I was sitting on the sofa when I looked out the window and saw white specks flying about outside. Snow! When I checked the weather forecast, we weren't to expect snow until next Thursday, so I was surprised to see it this afternoon. But the temperature is steadily falling and I have started putting on my thermals already, so I guess it's about time that we would see snow soon.
It's really cold outside. Colder than the temperature in my fridge. Cold enough to have a walk-in fridge that used to be my balcony. Useful when the fridge in the kitchen gets full. It's getting easier to believe the news report that it's going to be a very cold winter this year.
Anyway, back to the snow, I went out to the balcony to take a closer look. Snowflakes were dancing around in the wind. It really looked like dusting of icing sugar. I moved to the kitchen cos the balcony was freezing. It was nice to look at the falling snow while I was in the warmth of the kitchen. But after a few minutes, the snowfall got lighter and lighter and then it stopped altogether. I could see some snow on the wooden tables and benches downstairs but it all melted soon.
Although it wasn't much, it was still nice to see. I mean, I'm from a country near the equator. We don't get snow there, you know, so any snow that falls will make me excited. Let's see if next week will bring more snow here.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Sweater Shopping
Pete needed to get some sweaters but he has been putting it off for quite a while now. The weather is getting colder by the day so he couldn't put it off any longer. Finally we came round to the shopping today. We went to a mall in the outskirts of town called Mobilia. There are quite a number of clothing stores there so we know we should be able to find something for him.
To be honest, he doesn't enjoy shopping, be it for grocery, clothes, furniture or even techie gadgety stuff. He hates shopping. Period. He's the type who would do his research online then head out with a shopping list in mind, go into a store, get what's on the list, pay and get home as quickly as possible. He is the complete opposite of me. I love to linger and look at what's on offer, especially when we go grocery shopping. That is a recipe for a clash of minds, sometimes - he wants to be done quickly while I wanted more time.
So, knowing full well his aversion to shopping, I had already narrowed down the search to just three stores. At the first store, he couldn't find anything nice in his size. At the second store, he was happy with a sweater and was ready to pay for it but I told him that's not the way to shop for clothes - what if there are better buys in other stores?
I managed to get him to check out the last store first to see if there were more stuff there that he would prefer. And there were. He found a couple of sweaters he liked more than the one in the other store. In the end, he settled on two decent looking sweaters. Happy days all round - he loves his sweaters, I get to shop.
To be honest, he doesn't enjoy shopping, be it for grocery, clothes, furniture or even techie gadgety stuff. He hates shopping. Period. He's the type who would do his research online then head out with a shopping list in mind, go into a store, get what's on the list, pay and get home as quickly as possible. He is the complete opposite of me. I love to linger and look at what's on offer, especially when we go grocery shopping. That is a recipe for a clash of minds, sometimes - he wants to be done quickly while I wanted more time.
So, knowing full well his aversion to shopping, I had already narrowed down the search to just three stores. At the first store, he couldn't find anything nice in his size. At the second store, he was happy with a sweater and was ready to pay for it but I told him that's not the way to shop for clothes - what if there are better buys in other stores?
I managed to get him to check out the last store first to see if there were more stuff there that he would prefer. And there were. He found a couple of sweaters he liked more than the one in the other store. In the end, he settled on two decent looking sweaters. Happy days all round - he loves his sweaters, I get to shop.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
A decision to make
At school yesterday, we were told that we could opt to start on a specialised course in the hotel industry. The course is a year long and it starts on 7 January until 20 December. The normal SFI course is 15 hours a week. For this course, on top of the 15 hours, there will be attachment too, where you work in a hotel for 2 or 3 days a week. You also need to attend another course that specialises in the hotel industry. At the end of the course, you will receive a certificate and might also be offered jobs in hotels.
