15HD7LJG9_DAuXdEvkC5exkG8xsMhUNbEk2O-R4Xh2rNCh1jQP2EyDnXUwr2Gke-P8zrCqhDpSKxm_1sP82TKGYdc36fVMLwHZ0/s1600/DSC_8983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMgkQee6gZt7-IHdw6DOZ47hVCcpaxY_iRyzxGKDC15HD7LJG9_DAuXdEvkC5exkG8xsMhUNbEk2O-R4Xh2rNCh1jQP2EyDnXUwr2Gke-P8zrCqhDpSKxm_1sP82TKGYdc36fVMLwHZ0/s400/DSC_8983.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Few pirates came to visit</td></tr>
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As the day was sunny (for once!) it was a bit of a pity to not be out, but the thought of having everyone dressed in overalls, freeze outside and then come inside and undressed with such small kids was something that made me a bit skeptical to the idea.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdMlNHITOYP72jO3ifl-ImWvoxpuym1JiAG_h0ihniC1Z082J2c0TrUoqsijhjhDM3GKN5me5WAtbvMCo4I0LmKFMc7WpL7xDL9v2hXpOpMGKh-qNqlRHdQ4SKhiNJwYS_WYgXNOoj7s/s1600/DSC_8995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdMlNHITOYP72jO3ifl-ImWvoxpuym1JiAG_h0ihniC1Z082J2c0TrUoqsijhjhDM3GKN5me5WAtbvMCo4I0LmKFMc7WpL7xDL9v2hXpOpMGKh-qNqlRHdQ4SKhiNJwYS_WYgXNOoj7s/s400/DSC_8995.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was tulip's day!</td></tr>
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We did a lot of simplifications about food, so we were pretty lazy and there was no baking involved from our side. Cakes were purchased, fruit was easily put in a bowl and we just did have some small snacks (<i>salatini</i>) and small sandwiches. A trick that I have recently learned is to cut everything in small pieces, so the chance that the kids will eat the food is higher and that the food gets thrown in a garbage smaller.<br />
It seemed the theory worked fine...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTBri-NH39fOUoIDWPLTb15d8DqUDk3bKWA3egnTy3zpWjaie2JLaP0frcZMEPqbIiQqXB3oH_3SL8UYfVue4RDKFSo-d7AxAU2scBsVldsBldTrFVHgETmlK8NzAt9fN7LmMbwXXTE7I/s1600/DSC_8979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTBri-NH39fOUoIDWPLTb15d8DqUDk3bKWA3egnTy3zpWjaie2JLaP0frcZMEPqbIiQqXB3oH_3SL8UYfVue4RDKFSo-d7AxAU2scBsVldsBldTrFVHgETmlK8NzAt9fN7LmMbwXXTE7I/s400/DSC_8979.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some simple sandwich with ham and cheese</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7u3rPhM5wy9Dm-jlgXMOuWsD0WsSog8ViHUp4mlu1Hwxe6Wxamyz9FgrfBgo8WIroGgi52saxvMHYzJCQdCbmbHOLOOqxiP0AqpnlJk-MAduWzfSFRD285S2SRZHLF94FUn-PehUAvVs/s1600/DSC_8980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7u3rPhM5wy9Dm-jlgXMOuWsD0WsSog8ViHUp4mlu1Hwxe6Wxamyz9FgrfBgo8WIroGgi52saxvMHYzJCQdCbmbHOLOOqxiP0AqpnlJk-MAduWzfSFRD285S2SRZHLF94FUn-PehUAvVs/s320/DSC_8980.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The food was mainly carrots, fruit and the sandwiches. Are we getting lazy?</td></tr>
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It seems the kids enjoyed (although of course the 3 years old have not a full grasp of the party concept) and "1,2,3 star" was as always the favorite game.<br />
Oscar enjoyed the presents he got (and Isabella too) and we managed to reinstated the house to its original shape, despite the little tornados ;-)<br />
Oscar thanks everyone of his friends and parents who could be here with us with a big "ROARRRRR"!<br />
(I still don't understand why there was a tiger with the pirates around but maybe he will enjoy <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandokan">Sandokan</a> soon?)<br />
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<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-84453053345956342792017-01-10T21:50:00.001+01:002017-01-10T21:50:38.974+01:00VolandiaAfter one week closed inside, sick and bored, we decided during our Christmas holidays to visit a cool place nearby my parents' house. A flight museum called <a href="http://www.volandia.it/">Volandia</a>. The museum is placed in the old sheds that were used for the Caproni, one of the pioneer Italian planes industries built around the second last turn of the century.<br />
Nice buildings are around the area and the museum is spread over an enormous space, just next to the Malpensa airport.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCe8MqR4BMk1DP5suptvQcNkCav-CQ_kdVTFhFzW-9VE5FZAxMN_TNR1dQo4n9FDp7d_twQ4Oepebm5STRtZKWWKnBlGB1L-ItWNU38KTTgRRrgQm8WTjq2lbci2oZPck7izmlk7w6Ws/s1600/IMG_20170103_193710_546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCe8MqR4BMk1DP5suptvQcNkCav-CQ_kdVTFhFzW-9VE5FZAxMN_TNR1dQo4n9FDp7d_twQ4Oepebm5STRtZKWWKnBlGB1L-ItWNU38KTTgRRrgQm8WTjq2lbci2oZPck7izmlk7w6Ws/s400/IMG_20170103_193710_546.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful old buildings</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9HljlU-D1N2_0Hi6xQ-Ulxx3P6NrmBW3F_FfBlRBwDylKc9hIiSfoojcES-9GnQEJQqey_wP1Ml8u76Jl9E8eWn7qWYeWbSxd2rtza6vohVC1tPpKdDdthfpNZYEvCraRFBa0awPa3Fc/s1600/IMG_20170103_193857_519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9HljlU-D1N2_0Hi6xQ-Ulxx3P6NrmBW3F_FfBlRBwDylKc9hIiSfoojcES-9GnQEJQqey_wP1Ml8u76Jl9E8eWn7qWYeWbSxd2rtza6vohVC1tPpKdDdthfpNZYEvCraRFBa0awPa3Fc/s320/IMG_20170103_193857_519.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old buildings connected to Caproni</td></tr>
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Lately, the Ogliari Transportation Museum has been added to the whole museum. For me that was very interested, but sadly, the kids were not (strangely) very up to it. They were more attracted from the playground with nice flight theme.<div>
The Ogliari Transportation Museum is outdoor, so probably it is best to be visited during spring. There are all sort of old vehicles and peculiar things. Like old trains wagons, including the Pope one used by Pio IX, but even trolley, tram and motorbikes.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha634K5993to4F2sR8DMBqwJ0Sal0vgelXDtESCMlL0VinMd7ha15WhRoO-BycwBQhgmE0vwyocUM1OOcjOmeBtX1dNZ-Y5adJTv8R0zXvY9BPIufnod-xTJdWzmMC9t58MX8loV8WmjA/s1600/DSC_0433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha634K5993to4F2sR8DMBqwJ0Sal0vgelXDtESCMlL0VinMd7ha15WhRoO-BycwBQhgmE0vwyocUM1OOcjOmeBtX1dNZ-Y5adJTv8R0zXvY9BPIufnod-xTJdWzmMC9t58MX8loV8WmjA/s400/DSC_0433.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some very old steam locomotive</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibB69rQsyCJMSL8_S7_YdKeKUR_5d7ocOSYC76Z3aQW9wMY3CL-WcwEDfjxRGv8KjlQGaDwwbjocVM_SnmQLnqc9Z4K6GxJexeFEI49B-hr_8pAFenpQRTAr0bbYn9rLPAHkhhLxJ6_vY/s1600/DSC_0434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibB69rQsyCJMSL8_S7_YdKeKUR_5d7ocOSYC76Z3aQW9wMY3CL-WcwEDfjxRGv8KjlQGaDwwbjocVM_SnmQLnqc9Z4K6GxJexeFEI49B-hr_8pAFenpQRTAr0bbYn9rLPAHkhhLxJ6_vY/s400/DSC_0434.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pope wagon</td></tr>
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Since the transportation museum joined the collection, also an humongous plastic model of a city has reached Volandia and, the "Ideal city" (that is how it is called) welcomes the visitors in the first room that can be reached after the entrance.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifD4Dl3VPCf3E209dqvUTUuuQ8mF-mKg4EQtewcfx5zWBvUxPp8Pi2eV81vixuTJFvpMYi-OzN18Xpko5XvI9y3sc4ZjKgwszGA7tdOxhFX4j9lZ56Ymjpb_o9kwM4envKUcQCpybxLBc/s1600/DSC_0427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifD4Dl3VPCf3E209dqvUTUuuQ8mF-mKg4EQtewcfx5zWBvUxPp8Pi2eV81vixuTJFvpMYi-OzN18Xpko5XvI9y3sc4ZjKgwszGA7tdOxhFX4j9lZ56Ymjpb_o9kwM4envKUcQCpybxLBc/s400/DSC_0427.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ideal city</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WJ27XBjUWmAq4_Uyp_1hpdoRnhHtj7w-MNM92OVJuZt2bIaxSiooOWIsX7-GcNJkwrJyqEmyetYQ1YCWl1yi2CoJEbG1QVhTJNYlMybfLswQOAVanXveRRFtGQBYBZcTG15Ht2svBA8/s1600/DSC_0429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WJ27XBjUWmAq4_Uyp_1hpdoRnhHtj7w-MNM92OVJuZt2bIaxSiooOWIsX7-GcNJkwrJyqEmyetYQ1YCWl1yi2CoJEbG1QVhTJNYlMybfLswQOAVanXveRRFtGQBYBZcTG15Ht2svBA8/s400/DSC_0429.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One can spend just one hour looking at every detail... </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdebqOIcYhpi7vwF5YkDwfnZ5OkdXtBBrd56HF9-qN2kv7B0dGTDLOrtnrMxFs3vEprlMZKEiT0Mv9hW_d0bsiNvSUAxqB5Gs9zfVdBUMEap_ZZ59FlJ0PRq1r23MtF9wsHIM8n7mMqxk/s1600/DSC_0430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdebqOIcYhpi7vwF5YkDwfnZ5OkdXtBBrd56HF9-qN2kv7B0dGTDLOrtnrMxFs3vEprlMZKEiT0Mv9hW_d0bsiNvSUAxqB5Gs9zfVdBUMEap_ZZ59FlJ0PRq1r23MtF9wsHIM8n7mMqxk/s320/DSC_0430.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Details of the ideal city</td></tr>
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The problem with Volandia is that it is huge. There is a section devoted to Caproni's history with the first planes built there (among which the first plane that flew at Malpensa the 27th of May 1910), then there are sheds reserved to helicopters, with several helicopters including the huge ones used by the Italian army and one reserved to planes. There are the uniforms to be observed, a balloon, and different planes from small ones to bigger ones like the DC3.<br />
We strolled fast through these two big areas which with time and patience reserve a lot of interesting details about different planes and their history.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7kGL9NhvM1zkHC0Zz1LoPNhQuseFtFRUl9nNKZkPe7zodcilG2o-TbULjt_FbjTFaHhhz1zkR9Epqpc-FVqInWJkbTcc_xrXH2rWovHs7fk3SjEXL4Q2hYl3KWQhHJ1Ta5mamoh4f_N8/s1600/IMG_20170102_170955_984.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7kGL9NhvM1zkHC0Zz1LoPNhQuseFtFRUl9nNKZkPe7zodcilG2o-TbULjt_FbjTFaHhhz1zkR9Epqpc-FVqInWJkbTcc_xrXH2rWovHs7fk3SjEXL4Q2hYl3KWQhHJ1Ta5mamoh4f_N8/s400/IMG_20170102_170955_984.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first plane that flew at Malpensa </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKg4pcGa6dPFdmxpSFl0fdunx6hV7WhQFUcW5UXfabsHojRttKpsNu9T-TFCEFFzymqG7uuTlaP523jTV-Q5roDpz8hq0dEmz9oyTi5N9Uj2n16vJUJK5NSz_RjUHi79NFiKHSCa3kA4/s1600/DSC_0432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKg4pcGa6dPFdmxpSFl0fdunx6hV7WhQFUcW5UXfabsHojRttKpsNu9T-TFCEFFzymqG7uuTlaP523jTV-Q5roDpz8hq0dEmz9oyTi5N9Uj2n16vJUJK5NSz_RjUHi79NFiKHSCa3kA4/s320/DSC_0432.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Caproni's planes</td></tr>
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There are also two bigger modern planes outside. One is the Pertini (one of the Italian presidents) Republic plane which will be accessible/available for a more complete visit in March 2017, while now one can just look a bit at it from distance.<br />
There is a shed devoted to thousands of plane models (which we didn't see), an indoor play area (which we just went by very quickly), a restaurant (where we bought candies as snack) and a cafe' (which was closed when we wanted to eat something).<br />
There is then a pavilion with space as subject, one for flight simulators and one for future planes. We didn't manage to see any of these since the kids were cold and tired, being the first time out after several days. And we were there for several hours...<br />
All together, the place is huge and worth a visit. Probably more than one, since there is so much to see and appreciate. For small kids it can be a bit of a killer since the interaction can be limited. Of course, going into the helicopter was a big plus, but walking through rooms full of items, planes and text is not that funny.<br />
It is good that by walking a little bit one can also check flights landing or departing from Malpensa airport. A nice good spot for planes spotting ;-)<br />
Considering that Oscar usually like planes and all sort of vehicles, Isabella is moderated interested, I am surely quite nerdy and Mattias likes planes from WWII and modern jet planes, I suspect that we will visit the place again and maybe check out the other parts we didn't visit at all at this occasion.<br />
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<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a></div>
aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-52892275705100156732016-12-31T14:34:00.002+01:002016-12-31T14:34:46.392+01:00Cartagena and 7th Wonders<div>
This Christmas, after several years, we did manage to finally have a board game evening with some friends. This despite me feeling like crap since I did get the flu (and yes, we got offered to play also other evenings after Christmas, but the status of the whole family had degenerated into hospital mode).<br />
Considering the health status my performance was dreadful ... (yes, I blame it on the fuzzy head to the fever/cold)<br />
<br />
The first game we played was <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/826/cartagena">Cartagena</a>. The game is pretty simple and there is a minimum of luck required in fetching the right cards to proceed. Then, yes, some good strategy (I lacked that totally, as always).<br />
Each player has four pirates and they have to go through a path to reach a boat. The player whose pirates reach the boat first win.<br />
The pirates move on the path (the board) by discarding cards: each card represents a symbol that is on the board and when one uses the card one moves on the board reaching out for its symbol. For fetching new cards, one has to move backward.<br />
So, the whole game is about finding a good balance between moving forward and backward, obtaining proper cards. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKqySGLGmWSKlNXDLlduxwGbE4q0wrLaAaeQdtFHglmUlJjEL2LrDW6yEwlEANHMzvTmNfCKDF95iuRrZUiOR-cAN6ujAd9tVEqrt1VPlxzfSSmFvvCE9Dky-nF-v842WeC9po6e5aUs0/s1600/DSC_0419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKqySGLGmWSKlNXDLlduxwGbE4q0wrLaAaeQdtFHglmUlJjEL2LrDW6yEwlEANHMzvTmNfCKDF95iuRrZUiOR-cAN6ujAd9tVEqrt1VPlxzfSSmFvvCE9Dky-nF-v842WeC9po6e5aUs0/s320/DSC_0419.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cartagena</td></tr>
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<br />
The game doesn't last too long and can be played by maximum 5 players, so it is quite nice to play when one doesn't have too much time. Since also it is quite simple (at least, there are not five billion steps required to understand how to play) it is perfect when maybe one hasn't been playing a game for several years. Ok, yes, in my case that didn't help out...<br />
<br />
<a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/68448/7-wonders">7th Wonders</a> is instead much more elaborated (so, let's not think of what I didn't do when we played it). So, of course, also more entertaining since one has to think about many more parameters than moving the pirates on the board.<br />
Each player has one of the 7th wonders (I took Ephesus) that can be built in different steps. There are different ages one go through. Each age is basically a round of cards that get passed between the players at each turn. The complexity of the cards and the prerequisites to play them or use them is higher the later the age of the world is.<br />
There are cards of different color and therefore different properties.<br />
The different cards, the money, the building steps of the wonder provide points to the final countdown. At the end of the last age, all the points will then be calculated and then the winner will be announced.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqunn9rCZKhgso9TRDDjocTtaIrItuDH_zEGkBcHRSNYazDCXwv3oUFeWXAerUq09ThVBGc47ridBkjE_gYuXKULHvoxvEuyeaEFxm1aASZpnZcRGyv3DfX4qf5p4_WRykC27Y1xppJI/s1600/DSC_0422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqunn9rCZKhgso9TRDDjocTtaIrItuDH_zEGkBcHRSNYazDCXwv3oUFeWXAerUq09ThVBGc47ridBkjE_gYuXKULHvoxvEuyeaEFxm1aASZpnZcRGyv3DfX4qf5p4_WRykC27Y1xppJI/s320/DSC_0422.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7th Wonders</td></tr>
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The game is very intriguing and in fact it is ranked quite high. When playing it resembled a lot of many different games that we have played. I thought of Dominion as well as Colosseum.<br />
Pity though that we managed to play it just once, then it was definitely too late for two retired people as we have turned out.<br /><a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-5530736196440740042016-11-09T22:03:00.001+01:002016-11-09T22:03:04.207+01:00Expo <div>
I have been intended to write this post actually one year and few months ago, but for a series of circumstances, it simply never happened.<br />
<br />
Last year, for about half a year, a quite big area of Milan has been transformed into a gigantic world exhibition about food sustainability. This has been a very big thing for Italy and in Italy. Every time we were there, there was no talk that didn't include the world "Expo" and everyone wanted to go and check it out.<br />
At the end, we decided to peek a look as well. After all, we are both interested in both food and sustainability.<br />
Living abroad, I was having the opportunity to actually get a quite decent discount on the tickets, but the procedure for getting it was a sphinx riddle.<br />
Nevertheless, with only one kid, we took the train, we conveniently arrived at the station, got the ticket and entered this "city" in the city, crowded with people, in a very warm august.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnj-ZDSXcNGMbLx_XbR1lAAh19QIzbOggy7I3H4njiwNKnyn4uUw2nHnHJMsbBNSXRMEpJq_MOsA6O4wA2BW5L8iIx6Dn5RRsmIiQbjLRCJ8VAPTz6yxxZcPzvVRNToKLWgf5vaKX7wc/s1600/DSCN3761-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnj-ZDSXcNGMbLx_XbR1lAAh19QIzbOggy7I3H4njiwNKnyn4uUw2nHnHJMsbBNSXRMEpJq_MOsA6O4wA2BW5L8iIx6Dn5RRsmIiQbjLRCJ8VAPTz6yxxZcPzvVRNToKLWgf5vaKX7wc/s320/DSCN3761-2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The expo decumano crowded with people</td></tr>
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</div>
In order to be able to visit it properly, I think one would have needed at least a month.<br />
Almost every nation on Earth (except all the Nordic countries - so that noone in Sweden has a clue what this is about) had built up a gigantic pavilion or at least some form of exhibition space showing off.<br />
I think it mostly became a showing off, not of food neither of sustainability. It was beautiful, interesting, that was the red thread around the whole place and for each country, but it seemed mostly like each pavilion was pushing for getting more tourists. But maybe that was the goal of it?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8G8r_1HSyYuq6FULjs1LOzRyy6MNQWmYHN1M_FFCDoDRrHCAMNH-9Jm30YF3-eQ4FbBVylR4JxJhR8dAsfy0s8xf8wrfvwJ91DU-zTYtfL0Kvif6fGvrwIisbucZ1x-fPEDNg2FBNfY/s1600/DSCN3765-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8G8r_1HSyYuq6FULjs1LOzRyy6MNQWmYHN1M_FFCDoDRrHCAMNH-9Jm30YF3-eQ4FbBVylR4JxJhR8dAsfy0s8xf8wrfvwJ91DU-zTYtfL0Kvif6fGvrwIisbucZ1x-fPEDNg2FBNfY/s320/DSCN3765-2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big pavilion are sticking out at the horizon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We had no big preparation for the day, so we decided just based on pure inspiration where to head.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcYP1rKvIWjtgHbZuRgDE27LcCPX-7m4sJFkRBQw_nCtOf5_3TJIzx3p__d5PXD03oi7rugTXG-4RCWZxLggL9VX449LVRYZqELzR8WjohJ5ZcUBB2nKp9T3X6YqLcE3KAKr72jLhRhaM/s1600/DSCN3762-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcYP1rKvIWjtgHbZuRgDE27LcCPX-7m4sJFkRBQw_nCtOf5_3TJIzx3p__d5PXD03oi7rugTXG-4RCWZxLggL9VX449LVRYZqELzR8WjohJ5ZcUBB2nKp9T3X6YqLcE3KAKr72jLhRhaM/s400/DSCN3762-2.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A copy of Milan's symbol: the golden virgin statue on top of the Dome</td></tr>
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The great thing was that during the whole afternoon, considering how warmth it was, we had the opportunity to refill our water bottles thanks to free distribution machine. That was a blessing, but also took a lot of time since every station had often a little queue.<br />
And talking of queue, depending of the pavilion, there were interesting queues to face.<br />
We gave up (although by having a kid we had often faster routes) visiting few pavilions, including the most popular one of them all, the one of Japan.<br />
We did visit few countries I don't even remember the name, some from the far east (maybe Polinesia?) some from the middle east.<br />
We managed to go into the one from Marocco, Spain, European Union (which was actually the most educational, with a little movie with special effects), walk through the common thematic areas from the African countries... but for absorbing everything time was definitely not enough.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJr0M-9jqz2WcDzV86rcIMoZdGe_jRmnMApaEz32IJwcIhmsHAXQ0Od3CN8pXrPTXMWnDgbXfYnb8Ms2qQ9lBOGnMeU5GjV9YtWf7juWWIskLa-sHIAQ0yHbSv-uLNL1_751DTfbDAS-A/s1600/DSCN3759-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJr0M-9jqz2WcDzV86rcIMoZdGe_jRmnMApaEz32IJwcIhmsHAXQ0Od3CN8pXrPTXMWnDgbXfYnb8Ms2qQ9lBOGnMeU5GjV9YtWf7juWWIskLa-sHIAQ0yHbSv-uLNL1_751DTfbDAS-A/s320/DSCN3759-2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pavilion Zero</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJ0MCAvS0JOuBcvEKytb5l5gHFPHZnoiKwpKyESGZ_U16-RihqQP0H81XxuHN0osrpxNAj5jvOVwQMNnaFb3jqmzFmUR2U7eOGzB_JMlkySxYUuXyNpHsY9uR7VbDpoPBHH_05A8SF6s/s1600/DSCN3770-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJ0MCAvS0JOuBcvEKytb5l5gHFPHZnoiKwpKyESGZ_U16-RihqQP0H81XxuHN0osrpxNAj5jvOVwQMNnaFb3jqmzFmUR2U7eOGzB_JMlkySxYUuXyNpHsY9uR7VbDpoPBHH_05A8SF6s/s320/DSCN3770-2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the pavilions were having impressive shapes and design. This is the one from Ungary.</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpeF5kcLQKEyhODzStLu-Ep2QnYHTqqd06PI7U4HH0Fel0BOMHTdwTgFsj5YjTgYkEk0EB3-w7x3qdkDaWIB6NWfD6nq2JdQDjjCnYXdHGu7Xwhl2CB3SRUY99G5TYYeS1DFHPbFEKQmw/s1600/DSCN3769-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpeF5kcLQKEyhODzStLu-Ep2QnYHTqqd06PI7U4HH0Fel0BOMHTdwTgFsj5YjTgYkEk0EB3-w7x3qdkDaWIB6NWfD6nq2JdQDjjCnYXdHGu7Xwhl2CB3SRUY99G5TYYeS1DFHPbFEKQmw/s320/DSCN3769-2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The interior of the Ungarian pavilion<br /></td></tr>