This course sounds very interesting to me. I know that when I move here, I would want to try a different career. I want to open my cafe but looking at the progress we're making, it might take a while for that to happen. Since the course is designed for people who are interested in the service industry, it would be helpful when I finally start my cafe. Also, this also looks like an opportunity to widen my network here which, in the end would only be good for my future food business.
The thing that is holding me back is the commitment I need to make. If I take this course, I might not have time to work on starting the business. What if, in the middle of the course, a good location opens up and I have to quit? I would feel like I've taken up a space that should have gone to another more suitable person. There is a class limit of 25 so there could be people who could be turned away.
Also, if I am on this course, I would not be able to visit my home at all next year. I was hoping to be able to go back there in August with Pete. But if I do this, I don't think I would be able to take leave to fly back home. Then, there is also the fact that I am not aiming to work in a hotel. But if I don't take this up, what if I don't get to start my cafe next year? Then I'm left with no job. Would I rather have a job first and slowly build up my food business? Or do I want to just concentrate on opening my cafe?
Hmmm....Lots of things to think about. At least I have some time to think about it, so Pete and I can take our time to discuss and decide.
This course sounds very interesting to me. I know that when I move here, I would want to try a different career. I want to open my cafe but looking at the progress we're making, it might take a while for that to happen. Since the course is designed for people who are interested in the service industry, it would be helpful when I finally start my cafe. Also, this also looks like an opportunity to widen my network here which, in the end would only be good for my future food business.
The thing that is holding me back is the commitment I need to make. If I take this course, I might not have time to work on starting the business. What if, in the middle of the course, a good location opens up and I have to quit? I would feel like I've taken up a space that should have gone to another more suitable person. There is a class limit of 25 so there could be people who could be turned away.
Also, if I am on this course, I would not be able to visit my home at all next year. I was hoping to be able to go back there in August with Pete. But if I do this, I don't think I would be able to take leave to fly back home. Then, there is also the fact that I am not aiming to work in a hotel. But if I don't take this up, what if I don't get to start my cafe next year? Then I'm left with no job. Would I rather have a job first and slowly build up my food business? Or do I want to just concentrate on opening my cafe?
Hmmm....Lots of things to think about. At least I have some time to think about it, so Pete and I can take our time to discuss and decide.
Monday, November 26, 2012
What (to do with) the beef?!
You might have heard about the meat scandal that hit Sweden a couple of weeks ago. The beef that was sold here was actually pork that was dyed red. We weren't affected since we buy halal meat and it's quite easy to get them here. In fact, the store near where we live sells 3kg of minced beef for about SGD24. That's quite a lot of meat!
We usually get the butcher to pack it in 1kg bags and when we get home, I would freeze two of the bags and use one bag at a time. Even then we would have a lot of meat to get through, considering it's just the two of us.
So, usually when I have the one kilo of meat to use up, I would always have a few meat recipes on hand. Most of the time I would use half of the meat to make bolognese sauce. This would be enough for a couple of meals so I would portion it up and keep. Sometimes, instead of making spaghetti, I would add more spices to the sauce to eat with tortilla or I'll make lasagna.
The other half of the meat would be turned into meatball mixture. I would season the meat and make the traditional Swedish meatballs. Sometimes I'll make meatloaf with it. I also make small meatballs and put them into soups. In this cold weather, we have been having more soups to warm us up and meatball soup is very good to have now. Adding lots of cabbage makes it a filling meal.
With the mixture, I would make small patties. They are called pannbiff here. They are actually like meatballs but shaped into small patties. They are cooked with caramelised onions. You also make a thin, tasty gravy with the pan juices. It's really yummy. I have seen it in the menus in restaurants here but it was only a couple of days ago when Pete asked me to cook it that I knew what it was exactly.
I looked at a couple of recipes but as usual, in the end, I went with whatever I had in the pantry. It turned out tasty, actually. The onions made the patties so sweet and savoury. I would make it more often after that. I would serve it with boiled potatoes and peas, my favourite combination. Another variation I made was to put the patties into a baguette with slices of cheese, tomatoes and cucumber. We also topped it off with the caramelised onions, mustard and tangy American dressing. That was good. Best of all, it's way cheaper than those sold outside.