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<br />The effort put by each country could vary quite much (I guess budget made the difference), but everyone made surely an attempt to stick out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaL454e6FGtGh-Kqw9hj7NOhlbk5MXvr1xycoE-yXr-LqGtsdj46oYNSUEtny1ZXlttOmIVe0JDvD-xTXcUhoyKYk4LLZ3fvSXcnqvfQgYw_VsT6fZDuhl5Wa_xmIVq0UTDdAFQ_mDFlI/s1600/DSC_1296.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaL454e6FGtGh-Kqw9hj7NOhlbk5MXvr1xycoE-yXr-LqGtsdj46oYNSUEtny1ZXlttOmIVe0JDvD-xTXcUhoyKYk4LLZ3fvSXcnqvfQgYw_VsT6fZDuhl5Wa_xmIVq0UTDdAFQ_mDFlI/s320/DSC_1296.jpeg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pavilion from USA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUwxItuy_9BNWiSHVw_4zG1d-ubzfCLKSYpivUXTQC3fDEdg99VPKsE2KwakiIteO5LY6CXtcrWFp0dcN7tzNfAZl6ugQZEYPQiadU1zjEIcGg7G035xA2pEnnBE-mnWk4NDpXguKVhU/s1600/DSC_1297.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUwxItuy_9BNWiSHVw_4zG1d-ubzfCLKSYpivUXTQC3fDEdg99VPKsE2KwakiIteO5LY6CXtcrWFp0dcN7tzNfAZl6ugQZEYPQiadU1zjEIcGg7G035xA2pEnnBE-mnWk4NDpXguKVhU/s400/DSC_1297.jpeg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are we really in Milan? Qatar's pavilion</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6khMRgxF7duLol-Wzk41_SoO5NWocJAiC1XNjLQ4fnNN7vZCLRxF5mOT_0Ucqs8e_1Ea7Xu3VIvSC7CouocHn3rCeOpAc3V0bLg0SLuMWo2OaATxWFKiOLqa61QbrS0Zc6kRkAfH_3n0/s1600/DSCN3768-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6khMRgxF7duLol-Wzk41_SoO5NWocJAiC1XNjLQ4fnNN7vZCLRxF5mOT_0Ucqs8e_1Ea7Xu3VIvSC7CouocHn3rCeOpAc3V0bLg0SLuMWo2OaATxWFKiOLqa61QbrS0Zc6kRkAfH_3n0/s400/DSCN3768-2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't remember :-( Clearly something from East?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3f6DY3MRTxnkDCFRbmd9Fr3L5aA6XoJR8NE3p8BNVO-3bdGfmxxJMtlrlmvFpr7DCEg5vkZoI8eZkxp0PodLP99-1eggGpEg9DZsS8x_hs4IyuMHdH6iWrLeLOkdCuiyW_MjNd5aCJU/s1600/DSCN3766-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3f6DY3MRTxnkDCFRbmd9Fr3L5aA6XoJR8NE3p8BNVO-3bdGfmxxJMtlrlmvFpr7DCEg5vkZoI8eZkxp0PodLP99-1eggGpEg9DZsS8x_hs4IyuMHdH6iWrLeLOkdCuiyW_MjNd5aCJU/s400/DSCN3766-2.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">China, or part of its pavilion.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of the hope I was personally having was that it would have been possible to taste more food.</div>
<div>
In reality, this was very limited. In the different pavilions it was often possible to buy some product specific from the country, in some others it was possible to eat there. But both options were far from being cheap. </div>
<div>
We did buy some random food in one of the many stands from which one could try some extravagant fast food variation, but we were still hungry and had the need for a proper meal.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk00Ard97S4V9LuLa_O7p7qnWJo3dkzMY5pbbSlJghCNcM35-Xw2hzlPDiMzifSG0NemtIaW3LWEYlM2uqHHPGQI0ekxFQPJFeE_nD-kydC0rF4lMjXx9Z_gk2NodbG11WF0z19D-bjhM/s1600/DSCN3764-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk00Ard97S4V9LuLa_O7p7qnWJo3dkzMY5pbbSlJghCNcM35-Xw2hzlPDiMzifSG0NemtIaW3LWEYlM2uqHHPGQI0ekxFQPJFeE_nD-kydC0rF4lMjXx9Z_gk2NodbG11WF0z19D-bjhM/s320/DSCN3764-2.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tasting chocolate at the Lindt pavilion</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYxpHIUrK4ywWxdIbv4DAz8XU3TzZb5WKlRHGZ2bW1hIARmJm6bzaztf3bG0qzNJ76ZNNuVx2L6242ffneQYs8UF9ahd-fTolpzDMnQZySDchWfh8H2f0N3vnwYntoRh9Iromu6R-B9UM/s1600/DSCN3767-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYxpHIUrK4ywWxdIbv4DAz8XU3TzZb5WKlRHGZ2bW1hIARmJm6bzaztf3bG0qzNJ76ZNNuVx2L6242ffneQYs8UF9ahd-fTolpzDMnQZySDchWfh8H2f0N3vnwYntoRh9Iromu6R-B9UM/s320/DSCN3767-2.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Emilia Romagna section</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Eating becoming quite an interesting project. Thank God we landed at <a href="http://expo.eataly.net/">Eataly</a> which offered as many restaurants as italian regions, with specialities from each of them. Problem was that it was pretty crowded and the seating was not exactly optimal (and we had a stroller with a little boy in it).</div>
<div>
Anyway, we managed to quickly eat a quite nice meal, for a decent price.</div>
<div>
Choosing was though quite a problem. I could have been eating a dish from each region/restaurant!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKCbhXlWybQfRTgL9YfHRge_ZYC248LLy0gODJESuX_rXdeFXWcltyF-ZWVrH5PgJYNAMK4KXQbGh4j9iBxLk-XBdNq7FhFMBHfWVM-2S_A53f72YoJ2vXGHihpnMElSVkYW8ziqYmjY/s1600/DSCN3773-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKCbhXlWybQfRTgL9YfHRge_ZYC248LLy0gODJESuX_rXdeFXWcltyF-ZWVrH5PgJYNAMK4KXQbGh4j9iBxLk-XBdNq7FhFMBHfWVM-2S_A53f72YoJ2vXGHihpnMElSVkYW8ziqYmjY/s400/DSCN3773-2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The future supermarket?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnJumNKA4wuG4NFxs9dPBQ1z-dvoShNr7FCVDZ269qhwDqBdXO7eex6d7zlvsI7MXchUcJnvCFPJeEpXEtqZ0aNQnDianP0Z3tcBi41fHnGZVwp2dkE14Y9gfKdj7gFcoOYIAtM4va9Q/s1600/DSCN3774-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnJumNKA4wuG4NFxs9dPBQ1z-dvoShNr7FCVDZ269qhwDqBdXO7eex6d7zlvsI7MXchUcJnvCFPJeEpXEtqZ0aNQnDianP0Z3tcBi41fHnGZVwp2dkE14Y9gfKdj7gFcoOYIAtM4va9Q/s320/DSCN3774-2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A taste from the future</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As the exhibition should be about food and sustainability, we got attracted by visiting a supermarket and other few interesting items that were spread a little bit everywhere.<br />
The supermarket was quite interesting, but it didn't shock me that much. Although there was an attempt to bring up more organic food and to have some interesting display capability, I would have expected something even more futuristic than just a fancy screen?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQCuvhEE0uvbvKa3dOafE-b8xgdp1ADfsIemygLp0TPHQxwUwA3bIuRu5ImyWk79x3kgu_bS2CATEQqx-NKEa_hI_bNzx3QcGMt7hCTvUtawCSywKCQGq1nYJ7mo0wJLqQMw2awPVl8E/s1600/IMG_2907.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQCuvhEE0uvbvKa3dOafE-b8xgdp1ADfsIemygLp0TPHQxwUwA3bIuRu5ImyWk79x3kgu_bS2CATEQqx-NKEa_hI_bNzx3QcGMt7hCTvUtawCSywKCQGq1nYJ7mo0wJLqQMw2awPVl8E/s320/IMG_2907.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An attempt to have a proper recycling system for such an event!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEnz6rvm8VoKQMevz49LlA16h788_jszZzuw10zPZZPJIJxaYLgVUzfPM1eVww5dVw1ZeQUYEyoe3-p0OQZ1OO4T97v0MM8nrpcY8jDdJwhdJ9b72RiJtoKyqy6NWd4c8q-MV1XUhW_k/s1600/IMG_2909.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEnz6rvm8VoKQMevz49LlA16h788_jszZzuw10zPZZPJIJxaYLgVUzfPM1eVww5dVw1ZeQUYEyoe3-p0OQZ1OO4T97v0MM8nrpcY8jDdJwhdJ9b72RiJtoKyqy6NWd4c8q-MV1XUhW_k/s400/IMG_2909.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Algae Folly. New proteins?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1nwQ64y5aeO70tFS3F5pA6UWjfIb5COKoyIrnBinFuJufoMetExZqwA0884f8OJbvqURp68l0bT_-xGPi3fZ_MJ9P2g1QUu5mPfUnmSxfLwOvonE9lcbXq5ya4P6VJ7yp6MGAZF0n39g/s1600/IMG_2912.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1nwQ64y5aeO70tFS3F5pA6UWjfIb5COKoyIrnBinFuJufoMetExZqwA0884f8OJbvqURp68l0bT_-xGPi3fZ_MJ9P2g1QUu5mPfUnmSxfLwOvonE9lcbXq5ya4P6VJ7yp6MGAZF0n39g/s320/IMG_2912.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vertical farm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, is the future going to be these modern nanotechnologies related way of cultivating some form of food, or are we, especially as Italians, going to stick with our traditions and our traditional food as the one presented at the Expo?</div>
<div>
Who knows. I know though that the whole Expo is now quite a desert. And this is a pity considering the amount of infrastructure, how big the area is and what possibilities of learning and exploring there were. I would have made it quite a permanent fair, if it wouldn't be that expensive, I guess, to maintain each pavilion. </div>
<div>
Though, I guess the whole area right now is not there without any cost - although I know that there are plans for reusing part of it.</div>
<div>
This summer we decided to pay a visit to it, since the Children's thematic park was still there.</div>
<div>
The atmosphere was though completely different than the one from the year before. No more crowds, a form of desolation when looking at the whole Expo and a feeling of nostalgia all over.</div>
<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CNE8emi_IeTnys-3JbIq6y4luxu4BtcQO5XxbywM7QVXlYHjGkj8JL16VJhJ5kVT0axaGgSwclhGum8mt-sXKIwfrj7Sbq77XWXgZxiIjodHaDCwHURsMrvLBjDfiaTReRm8Z3Vqd00/s1600/DSC_0206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CNE8emi_IeTnys-3JbIq6y4luxu4BtcQO5XxbywM7QVXlYHjGkj8JL16VJhJ5kVT0axaGgSwclhGum8mt-sXKIwfrj7Sbq77XWXgZxiIjodHaDCwHURsMrvLBjDfiaTReRm8Z3Vqd00/s320/DSC_0206.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cascina Triulza</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyB7f91bcD9-OyKA7ts05TTryLuP6L9QIFMhSd_I1tkpwY9w40aLCL3UBMCYoXQljkueNAS5_lm6Q4FNLlQCscBNhr5QujcdRJ-Ak5iW4eD-0BqjUX7TecPp-n94YFrWJs5bxRVKMk9M/s1600/DSC_0211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyB7f91bcD9-OyKA7ts05TTryLuP6L9QIFMhSd_I1tkpwY9w40aLCL3UBMCYoXQljkueNAS5_lm6Q4FNLlQCscBNhr5QujcdRJ-Ak5iW4eD-0BqjUX7TecPp-n94YFrWJs5bxRVKMk9M/s400/DSC_0211.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Observing the old Expo area from distance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmL8dOjxX7gq3MDGWltXtxcF6v9cHIAU5Yt5mrGUtIU0sM3xaMHgw6OTh6kJlKNRCZrV03jicCbQ_RXP7JXz288j-O9_XtzSjHCjfJ2Jd8_5a-XXGmiNU5yZkifk3qrygkmo5bhORBN3U/s1600/DSC_0222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmL8dOjxX7gq3MDGWltXtxcF6v9cHIAU5Yt5mrGUtIU0sM3xaMHgw6OTh6kJlKNRCZrV03jicCbQ_RXP7JXz288j-O9_XtzSjHCjfJ2Jd8_5a-XXGmiNU5yZkifk3qrygkmo5bhORBN3U/s320/DSC_0222.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where is everyone?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The children's park was quite interesting and well done. Probably best to target kids in primary school, but still I think it was quite ok for Isabella to be there, although she didn't grasp so much of the messages that wanted to be passed over through the park.<br />
It was a lot about nature, energy and environment.<br />
One could smell different herbs, understand the richness of water, exchanging drawings with unknown kids by fishing them up from a pond, and finally observing how one creates energy when using bikes... among other things.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwgzHHpEXC1HOX92GztO1oRIViRpAy8Ah-C6qbcYTlhwFLOFLbdf_xQCTYsMquqo7jyd2AHxKNBQJBxlWUoh6ERSSqvA2wV28gmzQTKdUNQMSFRRSUDPP8NHGYxychbl1EOgOBBaL9Dg/s1600/DSC_0221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwgzHHpEXC1HOX92GztO1oRIViRpAy8Ah-C6qbcYTlhwFLOFLbdf_xQCTYsMquqo7jyd2AHxKNBQJBxlWUoh6ERSSqvA2wV28gmzQTKdUNQMSFRRSUDPP8NHGYxychbl1EOgOBBaL9Dg/s320/DSC_0221.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bikes for energy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As it happened the year before, we managed to miss just for a tiny bit the show of the Tree of Life, which will be the symbol of the Expo from the years to come.<br />
This time though, we went close to it and I actually found it magnificent!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAICjcl2CZXZzvdgY6KUsE1fdKru0oYO-3BfBmFT6sWaDWLwYTemAbjUoeybPFmLm3hb7wsuXMz6ojvB8mi3U6YfMsHsdprnZlKI_R5v4Wyp6iDqeuSki9cxnzh9qpGS0VVzh2L-dMrzQ/s1600/DSC_0225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAICjcl2CZXZzvdgY6KUsE1fdKru0oYO-3BfBmFT6sWaDWLwYTemAbjUoeybPFmLm3hb7wsuXMz6ojvB8mi3U6YfMsHsdprnZlKI_R5v4Wyp6iDqeuSki9cxnzh9qpGS0VVzh2L-dMrzQ/s320/DSC_0225.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Observing the surroundings. The tree of life on the horizon.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1Cr-Nj9mJyrnyIqI_MW9iDQ13mxdodeqUZvSD-rG4uFLevEmFegyXc3BheJ5xNPCSK9u3vxPqcIWxTMy8aiPlAupBJ52HjMaf2EPqYdxS5E1iIbeicp0cTawBJfeeALrMftzxOGlj-A/s1600/DSC_0226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1Cr-Nj9mJyrnyIqI_MW9iDQ13mxdodeqUZvSD-rG4uFLevEmFegyXc3BheJ5xNPCSK9u3vxPqcIWxTMy8aiPlAupBJ52HjMaf2EPqYdxS5E1iIbeicp0cTawBJfeeALrMftzxOGlj-A/s320/DSC_0226.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tree of life</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdj8h4XNRUqgB6MDs31TJovBOVN3rDiklHCLmajBvM-Kzgi3JRmnEwpkv4caCefSNfUhA7sUjdvY-z6fWLMbNDaQ7jrl6nav9yMi1Vhd3gGrsqawkHvv_gpANmIViXAG1buvTnHctpz4/s1600/DSC_0227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdj8h4XNRUqgB6MDs31TJovBOVN3rDiklHCLmajBvM-Kzgi3JRmnEwpkv4caCefSNfUhA7sUjdvY-z6fWLMbNDaQ7jrl6nav9yMi1Vhd3gGrsqawkHvv_gpANmIViXAG1buvTnHctpz4/s400/DSC_0227.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Under the tree of life</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The big pity of our second visit was that from the children's park to the tree, one needs to walk. A lot. With kids. Among ponds and sluices. In the heat, with mosquitoes, no shadow, no trees, no wind.</div>
<div>
Let's say that there was plenty of whining and it was not the best part of the visit!</div>
<div>
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I'd hope, but here maybe I am just a dreamer, that the whole area won't be forgotten and small things, as the path I have just mentioned, improved, to keep the memory of what all of this was, especially for those that didn't even have a clue it existed (namely all the Nordics who missed the great Italian food culture concentrated in once place :-D).<br />
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<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a></div>
aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-74357799584824237072016-10-22T13:47:00.000+02:002016-10-22T13:47:07.747+02:00Visby and Almedalen<div>
This summer, for a serie of circumstances, I ended up having the possibility to travel to Visby for going to Almedalen.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visby</td></tr>
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Almedalen is a political event that lasts about a week. All the politician and a lot of organizations meet up and there are a lot of events and seminars. During the years, this event has grown up in size and, as for every event in Visby, half of Stockholm is there.<br />
Said this one has to know that I am completely disinterest in politics. I have no clue what goes on in my own country most of the times, and in Sweden, it is even less. I am quite detach, I do not know the people that run this place and surely, I wasn't burning to be in Almedalen for some special reason (or for meeting some local VIP).<br />
However, I thought it could have been an interesting experience, and it was.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the architects antrum...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">One of the seminars</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXdZ2ltdQ3wLYOSc27UQ0OFiZ77LkMMOQbP8nY8P73hBMFhL_MIYusfQ-nyRUU6uHaB9EY40siO23_y8xHeI3LYVSF260wuIa7CDia4OHIXH4D_Oy5_tGIt3A0IzhgmvMhjJGAluNtrA/s1600/DSC_0068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXdZ2ltdQ3wLYOSc27UQ0OFiZ77LkMMOQbP8nY8P73hBMFhL_MIYusfQ-nyRUU6uHaB9EY40siO23_y8xHeI3LYVSF260wuIa7CDia4OHIXH4D_Oy5_tGIt3A0IzhgmvMhjJGAluNtrA/s320/DSC_0068.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">In the town center</td></tr>
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Almedalen per se' didn't impress me. On the other hand, I was very puzzled of the importance given to an event where there is a large amount of noise produced by everyone. Who is there is mostly to talk and show off, not to listen. If you have a message, you can be there and splat it in everyone's face, but it is not said that somebody will actually understand it.<br />
So, it is a bit of a waste of time. Except if your voice is big enough to actually be heard.<br />
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Visby on the other hand was very pitoresque. The historical centre is small, compact and it is lovely to just stroll around, although there was a lot of people (but I suspect that is almost inevitable the whole summer there).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Streets of Visby</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVL23qQUonWnfQ82dpJ3ljhhjvJYDG8m77_WF59xs7o3XCv0XeBQNy6nuHml9Hb0qooED5-klWb5Novb5xhhKqN1W5tYVRZet9IjunP4e7q0_2KRvQHpSn5f2Z6OmGwDXhGzVwgJTJFtg/s1600/DSC_0053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVL23qQUonWnfQ82dpJ3ljhhjvJYDG8m77_WF59xs7o3XCv0XeBQNy6nuHml9Hb0qooED5-klWb5Novb5xhhKqN1W5tYVRZet9IjunP4e7q0_2KRvQHpSn5f2Z6OmGwDXhGzVwgJTJFtg/s320/DSC_0053.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Typical house in Visby. House painted with tar.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Details of the painting on the house</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_45pBt3ywTDeSqpnItbR2tNaMaaB4i5Q-o5ZvRHRGnth2zhx_abN9nc1Qd-K5zPiDsb1DL8eZPWR2X3bfgwwp02I2c8NmPxKt8rPJoJMhwDrOHkhxmIxeF9J71BsxYu7bdJkOIVX2gVw/s1600/DSC_0054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_45pBt3ywTDeSqpnItbR2tNaMaaB4i5Q-o5ZvRHRGnth2zhx_abN9nc1Qd-K5zPiDsb1DL8eZPWR2X3bfgwwp02I2c8NmPxKt8rPJoJMhwDrOHkhxmIxeF9J71BsxYu7bdJkOIVX2gVw/s320/DSC_0054.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Streets of Visby</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8GyN-64Yfa7Tw7m3Bxl_aatIFO_k3Q62usMicuSnSL-mPE3Sm_QGuRKQcEisDaFViHP1sCpirvnWR_2cBDJ8-42qKsY2ao6CERdXZuHKRNjYKl3eVsd-2OfA2giqLw7hvZVIUvOcO8M/s1600/DSC_0055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8GyN-64Yfa7Tw7m3Bxl_aatIFO_k3Q62usMicuSnSL-mPE3Sm_QGuRKQcEisDaFViHP1sCpirvnWR_2cBDJ8-42qKsY2ao6CERdXZuHKRNjYKl3eVsd-2OfA2giqLw7hvZVIUvOcO8M/s320/DSC_0055.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Nice corners</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJ2iXLXTsi46LAETxlCseW6WpbF0rN8AJb5Y4S-PfbJPBS7MpMtK6CUa0yEjHUNkl5VXw07uW7AAhtFsEBvQtWiq6Re6ppFYQM_4tFUG_Z3Fx83eSXzVCKh4Z07nChnAPWjMmojdueOQ/s1600/DSC_0067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJ2iXLXTsi46LAETxlCseW6WpbF0rN8AJb5Y4S-PfbJPBS7MpMtK6CUa0yEjHUNkl5VXw07uW7AAhtFsEBvQtWiq6Re6ppFYQM_4tFUG_Z3Fx83eSXzVCKh4Z07nChnAPWjMmojdueOQ/s400/DSC_0067.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interesting buildings</td></tr>
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The wall is beautiful from every angle, but especially at sunset. The church ruins are fascinating.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwiiy4ocdv_p7jfu3ru5n4btZWoL2BTKK9JaGxu2wCSMYr8NO5q9oRIosOp40jyAWTQWwyfwr-0AY4AphxAZRHE1AtBwhZFcg2UB2MMItwI_6VqAk9w5wR9_zu869pkHWBMKOVOBkqWck/s1600/DSC_0058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwiiy4ocdv_p7jfu3ru5n4btZWoL2BTKK9JaGxu2wCSMYr8NO5q9oRIosOp40jyAWTQWwyfwr-0AY4AphxAZRHE1AtBwhZFcg2UB2MMItwI_6VqAk9w5wR9_zu869pkHWBMKOVOBkqWck/s400/DSC_0058.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Majestic</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9rFM48lGvVGQT5Ed_jTgMz941T6RofwoVFWDLbVVMIqrIjYqVyr-q1AbkNqJnlSvtXs6YujBc1UjUMwBP7cteKK2HfHVUiJNqSBPNwDaL-_sGi2gpKf94X2jrvt9RG5N-he-uWOXd9U/s1600/DSC_0059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9rFM48lGvVGQT5Ed_jTgMz941T6RofwoVFWDLbVVMIqrIjYqVyr-q1AbkNqJnlSvtXs6YujBc1UjUMwBP7cteKK2HfHVUiJNqSBPNwDaL-_sGi2gpKf94X2jrvt9RG5N-he-uWOXd9U/s320/DSC_0059.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Inside the ruins</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7IKLOBJTxz5xwxrfPToc3tLsBtLmb3ar_cweGNmbBIUrQAcCdc1x-m7h6I9cvuyohmmJePnRmV14SLJZaQOOAO1Uy8uCFraPrcVrq2qYiAXXl0gsqe0m1cUrIwfDkYScsYdVfu-yoyqk/s1600/DSC_0056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7IKLOBJTxz5xwxrfPToc3tLsBtLmb3ar_cweGNmbBIUrQAcCdc1x-m7h6I9cvuyohmmJePnRmV14SLJZaQOOAO1Uy8uCFraPrcVrq2qYiAXXl0gsqe0m1cUrIwfDkYScsYdVfu-yoyqk/s320/DSC_0056.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A buildings meltpot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtqDrQ-GO3YEcy9YzVvjCXks2QLryGcDbbiFzK0wb4885izSK-k8KqSbqLWmsLbR1DBRNjjq8UtjZ_p2DBvUBGvZ5y_GXSfGrAGQiwQElAHAE45in7ZmhJ8VQ6K2kd3IC1-R4kaQoKiA/s1600/DSC_0102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtqDrQ-GO3YEcy9YzVvjCXks2QLryGcDbbiFzK0wb4885izSK-k8KqSbqLWmsLbR1DBRNjjq8UtjZ_p2DBvUBGvZ5y_GXSfGrAGQiwQElAHAE45in7ZmhJ8VQ6K2kd3IC1-R4kaQoKiA/s400/DSC_0102.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful church ruins</td></tr>
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Basically, everything that is breathing medieval is very refreshing in a country where wherever you go the most ancient building is from the 1800 century and everything else has been burnt down, reutilized for building something else, or haven't existed at all.<br />
Of course it is not Rome, but considering where one is, it is quite impressive that the core of the town is almost intact with old buildings.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1z2VPWGaQkpaIL9xkthu-4RHCbqHy1xnh9gZG1tSi_x1Y2F5Og4Q7IFS6eG_OqHMnGrYklCkGjRFTmjZT7CEde4FwFr0chAknySFF60eVa77FHhyaqSimipZoU6Z3j-hFbM2E2v9sJIs/s1600/DSC_0276+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1z2VPWGaQkpaIL9xkthu-4RHCbqHy1xnh9gZG1tSi_x1Y2F5Og4Q7IFS6eG_OqHMnGrYklCkGjRFTmjZT7CEde4FwFr0chAknySFF60eVa77FHhyaqSimipZoU6Z3j-hFbM2E2v9sJIs/s320/DSC_0276+-+Copy.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the wall</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Houses and wall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0iI48xfn8d-PMEI-UFYQ0XDLbtRmkP0bB-wmA7sgsCijqqz17cEfmas5XH5zhQ8pX7V73g8kbROaPyxZedYmokSWjfJc6mLVxOF0N9wxBd0i8nNCfIG8vGddOdLWX3-_4LkdVFqost4/s1600/DSC_0069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0iI48xfn8d-PMEI-UFYQ0XDLbtRmkP0bB-wmA7sgsCijqqz17cEfmas5XH5zhQ8pX7V73g8kbROaPyxZedYmokSWjfJc6mLVxOF0N9wxBd0i8nNCfIG8vGddOdLWX3-_4LkdVFqost4/s320/DSC_0069.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the towers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsUBOnXAjrYVLsXV7575ELrSP0LmhkmxBd0KiJpBDfmxwgyXnsoMUhGAZXK21bT5ntxySzAP2wI2_SX3xHCfcoXax8WHRf473KcNiUayu4UkWyRR7tiBNzRlTS8JWVw0jDz0yj5A3wCE/s1600/DSC_0278+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsUBOnXAjrYVLsXV7575ELrSP0LmhkmxBd0KiJpBDfmxwgyXnsoMUhGAZXK21bT5ntxySzAP2wI2_SX3xHCfcoXax8WHRf473KcNiUayu4UkWyRR7tiBNzRlTS8JWVw0jDz0yj5A3wCE/s400/DSC_0278+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wall at sunset</td></tr>
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I had also the opportunity to peek a look outside the wall. Visby per se' loses then its touch as soon as one get far away from the center. It becomes a very conventional 70s shaped town.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN-ysD8od8exomkHzNHfAKqp_opxPEAUWy10YeYnkWyHrxogVpFPsVM215T2D6DGMKkc4TWlJ2SsbCWegjookxD-txfR0W6mNRK4uzqfFLle6TwP47auUq3q-WcgqYCHbYPmw_ZzoHHs/s1600/DSC_0096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN-ysD8od8exomkHzNHfAKqp_opxPEAUWy10YeYnkWyHrxogVpFPsVM215T2D6DGMKkc4TWlJ2SsbCWegjookxD-txfR0W6mNRK4uzqfFLle6TwP47auUq3q-WcgqYCHbYPmw_ZzoHHs/s320/DSC_0096.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing extraordinary (except that there are two cranes here). But this picture became really good in my opinion!</td></tr>
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Outside Visby the island have plenty of potential. The landscape can be very beautiful and dramatic, with high cliffs standing on water (pity that the weather was awful when I went to observe the panorama...), there are again ruins of quite big monasteries and finally, there are also small fishermans villages, small, intact in the atmosphere, typical with low buildings.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjT9ryBkEK-0rl8m0jxQnuIpez-h2KsO6J86h9JEdwhf7b8LQhzMfkaPePeU3y7ROmk5jQ18yAH1nny5cdhe1zNb0i3jnZtamrwNTPSFebaSGncgpRGIOdJa3bczgwokETPodT11Pi5I/s1600/DSC_0073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjT9ryBkEK-0rl8m0jxQnuIpez-h2KsO6J86h9JEdwhf7b8LQhzMfkaPePeU3y7ROmk5jQ18yAH1nny5cdhe1zNb0i3jnZtamrwNTPSFebaSGncgpRGIOdJa3bczgwokETPodT11Pi5I/s320/DSC_0073.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Talking of Roma. This is the ruins of the monastery in Roma</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roma monastery</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwO9xRGynSP78xxYt2_uELC3PVmU9MkPad7-fUqecdXsgnpLfoUyLiF3LxhvLapn3vEc_VSNBkoxsNPfK23W8r2sw8GdBChiEMJ24FVN5b0U4zfvuVJCPua5EjshX-7oAzkl7mLfP8IOk/s1600/DSC_0072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwO9xRGynSP78xxYt2_uELC3PVmU9MkPad7-fUqecdXsgnpLfoUyLiF3LxhvLapn3vEc_VSNBkoxsNPfK23W8r2sw8GdBChiEMJ24FVN5b0U4zfvuVJCPua5EjshX-7oAzkl7mLfP8IOk/s320/DSC_0072.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Building annexes to Roma monastery</td></tr>
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If food though is a very important element for my trips, it was not the case for the rest of the people I was surrounded, so sadly, the food experience was quite boring. Not that I would think that during such week there is the possibility to eat in some nice place, with typical food, at a reasonable price, but we ended up eating a pizza, and of course, that I would have never chosen if I'd be on my own visiting there.<br />
Hopefully, if there will ever be another trip, there will be then some chance to eat something typical! </div>
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<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-55643995758865738242016-10-15T07:34:00.002+02:002016-10-15T07:34:51.353+02:00Brosarp<div>
During our vacation time in Åkarp, we decided to do a small excursion.<br />
The kids had the opportunity (slightly guided by their parents) to choose where to go and the destination was Brosarp.<br />
The place is located in the east part of Skåne and the reason for going there is that it is possible to take a train ride from Brosarp to St Olof and back. On a steam train.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWp3Cnpr-NEuQ25Bhijij-F8PQRtU7iMDk22-jvMFdpSZ5TWEavyIPKuF37l2oPnnTEQ90W6Z5DSFT8CyqsK-73CnbJ_j7fbTIBn5SWezQ-JI2DvFmDSsq3XXn_WbjuuX-SNf8HkgieW0/s1600/DSC_0147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWp3Cnpr-NEuQ25Bhijij-F8PQRtU7iMDk22-jvMFdpSZ5TWEavyIPKuF37l2oPnnTEQ90W6Z5DSFT8CyqsK-73CnbJ_j7fbTIBn5SWezQ-JI2DvFmDSsq3XXn_WbjuuX-SNf8HkgieW0/s400/DSC_0147.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The train is ready to go</td></tr>
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The whole experience is very nice because everything is handled like in the old days. It is possible, for example, to buy tickets in the station. From a person. Through a window. And the person is dressed with a bit old fashioned clothes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64Nk9kLCl3uhzl-BRGcChYJhfc35AHwY1CE_9yh93ZWAdBjW9ErTnmilgbWkc9-GzUilTz-fNuX_5xVr-Xn8dnQeiz8wPQbMv0U8ykNq3d4L5m6yXIkULK-SjWz8unSGgprnj2D7ak7Y/s1600/DSC_0154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64Nk9kLCl3uhzl-BRGcChYJhfc35AHwY1CE_9yh93ZWAdBjW9ErTnmilgbWkc9-GzUilTz-fNuX_5xVr-Xn8dnQeiz8wPQbMv0U8ykNq3d4L5m6yXIkULK-SjWz8unSGgprnj2D7ak7Y/s400/DSC_0154.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brosarp's station</td></tr>
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The whole station is still breathing 1930's atmosphere. The building per se is decently well preserved and there are details, from the benches, to a fireplace, from even a scale, that gives also an idea of how a station was run in the past.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A stove in the waiting room</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for the train</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXQANmHzca3GXK7Stv1Nkfe1lKC5QdsK0GIfmBCLcr9NxfuP9S2nN1-y4tJNW6rrfpPRu8h0iaIa68swHDDjmotUg2NFmld_EoXA085QuWlNFbHANE-LSYAHuXks_SLvp5b70-U2nohNA/s1600/DSC_0152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXQANmHzca3GXK7Stv1Nkfe1lKC5QdsK0GIfmBCLcr9NxfuP9S2nN1-y4tJNW6rrfpPRu8h0iaIa68swHDDjmotUg2NFmld_EoXA085QuWlNFbHANE-LSYAHuXks_SLvp5b70-U2nohNA/s320/DSC_0152.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old timetable</td></tr>
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The train is composed by the steam locomotive, plus different wagons. The wagons are mostly different from each other and, if I remember right, all of them are from the 30s - 40s.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior of a wagon</td></tr>
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The experience is very different from being on a train today. First of all is incredibly noisy. But then it is quite slow and shaky. Oscar was very afraid and didn't dare to go on the platform to feel the wind and experience the landscape from outside.<br />
Going through the hills is very nice. The ride is about 40 minutes and the train stops at few stations on the way. While going of course there is a lot of whistling coming from the locomotive.<br />
The only thing to do on the train is to admire the scenery or talk to each other. I'd say taking out a mobile phone and surfing during this ride should be forbidden!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vitaby station</td></tr>
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The final destination is St Olof. There there is again a station, a ice cream kiosk (sadly, prepackage ice cream) and apart for a toilet visit (since there is none on the train) one can stay and study the locomotive, first doing maneuvers to reach the other end of the train, second while it is steaming off and preparing to go back.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The locomotive in all its beauty</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7zVV2tfaqWz2UPteAwmCmsxZehJQZh4Wi2LdPV1FOxKTW251qS6lTJYNwsAxB5rlxH0YXVS4SAjHJeB7bq4Oatzs3mmdLysRy92q9J6f6EDx8ynA-QrQMCmtFI2dZJBeO17xLJ2TmpU/s1600/DSC_0165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7zVV2tfaqWz2UPteAwmCmsxZehJQZh4Wi2LdPV1FOxKTW251qS6lTJYNwsAxB5rlxH0YXVS4SAjHJeB7bq4Oatzs3mmdLysRy92q9J6f6EDx8ynA-QrQMCmtFI2dZJBeO17xLJ2TmpU/s400/DSC_0165.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tjo-tjoooo (chuu chuuu)</td></tr>
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On the way back, with Isabella, we took turns to stay on the platform just in front of the locomotive. That was the best idea we got (apart that we got ashes stains on the clothes, legs and shoes). It was very impressive to be in front of the locomotive and one could observe the environment with new eyes.<br />
It was definitely the best part of the experience. Oscar, sadly, was still terrorized by the sounds, so he didn't dare to be on the platform, but when finally back at Brosarp he couldn't just get enough to observe the locomotive in action, from distance.<br />
At Brosarp we decided to get some food and the option, apart to buy ice cream, is to get some food on the restaurant/cafe wagon situated on one of the tracks. The food is very basic but with a railway team in the naming convention. At least, good enough to give something the kids to chew on at a reasonable price.<br />
There is also a little shop selling interesting railway related books, railway related toys and such.<br />
A nice "souvenir" ending for the extreme train nerds that might pass by ;-)</div>
<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-71859299738531575482016-09-05T23:40:00.001+02:002016-09-05T23:40:26.994+02:00BosjöklosterThis summer me, Isabella and two friends of ours, decided to take a girl-power excursion and have a little trip nearby. One of the purposes was also to visit a shop (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Frid-Fr%C3%B6jd-558224674290561/">Frid och Fröjd</a>) which is a bit "luxury" second hand shop, that I had put an eye on by looking at its Instagram pictures.<br />
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As that was the last thing we did during the day, we spent most of the day instead at <a href="http://www.bosjokloster.se/sv-SE">Bosjökloster</a>.<br />
The place has inspired me for many years, but we have never got the chance to actually go there.<br />
The castle/monastery and the church are located on a little peninsula, that not so long ago, was actually a little island in the middle of the nearby lake (Ringsjö).<br />
The church can be visited freely, while the garden and the castle (which once upon the time was a monastery) wants a fee.<br />
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The parts that can be visited of the castle are what once was possibly the refectory, which is now full with details about which families have been living there, and some interesting information about the nunnery.<br />
The church is simple, but soberly decored and when one is visiting it, can listen to a recording that explain the story of the place.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3S5IwIDxvE0FRe0BQV4WcIOHe0Yc5nlyWnJADmSyejShYmSUGeFBxTlYbLxUQiM7U8Exvsc8ZqzdSiiFqgD55ZzNuMTirzv-3zDT1A3vtZ9QGRdCyHxqd9wdWQHZQo6a5bMMco8dU8xs/s1600/DSC_0294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3S5IwIDxvE0FRe0BQV4WcIOHe0Yc5nlyWnJADmSyejShYmSUGeFBxTlYbLxUQiM7U8Exvsc8ZqzdSiiFqgD55ZzNuMTirzv-3zDT1A3vtZ9QGRdCyHxqd9wdWQHZQo6a5bMMco8dU8xs/s400/DSC_0294.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very beautiful <i>kakelugn</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On the other wing, one can visit several rooms and admire the staircase that, full of enormous portraits of his old inhabitants, brings to the private parts of the castle.<br />
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<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeL5lOBiN21N6P_38pKL56YaXhtRXVsfbLNPY7_3PrmHu6o-r7j-Eq2YcYCpsojHjjtYofbwaT6mrvEHNnc9pCUUjRJHBKlYtlSX1n1uptgaK62-XQrgzzYzu7k0vNV7IxjlQRPvdpvM/s1600/DSC_0293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeL5lOBiN21N6P_38pKL56YaXhtRXVsfbLNPY7_3PrmHu6o-r7j-Eq2YcYCpsojHjjtYofbwaT6mrvEHNnc9pCUUjRJHBKlYtlSX1n1uptgaK62-XQrgzzYzu7k0vNV7IxjlQRPvdpvM/s400/DSC_0293.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the entrances to the castle</td></tr>
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Everything is quite well preserved and the view from the rooms, down the lake, is very pitoresque. It is definetely not a coincidence that somebody thought of building a nice palace (nunnery? ;)) here.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3jFzXy6VZnhxMqOLGqkWAE9cGhGPHIEhLatFUJx-MvIVbU567SiSBolHU29NFiambguK4ooJug7WXKGc4smuw5dV0BMVtJG0zUWeJQ_b6gOUtPxf581j0zD1K62HCH-WyJnpJINK-Vw/s1600/DSC_0296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3jFzXy6VZnhxMqOLGqkWAE9cGhGPHIEhLatFUJx-MvIVbU567SiSBolHU29NFiambguK4ooJug7WXKGc4smuw5dV0BMVtJG0zUWeJQ_b6gOUtPxf581j0zD1K62HCH-WyJnpJINK-Vw/s320/DSC_0296.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the court</td></tr>
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<div>
The garden/park is of course also huge and divided in different areas. Sadly, the weather was not at its top the day we decided to pay a visit, but nevertheless, we managed to look around quite much.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZxvtZu-tz7LikXRf8A5MdnGHngwFvIBjeg8aFD96CXOtnJv4ns3nV24K4fRPYVxHoVR6aprlZ269c1MWh6nflGHZGCTf2_FqwBO1FnN6zCPe_ApPDjgzg-W9QXBb4JgSlC4m_DvAMhc/s1600/DSC_0295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZxvtZu-tz7LikXRf8A5MdnGHngwFvIBjeg8aFD96CXOtnJv4ns3nV24K4fRPYVxHoVR6aprlZ269c1MWh6nflGHZGCTf2_FqwBO1FnN6zCPe_ApPDjgzg-W9QXBb4JgSlC4m_DvAMhc/s640/DSC_0295.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful red dahlias</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
The playground was a must that we didn't manage to skip.</div>
<div>
After that, we ate at the cafe', which was having a quite disappointing menu (just some quite expensive sandwhiches and very limited kids alternatives). </div>
<div>
There are different activities offered for the kids, though. From a funicular railway (which we skipped), to some minor boat activity (if I don't remember wrong), to, finally, walking in a majestic park where there are few animals.</div>
<div>
The first animals are quite cute goats that run around in a fenced area. </div>
<div>
At the end of the area there is one of the most beautiful tree I have seen (which sadly I forgot to photograph without the kids inside). The oak tree I am talking about is about 1000 years old and it is just majestic. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Finally, there are few animals more that one can meet.</div>
<div>
Horses. Well. Mini tiny small horses that gets easily annoyed (and kicked infact Isabella) </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdNNzkL2OwqHJNqKueghtBYGoPCtVVLm87mprsZmVAbQ_vRbh3S4yGUYcaIyzA-Vn82S89HsZBQ9nytp2VUmgfNNFXPeg19DhRRpZTwsjE_Ni775vdUZgZSbA38i4s3yCm5OSmQ5CxXM/s1600/DSC_0299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdNNzkL2OwqHJNqKueghtBYGoPCtVVLm87mprsZmVAbQ_vRbh3S4yGUYcaIyzA-Vn82S89HsZBQ9nytp2VUmgfNNFXPeg19DhRRpZTwsjE_Ni775vdUZgZSbA38i4s3yCm5OSmQ5CxXM/s320/DSC_0299.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The horses and their friends</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
But the most surprising ones to meet where the llama, who had the most extraordinary funny faces (and haircut) ever.</div>
<div>
I wonder though why on earth are they staying there! This is not South America ;-)<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6kJfztD-YeHp2sLPeeJgReJHQLvEmgk-uYNCwRRo4Fcf4Smtc4GI77AyaDO07qJ88gHhr2aGJBCknsgO_KEqKoUvSTCKc3JNB7oiBYxa54NfO09IP57Ss2xr47Ils0B-uw8NQ8KQ7000/s1600/DSC_0300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6kJfztD-YeHp2sLPeeJgReJHQLvEmgk-uYNCwRRo4Fcf4Smtc4GI77AyaDO07qJ88gHhr2aGJBCknsgO_KEqKoUvSTCKc3JNB7oiBYxa54NfO09IP57Ss2xr47Ils0B-uw8NQ8KQ7000/s640/DSC_0300.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hi there! We are very cool!</td></tr>
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Assuming you manage to find a sunny day during a summer in Skåne, the place is worth a visit. I would just bring my own food next time, while instead of relying on their cafe' (I have heard though that the nearby golf club has a more decent restaurant, so maybe one can use that for satisfying the hunger). </div>
<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-56050350256522311972016-08-29T23:29:00.001+02:002016-08-29T23:29:57.891+02:00Nostalgia<div>
During the past months, I have spent a lot of energy trying to find the time to update the blog.<br />
I have surely small and uninteresting things that I would like to pester everyone with by sharing them through the blog, and although I have been taking notes of what I want to talk about, I have barely managed to prioritize finding the time for this.<br />
The result is that some stuff got obsolete and some "classical" posts have not happened (the one about Isabella's birthday for example).<br />
Said this, it seems though that everyone survived just fine...<br />
<br />
On top of this desolation of posts, I have also noticed that most of the older posts, which were enriched by wonderful pictures, have lost the appealing side (the pictures, that is), since they were on some free online service and it seems that doesn't work anymore.<br />
Well, if anyone gets the urge to actually be curious what certain things were or not, I have of course all the pictures (I hope) so in that case, I would try to fix the post, otherwise, I hope posterity will forgive me for my lazyness.<br />
<br />
During the last months, apart some house improvements, which has brought also, together with the piano, boxes full of manga, books and university material (wow, I was keeping my notebooks in such order), a wave of nostalgia, especially "musically" wise.<br />
Nevertheless, when going back to Italy for the summer holidays, I checked for more find from the prehistoric age and got some nice hits.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX82gb4Th2LCu7NNA71oe330_11L9ue-555yKmvATnuX-ndip1q0sJn0WlHhBPRzrYgbiB7SzZfVEyMVi4JE2DOz5rnHBJD7IXNNskkHrU4mIkI_8xhWJ7xM3GBa-lQQgFD3tQTRoioEk/s1600/1470813217651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX82gb4Th2LCu7NNA71oe330_11L9ue-555yKmvATnuX-ndip1q0sJn0WlHhBPRzrYgbiB7SzZfVEyMVi4JE2DOz5rnHBJD7IXNNskkHrU4mIkI_8xhWJ7xM3GBa-lQQgFD3tQTRoioEk/s320/1470813217651.jpg" width="203" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anime from the 80s</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Although our kids are not exposed to the same quantity of anime that I have watched (both because we are a bit stricter with the TV than my parents and because we have to go through youtube for watching them), I am trying to gently push down the culture I have been growing up with. </div>
<div>
Finding these two books was great. "<i>Il pianolibro</i>" was a cute book with small extract of the anime opening titles in simplified piano score format. There was also a little keyboard that could have been used to play pedagogically the songs. Unfortunately, that got broken very quickly.</div>
<div>
Since now the kids are watching <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Tsubasa">Captain Tsubasa</a> (<i>Holly e Benji</i>) - finally, by the way - they like me to play that quite much.</div>
<div>