I will be looking for more recipes that use up minced meat. I don't want to serve up the same ol' dishes. Pete is ok with the food I've been cooking. He loves the spaghetti and the meatballs so he doesn't complain. But I do get tired of the same thing all the time. I need more variety. Maybe I'll try some Asian recipes next. Watch this space :)
We usually get the butcher to pack it in 1kg bags and when we get home, I would freeze two of the bags and use one bag at a time. Even then we would have a lot of meat to get through, considering it's just the two of us.
So, usually when I have the one kilo of meat to use up, I would always have a few meat recipes on hand. Most of the time I would use half of the meat to make bolognese sauce. This would be enough for a couple of meals so I would portion it up and keep. Sometimes, instead of making spaghetti, I would add more spices to the sauce to eat with tortilla or I'll make lasagna.
The other half of the meat would be turned into meatball mixture. I would season the meat and make the traditional Swedish meatballs. Sometimes I'll make meatloaf with it. I also make small meatballs and put them into soups. In this cold weather, we have been having more soups to warm us up and meatball soup is very good to have now. Adding lots of cabbage makes it a filling meal.
With the mixture, I would make small patties. They are called pannbiff here. They are actually like meatballs but shaped into small patties. They are cooked with caramelised onions. You also make a thin, tasty gravy with the pan juices. It's really yummy. I have seen it in the menus in restaurants here but it was only a couple of days ago when Pete asked me to cook it that I knew what it was exactly.
I looked at a couple of recipes but as usual, in the end, I went with whatever I had in the pantry. It turned out tasty, actually. The onions made the patties so sweet and savoury. I would make it more often after that. I would serve it with boiled potatoes and peas, my favourite combination. Another variation I made was to put the patties into a baguette with slices of cheese, tomatoes and cucumber. We also topped it off with the caramelised onions, mustard and tangy American dressing. That was good. Best of all, it's way cheaper than those sold outside.
I will be looking for more recipes that use up minced meat. I don't want to serve up the same ol' dishes. Pete is ok with the food I've been cooking. He loves the spaghetti and the meatballs so he doesn't complain. But I do get tired of the same thing all the time. I need more variety. Maybe I'll try some Asian recipes next. Watch this space :)
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| pannbiff |
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| pannbiff sub |
Sunday, November 25, 2012
My desk
The days are getting shorter and shorter. The cold weather also means that we don't go out very often. We also don't have to work on the garden any more. This means that we are indoors most of the time. It could get very boring but luckily I can find plenty of things to do.
I could cook and bake more often than I am doing right now but that would mean having too many things to eat. And with baked stuff, you know they are not the most healthy of things, especially when we don't get as much exercise now. Since I have started school, some of the time has been spent on studying. I also watch TV and movies a lot.
Another thing that keeps me occupied is my scrapbooking. I have been scrapbooking about two years ago and have collected lots of tools and stuff. I managed to bring maybe 80% of them here. Pete has also been very nice to suggest sharing his very long desk. We each get half of the area - his is taken up by his computer and mine is taken up by my scrapbooking tools and knick knacks.
I love my scrapbooking work space. I have a chest of drawers next to it for all my papers, stickers, paper punch and other stuff. Everything I need is within reach. The wastepaper bin is also next to me. It's all very convenient. I also have a huge cutting mat on my desk that saves me lots of time since the grid lines on it makes measuring such a breeze. The desk is also where I set my laptop when I want to blog or write emails.
Back home, my desk in my room was tiny and I didn't have any special area set aside for scrapbooking. My stuff are also stowed away under my bed since I don't have much room elsewhere. It was such a pain every time I want to do my scrapbooking projects. I ended up dragging my huge box out of my room to the dining table at the start of the project, do as much as I could in a day and then pack up and dragging the box back into my room after that. I could not leave anything out on the table since my cats would mess everything up and most likely nick some of my stuff to play with.