The other book, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Memole">Memole </a>has also the opening title piano score on the back and Isabella loved the story. I hope to find the cartoon online sometime. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53I3ovfwIP-kEJBEeAo7W7JGbDZBVO9RQsdfRf9NeQLllu3bC8geEo6bVEt82kg5dgUb-1D1J3EoYrE3rZ7wu_3U3pmwzXG5o1iu8Nxzqc98c6ZF4RGejQkTgqCHy-elCwNJLIAU36mk/s1600/IMG_20160807_195434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53I3ovfwIP-kEJBEeAo7W7JGbDZBVO9RQsdfRf9NeQLllu3bC8geEo6bVEt82kg5dgUb-1D1J3EoYrE3rZ7wu_3U3pmwzXG5o1iu8Nxzqc98c6ZF4RGejQkTgqCHy-elCwNJLIAU36mk/s400/IMG_20160807_195434.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mermista, She-ra Princess of Power and Angella</td></tr>
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<div>
After visiting a friend of mine, who had a fantastic book about the Masters of Universe, I ended up searching my She-ra dolls, where She-ra was the sister of He-man. If you don't know who they are, or you are too old, or you are too young, in either case, I recommend to study a bit on Google :-)</div>
<div>
The dolls became very popular with Isabella, so I was forced to bring them to Sweden. </div>
<div>
Sadly, Angella's wings have been broken almost from the very beginning and now the shields and the sword are quite brittle and break every two seconds....</div>
<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMPPMnGFkASlr-8DweQacXGC_y8wIgVgPrLQxu9ILOPtO_Xz_sYSF9Od38_U-iZ8-c4wBSxbGQphxVRtv0TtIW6QwikoR-PJL-cMTzwXYK8gKp0E3075MEjClvkdQpQtNzEYgPJ8RTrI/s1600/DSC_0385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMPPMnGFkASlr-8DweQacXGC_y8wIgVgPrLQxu9ILOPtO_Xz_sYSF9Od38_U-iZ8-c4wBSxbGQphxVRtv0TtIW6QwikoR-PJL-cMTzwXYK8gKp0E3075MEjClvkdQpQtNzEYgPJ8RTrI/s320/DSC_0385.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These were the 90s instead</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally, I have found also the piano scores of one of Take That's albums (I would have preferred though to have "Everything changes"). Luckily, I was so cheap that I just went and did photocopies of the piano score. Not funny to play those songs when you don't have a boy band....</div>
<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-13997733193816991222016-03-10T16:49:00.001+01:002016-03-10T16:49:19.452+01:00Our autumn trip to Cyprus<div>
I have been very bad in updating this blog (or any other, for that matter), with the result that I have been not very quick in posting about few events, like for example a trip we have taken during early autumn.<br />
And not only, now I was trying to find some pictures from the trips and I found very scarce traces of them. Sadly!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFo-GIkMqj5zl4JYfEHB2Zha7tGP6blqpBf-vSPSvFMxN5P5IqOd-LilRM1Q7-gwP_dr80I6Nwcdka9VRE5aPDp_gNx5WkCozvR850TcerfoQQC7X2zskDu1gXCdTZPIEsTJxMFet8eA/s1600/DSC_0017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFo-GIkMqj5zl4JYfEHB2Zha7tGP6blqpBf-vSPSvFMxN5P5IqOd-LilRM1Q7-gwP_dr80I6Nwcdka9VRE5aPDp_gNx5WkCozvR850TcerfoQQC7X2zskDu1gXCdTZPIEsTJxMFet8eA/s400/DSC_0017.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig Tree Bay, view from our hotel</td></tr>
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<br />
Our destination was Protaras, in Fig Tree Bay in Cyprus. The place didn't really disappoint us. Of course, turistic shaped (possibly more for a British market) but quite convenient for a family with small kids, afterall.<br />
We chose an hotel which could grant closeness to the see, wifi, decent food based on the reviews and some other extra (some also that we were not exactly looking for).<br />
Its name is <a href="http://www.sunrisehotel.com.cy/Sunrise.aspx">Sunrise Beach Hotel</a> and it has a bit "outdated" style for few things. A bit of 80s atmosphere is around in how the building is, as well as some part of the service (the buffet restaurant for example), but it had quite good comforts.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXslz0aJmjlQYzBnLCOzpJkBs2-UX_aONoIKgmxV3twAHWTpe-hqGKy_ivKHIUejjr-aaUc5LtBvx-a1efZjyG7PcmyEZDfXs69qEFIxthIT1U0UD88QdUXBmb2olXoMabuRdj8u9LPxE/s1600/DSC_0025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXslz0aJmjlQYzBnLCOzpJkBs2-UX_aONoIKgmxV3twAHWTpe-hqGKy_ivKHIUejjr-aaUc5LtBvx-a1efZjyG7PcmyEZDfXs69qEFIxthIT1U0UD88QdUXBmb2olXoMabuRdj8u9LPxE/s400/DSC_0025.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise Beach Hotel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The pools were quite nice, there were a lot of activities if one wanted to do some (from watergym, ping pong tournament, baby disco and even kids club, with a very new and fresh small cinema!) and there were a lot of restaurants one could pick up through the hotel. We went to few of them and some of them were very good (<a href="http://www.sunrisehotel.com.cy/sunrise-beach-hotel-protaras/kyklos-greek-restaurant">Kyklos, greek</a> and <a href="http://www.sunrisehotel.com.cy/sunrise-beach-hotel-protaras/himode-japanese-restaurant">Fishbone</a>, with fish specialities, although a bit more expensive), others impressed us less (<a href="http://www.sunrisehotel.com.cy/Sunrise_Main.aspx?module=Item1&pageId=2030&itemId=300">Marcello's</a>, the italian one, but of course...we are Italian!).<br />
The breakfast was not exactly my cup of tea (but my comparison meter is based on the breakfast we were having in Nai Harn in Phuket at the <a href="http://www.fivestaralliance.com/luxury-hotels/phuket/the-nai-harn">Nai Harn</a> Hotel, so possibly it is a a bit unfair.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNyzKnEYSYpwsCuzx4ZNOH8bG77ZlxohvqGLPTuhBmgcM5yXYfu4qYHNa_UzH-xvcVx6fxcHv3eI8db_ue9IR3K18bMvL0shqfWPb-mKLuAlI7yq7YjIIvqw1-2sSdrykKJkVCEQY2_0/s1600/DSCN3867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNyzKnEYSYpwsCuzx4ZNOH8bG77ZlxohvqGLPTuhBmgcM5yXYfu4qYHNa_UzH-xvcVx6fxcHv3eI8db_ue9IR3K18bMvL0shqfWPb-mKLuAlI7yq7YjIIvqw1-2sSdrykKJkVCEQY2_0/s400/DSCN3867.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beach and the sea</td></tr>
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Walking along the beach was very beautiful, also during the evening.<br />
We chose a good time to be there. The day was warm and nice, not too hot (except maybe during the warmest hours, but I was in the hotel room with Oscar who was sleeping and Mattias and Isabella were at the kids' club). We got few afternoons of rain, which shortened our afternoons at the seaside, but we still managed to enjoy the wonderful sea, with warm water, clean and turquoise, nice sandy beach.<br />
There was also not that many people, possibly few other retired people (as us), being that low season and that suited us since it is nice to not have to share the beach with the whole world.<br />
The sunbeds at the beach were not owned by the hotel, but by the town, but that didn't bother us too much since we were mainly using as homebase the pool area (fairly closed to the beach anyway).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vjTdVBm640_mo1m32bxS2mMJ-eZ78KVDSY6OquPJPDcAM_zfoMl1e5aiqJX2YCMOdD-vYZvnpVwLBj8f9SudRowXw6ve2RnDOlTmv4T27_NEKDfyAknRPdHOAaonFP-oMfr8oOtzo04/s1600/DSCN3870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vjTdVBm640_mo1m32bxS2mMJ-eZ78KVDSY6OquPJPDcAM_zfoMl1e5aiqJX2YCMOdD-vYZvnpVwLBj8f9SudRowXw6ve2RnDOlTmv4T27_NEKDfyAknRPdHOAaonFP-oMfr8oOtzo04/s400/DSCN3870.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View over the bay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We got some disturbance for the first nights, when our kids couldn't fall asleep because our neighbours, with whom we were sharing a door (which of course we didn't need to use) were playing dice the whole night. The sound was just horrible.</div>
<div>
After complaining to them, we went to the reception explaining our issue, and we got a new room where we could squeeze us.</div>
<div>
The room were ok, but a bit compact for the four of us. A double bed, with an extra bed and a coat bed. </div>
<div>
It was not the worse room of the planet, but it could have been a bit more spacious and "fresher" - it had a bit torn look.</div>
<div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cs0F4sMLweUGTreI5U6Ec91Av942M0NXs8FJyQhl6YeB30GVWXc9XpLCn5LuJDdO2saReVyzrkjQX_Cx2hLM06EUz7pUrxSk5ZsEn0ozd7SzV-2tL7PIKCA5Clb-U29H0em4m6ZoO8k/s1600/DSC_0019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cs0F4sMLweUGTreI5U6Ec91Av942M0NXs8FJyQhl6YeB30GVWXc9XpLCn5LuJDdO2saReVyzrkjQX_Cx2hLM06EUz7pUrxSk5ZsEn0ozd7SzV-2tL7PIKCA5Clb-U29H0em4m6ZoO8k/s320/DSC_0019.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Beach <br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
The child entertainment was a surprisngly positive note, which we didn't forecast not thought about. Apart from the kids' club, a nice "daycare" facility where one could leave the kids (we were always with Isabella if there) there was the baby disco which was very funny and the highest peak of the day for Isabella and Oscar.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The restaurant choice of the small town was quite good. We ended up though twice at Pizza Hut because Isabella wanted that (!!!), but we tried few local restaurants a couple of times.</div>
<div>
We were eating a bit too early for the standard opening time, so we were often alone in the restaurants at lunch time. However, we always had very good food.</div>
<div>
Portions were always big and the price not too bad. </div>
<div>
One of the most memorable visits was the one to <a href="http://www.vangelistavern.com/">Vangelis Tavern</a>, which I saw also as highly ranked in Tripadvisor.</div>
<div>
I wonder though if the food was "modified" a bit for the turistic market (a lot of fried potatoes were served all the time).<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUpRUi1M6RmBsCzknRkO3mYYOFR0vg9booTISSxxhqnnkyThw-w9AULZNy57bo9oYYd-heP6U7gmmyk5uQ_gtz3ZPTCD8qckv-95S26IZXM_LZ4-FU6IK3x1GY_2wa2IEOjJLC06eBsI/s1600/DSCN3875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUpRUi1M6RmBsCzknRkO3mYYOFR0vg9booTISSxxhqnnkyThw-w9AULZNy57bo9oYYd-heP6U7gmmyk5uQ_gtz3ZPTCD8qckv-95S26IZXM_LZ4-FU6IK3x1GY_2wa2IEOjJLC06eBsI/s400/DSCN3875.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My lamb ribs at Vangelis Tavern (with Elsa drooling over the plate)</td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIb1XxmA_QvYUf2_gV6gZKDOUrJ1AEXKR4K5nhFSpw5Idtsvt1L9gPg3NE-G0HOvPlp2FmKagoturLe0k_70Pb6s7Qq9qmi-KP-Psm8Tqt-D52taK6Ab251HbGmDvNVxoqo4EUFXtJJA/s1600/DSCN3876.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIb1XxmA_QvYUf2_gV6gZKDOUrJ1AEXKR4K5nhFSpw5Idtsvt1L9gPg3NE-G0HOvPlp2FmKagoturLe0k_70Pb6s7Qq9qmi-KP-Psm8Tqt-D52taK6Ab251HbGmDvNVxoqo4EUFXtJJA/s400/DSCN3876.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amazing fried calamari in Kyklos restaurant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
What I am most sad is that, possibly as a combination of having small kids (and Oscar needing to sleep during the afternoon) and the low season, we couldn't really do any excursion. I know that Cyprus has a lot of interesting places to visit and a lot of culture and history and I regret not making more efforts to actually go somewhere, but since in general, our vacation was a positive experience, I think we might go back there again and explore more (and the kids will be also older then!)</div>
<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-17987896760723282252016-02-23T01:27:00.002+01:002016-02-23T01:27:49.645+01:00A business trip in Tokyo<div>
<div>
a business trip, I'd call it (if one would read only this post) an "exploration of Japanese food in Tokyo". Not that I hadn't already experienced that, since we had been visiting Japan during our honeymoon, but let's say that refreshing the tastebuds on the matter was a pleasant experience (sadly, at one occasion we ended up in an italian restaurant...! no words on that!!!).<br />
<br />
I just know the name of two of the restaurants we have been around, for the rest, we moved randomly just picking what inspired me and my colleagues.<br />
<br />
Obviously, our aim was at eating (and I was hungry - so I ended up eating a lot!)<br />
<br />
Our first lunch was on the road to the office building. The place was very local, no english menu. I ordered a tonkatsu but my nose was bleeding (amazing timing - I was almost dying!) and I ended up filling my nose with tons of paper and not feeling any taste of the food I was longing to eat so much!<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2juYiDdoE5qZrP-1BQ5W3oVpBqbtDs79JhIxPd6rE9NoMD4as_ubDZa-E2nk_ma1rEpI-XD1RDV5lZE8Gr73ntSJ2Y0I5xZh67uEO2i4gzgX_EdmypZkjjRKqV2U3NjXj25rOwQ0IpU/s1600/DSC_0416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2juYiDdoE5qZrP-1BQ5W3oVpBqbtDs79JhIxPd6rE9NoMD4as_ubDZa-E2nk_ma1rEpI-XD1RDV5lZE8Gr73ntSJ2Y0I5xZh67uEO2i4gzgX_EdmypZkjjRKqV2U3NjXj25rOwQ0IpU/s400/DSC_0416.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Tonkatsu<br /><br /></td></tr>
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After not sleeping on the plane and half a day of work, I was tired. But that didn't help the jetlag. Lying sleepless at night became the norm.</div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzQ-9L3eWaQZRS6j8S5Yh6My5Ix5xbo63MZBTo6BWDbsy4mnVVNXNNbmIvQQUZysiJPXL28khfQjlihTuOsENcR-Lx82dQFWe9D4xPJsgwpQTgWzeKvafjRezSvSyhqQADzxXDrEaiCI/s1600/DSC_0418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzQ-9L3eWaQZRS6j8S5Yh6My5Ix5xbo63MZBTo6BWDbsy4mnVVNXNNbmIvQQUZysiJPXL28khfQjlihTuOsENcR-Lx82dQFWe9D4xPJsgwpQTgWzeKvafjRezSvSyhqQADzxXDrEaiCI/s320/DSC_0418.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The view from the hotel room (with a nice reflection)</td></tr>
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<div>
The first evening we ended up eating sushi of course, topping it with some dessert at "Dean & De Luca" (no comment. Finding a place where to get some dessert was the hardest thing in the world).</div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5aqs1pttPj6-xEbSfYxn5T6u-vspbmCXZhyOTDpoA3tnl3JY6rNAdMTNFl1Tj7b4P_T04e2u1hMYSPqU4x1ZVaevE0BS7MhdK3VycNpa02F-Vud6rNWDeAUzB2GM2MgvqydK4PkFqsk/s1600/DSC_0419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5aqs1pttPj6-xEbSfYxn5T6u-vspbmCXZhyOTDpoA3tnl3JY6rNAdMTNFl1Tj7b4P_T04e2u1hMYSPqU4x1ZVaevE0BS7MhdK3VycNpa02F-Vud6rNWDeAUzB2GM2MgvqydK4PkFqsk/s320/DSC_0419.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The sushi, alright but nothing comparable to what we ate the last night!</td></tr>
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<div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl81zbytgqMabejJATQMSwXVjn_6SA-Ks3vSNz2DvspjZnVqb6d_XUxZSER06DVA0uwBBXBCftLDGmF69ALUhL4RW-ziJ-PMDER6EkS67uU32alDvEC0H3lMHl0Q8FQjueErB0d3dxeuc/s1600/DSC_0422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl81zbytgqMabejJATQMSwXVjn_6SA-Ks3vSNz2DvspjZnVqb6d_XUxZSER06DVA0uwBBXBCftLDGmF69ALUhL4RW-ziJ-PMDER6EkS67uU32alDvEC0H3lMHl0Q8FQjueErB0d3dxeuc/s320/DSC_0422.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">My cake with hazelnut and green tea and an exhausted Robert (don't remember what he ate)</td></tr>
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During breakfast there was the possibility to choose some Japanese stuff, but how to eat everything was very mysterious. I ended up trying a little bit of everything in a very random and unorthodox way<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XLvmnGViOXNwWvQOClfN2s5GrkXVkiqMjN1CHCJXtTlkbxmWelRmFC_5ym1PChIVdv48uvDgR9qCWvPtW0ym_oe0Ni2Fx8k69nhDUqQX0TLN_iIwrbme7FGlbO1ucG6Vzk3KGCfbXBc/s1600/DSC_0427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XLvmnGViOXNwWvQOClfN2s5GrkXVkiqMjN1CHCJXtTlkbxmWelRmFC_5ym1PChIVdv48uvDgR9qCWvPtW0ym_oe0Ni2Fx8k69nhDUqQX0TLN_iIwrbme7FGlbO1ucG6Vzk3KGCfbXBc/s320/DSC_0427.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Breakfast</td></tr>
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One evening, still around Shinagawa (where our hotel was), we ended up eating yakiniku (grilled meat) which was amazing. I could have been eating though a couple of portions more...<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1x-hWxVZ6HnDafGFf5KZuFwHDtFNoKfK_Lml0V_Fgbl1hbJD4evKr9-RKW4Bt2qKphf4HlxVhLwJMmahYGnfuJ_YZ4COp2jx6RhrlNGTb8Ob1AJplv9cpvyXXhgPgP60ScbWLaEsDjoM/s1600/DSC_0423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1x-hWxVZ6HnDafGFf5KZuFwHDtFNoKfK_Lml0V_Fgbl1hbJD4evKr9-RKW4Bt2qKphf4HlxVhLwJMmahYGnfuJ_YZ4COp2jx6RhrlNGTb8Ob1AJplv9cpvyXXhgPgP60ScbWLaEsDjoM/s320/DSC_0423.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Grilling some ribs</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQELsgHGn2yEQxdP332j9Wqp7tnhuyrho02bVJOb5kz_t9rSpxO1Bqiu7lAIVa4j5ZJNXSEDAgDDcHL39CNJ9NIUj_V4CKAEcVP4QIyowT7DTYvG17imN9AmlzXYw9twBAsTtDuWIwoI/s1600/DSC_0424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQELsgHGn2yEQxdP332j9Wqp7tnhuyrho02bVJOb5kz_t9rSpxO1Bqiu7lAIVa4j5ZJNXSEDAgDDcHL39CNJ9NIUj_V4CKAEcVP4QIyowT7DTYvG17imN9AmlzXYw9twBAsTtDuWIwoI/s320/DSC_0424.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Yakiniku<br /></td></tr>
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<div>
In this yakiniku place they were eventually selling some dessert and we decided to try.</div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblJsn-gJvzmka4MzUd4m4kbshGvTFHCNHsiPVREyEUzthwaIL8eugRV4vW7J1JxKUr-Yo9IdBk6UuDxDyzbO1Ptc9yaylh3GYpkRckMxnEQai0T96yIUR78uEFhhexzjkOY_wEanHPOc/s1600/DSC_0425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblJsn-gJvzmka4MzUd4m4kbshGvTFHCNHsiPVREyEUzthwaIL8eugRV4vW7J1JxKUr-Yo9IdBk6UuDxDyzbO1Ptc9yaylh3GYpkRckMxnEQai0T96yIUR78uEFhhexzjkOY_wEanHPOc/s320/DSC_0425.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">No idea what this is</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DLarWXSgkWgJv5VxxLE6jgBiuaDQxpTvKTCQpEAJQx5tiqVnmR5Of-qMMpB5IXvAGQNotjle8vuuRihhthIp-LA0WQEmX3Cdqus4UYNgKad3K7g_Vwzqw7HwDKtEzMdixiB2QV9CXiw/s1600/DSC_0426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DLarWXSgkWgJv5VxxLE6jgBiuaDQxpTvKTCQpEAJQx5tiqVnmR5Of-qMMpB5IXvAGQNotjle8vuuRihhthIp-LA0WQEmX3Cdqus4UYNgKad3K7g_Vwzqw7HwDKtEzMdixiB2QV9CXiw/s320/DSC_0426.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Ice cream with green tea and azuki<br /></td></tr>
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Everytime we were walking in Shinagawa I remember feeling the amazing smell of roasted meat. That is why we ended up impulsively there.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7m9sm_a0Bjri-iMNNOwH5QBDtAlClStM8fS6hJaAL57sFTnBNDApQ08qptNJDvEL91TtkRyCkgabXJXJl_2r5w6_gM3JCvw6FEXRvDfUTkA4VPNdGj13tEznH0GtNO0J30DNRfPKtU0c/s1600/DSC_0417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7m9sm_a0Bjri-iMNNOwH5QBDtAlClStM8fS6hJaAL57sFTnBNDApQ08qptNJDvEL91TtkRyCkgabXJXJl_2r5w6_gM3JCvw6FEXRvDfUTkA4VPNdGj13tEznH0GtNO0J30DNRfPKtU0c/s400/DSC_0417.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Shinagawa station</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJoRFYFxCepqdKv8tO6Ccxk-_3XZCm-yi3qOdBc_Nt4_E2KlN9LxxHaIG3S4KYQZ0C_gJv5oJ3-YuAau7wd3O1gqAA6U_rsGcryTL3WFNjId-6sxRdtQQNa_BQWKgKrlp8mefdr2mtx4/s1600/DSC_0420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJoRFYFxCepqdKv8tO6Ccxk-_3XZCm-yi3qOdBc_Nt4_E2KlN9LxxHaIG3S4KYQZ0C_gJv5oJ3-YuAau7wd3O1gqAA6U_rsGcryTL3WFNjId-6sxRdtQQNa_BQWKgKrlp8mefdr2mtx4/s640/DSC_0420.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Shinagawa<br /></td></tr>
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I "imposed" a couple of things to my colleagues.<br />
<div>
First, okonomiyaki, which they had never tried before (now we have big plans to open an okonomiyaki restaurant in Malmö).</div>
<div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFYZluAvcglfrTvQ7pVhtb2zPoHSUUrP1GR6oiksiPj9HXcgF9R6t9k8IqiO-za8ggRzhLsA5GqxmunUUgSiSu-jA3M76IgHG0RXXOe-z46Z-y5HaWowd4SQ-_GPyXDYa62DlBYvCRLk/s1600/DSC_0431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFYZluAvcglfrTvQ7pVhtb2zPoHSUUrP1GR6oiksiPj9HXcgF9R6t9k8IqiO-za8ggRzhLsA5GqxmunUUgSiSu-jA3M76IgHG0RXXOe-z46Z-y5HaWowd4SQ-_GPyXDYa62DlBYvCRLk/s320/DSC_0431.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Okonimiyaki Kiji, in Shinagawa</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQAMJpaP8LUtvEjbJuAULLCYwkh6nPVYepse3L_clFuMI73WvBSsMKIaDtk07wLHQ-krd3uLHJ0mV6hzbJ257KcTNi53fFrosHEHRbH5qJzG_tfTf1s2QxYoxZPmF4J-LRNwYNwmBuJc/s1600/DSC_0432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQAMJpaP8LUtvEjbJuAULLCYwkh6nPVYepse3L_clFuMI73WvBSsMKIaDtk07wLHQ-krd3uLHJ0mV6hzbJ257KcTNi53fFrosHEHRbH5qJzG_tfTf1s2QxYoxZPmF4J-LRNwYNwmBuJc/s640/DSC_0432.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Okonomiyaki</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12jK0XjyOd8DluoAC4CPJF17SBczViWkojRjOm2r8TWdbbyehatK_dwrlcX9JrcaVOhwCOoPn7ec9cdr6pRKTNF2MRlb_8RKoIt7liQy2jPvMrRZyZA-y4_TkDXvbJYPP0e4-zHp9hv0/s1600/DSC_0433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12jK0XjyOd8DluoAC4CPJF17SBczViWkojRjOm2r8TWdbbyehatK_dwrlcX9JrcaVOhwCOoPn7ec9cdr6pRKTNF2MRlb_8RKoIt7liQy2jPvMrRZyZA-y4_TkDXvbJYPP0e4-zHp9hv0/s400/DSC_0433.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Keeping our okonomiyaki warm</td></tr>
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<div>
The place was quite popular and we had to wait half an hour before getting a seat. The day before it was about the same situation and we ended up resigning the plan. </div>
<div>