Now, if I want to do scrapbooking, all I need is to sit at the desk and start. If I can't finish my project, I can just leave my stuff there and there it will be waiting till sit back down to continue. The best thing about sitting at my desk, Pete is just next to me. While I complete my scrapbook project, he would be beside me playing games on his computer. So, as we do the things we love, we are sitting beside the person we love. How great is that!
I could cook and bake more often than I am doing right now but that would mean having too many things to eat. And with baked stuff, you know they are not the most healthy of things, especially when we don't get as much exercise now. Since I have started school, some of the time has been spent on studying. I also watch TV and movies a lot.
Another thing that keeps me occupied is my scrapbooking. I have been scrapbooking about two years ago and have collected lots of tools and stuff. I managed to bring maybe 80% of them here. Pete has also been very nice to suggest sharing his very long desk. We each get half of the area - his is taken up by his computer and mine is taken up by my scrapbooking tools and knick knacks.
I love my scrapbooking work space. I have a chest of drawers next to it for all my papers, stickers, paper punch and other stuff. Everything I need is within reach. The wastepaper bin is also next to me. It's all very convenient. I also have a huge cutting mat on my desk that saves me lots of time since the grid lines on it makes measuring such a breeze. The desk is also where I set my laptop when I want to blog or write emails.
Back home, my desk in my room was tiny and I didn't have any special area set aside for scrapbooking. My stuff are also stowed away under my bed since I don't have much room elsewhere. It was such a pain every time I want to do my scrapbooking projects. I ended up dragging my huge box out of my room to the dining table at the start of the project, do as much as I could in a day and then pack up and dragging the box back into my room after that. I could not leave anything out on the table since my cats would mess everything up and most likely nick some of my stuff to play with.
Now, if I want to do scrapbooking, all I need is to sit at the desk and start. If I can't finish my project, I can just leave my stuff there and there it will be waiting till sit back down to continue. The best thing about sitting at my desk, Pete is just next to me. While I complete my scrapbook project, he would be beside me playing games on his computer. So, as we do the things we love, we are sitting beside the person we love. How great is that!
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Swede supermarket
I don't know about you but I love going to supermarkets. I love checking out all the stuff they have, especially if the supermarkets are huge. I love looking at all the fresh produce, the seafood, the cheeses, and frozen foods. I love looking at the different kinds of breads, cookies, chocolates and candies. I love looking at sauces, spices and pastas. I love them all.
I don't necessarily want to buy them since the things I love seem have tonnes of calories in them. Knowing what are available is great so that I know what I can buy if I want to indulge once in awhile. Also, I love to know where the different things are located in the stores. Back home, I know exactly where the stuff were - very useful if I needed to get something when I'm in a rush.
Here, there are four different supermarkets that we regularly go to - three of them with halal meats. We would check out the weekly specials to determine which would get us the better deals. Sometimes we do come across very good bargains. A couple of weeks ago, we bought 5kg of potatoes, 5kg of onions and 2kg of carrots. Each bag cost only SGD2! This week another supermarket had the same offer. Just in time since we've run out of potatoes.
Apart from the great bargains, I really enjoy the weekly shopping. The supermarkets here are more than three times bigger than those back home. Every time I go there, I am spoilt for choice. There are simply lots and lots of things to choose from. I am usually stuck at the bread, cookies, chocolates and cheese sections. There are aisles and aisles of those stuff. Heaven!! Pete would always have to drag me away.
I also know that I am here in Sweden and not back home because there are rows and rows of Swedish delicacies. Pete, ever the Swede, would occasionally have cravings for crispbreads and crisprolls or knäckebröd. These are either very thin slices of high fiber bread that is very crisp, hence the name, or they look like tiny baguette cut in half. These are also very crisp. The Swedes love them. They eat more crispbreads than any other people in the world. And the rows and rows of shelves dedicated to the crispbreads will attest to that.
I have taken a liking to those as well. We would eat them for breakfast with butter and cheese. Sometimes we would also eat them with soups. I have been cooking lots of soups these days since it's cold. Hence the regular appearance of these crackers these few weeks.
Christmas is coming and so the stores are stocking up on Christmas goodies and decorations. One thing that the Swedes love to eat at this time of year is gingerbread cookies. All the stores have them now. They come in cute packages and tins. We have also been buying some. They are really good with hot tea or cold milk.
It's not possible to move to another country and be blase about the country's food, I think. Food is a big part of a country's culture and I think I should be open to it and embrace it. Luckily for me, I am a foodie and I like to try new stuff. I don't necessarily like everything but I have come to love some. I am learning to love the food culture of this adopted country of mine. Look at my shopping cart if you don't believe me :)
I don't necessarily want to buy them since the things I love seem have tonnes of calories in them. Knowing what are available is great so that I know what I can buy if I want to indulge once in awhile. Also, I love to know where the different things are located in the stores. Back home, I know exactly where the stuff were - very useful if I needed to get something when I'm in a rush.
Here, there are four different supermarkets that we regularly go to - three of them with halal meats. We would check out the weekly specials to determine which would get us the better deals. Sometimes we do come across very good bargains. A couple of weeks ago, we bought 5kg of potatoes, 5kg of onions and 2kg of carrots. Each bag cost only SGD2! This week another supermarket had the same offer. Just in time since we've run out of potatoes.
Apart from the great bargains, I really enjoy the weekly shopping. The supermarkets here are more than three times bigger than those back home. Every time I go there, I am spoilt for choice. There are simply lots and lots of things to choose from. I am usually stuck at the bread, cookies, chocolates and cheese sections. There are aisles and aisles of those stuff. Heaven!! Pete would always have to drag me away.
I also know that I am here in Sweden and not back home because there are rows and rows of Swedish delicacies. Pete, ever the Swede, would occasionally have cravings for crispbreads and crisprolls or knäckebröd. These are either very thin slices of high fiber bread that is very crisp, hence the name, or they look like tiny baguette cut in half. These are also very crisp. The Swedes love them. They eat more crispbreads than any other people in the world. And the rows and rows of shelves dedicated to the crispbreads will attest to that.
I have taken a liking to those as well. We would eat them for breakfast with butter and cheese. Sometimes we would also eat them with soups. I have been cooking lots of soups these days since it's cold. Hence the regular appearance of these crackers these few weeks.
Christmas is coming and so the stores are stocking up on Christmas goodies and decorations. One thing that the Swedes love to eat at this time of year is gingerbread cookies. All the stores have them now. They come in cute packages and tins. We have also been buying some. They are really good with hot tea or cold milk.
It's not possible to move to another country and be blase about the country's food, I think. Food is a big part of a country's culture and I think I should be open to it and embrace it. Luckily for me, I am a foodie and I like to try new stuff. I don't necessarily like everything but I have come to love some. I am learning to love the food culture of this adopted country of mine. Look at my shopping cart if you don't believe me :)
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| A peek into part of our shopping bag - Leksands' crispbread, 2.5kg of typical Swedish cheese and gingerbread cookies! |
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| I'm not eating the crispbread with all the wrapping. I'm not that silly! Just wanted to show you the size of the cheese and crispbread. |
Friday, November 23, 2012
This takes getting used to
The past few days since the last blog post hasn't been good for us. Pete had fever during the entire time. His body was really hot and he was sweating even though it was cold. I didn't have a fever but I wasn't feeling well either. We both tried to stay indoors the whole time, but I had to go to school.
I didn't miss any lesson since the school is not too far away for me to walk there. Also, the weather has gotten to the rest of the class as well. Some of my classmates has been ill. We haven't had full attendance this whole week. Our teacher took it easy with us so it wasn't as tiring.