We topped the okonomiyaki with some tasty cake nearby the hotel. Nothing very japanese!<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPFnpLKmcb2N9stbtCznFykbsFcMBWPtWMafS8n5JxUp-eAlodS70Phgn3eIIXnUvOomL83J0DsmteDX9xTDG1K1OdHv15nFiq4v4O3bxqRGhuvyNdPCuACP41IB6UZyLWUMWbUv1_6M/s1600/DSC_0434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPFnpLKmcb2N9stbtCznFykbsFcMBWPtWMafS8n5JxUp-eAlodS70Phgn3eIIXnUvOomL83J0DsmteDX9xTDG1K1OdHv15nFiq4v4O3bxqRGhuvyNdPCuACP41IB6UZyLWUMWbUv1_6M/s400/DSC_0434.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">My cherry pie</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQ4D_M-_qq1F0F_M4Wpu_Rhj2LwtODnG9ipAhCYgJI-RI_pfqRnQ1GBYMT3I6LJFCVAL0VLpy6J_b5_-8PJKdtZALBgkZ-D-8C3KlN_2tB9c0jdVA_25zCT6XitLGSJnxGJg7E2IjpGk/s1600/DSC_0435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQ4D_M-_qq1F0F_M4Wpu_Rhj2LwtODnG9ipAhCYgJI-RI_pfqRnQ1GBYMT3I6LJFCVAL0VLpy6J_b5_-8PJKdtZALBgkZ-D-8C3KlN_2tB9c0jdVA_25zCT6XitLGSJnxGJg7E2IjpGk/s320/DSC_0435.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Green tea and azuki pie</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Xia4VZW6uDhpCI7SkP2Fa7vkYw_6F8-8UpxFCA0xgYNpDiWp6UKTkwBRbllI0Q9GRHyJ3_ZmnhRhs3wT1f7ach_6W5BsqYpOzGWJ03buyJa3T9Iq-6n5ra_xVJdEPTmUh8cJGotDP6A/s1600/DSC_0436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Xia4VZW6uDhpCI7SkP2Fa7vkYw_6F8-8UpxFCA0xgYNpDiWp6UKTkwBRbllI0Q9GRHyJ3_ZmnhRhs3wT1f7ach_6W5BsqYpOzGWJ03buyJa3T9Iq-6n5ra_xVJdEPTmUh8cJGotDP6A/s320/DSC_0436.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Double chocolate pie</td></tr>
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We even took some time off for lunch for going and buying some knives in Kappabashi. That took much more time than we thought it would and we (I!) made a mess with the trains on the way back. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdBHViuTDNguTf4I8VZ_aqaJP5dr0-n7kpAH_IYgoZheDIQYqtUIlGTgecQ-JZTAdYE6AcjiihJ0wt1A91TgPZ7fPIDlNUDSsowFsjgRe_hD4nOz-vfcQLXKT9fuZC4OderkybSJfUMw/s1600/DSC_0429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdBHViuTDNguTf4I8VZ_aqaJP5dr0-n7kpAH_IYgoZheDIQYqtUIlGTgecQ-JZTAdYE6AcjiihJ0wt1A91TgPZ7fPIDlNUDSsowFsjgRe_hD4nOz-vfcQLXKT9fuZC4OderkybSJfUMw/s320/DSC_0429.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Kappabashi </td></tr>
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We of course had lunch on the way back, stopping at Asakusa. We probably messed up the order somehow because we got just singular dishes instead of the meal with rice and pickles. So, some of us went out very hungry having had just some sashimi...</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhreFMYVNqtV25viwKHDAZ08CTp_YQ0lrRM0bOhofqJlTJs-Jz47N9ugmoyv4hmbHF0wPw4S9-h1Fo2Dyjmj4voKiZ82MMeh9GT-PZPG1mx1EihvazM963CDfYBWyXhllq_W5Kk0qix82g/s1600/DSC_0100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhreFMYVNqtV25viwKHDAZ08CTp_YQ0lrRM0bOhofqJlTJs-Jz47N9ugmoyv4hmbHF0wPw4S9-h1Fo2Dyjmj4voKiZ82MMeh9GT-PZPG1mx1EihvazM963CDfYBWyXhllq_W5Kk0qix82g/s320/DSC_0100.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">My fish (was it grilled mackarel?)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_wTIahhwlPPu19TUycLdTRrwqQlqosm_aPeFFSNB_rk5jcL8BBnIvu5kk0FOsEGinujOKH2OLO0QUZWHsbKvg4Amq-1zk92RrPDgj1WZbUNgOdQ7zqF5HN45YPu8EMNXf4JjZZpaoEc/s1600/DSC_0101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_wTIahhwlPPu19TUycLdTRrwqQlqosm_aPeFFSNB_rk5jcL8BBnIvu5kk0FOsEGinujOKH2OLO0QUZWHsbKvg4Amq-1zk92RrPDgj1WZbUNgOdQ7zqF5HN45YPu8EMNXf4JjZZpaoEc/s320/DSC_0101.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Aubergines and Gyoza</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The other thing that I forced down my colleagues (and has been my obsession since forever) is taiyaki. They didn't dare to get the ones with azuki jam, but of course, I went classic and wasn't very much disappointed.<br />
<div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftnrCE68NNpfbXjoAhuANve7gLOaHOgWvtcEoAVHIlJAnCE8O8hrI8uQpqw_1KERbJv3D8mGIh5S5ye-mjlwuY2oJOP8D7eVX5XLMndVB-2bwByd2xPJ8A0mRIH93aHhMfKsig19ZsuI/s1600/DSC_0439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftnrCE68NNpfbXjoAhuANve7gLOaHOgWvtcEoAVHIlJAnCE8O8hrI8uQpqw_1KERbJv3D8mGIh5S5ye-mjlwuY2oJOP8D7eVX5XLMndVB-2bwByd2xPJ8A0mRIH93aHhMfKsig19ZsuI/s320/DSC_0439.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The taiyaki place in Shinagawa</td></tr>
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<div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigglmW6ANR0v45REdorFH3TNs0nGWuMtnCzBRUT0aBzYDcaIM7Ilz3sHRHxoDCN0Jp4GGAXzL6ZecT-4ewX8_3y7wwGCHJxynmBZF-Mehkg4cL0uvsqkF06ypwjXIoAKVfHnVEmnbj2iA/s1600/DSC_0440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigglmW6ANR0v45REdorFH3TNs0nGWuMtnCzBRUT0aBzYDcaIM7Ilz3sHRHxoDCN0Jp4GGAXzL6ZecT-4ewX8_3y7wwGCHJxynmBZF-Mehkg4cL0uvsqkF06ypwjXIoAKVfHnVEmnbj2iA/s640/DSC_0440.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Very happy!<br /></td></tr>
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For lunch, we managed to eat in the strangest places. One was a very tiny place, where the daughter of the lady cooking food was speaking a fantastic english. We didn't know what we were ordering, but at the end we got served something that was possibly fried chicken?</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVNVGDX1p5vfCHlSkqceEiA4r2e35PzBo3h4Pz6YKjSsoTcbqCnzXSEfRaPI7AdVWbLIaHlu7WXSAaT3u4KF0vggXlbAoQ2X8ZzXKzCXMA3x82dLqZAxb3_3dvt2a2kPwqcXV01tBX9o/s1600/DSC_0428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVNVGDX1p5vfCHlSkqceEiA4r2e35PzBo3h4Pz6YKjSsoTcbqCnzXSEfRaPI7AdVWbLIaHlu7WXSAaT3u4KF0vggXlbAoQ2X8ZzXKzCXMA3x82dLqZAxb3_3dvt2a2kPwqcXV01tBX9o/s320/DSC_0428.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The mysterious chicken dish</td></tr>
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<div>
The last day, I was busy thinking of what to buy for the dear ones home and I stumbled upon some things that I was very very very tempted to buy... <div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pcmjZbXRBiTfNLRYz6ZdgSuhQByNYdS4l9d71t6BlkFnh9fbMw53jz1zYjfY-5g3QAe3rnTvwy8uMGN7QnwQzqJId3Og-i39GyhpwJ9YY_F9w0N086ibHC5kTuLAbYIQbqlFDe2ZcEs/s1600/DSC_0438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pcmjZbXRBiTfNLRYz6ZdgSuhQByNYdS4l9d71t6BlkFnh9fbMw53jz1zYjfY-5g3QAe3rnTvwy8uMGN7QnwQzqJId3Og-i39GyhpwJ9YY_F9w0N086ibHC5kTuLAbYIQbqlFDe2ZcEs/s320/DSC_0438.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Lady Oscar make up!!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2dwLWM1Fbpw8Ufb_add_TZ3u8P6IpfaNoHHvD2kzbXlzW1jM85sjPlBMlzEuE9nzIyd1HzMHp9IhJfDIiR33SmGtKBQSEhwprBauE5y3-v-BYeRIUSHVS920gtc6J3oQjN_U1C0XNkA/s1600/DSC_0437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2dwLWM1Fbpw8Ufb_add_TZ3u8P6IpfaNoHHvD2kzbXlzW1jM85sjPlBMlzEuE9nzIyd1HzMHp9IhJfDIiR33SmGtKBQSEhwprBauE5y3-v-BYeRIUSHVS920gtc6J3oQjN_U1C0XNkA/s400/DSC_0437.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sailor Moon make up</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally, the last evening we decided to go to Shibuya. One of our Japanese colleagues joined us after our exploration of the Tokyu Hands store in Shibuya.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKsDJr5Y9xSBnOkgNhViOAtRnKtFRX6VRXuqMdC8jhW8h-unH9tyfTvQRFKGKwglwQYncIC8MFt57x_fKCzMybfFuFRsV-EunG8GZpXJx0Q6N4t8AFptRneO7M-WOey7BSUzI50hqun_k/s1600/DSC_0443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKsDJr5Y9xSBnOkgNhViOAtRnKtFRX6VRXuqMdC8jhW8h-unH9tyfTvQRFKGKwglwQYncIC8MFt57x_fKCzMybfFuFRsV-EunG8GZpXJx0Q6N4t8AFptRneO7M-WOey7BSUzI50hqun_k/s640/DSC_0443.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Shibuya. Hachiko is on the left</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thankfully we had our colleague. Otherwise it would have been taking us forever to find where the sushi place that we were aiming at was. It was almost impossible to find it!</div>
<div>
The sushi we ate there was from another world and I got so full I was rolling out of there...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8Q1kvNsnyAF-brr29iSu8LMNI0Zj9E0SAskQ5FaCLuv_Hxn6PG9qXOv9wniCXYRxtuFr7CTzkbHN-0YVpNalQD03puVyMvFZ_aCfolQWNwGjJtbOQuXhh6kLv-N9ao4vVFl84_6APY0/s1600/DSC_0444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8Q1kvNsnyAF-brr29iSu8LMNI0Zj9E0SAskQ5FaCLuv_Hxn6PG9qXOv9wniCXYRxtuFr7CTzkbHN-0YVpNalQD03puVyMvFZ_aCfolQWNwGjJtbOQuXhh6kLv-N9ao4vVFl84_6APY0/s640/DSC_0444.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">My sushi</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiViUHhAzXhN8U84vpV8teAl9KZ70dWOdt7IFqvmf0YZEWOJlJb6vkSggJJ987YGBZA07DQIrx2VxabIExm8x4RWKwP2kkIq3jD-S-qDe0EMJMSi7Uv2S3zJ9hxWFuGqIcSjQ2PKZsuSgQ/s1600/DSC_0445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiViUHhAzXhN8U84vpV8teAl9KZ70dWOdt7IFqvmf0YZEWOJlJb6vkSggJJ987YGBZA07DQIrx2VxabIExm8x4RWKwP2kkIq3jD-S-qDe0EMJMSi7Uv2S3zJ9hxWFuGqIcSjQ2PKZsuSgQ/s320/DSC_0445.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sushi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVglPsZUH3b12nM0GsWgcAYKGjsxFT1A-AY04iz_rSzhzh6Hn2TFCujqkKkf9JuE6N7I4NNO3vHlqsh1nooofTny3QiL-mrj3eeBp7d7umcUT8EzYt0NP9Qd4uBy0CXMMzOpR78nIPZM/s1600/DSC_0446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVglPsZUH3b12nM0GsWgcAYKGjsxFT1A-AY04iz_rSzhzh6Hn2TFCujqkKkf9JuE6N7I4NNO3vHlqsh1nooofTny3QiL-mrj3eeBp7d7umcUT8EzYt0NP9Qd4uBy0CXMMzOpR78nIPZM/s320/DSC_0446.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Almost pure tuna sushi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmomssvU33-2si6dV6BJ2ls2GAK7HpLecKwaDETDZJ-DTTIqXSB9wmysKoeGq7Ob7drtVSaTd_NyV8PRpAtLCNKgrsQZXVOr6dkcL6P5lkUcB7P1K8io16f8gKu4263fTiEP6YgrRnGE/s1600/DSC_0447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmomssvU33-2si6dV6BJ2ls2GAK7HpLecKwaDETDZJ-DTTIqXSB9wmysKoeGq7Ob7drtVSaTd_NyV8PRpAtLCNKgrsQZXVOr6dkcL6P5lkUcB7P1K8io16f8gKu4263fTiEP6YgrRnGE/s320/DSC_0447.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sushi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbdkdg3f_Q1HF4ldj5KcxE9RUq-bFSzBnXLtBZcbeWIXdB6OQ5HTs6ZtPRuEq8sIxU5ue5DBPbM0GK4QFOt3ydoRJzn5JABzi8r0M3oCpGWJ9xM0Aay3V9u9N2GS_ARgphR9fUipy2Xg/s1600/DSC_0448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbdkdg3f_Q1HF4ldj5KcxE9RUq-bFSzBnXLtBZcbeWIXdB6OQ5HTs6ZtPRuEq8sIxU5ue5DBPbM0GK4QFOt3ydoRJzn5JABzi8r0M3oCpGWJ9xM0Aay3V9u9N2GS_ARgphR9fUipy2Xg/s320/DSC_0448.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sushi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9bgQaq26BHZ_tNAcOdmutwQMel_fCsCCutJwmraaNwLMpEQk7Tyk9zshKT9F4HpyczH0yUs6AEuZuL_OIwVJgQtcGjiild54b_j068xgCux1WoDr2d1jgAEiHhoLCb_spfkWbzsJ2BAM/s1600/DSC_0449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9bgQaq26BHZ_tNAcOdmutwQMel_fCsCCutJwmraaNwLMpEQk7Tyk9zshKT9F4HpyczH0yUs6AEuZuL_OIwVJgQtcGjiild54b_j068xgCux1WoDr2d1jgAEiHhoLCb_spfkWbzsJ2BAM/s320/DSC_0449.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sushi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfwaE04LO8zJO9Nr5nDgUjsSj1z_Mg6giHn2dK1zMp8msdEZ0qlD03PB-MwpOaRjnRc_j9iFkUlWfHDTXQs5A4inPddbBTriDW-49yWK94US6INjeV_FHxzNcr2XoPcgNs16QNkX1HxQ/s1600/DSC_0450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfwaE04LO8zJO9Nr5nDgUjsSj1z_Mg6giHn2dK1zMp8msdEZ0qlD03PB-MwpOaRjnRc_j9iFkUlWfHDTXQs5A4inPddbBTriDW-49yWK94US6INjeV_FHxzNcr2XoPcgNs16QNkX1HxQ/s320/DSC_0450.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sushi with mackarel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The only problem with this trip is that I gained a couple of kilos. Strange, since we were walking for half an hour to the office every day.... :-)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-50232920393699027852016-02-20T23:09:00.000+01:002016-02-20T23:09:00.395+01:00Kids beauty products<div>
No, I am not paid to promote certain products over others, but this one I like a lot and hence, I will highlight it here.<br />
I have tried to find some good products for kids, that are mercyfull to their skin, easy to apply (depending if it is a lotion or what) and good for the environment.<br />
When I find something that doesn't contain too many bad chemicals and it is promising for all the other characteristics I am looking for, I usually do not mind the price.<br />
<br />
For the kids (and lately also for us, the "adults"), I usually buy <a href="http://www.weleda.se/">Weleda </a>, but I am also very pleased with this below.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXpwDjnaCMcXLaUU4ZDNT_E8a4ZNFjsUyYeGT_fI-V86VCtXXJ1xkmDXp9peEiChw1sc11FpX6uDiSF9BT5NCExcFEKslqlQ0yIzcRekG92AgL0TXxoCDo1hWu9f-L-_aHtJQio1JFHQ/s1600/DSC_0396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXpwDjnaCMcXLaUU4ZDNT_E8a4ZNFjsUyYeGT_fI-V86VCtXXJ1xkmDXp9peEiChw1sc11FpX6uDiSF9BT5NCExcFEKslqlQ0yIzcRekG92AgL0TXxoCDo1hWu9f-L-_aHtJQio1JFHQ/s400/DSC_0396.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Body & Hair wash and Body Lotion</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://www.naturligtsnygg.se/tag/sophie-la-giraffe-baby/">Sophie La Giraffe</a> which is better known for the popular toy (which was also symbol for the babies-mothers group I was belonging with Isabella) is proposing a line of organic certified skin products for kids.<br />
They have a nice smell and they are in general good products (for example, the hair & body wash is very very mild and my kids' skin can tolerate it easily) and they are also gentle to the environment.<br />
We did try also the bubble bath and compared to others that we bought (still organic certified and so on), it was much fluffier and long lasting (and milder) than others.<br />
<br />
So, go and buy it, especially if you belong to the "Apriline" group (I can dispatch it from Sweden ;-))<br /><a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-45313175863561869562016-01-24T22:15:00.001+01:002016-01-24T22:15:48.971+01:00Oscar's two years old birthday <div>
I am getting too slow in writing on the blog, unfortunately, so I miss to write "at the right" time a lot of posts. In reality, I would have still Isabella's four years old birthday to mention, but I feel like that has really lost its timing.<br />
I will try then to pick up with Oscar's two years old birthday. There should be also few things from Christmas to mention, but it feels already too old to be lifted up here.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYNZ81Q8Sr2I2BIupBtsTFQ3N9VPbL9ftnjUKZupfJKw_HN889Vs8PoEswS7D8wErVwcmcqU6mMNxE8KwoA2FRvvLOiqYaJFHYVFVRl96hZXQw8EkTakNHpEVRGAwZYtIQMYcFA5UuV4/s1600/DSC_0319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYNZ81Q8Sr2I2BIupBtsTFQ3N9VPbL9ftnjUKZupfJKw_HN889Vs8PoEswS7D8wErVwcmcqU6mMNxE8KwoA2FRvvLOiqYaJFHYVFVRl96hZXQw8EkTakNHpEVRGAwZYtIQMYcFA5UuV4/s320/DSC_0319.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Oscar could appreciate already before the party. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVouFhWPAWCgoYlxEyV7sLEXHWOSowOGzufGOWJMFLs0qBYXXnG2kDEw0kLMf4KR3Wx6TV8x34Lg30WmVmiJf9FbXF7e-d2r486c8H8ZGAaKjdk6WEPj-GAISm121Zncjy4RcQmS75Weo/s1600/DSC_0401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVouFhWPAWCgoYlxEyV7sLEXHWOSowOGzufGOWJMFLs0qBYXXnG2kDEw0kLMf4KR3Wx6TV8x34Lg30WmVmiJf9FbXF7e-d2r486c8H8ZGAaKjdk6WEPj-GAISm121Zncjy4RcQmS75Weo/s320/DSC_0401.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I should focus a bit on TipToi that is absoluted loved by both kids but especially Oscar. He sits for many minutes just exploring the books (this one, with "Woods" as theme is a birthday present) or the game we have. It is a very great toy for our kids so that can have an opportunity to learn italian and we really like because it is so rich that I am sure they will have hard time to get tired of it</td></tr>
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<br />
For Oscar's birthday, we had few friends over for a little party. As I am getting bad in writing blog posts, I am also quite bad in taking proper pictures. I know I baked the cake (the same that I did for Isabella's four years old birthday) and thought I should take pics for the blog, but then I did end up with a picture with the cake ready to be put in the oven. And that's it.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19A2TrepVBOlQjEV87xNOL86K_Y-FcBCSsHN6jBbVqzaUCK86FJb_240nwH1X-7-kgKki_FY_lqZQRrvBesIQeDYj2X_u3OvDT25xzQcCseRL6FXceBtcscFwwHZKFP2iwoCj0LaAa0I/s1600/DSC_0406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19A2TrepVBOlQjEV87xNOL86K_Y-FcBCSsHN6jBbVqzaUCK86FJb_240nwH1X-7-kgKki_FY_lqZQRrvBesIQeDYj2X_u3OvDT25xzQcCseRL6FXceBtcscFwwHZKFP2iwoCj0LaAa0I/s640/DSC_0406.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some new cars, a car carpet and some other cards related items. Did I say cars?</td></tr>
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<br />
We had balloons everywhere and Oscar was happily playing around and eating a lot of apples and melon (maybe too much).<br />
Isabella was having her friends over too, so she was quite busy as well. Their friends were kind enough to bring some presents for the little prince.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzh7p2rPcyIdzPIefORXQ22RegvcEPZ9BB4TQYOj7ZhxVnYoBO31vgp-NHFyXrcR1S6gHXqYGYbtnTEgiPgf2EhAo8N2d72wInsSMlTVnO-QiVyYm4QU1bVnlDc_w2loBSLKkfeo3Vmk/s1600/DSC_0398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzh7p2rPcyIdzPIefORXQ22RegvcEPZ9BB4TQYOj7ZhxVnYoBO31vgp-NHFyXrcR1S6gHXqYGYbtnTEgiPgf2EhAo8N2d72wInsSMlTVnO-QiVyYm4QU1bVnlDc_w2loBSLKkfeo3Vmk/s400/DSC_0398.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A classic from the 80s which I have been dreaming of having (and playing). Both kids love it, although they have some technical inabilities</td></tr>
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Although we tried to contain the amount of presents, Oscar got spoiled with many things. Few books (he loves reading, so this is very well appreciated), some car and a tractor and few other games that I am showing with a picture.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.toyvault.com/cthulhu/Cthulhu%20Medium%20-%20Large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.toyvault.com/cthulhu/Cthulhu%20Medium%20-%20Large.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cthulhu is making an entrance in our equipment. We haven't yet introduced the world of Arkham to the kids. Maybe it is time? :) Picture is borrowed from the internet. Cthulhus is looking over Oscar's sleep right now.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDEFdXo_3wZgwwJwcK3VwYQswmzlhc6TNd45A4b0Y4tZ90LHLObx8aeKDp2Mqb_ZtR76kLAnjDwo4ntfQ2hwBUI9M7Ca12lbbs9yRbJjc_ZVz28KC_4AWyjNK4RT7Tt38EusD21j0wwUY/s1600/DSC_0402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDEFdXo_3wZgwwJwcK3VwYQswmzlhc6TNd45A4b0Y4tZ90LHLObx8aeKDp2Mqb_ZtR76kLAnjDwo4ntfQ2hwBUI9M7Ca12lbbs9yRbJjc_ZVz28KC_4AWyjNK4RT7Tt38EusD21j0wwUY/s320/DSC_0402.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puzzle and board games are appreciated especially by Isabella (although they might be for her brother). In this case, the game on the left was a Christmas present for her, with aimed at learning letters, while the puzzle on the right was for Oscar (who spends most of his days counting in both languages up to 10 or 11...), so that he can learn a bit what the numbers he is saying stands for.<br /></td></tr>
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Finally, the cake. We had different cakes and a small buffet with cookies, some extra pastries and some small sandwhiches, As usual, the cake for the kids is the "official" cake and in this case it is a red currants pie, which I ate at a friend's place with the kids when we both were on parental leave and meeting regularly (sigh, I miss those days). Isabella fell in love and asked for the cake for her birthday and of course, I repeated the request for Oscar's one. As always, I tend to burn it, but maybe this is the key to success? No matter. It doesn't looks amazing, but it tastes as such (and I am bad in baking).<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5WjFnnzPa59swdMi48gi0r77sCcuBDRdGcOtlVy2ITx6lIQp9l5tBqyEAJcymmuBpQiKk7rDBNwPYFkisJxgFH4Z7a05AUCycj90dkn48bmRlr0JrJGpc6-9Op103-3f1YySxryYzRz4/s1600/DSCN3634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12.8px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5WjFnnzPa59swdMi48gi0r77sCcuBDRdGcOtlVy2ITx6lIQp9l5tBqyEAJcymmuBpQiKk7rDBNwPYFkisJxgFH4Z7a05AUCycj90dkn48bmRlr0JrJGpc6-9Op103-3f1YySxryYzRz4/s640/DSCN3634.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red currants pie</td></tr>
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</div>
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
150g butter<br />
3dl flour<br />
1,5dl sugar<br />
1 pinch salt<br />
1 pinch bakingpowder<br />
5 dl red currants<br />
Extra sugar to sweeten the berries<br />
<br />
Turn on the oven to 225.<br />
Mix the dry ingredients while you are melting the butter.<br />
Pour over the mix all the butter and then press on a pie form. Put on top the berries and sugar.<br />
Bake it for 20 minutes (and hope you don't get it burnt as I do ;-))<br />
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<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-89784298772300345342016-01-02T22:53:00.003+01:002016-01-02T22:53:46.996+01:00Christmas gamingIt is nice that finally, with at least one of the kids, we can start to play again some board games and it is nice that she likes to play too (although when she is in a bad mood she has very hard time to accept to lose or the game rules).<br />
<br />
This Christmas we have played two games: <b>Letters to Santa</b> and <b>Sagaland</b>.