This weather thing is going to take a lot of getting used to. I have to learn to dress warm enough so that I don't get too cold outdoors but not too warm indoors. Sometimes I find myself sweating when I am indoors with all my layers. I am usually early for class and in the mornings, the class would be locked so I had to wait in the hallway for the teacher to arrive. I would definitely need to take off my jacket because I would start sweating if I don't.
I guess the cooling and heating up of the body wasn't good for me. A few days of that could have caused me to develop my cold. I'm still nursing my cold - no change yet. But it's Saturday tomorrow so I can rest more and get more sleep.
I am not the only one trying to cope with the weather. My classmates from Asia also had issues with the cold. After school, we would walk home together. In this weather, we all would be bundled up in our winter jackets, hunching our bodies as we tried to brace ourselves against the wind. We must have been a funny sight! Once, while we were walking and shivering, we passed by a group of kids outside the school. They were only in jeans and t-shirts. We all looked at them in disbelief.
One day. One day, I'll be able to do that. But I'll take it step by step. I'll start by trying not to take 10 minutes just to get outdoors.
I didn't miss any lesson since the school is not too far away for me to walk there. Also, the weather has gotten to the rest of the class as well. Some of my classmates has been ill. We haven't had full attendance this whole week. Our teacher took it easy with us so it wasn't as tiring.
This weather thing is going to take a lot of getting used to. I have to learn to dress warm enough so that I don't get too cold outdoors but not too warm indoors. Sometimes I find myself sweating when I am indoors with all my layers. I am usually early for class and in the mornings, the class would be locked so I had to wait in the hallway for the teacher to arrive. I would definitely need to take off my jacket because I would start sweating if I don't.
I guess the cooling and heating up of the body wasn't good for me. A few days of that could have caused me to develop my cold. I'm still nursing my cold - no change yet. But it's Saturday tomorrow so I can rest more and get more sleep.
I am not the only one trying to cope with the weather. My classmates from Asia also had issues with the cold. After school, we would walk home together. In this weather, we all would be bundled up in our winter jackets, hunching our bodies as we tried to brace ourselves against the wind. We must have been a funny sight! Once, while we were walking and shivering, we passed by a group of kids outside the school. They were only in jeans and t-shirts. We all looked at them in disbelief.
One day. One day, I'll be able to do that. But I'll take it step by step. I'll start by trying not to take 10 minutes just to get outdoors.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Feed a cold
The days are getting colder and colder each day. Yesterday morning, we woke up to frosty windows - the temperature was -1C outside! The temperature wasn't as low today but the windows remained fogged up. It was cold outside. And grey. And windy. Brrr...
Inside the apartment, it wasn't as cold. The radiator is always on but sometimes I could feel the cold, especially when I open the balcony door. It's really cold in there. Most of my plants have wilted and died. I wanted to clear out the dead plants and neaten up the balcony, but it's much too cold for me to be there. I always put off the task but I know I have to do it soon. I really don't like mess in the apartment, even if I can't really see it if I don't go to the balcony.
Anyway, because of the weather, I am developing a cold. Every time I go outside, my nose will get runny and my face will be cold. Then, when I get back indoors, I will start sniffling. I always have to have a tissue at hand. Then yesterday, I started feeling bad. My body felt weak and my nose and throat felt sore. It's the cold.
I thought a good night's sleep would do the trick. Well, I felt ok enough in the morning to do my workout but later in the afternoon in class, I felt weak again. I didn't feel like studying and it seemed like I needed to use up every ounce of energy I had to hold my head up. I made it till the end of the class but the walk home didn't do me good. It was foggy and very cold.
When I got home, I didn't feel good. A hot cup of tea helped a bit but I wasn't feeling good enough to sit at my desk to do some scrapbooking. I just felt like staying in bed. But I had to cook supper. It was a simple oven roasted chicken legs and some fries. Easy enough for me to do. After the supper, I felt better. Although I wasn't feeling well, I felt like I had to eat. I remembered the old adage - feed a cold, starve a fever. Or was it the other way round?