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Letters to Santa was a present we got last year, when we had our epic Christmas party.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYnHyqEccMLYnStYJLJQ1WCt58Vi8Mdy29hvzLRp3WanUxtIyVkYkfUuhUfiCRKgpyJbxvISiVqEfWN8qqGqI9FPuJ6POeO565EkljND4peLHiDNRIFxFM9xvZE9Wba0aJOWuAHj-S9Q/s1600/DSC_0318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYnHyqEccMLYnStYJLJQ1WCt58Vi8Mdy29hvzLRp3WanUxtIyVkYkfUuhUfiCRKgpyJbxvISiVqEfWN8qqGqI9FPuJ6POeO565EkljND4peLHiDNRIFxFM9xvZE9Wba0aJOWuAHj-S9Q/s400/DSC_0318.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Letters to Santa</td></tr>
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The game is quite simple, but there can be some nice strategy played based on thinking how many cards are around in the game and also, observing a bit the other players' behaviour. The goal of the game is winning 4 game rounds. For doing that one can kick out of the turn the other players or by having the highest card at the end of the game.<div>
There are 8 different types of cards and each of them has a specific action associated. Some of the actions can result in getting the other players out of the game, but mostly there are cards exchanges and views and if one plays smart, there is a good chance to be the winner. </div>
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A minimum amount of luck is required, but that is ok, considering that the game doesn't become frustrating and still skills are valuable. </div>
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A perfect quick family game that has conquered us all!</div>
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Sagaland is instead one present that Santa has delivered to Isabella. The setting is cute, based on the classical fairytales (Rapunzel, The princess and the frog, ...) and the mechanics are quite simple, although the complexity of the game can be high. Many different strategies can result in becoming the winner. </div>
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On the board there are 7 symbols hidden under a tree. One card at the time shows which symbol one must search and "report" to the king in the castle. The winner is the one that has managed to collect most cards. </div>
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To do that one should have quite good memory. But there are different strategies that can be applied, mixing bluffing with intuition and, thanks to the "magic" element, a good dose of randomness.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgweiVmZeJgsc8acoBi5RhMlKyQFpv_b8oEnUY2yB-QB5MLczIegE7mX0SXrYmXM8ZtlNCY604tlAhm0Gs4RdN8REPo3dQtWjY0nchzvJAAebCKrOqbLzHl0tf625LGRHli7ec6zFR_amM/s1600/DSC_0317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgweiVmZeJgsc8acoBi5RhMlKyQFpv_b8oEnUY2yB-QB5MLczIegE7mX0SXrYmXM8ZtlNCY604tlAhm0Gs4RdN8REPo3dQtWjY0nchzvJAAebCKrOqbLzHl0tf625LGRHli7ec6zFR_amM/s320/DSC_0317.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sagaland board</td></tr>
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It is not always easy to play with kids, because it is already complex to explain how one can roll and count the dice (there is quite some flexibility), but even though one doesn't explore the whole game depth with them, the game can still be intruiguing.<br /><a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a></div>
aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-65606288952885599052015-08-29T14:06:00.001+02:002015-08-29T14:06:23.000+02:00Nodame Cantabile by Tomoko Ninomiya<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13328436-nodame-cantabile-vol-25" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Nodame Cantabile Vol. 25" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1325077227m/13328436.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13328436-nodame-cantabile-vol-25">Nodame Cantabile Vol. 25</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/379549.Tomoko_Ninomiya">Tomoko Ninomiya</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1377043043">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Nodame Cantabile is a manga that could become a classic. <br>I read the whole story, 25 numbers, just rushing through every volume, fascinated by the setting and the characters.<br>The setting is a bit peculiar: the protagonists are students of a musical university. Classical music is what keeps all of them together. Nodame and Shiniki are the main protagonists and their love story starts and continue in a rather unpredictable manner, drown in small hilarious scenes that gives a realistic depth to them.<br>The characters are not drown in a very fancy way, despite that it is a modern style that is light and gives space to some little fashion touch. I think what is the most amazing part of the drawings is the details about the instruments, which are incredibly accurate and beautiful.<br>There are many characters that are presented in the story, but despite that one doesn't get too disoriented, on the other hand, it was nice to have some variation. <br>There were some chapters that had a bit slower pace than others, with a tiny tendency to be a bit too repetitive. Luckily, there were also many unexpected events that gave energy to the whole plot.<br>I really enjoyed reading Nodame Cantabile. It made me goes back on when I was studying at the conservatory and it made me realize how much I have missed playing the piano and how much beautiful the classical music can be. Not only, the passion and stubborness that characterizes all the characters made them admirable and inspired me. <br>Pity though that the last two volumes were focusing too much on the Opera and too little on Nodame and Shiniki. After all, after so many volumes, one would have expected a bit more classical ending, an official proposal, maybe a kid, or at least, the concert done together.<br>I would definitely recommend this manga, for the interesting story, but also for the humoristic side of it and for opening the doors to the world of the classical music, which is too often left just for a bunch of elite people.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1054618-arianna">View all my reviews</a>
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<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-27444547899882516002015-08-07T23:11:00.001+02:002015-08-07T23:11:18.675+02:00Summer holidays in SyracuseFor the first time ever, we decided to slighty change our summer plans and take a small detour, only for us, in order to actually have some form of vacation.
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We looked for sandy beaches, with shallow and warm water, not too far off our usual destination and, considering that Mattias had wished for years to visit Syracuse, we thought that the area was the right place for us.<br />
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After some minor search, we booked at the hotel <a href="http://www.valledimare.it/">Valle di Mare</a>, also because, choosing as period high season, it was hard to find a place in any place.<br />
The resort was dislocated in a peaceful area, was not too bad, but left us disappointed in some aspects.<br />
If you are interested in reading all the details of our staying there, you can check out my <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.se/ShowUserReviews-g187891-d952359-r293319897-Valle_di_Mare_Resort-Syracuse_Province_of_Syracuse_Sicily.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT">Tripadvisor Review</a>.<br />
We looked at this hotel because it was closed to <a href="http://www.visitfontanebianche.it/">Fontane Bianche</a>, a small town 20 minutes away from Syracuse, with the type of beach we were searching.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiolFLOZD-W_jkzwBSxNueTZ6lbEfKVAbvc10KbJXNUQWaJ-WBSoE4XXtyCqoIEDf4RrxVxi88BRUM9EU00Ykur5Z3X93Es-NUWSOAXndGYKTN6n4XJJRDwvYzwxo11bUbqBCbLgAxsCZw/s1600/DSCN3723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiolFLOZD-W_jkzwBSxNueTZ6lbEfKVAbvc10KbJXNUQWaJ-WBSoE4XXtyCqoIEDf4RrxVxi88BRUM9EU00Ykur5Z3X93Es-NUWSOAXndGYKTN6n4XJJRDwvYzwxo11bUbqBCbLgAxsCZw/s320/DSCN3723.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fontane Bianche, looking south</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_NP-KD9qq57cNjFh66DGfePuLOMV3vM4hcgd3C2TS9Y1q6VLSbbVBYrEgZiHLYP64v4iez9W1jDWGQxrXnqcAyJ7mE2Z3tKtSeHuuowrCujAb6Hf3cLYrLC4GcLK_8_paDpEX9_Z750/s1600/DSCN3724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_NP-KD9qq57cNjFh66DGfePuLOMV3vM4hcgd3C2TS9Y1q6VLSbbVBYrEgZiHLYP64v4iez9W1jDWGQxrXnqcAyJ7mE2Z3tKtSeHuuowrCujAb6Hf3cLYrLC4GcLK_8_paDpEX9_Z750/s400/DSCN3724.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fontane Bianche, looking north</td></tr>
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The beach was the high point of our little holiday. Especially in the morning, the sea looked almost caribbean (not that I have been to the Caribbean, but...). Of course, it was a bit crowded during the weekend, but especially early in the morning it was wonderful to be in the warm water.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga7gCaPsBJHRk39DgsqJdT9tzmAtbIRhc4mg4CJMTSzEo91Y2P-6uq3cSoVNOpSNk8lg2IWFbycViUVfyTzO2PjaSpOq9w0ojjEFnwnAcl9Vl7R7p-FyoxtcIHzwxjcY43KFbwKg8NnCI/s1600/IMG_2896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga7gCaPsBJHRk39DgsqJdT9tzmAtbIRhc4mg4CJMTSzEo91Y2P-6uq3cSoVNOpSNk8lg2IWFbycViUVfyTzO2PjaSpOq9w0ojjEFnwnAcl9Vl7R7p-FyoxtcIHzwxjcY43KFbwKg8NnCI/s640/IMG_2896.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lido Fontane Bianche</td></tr>
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The majority of the people at the beach were definitely locals, there were few foreigners and this, according to me, was a quite good aspect (even though, during the weekend, it became a little bit too noisy for our taste).</div>
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We used the services offert by a "Lido" (an organized beach), simply because we had no clue of how things would look like and I think the choice was ok, considering.</div>
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It was also entertaining, since every day, around 10:30, two people from the Lido staff, would organize an acquagym. One of the two, a guy was just a pleasure to watch dancing, since he had an amazing rythm sense.</div>
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We also had the lunch at the Lido, which was possibly not the cheapest solution, but the most practical one and afterall, we managed to find something to eat for all of us. Isabella, for example, wanted to eat the local salsiccia....</div>
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One day, we had to withdraw some money, but there would be no cash dispenser available in Fontane Bianche and we got redirected to Cassibile. The place looked almost like the Far West and, although afterwards, I have found out that it is a quite crucial place from an historical point of view (a WWII armstice was signed there), it looked desolated and terrible. We didn't manage to find any cash dispenser there either, since the only bank had been robbed recently (...).</div>
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We finally got our money in Avola, which from the car, looked very pretty and I am sure we will try to visit it more in the future.</div>
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The last day of our extra holiday, we went to Syracuse, aiming at the Ortygia island. I had no idea really what to expect, but we got recommended to go there from the hotel receptionist (the other alternative was the archaeological park).</div>
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We were really not disappointed by our choice since Ortygia is amazing and we were happy we managed to pay a short visit there - I am sure we will try to return also there!</div>
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We found that there were plenty of archaeological sites also there and the whole island is full of beautiful streets, were old and new buildings melt in a quite harmonic way (90% of the times, which is a quite high rate), despite the heat and the sun, everything looked pitoresque and it was a pity we didn't have too much time because there would have been a lot more to explore.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7whHzDN-XPVIHD5whNUysSomgJUtvvQ9l745-z-lu9PQB1Z4dci5X-yhSSJ_IConGlg57j4kXENscMVOcndCC_savEj_ohiZojtjns5NBly7alPpi_ANprg5wXrlpaxtOJy2tj32Q5aU/s1600/DSCN3733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7whHzDN-XPVIHD5whNUysSomgJUtvvQ9l745-z-lu9PQB1Z4dci5X-yhSSJ_IConGlg57j4kXENscMVOcndCC_savEj_ohiZojtjns5NBly7alPpi_ANprg5wXrlpaxtOJy2tj32Q5aU/s320/DSCN3733.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apollo's Temple</td></tr>
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We looked at some ruins, like some rests of the ancient wall and the Apollonion, Apollo's Temple. From there, we moved towards the cathedral, walking by ancient buildings and beautiful squares.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHEMz4_mz21FkHv_lq_jI9yf2G8IYxTR4A8a8uNwVIssO_rLtYifwv0-F4Wf6VaaCTTpD1ja0IJ2WZFYYKyXPFgblALNu3LzytkeCk0-QUFa-uZKT6ZYy9_wQyMWOQ3MFKiz_QToe8mUs/s1600/DSCN3734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHEMz4_mz21FkHv_lq_jI9yf2G8IYxTR4A8a8uNwVIssO_rLtYifwv0-F4Wf6VaaCTTpD1ja0IJ2WZFYYKyXPFgblALNu3LzytkeCk0-QUFa-uZKT6ZYy9_wQyMWOQ3MFKiz_QToe8mUs/s320/DSCN3734.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piazza Archimede with Diana Fountain</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBo2R2JjEA_N4yjykEabK7Fnu3JeLmetFZhdSx_D5zlyf81PGv0PTJlZ6fSZ9URqvpgawu5WTYRpVJ41ja36zrCG8wevSaIO8040sB3EdYiGi2cI0ZzCkrOWmWyHCKeAqoOzQbzU4hH7U/s1600/DSCN3735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBo2R2JjEA_N4yjykEabK7Fnu3JeLmetFZhdSx_D5zlyf81PGv0PTJlZ6fSZ9URqvpgawu5WTYRpVJ41ja36zrCG8wevSaIO8040sB3EdYiGi2cI0ZzCkrOWmWyHCKeAqoOzQbzU4hH7U/s320/DSCN3735.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A narrow street</td></tr>
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The whole place gave us a great sensation, with a decently peaceful atmosphere (ok, it was a monday and there were 700 degrees, but still, I would have expected tons of tourists challenging the weather), clean street and some cute cats.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxqioAuua47F_Pe8n1FVnlAZe5cXsOjjDfmzo708yVcFwsVmwG2E2piVo0I7bNy4KdoYJIkGma9bT0CqeyrgP9XkH8GHy5xYjbDLhQIXQLf3uATEv1hBNlYUMr9s2YylugbLNfpdkgeg/s1600/DSCN3736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxqioAuua47F_Pe8n1FVnlAZe5cXsOjjDfmzo708yVcFwsVmwG2E2piVo0I7bNy4KdoYJIkGma9bT0CqeyrgP9XkH8GHy5xYjbDLhQIXQLf3uATEv1hBNlYUMr9s2YylugbLNfpdkgeg/s640/DSCN3736.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cathedral is on the left</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuGf12WrbesETetBP0Dsb-jIvdKN2Fbfag2IyXN5xq90DW6YOQMiMHXok6Md5K5VsXVc1hLdjfWknJNI9hgq2A1KHkVi596KpV-9zsXOVQpvYqS4cIJDSXOcH-sk9_vI-kirvUMSv9WU/s1600/DSCN3737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuGf12WrbesETetBP0Dsb-jIvdKN2Fbfag2IyXN5xq90DW6YOQMiMHXok6Md5K5VsXVc1hLdjfWknJNI9hgq2A1KHkVi596KpV-9zsXOVQpvYqS4cIJDSXOcH-sk9_vI-kirvUMSv9WU/s400/DSCN3737.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A column from V century A C integrated in the church</td></tr>
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The only visit we paid was to the Cathedral, which was in an high point of the island, facing a wide square, in company of other beautiful buildings. Unfortunately, the lack of vegetation made the stay there quite painful since the sun was unmerciful.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicuCn-pp7_7i6b4qInMYUndVM0JbgQwPoEynm-knwtJClF42Ncia_0IuY4dQKM2NSB-Kg0faYcEtbGfNL5hKgI3nz3btcYFoaPHjd-SjfVGIqSASULbxq0zahS3Yd3Ijmj4o2L99Hj1fE/s1600/DSCN3739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicuCn-pp7_7i6b4qInMYUndVM0JbgQwPoEynm-knwtJClF42Ncia_0IuY4dQKM2NSB-Kg0faYcEtbGfNL5hKgI3nz3btcYFoaPHjd-SjfVGIqSASULbxq0zahS3Yd3Ijmj4o2L99Hj1fE/s640/DSCN3739.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cathedral is on the right, now.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSck1NlJ5JyDbkHIxZ4zGEEAcDwkjEKKJpslLco7qkfjnzVl24fWlhOuAAx8Qrbgu-sTBim2ajkm6ElATgTHQjNE5eZ11B0OeH_HzMhoXYuGyu-W79hv7yqZHuAwcAuIkJn993bGj4HY/s1600/DSCN3738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSck1NlJ5JyDbkHIxZ4zGEEAcDwkjEKKJpslLco7qkfjnzVl24fWlhOuAAx8Qrbgu-sTBim2ajkm6ElATgTHQjNE5eZ11B0OeH_HzMhoXYuGyu-W79hv7yqZHuAwcAuIkJn993bGj4HY/s400/DSCN3738.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the cathedral facade. I managed to catch the same tourists in two pictures.</td></tr>
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The inside of the Cathedral was quite interesting and beautiful. It is a pity we didn't have any guidebook or any major information because it seems that its history was quite interesting. The coolest aspect was that it was built over the Athena's temple and its column were integrated in the church construction.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfa1qHPBwwv3j0azUfkBDYvWdJnNrWGmBDSsohhAsq5ItAvZQd1472ZNSQzIIUD2C4tFuybAXWERSVc3NU6ZFw4_IEsRPb25q0aDcEnhs___jcQRKdL8k-lBKycKbRY5ILzuc4Ov_Sq0/s1600/DSCN3741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfa1qHPBwwv3j0azUfkBDYvWdJnNrWGmBDSsohhAsq5ItAvZQd1472ZNSQzIIUD2C4tFuybAXWERSVc3NU6ZFw4_IEsRPb25q0aDcEnhs___jcQRKdL8k-lBKycKbRY5ILzuc4Ov_Sq0/s400/DSCN3741.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piazza Duomo</td></tr>
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We aimed then at find the Fonte Aretusa, a very peculiar sweet water source, which is just next to the sea. There, there were a lot of small restaurants, and although we knew we were entering the domain of the tourist traps, we sat at the first place.</div>
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The restaurant, <a href="http://ristorantespizzica.com/">Spizzica al Vecchio Lavatoio</a>, was very average and offered very warm seating, however had a great view.</div>
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We really didn't have the luxury to seek any better place, so we got a quick meal there and we took bravely the way back at the warmest hours of the day.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5SfLlDsvl_g9jKJGx5BxDxeGHDgkuFU7ZHPeh4IppIZyDfogMSL4McBNpco33PPgOHg_osrtmZOZH7ZLdSHnXoIcMm8xTF44CfD2BW3F-r_HmUHBUDXwi08pED_sOzd8h8m2cF77hCw/s1600/DSC_1279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5SfLlDsvl_g9jKJGx5BxDxeGHDgkuFU7ZHPeh4IppIZyDfogMSL4McBNpco33PPgOHg_osrtmZOZH7ZLdSHnXoIcMm8xTF44CfD2BW3F-r_HmUHBUDXwi08pED_sOzd8h8m2cF77hCw/s640/DSC_1279.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the restaurant</td></tr>
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Although quite short, we did enjoy our walk in Ortygia and we hope that we will have the opportunity to visit it few more tiimes!<br />
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aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-70593459692574235112015-08-05T23:20:00.000+02:002015-08-05T23:20:00.228+02:00The The Hague - Amsterdam Tour in JuneAfter few years of assuring a couple of friends of ours that we would visit them in The Netherlands, where they live, we finally decided to keep our promise and we mobilitate the troups in June.