Anyway, I do feel slightly better but it's almost ten and the bed is calling. Maybe I would feel better with more sleep. Pete is not having it easy either. He is as sluggish as me and his body feels warm to the touch. Hopefully we both would feel better tomorrow.
Inside the apartment, it wasn't as cold. The radiator is always on but sometimes I could feel the cold, especially when I open the balcony door. It's really cold in there. Most of my plants have wilted and died. I wanted to clear out the dead plants and neaten up the balcony, but it's much too cold for me to be there. I always put off the task but I know I have to do it soon. I really don't like mess in the apartment, even if I can't really see it if I don't go to the balcony.
Anyway, because of the weather, I am developing a cold. Every time I go outside, my nose will get runny and my face will be cold. Then, when I get back indoors, I will start sniffling. I always have to have a tissue at hand. Then yesterday, I started feeling bad. My body felt weak and my nose and throat felt sore. It's the cold.
I thought a good night's sleep would do the trick. Well, I felt ok enough in the morning to do my workout but later in the afternoon in class, I felt weak again. I didn't feel like studying and it seemed like I needed to use up every ounce of energy I had to hold my head up. I made it till the end of the class but the walk home didn't do me good. It was foggy and very cold.
When I got home, I didn't feel good. A hot cup of tea helped a bit but I wasn't feeling good enough to sit at my desk to do some scrapbooking. I just felt like staying in bed. But I had to cook supper. It was a simple oven roasted chicken legs and some fries. Easy enough for me to do. After the supper, I felt better. Although I wasn't feeling well, I felt like I had to eat. I remembered the old adage - feed a cold, starve a fever. Or was it the other way round?
Anyway, I do feel slightly better but it's almost ten and the bed is calling. Maybe I would feel better with more sleep. Pete is not having it easy either. He is as sluggish as me and his body feels warm to the touch. Hopefully we both would feel better tomorrow.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Turkey Dinner
Before we got married, we would chat a lot online. One of the things Pete would tell me about was his family's traditions. One thing I would hear a lot about was his mum's turkey dinner. She would cook turkey and all the trimmings for her birthday and invite all her children and grandchildren. This year, I am lucky to have been invited to her birthday party. Her birthday was on a weekday so the party was held on a Saturday, yesterday, instead.
Pete and I didn't wait for the weekend, though. During her birthday, we went to her place with a cake. I had school in the afternoon that day so I baked the cake, chocolate of course, early in the morning and let it cool. Once I came home from school, I warmed up some ganache I made earlier and poured it over the cake and sprinkled some pretty red, strawberry flavoured sprinkles on it and off we went. It was easy to decorate the cake. The cold weather makes working with cakes and chocolate very easy. Back home, the warm, humid kitchen would always make cake decorating a huge challenge.
Anyway, she loved the cake and was pleasantly surprised by our visit. We didn't bring any presents though. We were waiting for it to be delivered from Singapore. We were hoping it would get to us in time. I bought her a painting-by-numbers kit but could not bring it with me on my flight back. I had too much in my luggage. Anyway, it felt more festive to give it to her during the party. Oh and yeah, the package arrived on Thursday, well in time for the party.
On Saturday, she greeted us in her new dress. My aunt gave her a piece of cloth big enough to turn into a dress. Back home, the Malay ladies would have such cloth made into the traditional Baju Kurung, a two piece outfit. My mother-in-law had worked on it for a few weeks and got it ready in time for her party. She looked good in her simple sleeveless dress. She even made a ribbon to tie the dress at the waist.
Two of Pete's siblings and their children and husband were there. When we got there, I could smell the turkey she had roasting in the oven. Soon, when everything was cooked, we sat down to two roasted turkeys, boiled potatoes, peas, carrots and Brussels sprouts. There was also red cabbage, gravy and red and black currant jellies.