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We were there just few days during which we spent most of the time trying to feed and put to bed four kids, admire The Hague beach and had a long walk in Amsterdam.<br />
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For me it was the absolute first time in The Netherlands, so I was in observation mode. Mattias had already been there, but got surprised by a couple of things or two as well.<br />
In general, I didn't find enormous differences (if we don't consider Amsterdam, that is) with Sweden. The suburbs of The Hague where they live reminded me of Sweden, with a British touch though. The area was architecturally speaking very nice, quite new buildings in some form of old style, but with the streets having space for pedestrian/bikes, green areas with playgrounds and recycling bins there and then.<br />
I really enjoyed walking around the area, which was quite peaceful (except when some house in the surroundings threw a party) and very child friendly. However, no shops where there and one had to walk few minutes to reach a center which offered shops of all kind.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazBdG86_ssZHlmsdm2qua4tF2I0tyEzxB2nKCQEHku2Wyz0qbooHT9RA3aFeHiA4imRXQEnPGOqxjyJBcIK1lvkq0veMvPP-3F5aEAhsGwqE4LI1y1EFTY27ni150kqhYvCLXhPNz7dU/s1600/DSC_1212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazBdG86_ssZHlmsdm2qua4tF2I0tyEzxB2nKCQEHku2Wyz0qbooHT9RA3aFeHiA4imRXQEnPGOqxjyJBcIK1lvkq0veMvPP-3F5aEAhsGwqE4LI1y1EFTY27ni150kqhYvCLXhPNz7dU/s320/DSC_1212.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suburbs of The Hague</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7IXevC53t7gm4U9k3AcBI7ARLKrP3zQDKiCBf8rWPYvz-A_tF9EVXhyKeUlCfvXKaRhZak0DkBU7HbcdYQHJES1j3FKHxRtBatjuu4P5_-wPST3-3oXT_QnscK22ATRFJQzXUd1TiF_g/s1600/DSC_1214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7IXevC53t7gm4U9k3AcBI7ARLKrP3zQDKiCBf8rWPYvz-A_tF9EVXhyKeUlCfvXKaRhZak0DkBU7HbcdYQHJES1j3FKHxRtBatjuu4P5_-wPST3-3oXT_QnscK22ATRFJQzXUd1TiF_g/s640/DSC_1214.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The closest playground</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc4W3D_bO-polFnAEWrz-N0AZIa2FEWLsj6m-U7yLecymFYJJTYFmRLhxlnPSrK9Jfr0_iV2jH-1Rbw3ItnZwaKK4N701Wz4RKseJ5AhOs7kFtCULaMkz4YUpfNxfOHzeGYp9IriymJx4/s1600/DSC_1213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc4W3D_bO-polFnAEWrz-N0AZIa2FEWLsj6m-U7yLecymFYJJTYFmRLhxlnPSrK9Jfr0_iV2jH-1Rbw3ItnZwaKK4N701Wz4RKseJ5AhOs7kFtCULaMkz4YUpfNxfOHzeGYp9IriymJx4/s400/DSC_1213.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A serie of similar houses</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9n_uxfNrmJHuNi1dCjdaHZjIS3tpw1B-GOCrVB107ml98e3T9ZLKIoBnsLMCE8BTa_RXMhF0BeDvQSEHwpBXdzhmnzeKr-1FiXWxdd-mVRmhzP2z1hZZ1yC0crkcSm_XQfNZ-MaLVeOA/s1600/IMG_2804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9n_uxfNrmJHuNi1dCjdaHZjIS3tpw1B-GOCrVB107ml98e3T9ZLKIoBnsLMCE8BTa_RXMhF0BeDvQSEHwpBXdzhmnzeKr-1FiXWxdd-mVRmhzP2z1hZZ1yC0crkcSm_XQfNZ-MaLVeOA/s400/IMG_2804.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The house where the party was!</td></tr>
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During the Sunday, they brought us to The Hague's enormous beach. Thinking that all of that is practically artificial makes me mesmerized! <div>
Before reaching the beach, it was lunch time and they let us discover <a href="http://simonisvis.nl/">Simonis</a>, a fantastic fish restaurang which I'd like to import to Sweden!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7XpZheal4JctR-NGWKopWIxK90aTW1BtXDNOScEbzp1Wu6gPiQoWqkx3zClxa_fsSNn4KyugZ1MUEKUsGnP8g0eDJiQTJr3Ngcsg359A6HAwXosbyvybfnBbcmc2FeR9N5y2TtugQMCs/s1600/DSC_1205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7XpZheal4JctR-NGWKopWIxK90aTW1BtXDNOScEbzp1Wu6gPiQoWqkx3zClxa_fsSNn4KyugZ1MUEKUsGnP8g0eDJiQTJr3Ngcsg359A6HAwXosbyvybfnBbcmc2FeR9N5y2TtugQMCs/s320/DSC_1205.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We put our feet in Simonis and our jaws fell to the ground</td></tr>
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There is plenty of wonderful sea food to eat and we surely didn't spare ourselves in the orders. Although it was a lot of fried fish and french fries, there were also other kind of dishes and we loved every second of it! </div>
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We definitely ate the best plate of oysters, together with fried mussels, woked shrimps, and a lot of other dishes. </div>
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The place is a bit rustic, but it greatly fits with the idea that one is eating freshly caught fish.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4y65ch0ePH60CPjEgCuYxhGfnXeCb23feZk-MAhkEysYdubLZhUHisgqsSqaWaDBTkbXM4xtMaD5-IXzKkeDUdU4IUl5LmLph00caOpaSjP7rrVYU_1TuEx5omLut9YQKW2ALcv_-G0/s1600/DSC_1204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4y65ch0ePH60CPjEgCuYxhGfnXeCb23feZk-MAhkEysYdubLZhUHisgqsSqaWaDBTkbXM4xtMaD5-IXzKkeDUdU4IUl5LmLph00caOpaSjP7rrVYU_1TuEx5omLut9YQKW2ALcv_-G0/s400/DSC_1204.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bad photo of the catch of the day</td></tr>
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The beach per se' is just huge. We didn't get close to the water (I counted that the temperature would be cold) and we limited ourselves to walk on the sand and pick up some shells. I bet that during the few days of warmth in summertime, this stretch of sand is covered by people sunbatching. Already when we were there, although it was windy and of my taste too cold, there were few people that were doing that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcD1bnWXnUvE1jPtcsCR-28b_KBoZpq_switA89bbyYGczkRQCYw31w84WA9CDNLmogojwyjOYNLko2IeCe9z5kmvPyMcLax0m0AzuU475TgaoIthWHwqSk3odmwvD5dKqyW21GU7K44/s1600/DSCN3694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcD1bnWXnUvE1jPtcsCR-28b_KBoZpq_switA89bbyYGczkRQCYw31w84WA9CDNLmogojwyjOYNLko2IeCe9z5kmvPyMcLax0m0AzuU475TgaoIthWHwqSk3odmwvD5dKqyW21GU7K44/s320/DSCN3694.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scheveningen Beach with the sea</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3tg0doTyVXLliLNdUiv-TSiKuBtqac9Su17adpG6bBoiNx6uDwlPDO62z30iYvpft8UhEkUpE2ZeqhAKO0oppNFIkwdiwQII9wmv5U839cCFMuOWIKpqUI2U6uYSoPE-WpzFuwALDAw0/s1600/DSCN3696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3tg0doTyVXLliLNdUiv-TSiKuBtqac9Su17adpG6bBoiNx6uDwlPDO62z30iYvpft8UhEkUpE2ZeqhAKO0oppNFIkwdiwQII9wmv5U839cCFMuOWIKpqUI2U6uYSoPE-WpzFuwALDAw0/s640/DSCN3696.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View over Scheveningen beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBqNU0QJbNCcRPvqCOJ5hV-BWSUFAIpnZTAYBTDWqyTQCxAUbkbVL75LrOWjRwPPhdFbMCCWjYB69ffuNf-T6rbZEA2XETGaaLy_lW9yRTapLKUYwbsfkZRKF6gkX84Bx5fCXtT_nssM/s1600/DSCN3697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBqNU0QJbNCcRPvqCOJ5hV-BWSUFAIpnZTAYBTDWqyTQCxAUbkbVL75LrOWjRwPPhdFbMCCWjYB69ffuNf-T6rbZEA2XETGaaLy_lW9yRTapLKUYwbsfkZRKF6gkX84Bx5fCXtT_nssM/s320/DSCN3697.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People playing some very funny form of football on the beach</td></tr>
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On the Monday we ventured on a short visit to Amsterdam, which however left us quite shocked.</div>
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It is true that we are quite conservative people, but we have a decent level of tolerance.</div>
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Unfortunately, the general atmosphere of the city left us disappointed.</div>
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The town is beautiful, it has wonderful buildings and possibly an interisting history, but it seems that all of its beauty is attenuated or even drowning in the cannabis culture. Which is sad. That there are coffee shops we surely knew about that, but that there are tons of shops that are selling all sort of souvenirs with such theme was quite a surprise. Is it possible that Amsterdam shall be just identified with a hemp lollipop?</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_x1vJ1ENZWNHPGeQEJmjnlXicrM1rRINmGk-rPenKrQLwv8RjWWxq9y_qRsLz_OzjzkxNSmePvkjGL6S3BVPtV1V2BnxkiqsYN2fgoeSOnstGn6bYc_zYlaDak0VmybOtFQf7Cll3gc/s1600/DSCN3698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_x1vJ1ENZWNHPGeQEJmjnlXicrM1rRINmGk-rPenKrQLwv8RjWWxq9y_qRsLz_OzjzkxNSmePvkjGL6S3BVPtV1V2BnxkiqsYN2fgoeSOnstGn6bYc_zYlaDak0VmybOtFQf7Cll3gc/s320/DSCN3698.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dam Square</td></tr>
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We ate nearby Dam Square, in the restaurant floor of a mall nearby. There were tons of other places around there, but we didn't want to end up in any tourist trap and, since we are usually quite picky and undecisive, we didn't want to end up starving until too late (with the kids this is not anymore an option).<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GZ8pPTdjLMHLbrhU_Qi_DG_hJ9FQ5uU13wPGX4RLu2SghS1iHO6bBWP-vOF8y8rnklLDXIbWUabbahYYnLdUC9eRsW-6iUsEeqgddxAKX4FXMNZhPEc06_PiGr-Q_kUNeWZ72x7EI0w/s1600/DSC_1215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GZ8pPTdjLMHLbrhU_Qi_DG_hJ9FQ5uU13wPGX4RLu2SghS1iHO6bBWP-vOF8y8rnklLDXIbWUabbahYYnLdUC9eRsW-6iUsEeqgddxAKX4FXMNZhPEc06_PiGr-Q_kUNeWZ72x7EI0w/s640/DSC_1215.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We checked many roofs and I liked this big church and its tower bell, whose name I don't know.</td></tr>
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We walked, and walked, and walked, which was not exactly the best thing to do with Isabella. Oscar slept half of our tour, so he had less complaints.<br />
We had no specific target, but at a certain point we were undecised if we should go inside a museum or to the botanical garden and we aimed at this, to then discover that the entrance price was almost prohibitive and we gave up trying to find our way back towards the train station.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical buildings: high and narrow and with a strange construction in the center of the roof. Maybe something used for lifting furniture during a move?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6rbK6hWOf2n_lhxHX9tYaLsFJR8czrSqECw0ZEP2Zc0xrGvCq62zGqFsd1nqAoimxOKbusC41WYrtB8VnfNys6czK65JD13jZkuaMizrPKmYWoLmJJUw_HiSEEgcDo5odfTAC5J_jBw/s1600/DSCN3707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6rbK6hWOf2n_lhxHX9tYaLsFJR8czrSqECw0ZEP2Zc0xrGvCq62zGqFsd1nqAoimxOKbusC41WYrtB8VnfNys6czK65JD13jZkuaMizrPKmYWoLmJJUw_HiSEEgcDo5odfTAC5J_jBw/s320/DSCN3707.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old and new buildings, sorrounding channels</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the other side of the street, The Rembrandt House Museum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2Bct9x7NRC3qfzwqTo84JtaoowascxDJ5SaCWOgw3eYmhdX7cpAnV5QtDc7RoLPYkxoMCd5hwuUF5SksK5i-iHaPDufqmjTIf8UBsWbPTaOj-n6bkvf2LKMV0B2BYCOGdY64ZEA2lhE/s1600/DSCN3709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2Bct9x7NRC3qfzwqTo84JtaoowascxDJ5SaCWOgw3eYmhdX7cpAnV5QtDc7RoLPYkxoMCd5hwuUF5SksK5i-iHaPDufqmjTIf8UBsWbPTaOj-n6bkvf2LKMV0B2BYCOGdY64ZEA2lhE/s400/DSCN3709.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nieuwmarkt</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We saw a nice building in Nieuvmarkt and we continues towards the station. It looked like we were in Chinatown since plenty of asiatic restaurants were a bit everywhere, but as soon as we entered a narrow alley moving towards another big building (Oude Kerk) we froze (or better, we froze "inside" but we walked very fast) since, without realizing it at first, we entered the Red Light District (De Wallen).<br />
This was not only a shocking view because of the concept itself (women were doing everything possible to sell their bodies showing themselves through glass doors) but for the hour. We were in the middle of the day and it looked like there was plenty of activities.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-7dg4QruTghdKIKqqzak6zHcIgFUadhGf7Opu6p8hy6U8OVUKd6vTLdKG0M56h1fjNijl4dauUkGCS0D8zKemGa6WsKNo9uT_u1XtiYDRhg4egmbYS_ZZmNX7o2gA5OtNeLoGA3ktU0/s1600/DSCN3710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-7dg4QruTghdKIKqqzak6zHcIgFUadhGf7Opu6p8hy6U8OVUKd6vTLdKG0M56h1fjNijl4dauUkGCS0D8zKemGa6WsKNo9uT_u1XtiYDRhg4egmbYS_ZZmNX7o2gA5OtNeLoGA3ktU0/s640/DSCN3710.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stations</td></tr>
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After this, we took a short break on the church's benches and we decided that we had seen enough and turned our intentions towards the airport, by taking the train.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-48115777159893101122015-08-03T07:51:00.003+02:002015-08-03T07:51:33.718+02:00Stradnära EKO-cafe', a little pearl in Öland<div>
Few weeks ago we took our summer trip to Kalmar. We decided to take also a little tour to Öland to do something different and show something to the kids.<br />
Of course, both kids fell asleep as we were driving so we didn't manage to do any sightseeing, but we were counting and somewhat hoping on that.<br />
We had two hungry kids (and we were ourselves very hungry) searching for a cosy place that would serve some food and not just pastries or small sandwiches while we were on our little road trip.</div>
<div>
After some disappointing search (which included a stop to <a href="http://www.capellagarden.se/start">Capellagården</a> because Mattias was having some vague memory they had some form of cafe' there), we finally ended up at Strandnära Kafe', just out of luck.<br />
The place is also an hostel and a B&B.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWXVeV-pc0v8QKTcqGjzrFaizFEw2o8fzhpMvN_oFtbT4aGUj9EyH79tdQxuxQJ0s5Rpc9AUTqRdNmhE-UBMme3mVtmUL6qTjg5VV0DWIuCfa2ofbHBY9srMdLli2Wd-24JWMVtr32qM/s1600/IMG_2864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWXVeV-pc0v8QKTcqGjzrFaizFEw2o8fzhpMvN_oFtbT4aGUj9EyH79tdQxuxQJ0s5Rpc9AUTqRdNmhE-UBMme3mVtmUL6qTjg5VV0DWIuCfa2ofbHBY9srMdLli2Wd-24JWMVtr32qM/s320/IMG_2864.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Historical notes about the place</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzh_G6JD6TDFq2wj2BKqEM9XImA5ckhrf4t5Po9SgOC_b2svE5VaQyhL1_44dtvFa0eqHDdaDv26czbiJCeuzPaiEZyF2sGB10Fmqd7XwsTkPI98lTerSv8yIgjS66P-_kpVgeYpXQgUk/s1600/IMG_2865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzh_G6JD6TDFq2wj2BKqEM9XImA5ckhrf4t5Po9SgOC_b2svE5VaQyhL1_44dtvFa0eqHDdaDv26czbiJCeuzPaiEZyF2sGB10Fmqd7XwsTkPI98lTerSv8yIgjS66P-_kpVgeYpXQgUk/s320/IMG_2865.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">More history<br /></td></tr>
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The place in itself is very cosy and old style which was very welcoming. The interior of the cafe' is in shabby chic style and there is an high care for details. Old pictures are placed on the wall to tell the story of the place and, if we would have been having a little bit more time, we would have probably been reading everything properly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_lhe76HAb0Vjh1cagd2i_sxxJ0wl2NSOJQBsIgDWv-OU_DjwRp4o9usw95HyITRFM8GCeOiMRbfNxmWUL9inpnSzuzOXgpB2l5f2XVdH5Zk3A1xy2Svo5mqt2CxjTf7O49uzTz_QO7o/s1600/IMG_2861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_lhe76HAb0Vjh1cagd2i_sxxJ0wl2NSOJQBsIgDWv-OU_DjwRp4o9usw95HyITRFM8GCeOiMRbfNxmWUL9inpnSzuzOXgpB2l5f2XVdH5Zk3A1xy2Svo5mqt2CxjTf7O49uzTz_QO7o/s320/IMG_2861.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cosy interior</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOHNKCY2i0HF_CHJJKJwM11DlChudMOsIuHdK5JhpoEN1OFK8858i6H1DjClsegUYtDDiW_z3DihmoBw25VJnXlvj-qfKx_0gtKEhPU_2xYIObs8JZAKzYtUjbPGkuYVQp1HQI7-7gDwA/s1600/IMG_2863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOHNKCY2i0HF_CHJJKJwM11DlChudMOsIuHdK5JhpoEN1OFK8858i6H1DjClsegUYtDDiW_z3DihmoBw25VJnXlvj-qfKx_0gtKEhPU_2xYIObs8JZAKzYtUjbPGkuYVQp1HQI7-7gDwA/s640/IMG_2863.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice to sit inside, as well as outside</td></tr>
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<div>
The cafe' is also a small shop focusing on organic products, as the food they sell. This was for us very interesting and it locked of course our attention. Not that we bought anything in the shop, but the fact that the food was having this footprint was of course pleasant. If I remember right, it was also steering mostly towards vegetarian food as well . There should be tons of places like this especially in Öland!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ssYwBRnRWWrcM1Df9XdoSlbhGapcQdjTSMCu2F3zXihjWvuBul5ZWPzQbLImMdsbQDfQ3IZLKIdwDEUwhq_8hZg2rhLSoljaAeq3S6hdO7-Glvg3w1ZMm13teKBaLDvOQuLgjYkgT_U/s1600/IMG_2862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ssYwBRnRWWrcM1Df9XdoSlbhGapcQdjTSMCu2F3zXihjWvuBul5ZWPzQbLImMdsbQDfQ3IZLKIdwDEUwhq_8hZg2rhLSoljaAeq3S6hdO7-Glvg3w1ZMm13teKBaLDvOQuLgjYkgT_U/s400/IMG_2862.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The shop</td></tr>
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<div>
We took a portion of pancakes for the kids and there was a nice soup for us.</div>
<div>
The presentation was great and the food tasted amazing. Our daughter was very satisfied of her meal (infact, she took portion of her brother's as well).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFXO50nyJCxyTtn39o9O7huMqmoGiFufDhWgYPtm0RViIF0xAWe8uAcaaCJG6XsKVC050JiEZOA8PTAWSd_97ygZBvsi9DDwTMiN9zPuzIozPgJB-MxKBHFTTZSI3AvOqzJm2ep0k8Fs/s1600/IMG_2868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFXO50nyJCxyTtn39o9O7huMqmoGiFufDhWgYPtm0RViIF0xAWe8uAcaaCJG6XsKVC050JiEZOA8PTAWSd_97ygZBvsi9DDwTMiN9zPuzIozPgJB-MxKBHFTTZSI3AvOqzJm2ep0k8Fs/s640/IMG_2868.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pancakes</td></tr>
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</div>
<div>
The only bad note was that the price was a bit high and the portion (considering that it was a soup) not that big, which for us that love food, was a bit of a disappointment, since we were hungry afterwards.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoFmCZ_YbOc8j_FAcDyN2qbmmJfNvpEhSZSQ-MGPUEZEeFyYflAq7ueDgTfglBcr73RPeLsIj8uFI77IDlvtNCyLHDwrlZtco3QNreAcXmNkU1uQDCYzF8FXsaKAUJviWDVnNfqOlj3Y/s1600/IMG_2869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoFmCZ_YbOc8j_FAcDyN2qbmmJfNvpEhSZSQ-MGPUEZEeFyYflAq7ueDgTfglBcr73RPeLsIj8uFI77IDlvtNCyLHDwrlZtco3QNreAcXmNkU1uQDCYzF8FXsaKAUJviWDVnNfqOlj3Y/s400/IMG_2869.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Soup</td></tr>
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</div>
<div>
Anyway, I loved the concept and the care that the owners have put in trying to make the customer comfortable.<br />
We were very lucky in finding such a place and I guess that with a little bit of search we would have maybe found something similar somewhere else.<br />
But it was very hard to find some proper lunch place open for us (and yes, lunch is not about taking a couple of buns or some dry sandwhich with an overrated coffee, I will keep stressing this concept) and I would just wish there would be more places like that in Öland. </div>
<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-7566087582103823152015-05-16T23:34:00.001+02:002015-05-16T23:40:46.532+02:00Årstiderna i Kocksa HusetOne of Mattias' 40 years old presents was a Smartbox restaurant visit. By that time Oscar was one month old and we thought that there would have been maybe a better time to enjoy a nice dinner later on.<br />
Unfortunately, it is not that with age Oscar has gained wiseness - although Isabella did, so stressed by the expiration date, we chose the perfect phase for a toddler: "I have just started to walk and I need to explore the world. Especially the stairs, if any".<br />
<br />
We did have to choose a restaurant not too far off, so that we would not be too late home with two tired kids and starting our mission at 17:30 we counted on not disturbing too many other customers.<br />
<br />
Mattias' restaurant choice was <a href="http://www.arstiderna.se/">Årstiderna I Kocksa Huset</a>, a quite well known restaurant in Malmö which is situated in the basement of <a href="http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B6rgen_Kocks_hus">Jörgen Kocks Gård</a>. The atmosphere is elegant and possibly, we were quite some white flies in the common customers there. Despite the kids being allover the place from the very beginning, the staff was very hearty but a bit detached .<br />
<br />
Our menu was prefixated by the Smartbox option but we could choose between a fish or a meat main dish and we took one of each in order to taste both options.<br />
As pre-appetizer we got a nice shrimp sallad which was served in fancy spoons. It was very pleasant and luckily, nothing suitable for the kids, so we had double portion of it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiieANvXuditpib0UVddRTWvWzU07ewFmQfwDpeOtEt2bJtS9YiiRIFe5iOr7NS9Rk7pV6M8thKlq0XdzZ8hlfLvhOFPbOYUAupphyphenhyphentyOxEJrZWXg2nPz261Oei8iOyuyj4PSfoYAVjjNg/s1600/DSC_1090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiieANvXuditpib0UVddRTWvWzU07ewFmQfwDpeOtEt2bJtS9YiiRIFe5iOr7NS9Rk7pV6M8thKlq0XdzZ8hlfLvhOFPbOYUAupphyphenhyphentyOxEJrZWXg2nPz261Oei8iOyuyj4PSfoYAVjjNg/s320/DSC_1090.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shrimp sallad on a spoon</td></tr>
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The appetizer didn't wait too long to arrive, and it was followed by two <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallenbergare">Wallenbergare</a> (a sort of fancy big meatball/hamburger) for the kids which we also got the chance to ate in good quantity.<br />
For us, instead, there was "Lobster and scallop with cream of root vegetable and lobster's foam".<br />
The scallop was sublime, the lobster was indeed just a piece of a claw and it didn't impress me that much. Same destiny for the lobster's foam which, although tasty, had a strong not-genuine-stock taste (but I can be easily wrong on this).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPr7y5tCxk6QTQAyYSjO5DfQuTC_Creer-88HGVrivHBavNpFff-VQz-tWVW0sy0eb4yX6HddPLcZxyf3mYg-YK9fTbGxZrcWl-SMyANVvgbSEXTkFETfOuRrLIFdfIJRzjl6mQttfJ2o/s1600/DSC_1094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPr7y5tCxk6QTQAyYSjO5DfQuTC_Creer-88HGVrivHBavNpFff-VQz-tWVW0sy0eb4yX6HddPLcZxyf3mYg-YK9fTbGxZrcWl-SMyANVvgbSEXTkFETfOuRrLIFdfIJRzjl6mQttfJ2o/s320/DSC_1094.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A too bright picture for the appetizer</td></tr>
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The two main dishes took a bit long to arrive at our table and we were started all to become a bit restless. Oscar decided that he couldn't sit anylonger and hence, one of us, in turns, had to accompany him in the building exploration.<br />
My fish was served with risotto (Why!?!? Oh, why!?!??! Risotto is NOT to be served with a second dish!). The risotto per se' tasted (again) of the not-genuine-stock which I am not very fond of...<br />
The fish was ok, but nothing that gave me any unforgettable memories, in fact, I don't even remember if it was a monkfish or what....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgzAFEiawApP23miMHwyhsQP1oPpMKeIw0KWRVUXyJw-kzqMWISblRRz_J5-UAwxI6XEfjl89x-QqUD3Pyp0VSXlPpzSVqzo6Z2cYYAZOHlXklGZB0IVZrcGTZ86te1FtaqnXaXpH7Wk/s1600/DSC_1095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgzAFEiawApP23miMHwyhsQP1oPpMKeIw0KWRVUXyJw-kzqMWISblRRz_J5-UAwxI6XEfjl89x-QqUD3Pyp0VSXlPpzSVqzo6Z2cYYAZOHlXklGZB0IVZrcGTZ86te1FtaqnXaXpH7Wk/s320/DSC_1095.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Instead, Mattias was more lucky and his reindeer's fillet baked with herbs and served with mushroom ragu and black currants sauce was the star of the evening. I was very glad that Oscar took Mattias away, so that I could enjoy this delicious dish in peace!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2Iae_mQpmBn9cpvSSiSChNv6YZh6WyvkuLAJCer3dLZpCe-IiWZI6yNjpiday0JyVHmcp2emiS3eIhCSt45ISPMDN0ztpN_tQM2ZVn5Qa8NkUu5IqFirv94Ay4Cw0uRTQRQP7tl94LI/s1600/DSC_1096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2Iae_mQpmBn9cpvSSiSChNv6YZh6WyvkuLAJCer3dLZpCe-IiWZI6yNjpiday0JyVHmcp2emiS3eIhCSt45ISPMDN0ztpN_tQM2ZVn5Qa8NkUu5IqFirv94Ay4Cw0uRTQRQP7tl94LI/s320/DSC_1096.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The reindeer's fillet</td></tr>
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<div>
Unfortunately, the kids started to become very tired and therefore unmanageable by the dessert, which was slowly served (the restaurant started to get crowded). Luckily, the dessert was a delicious composition of buckthorn icecream, chocolate mousse and creme brulee' so that the kids could be quiet and still for those few minutes we needed to finish, pay the most expensive water in the world (60 kr for sparkling tap water? You are fancy, yes, but you must be kidding, right?), dress the brigade and leave...<br />
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I guess one day we will come back and we will be more part of the crowd. Elegant (?) white haired ladies and gentlemen...</div>
<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-53831780605954988692015-04-07T09:49:00.000+02:002015-04-07T09:49:25.862+02:00Claudine, by Riyoko Ikeda<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10059270" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="クローディーヌ・・・! " border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1359388431m/10059270.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10059270">クローディーヌ・・・!</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/480374.Riyoko_Ikeda">Riyoko Ikeda</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1247596525">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
For how wonderful the drawings are, I think the main story of this volume, Claudine, is a bit too quickly defined. Too many events happened in a too short time and the role of some characters is unclear. <br>Unfortunately, I think that the story lacks originality and the right story telling for being interesting, but one surely get caught and remained fascinated by how beautiful the drawings are.<br>In the same style are the two other short stories that follow Claudine. They are connected to one of Ikeda's main manga, Orpheus. The story development is as always full quite tragic events, though differently from Claudine, I did enjoy them more. <br>I was also very surprised by the final touch given to the story, which with a little bit of humour makes up for all the gloomy and serious tone. I thought at first that was a bit ouf of place, considering the general mood in which the stories were set, but then I realized that it was an excellent way to break the desolation and lead the plot development to a lighter path.<br>For all the Ikeda's fans I think this is a nice way to admire her beautiful drawings and read, once again, about such desperate lovestories. However, I can easily understand that they would be considered average by an "average" reader and that he could be put off track by the main themes of such stories. In Claudine, as in Versailles no Bara, we have a girl who is struggling with her sexuality, but here it is obvious that she has no intention to be like a girl and on the other hand wants to be like her father. <br>In the short stories connected to Orpheus, we have the unhappy relationships where two brothers end up falling in love, without being aware of their kinship.<br>Though, this is nothing so out of line to read in Ikeda's stories (or in many shojo manga).
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1054618-arianna">View all my reviews</a>
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<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-24110841021026002492015-03-18T11:09:00.000+01:002015-03-18T11:09:39.239+01:00Marine Blue no Kaze ni Dakarete, by Ai Yazawa<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10072299-marin-bur-no-kaze-ni-dakarete-n-4" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Marin Burū No Kaze Ni Dakarete n. 4" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1411583946m/10072299.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10072299-marin-bur-no-kaze-ni-dakarete-n-4">Marin Burū No Kaze Ni Dakarete n. 4</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2881050.Ai_Yazawa">Ai Yazawa</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1230590582">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This is definitely far from the most known Ai Yazawa's works, especially for what concerns the plot quality.<br>It is clear that it is one of her earlier works, since the drawing is very different from what we are used to, said this though it doesn't mean that it is bad or unpleasant, on the other hand, it is still not close to the more traditional style and the character expressions are beautiful depicted.<br>Though, the characters are not that enjoyable according to me. The protagonist whines and flees from feelings and situations for 3/4 of the story, she is not showing any great quality and she definitely thinks too much - although, finally, she steps up and develop a little.<br>The male main characters are almost immaculate, they are shown as heroes, there are no big weaknesses in them. Even their rivary is too good to be true. It is also questionable to think, in my opinion, that these young teenagers are reasoning around their "problems" as adults and I think this makes the story lacking the freshness that it should be associated considering the title of it.<br>Moreover, I have noticed that the first two numbers were nicer than the last two, where the plot becomes pretty trivial and there is no big excitement around the events. I thought at the end the story, which started instead with the right food, was quite dull and boring. Luckily, it was just 4 books :-)<br>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1054618-arianna">View all my reviews</a>
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<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-79066343387710602312015-03-10T00:04:00.000+01:002015-03-10T00:04:42.323+01:00Italian carnival - St Rhemy en Bosses<div>
Here in Sweden there is no real carnival tradition. Or better, there is, but it is just a mimic of what we have in the countries where this exists and it doesn't happen at the right time of the year or not even every year.<br />
In Lund they do organize a carnival, which is a "procession" of big wagons where the students are dressed up as something. This parade is nothing usually very fancy. The students they have possibly a good time, but for a person coming from Italy, this is a bit odd. Or at least, it was for me when I assisted to the first and only Lundakarnevalen in the far 2002.<br />
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Anyway, since our kids are half italians, we thought that they need to get some experience of something that it is instead very normal from an Italian point of view.<br />
We do celebrate carnival every year, just before the Lent start. In fact, the idea behind the Carneval is to enjoy before those forty days of preparation to Easter, when one should fast and do penance.<br />
For the Roman Catholic tradition, the big day is Shrove Tuesday and the weekend before that, in most cities some parade is organized.<br />
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Where I grow up, big wagons where organized processing around the town with people dressed up in all sort of masks. The kids throws confetti and streamers, the wagons themes are usually a parody of something political, but they are pretty advanced.<br />
We chose to combine our "carnival trip" with a visit to the Alps and in the town where we were, St Rhemy en Bosses, there is the tradition to mimic instead Napoleon.<br />
Napoleon and his troops, during 1800, they came through the Saint Bernard Pass for fighting the Austrian army. Without going into too many historical details, this has been of course a very important event for the valley.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXttYXL0tNnLsGjWgteReXrS4SeUbpIlXvlpxQwOi5Mwqs1Bf8RugCroa9V_l8tQBIeou6Yzl3UFeojtRdJsLAELKP4aXPncdglmSFAA7p1kL8tD9uW5gWzLGjGLRQSO0P6am5QWRJbI/s1600/IMG_2504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXttYXL0tNnLsGjWgteReXrS4SeUbpIlXvlpxQwOi5Mwqs1Bf8RugCroa9V_l8tQBIeou6Yzl3UFeojtRdJsLAELKP4aXPncdglmSFAA7p1kL8tD9uW5gWzLGjGLRQSO0P6am5QWRJbI/s1600/IMG_2504.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Napoleon and his troops in the small hamlet of Cerisey</td></tr>
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What we assisted was a small reenactment of the napoleonic army, where each soldier had a mask on.<br />
They arrived in a small open space, dance a little and then they mainly ate and drank, joking with the people who were looking at the parade (and eating as well).<br />
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Isabella was unfortunately totally frightened and cried most of the time. A car with the loudspeakers arrived before the soldiers and the wind sound scared her off. The masks also didn't make her feel more relaxed.<br />
Oscar instead ended up in the arms of Napoleon. Well, almost as history teaches ;-)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AKXNDzmQArzC9nryCnnLUEEhB-JUwwh6nKclXkFl4fcB7aiz1nJkL2Io_OqY7dtmzWL5SLF19mm4Qb2vGi8hwB4lYo12QiFTLK_DPWOW9QtnbHMYfS8w-xus_aUv3w56_C6RceoTme0/s1600/DSC_0962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AKXNDzmQArzC9nryCnnLUEEhB-JUwwh6nKclXkFl4fcB7aiz1nJkL2Io_OqY7dtmzWL5SLF19mm4Qb2vGi8hwB4lYo12QiFTLK_DPWOW9QtnbHMYfS8w-xus_aUv3w56_C6RceoTme0/s1600/DSC_0962.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The soldiers are eating.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJrI8dwI9ynnTTRBnTs8ze2ccjpvDnewOroARAWzGNHqSSDmXZ0RrSLICIhMPW-fsvHbX1XVZPahfJ3FCrKF0IhJzPPgobWyl0TFIY3GgFexO6AH7BEdbMz-66ipr48EZ97r3MN2aWJg/s1600/DSC_0966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJrI8dwI9ynnTTRBnTs8ze2ccjpvDnewOroARAWzGNHqSSDmXZ0RrSLICIhMPW-fsvHbX1XVZPahfJ3FCrKF0IhJzPPgobWyl0TFIY3GgFexO6AH7BEdbMz-66ipr48EZ97r3MN2aWJg/s1600/DSC_0966.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Napoleonic troops</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6OlUdc91rsOq4s-9I2zqIEVECjcoat2N6pfTfbNbTpTXQhyQd1_VSwD5G1QUDOmLUXY_lAZACajetn8QJ1LgH0Fpq9CAsHR6hw_QzuPhY78Ri6_sXywM4DM2lCJKxARyCyUxsqK-u28/s1600/DSC_0967.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6OlUdc91rsOq4s-9I2zqIEVECjcoat2N6pfTfbNbTpTXQhyQd1_VSwD5G1QUDOmLUXY_lAZACajetn8QJ1LgH0Fpq9CAsHR6hw_QzuPhY78Ri6_sXywM4DM2lCJKxARyCyUxsqK-u28/s1600/DSC_0967.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Napoleon is taking a break<br /></td></tr>
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As far as I have understood, the carnival in Saint Rhemy en Bosses is organized so that the people who are representing Napoleon and his troops move from hamlet to hamlet and when they are in a place they enjoy eating, dancing and having fun.<br />
With the army and Napoleon there are also some other masks, like the devil, which are part of the parade.<br />
This was very different from what I have been growing up with, so it was a new experience also for me.<br />
First of all, there was basically noone. Few locals and us were expecting the parade. This made it cosy and also more enjoyable since there was definitely no confusion.<br />
The lack of wagons was a big difference, but I do understand that with small roads and a lot of uphills they couldn't have had the big things that there are in the bigger towns.<br />
The nicer touch was that we also had the possibility to eat some food. Nice home baked apple pies, wonderful salame and mocetta, local cheeses. Water, sodas and even wine was served. At least, with the chips Isabella finally could enjoyed a bit.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrlyLqJ9BZprV4U5EP1OpNXpslGCQQ3dXbMnraG5ZRwjCNiT9SxdxMtxMnuvTRMlH39lS_HmF8xFvr_kFymxIMwGyh8R0s1qcdng4QUAelXCRfQWCBH8X2lC68K-yq2W8SJjBFX4N2oIo/s1600/DSC_0965.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrlyLqJ9BZprV4U5EP1OpNXpslGCQQ3dXbMnraG5ZRwjCNiT9SxdxMtxMnuvTRMlH39lS_HmF8xFvr_kFymxIMwGyh8R0s1qcdng4QUAelXCRfQWCBH8X2lC68K-yq2W8SJjBFX4N2oIo/s1600/DSC_0965.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the several plates of food we shared</td></tr>
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The hope we have is that if we will manage to assist to this in other occasions, Isabella will be more relaxed. Now, we also know what to expect, so for sure we will be prepared to eat a lot! Afterall, everyone thinks that Mattias is French and hence he is being honored as such!<br />
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<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-67682631897976215602015-02-24T12:33:00.001+01:002015-02-24T12:33:19.843+01:00Restaurant Col Serena, Etroubles<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;">We have visited this restaurant not that long ago, and the food and the service had been quite good already then.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;">The difference in this occasion was the presence of our kids, who however were not in top shape for eating all the very nice food that was served during dinner time.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;">The menu was divided in day specialties as well as the a la carte, but the chef was also sometimes suggesting some extra dish that was not written anywhere.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;">A nice minestrone and a very good polenta concia were our primi, while a wonderful rolled rabbit dish was accompanied with a great filet. The chef was also kind enough to cook it a little bit more, although ideally it should have been served as he proposed. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;">The meat was tender and tasted wonderfully in both dishes. The polenta was tasty and the minestrone was genuinely good.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;">Considering the chef's kindness and availability and the food quality, we didn't pay too much for our dinner.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;">The portions were generous and I regret we didn't pay another visit to this restaurant at this time.</span></div>
<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-56649248577320358422015-02-24T12:22:00.002+01:002015-02-24T12:33:37.895+01:00Grill Du Beau Sejour Restaurant, Etroubles<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;">This is the first time we ended up eating a Beau Sejour, although I have been eating in Etroubles for almost 35 years. It was definitely not a remarkable experience, but it was quite obvious from the welcoming sign that everything was done for attracting tourists and not italians.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;">We took two of the available menu (the one of 28€ and the one of 30€) while one of our child ate a pizza. However, I should have raised my attention since there were no other pizza in the menu and the waiter didn't think it was possible to change the size of the pizza: the pizza was infact a frozen one, decent, but I would not charge 8,5€ for that!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;">Although we were 4 at the table, we got a small bottle of water, which of course forced us to order a second one (and hence it became a quite expensive water).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;">The food we ate was reasonably ok. In the 28€ menu it was included a small antipasto with a selection of cold cut, a slice of cheese and some chestnuts. Good, but a bit "slim" in size. The waiter didn't even introduce what was on the plate, though.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;">The primo was a plate of tagliatelle with wildboar and pumpkin ragu', which was tasty, but had a strong background taste of stock, same one that also the classical carbonada had. The pannacotta was quite ok, but the sauce was possibly coming from a plastic bottle.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;">The 30€ menu included fried brie (as a memory of a friend camembert, possibly), some ravioli served with butter and sage and finally a steak with bearneise sauce and some french fries. The dessert was a mini strudel. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;">The best in our opinion was the meat, although it is a bit strange to see such a sauce served in an italian restaurant! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;">In general, the food was ok, but didn't make us impressed, especially because it seems a lot of shortcuts have been taken in the food preparation. The service could have been a bit more accurated: one of the waiter seemed to be also very stressed, however they were very patient with our noisy kids.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13.9919996261597px; line-height: 19px;">Possibly, it would be best if they try to provide a more genuine kitchen and bother less about attracting a mass of tourists, especially considering the prices.</span></div>
<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126386442566508458.post-6801966969898791532015-02-24T11:55:00.000+01:002015-02-24T11:55:26.775+01:00Neon Genesis Evangelion & Fate/Stay Night<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11760017-neon-genesis-evangelion-24" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Neon Genesis Evangelion #24" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1308371807m/11760017.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11760017-neon-genesis-evangelion-24">Neon Genesis Evangelion #24</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/164714.Yoshiyuki_Sadamoto">Yoshiyuki Sadamoto</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1209979026">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I honestly do not understand the big fuzz around Evangelion.<br>It is surely a complex story, with clean drawings and an impressive setting, however, I find the plot lacking the proper bite that would have made me more interested and some passages are definitely too slow or too heavy. <br>The introspective part (considering also the characters' age) as well as the absurdity of the motives behind some of their decisions were too ridiculous in my eyes. <br>Possibly because I have never watched the anime, but just read the manga (which has been published quite slowly), but I have found hard to make a sense of all the story and some details have made me very confused. <br>I must confess I have not really got a proper grasp of the whole background or what has happened at times. I would have appreciated a linear plot, although I know it is quite common that in this sci-fi manga, the world elements as well as the history provide a usually interesting depth, despite being not always clarified properly.<br>Maybe watching the anime will make me reevaluate and understand better the world of Evangelion? I do not exclude giving it a chance, but as for the manga, I haven't been impressed.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24972095-fate-stay-night-n-20" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Fate/Stay Night n. 20" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1424361367m/24972095.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24972095-fate-stay-night-n-20">Fate/Stay Night n. 20</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6520609.Datto_Nishiwaki">Datto Nishiwaki</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1209983873">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This is one of the few manga based on a videogame that I really fully enjoyed when reading it. <br>I enjoyed the drawing style, even during some of the combats (when I usually lose myself and do not understand what is happening) and I mainly enjoyed the plot and the setting.<br>The story is interesting and the fact that there is mentioned something happening 10 years in the past, doesn't leave the reader completely confused (also because there is a manga focusing on what had happened then!).<br>Despite the fact that the action take place with a quite intense pace, there are pauses which gives the possibility to enjoy some more comical moment as well as more reflective or romantic atmosphere.<br>I do not know how much is really taken from the videogame plot, but the story develops unvealing mysteries and parts of the background, in a very strategic way. I did get slightly confused with the role of some characters, but despite that the whole setting is built in a very intelligent matter. <br>The role of the heroes, the mechanices behind the Graal battle and how history and modern times are connected makes everything pleasant and intriguing so much that I could think of reading everything again, if I had the possibility, to spot new details and understand even better everything.<br>The characters are also far from being trivial (and they could easily be flat being taken out from a game) and, despite some minor over-reflective parentheses, they leave some a good memory behind them.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1054618-arianna">View all my reviews</a>
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<br /></div><a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="right" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/AryHann/ary-1.png" /></a>aryhannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17249344307282191090noreply@blogger.com0