I've cooked turkey once before but found the smell to be too gamey. But I've never had Brussels sprouts before. I enjoyed the dinner that my mother-in-law cooked. The turkey didn't smell too strong and everything was great together. The Brussels sprouts though, had a slightly bitter aftertaste. I'm not sure I like those. But I finished the rest and even had seconds!
After the turkey, she served us warm apple baked with cinnamon, sugar and butter. It's served warm with a huge bowl of cold custard. The combination is so good. Hot and cold. Sweet and sour. Yummy. I didn't have too much of that since there would be more food after that.
Then, as we chatted, his sisters helped to lay out the cups, plates and cutlery for fika. Coffee and tea were served, along with some chocolate covered almond macaroons and an orange custard roulade made by his mum. His sister made the birthday cake. It's a two layered chocolate sponge with chocolate custard and bananas in the middle. It was all very good. I was well and truly stuffed.
We had a great time there, feasting and chatting. The whole family would meet every few weeks but it's not enough, especially since one of his sisters lives so far away. So we would treasure the time we get to spend with each other. Next month would also be an exciting time. Christmas is coming and one of his sisters would be having her birthday. More celebrations and more food! More exercise is definitely needed too!
Friday, November 16, 2012
Stuff for school
One great thing about going to school is the shopping for stationery! I completely forgot about getting my stuff ready before school started. It was only on my first day of school that I remembered that I hadn't packed my bag. And that I had nothing to pack. I didn't have a pencil case, file or writing paper. I took Pete's pencil and a pen and stuffed those into any small bag that I could find (yes Salinah, the same one you have).
In class that day, I saw others using their notebooks or writing pad to write notes on. I had to use my iPhone to copy the notes - not an efficient way to do it, I tell you, especially when I had to use the three special vowels that are found in the Swedish alphabet.
I didn't have time to get a proper writing pad or to go to a proper bookstore to get my supplies. Pete tried to help me look for one at the stores here but they didn't have any. So, this week, I had to make do with the copier papers we have at home.
This afternoon, after school, we had time to go to the mall to go shopping. Here, there are not many stores selling stationery. There's no Swedish version of Popular, Smiggle or kikki. But I managed to find some pretty stuff - a notebook, pencils to match the notebook and some multi-coloured pens. Once home, I decorated the cover of the book and wrote my notes in the book neatly and with lots of splashes of colour. If that doesn't make me want to study, I don't know what will.
In class that day, I saw others using their notebooks or writing pad to write notes on. I had to use my iPhone to copy the notes - not an efficient way to do it, I tell you, especially when I had to use the three special vowels that are found in the Swedish alphabet.
I didn't have time to get a proper writing pad or to go to a proper bookstore to get my supplies. Pete tried to help me look for one at the stores here but they didn't have any. So, this week, I had to make do with the copier papers we have at home.
This afternoon, after school, we had time to go to the mall to go shopping. Here, there are not many stores selling stationery. There's no Swedish version of Popular, Smiggle or kikki. But I managed to find some pretty stuff - a notebook, pencils to match the notebook and some multi-coloured pens. Once home, I decorated the cover of the book and wrote my notes in the book neatly and with lots of splashes of colour. If that doesn't make me want to study, I don't know what will.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
100th!
100th post! Within less than seven month, I've posted 100 entries. I guess I could have have reached it sooner if I had posted more often when I was back in Singapore. When I first started, I didn't know I was going to write often. I didn't even plan on starting a blog.
When I was saying goodbye to people back home, I told them to check out facebook since I thought I was going to do a lot of updating of status and posting of photos there. But when I got here, I thought that I wouldn't want to flood my friends' walls with too many photos and updates about me. It seemed very narcissistic. Pete then suggested starting a blog.
He helped me set it up and then away I went, tap-tapping on my keyboard. It made sense to write in a blog since I had lots to share. The blog is meant for me to share and relate my experiences here to people back home. Since most of my friends and family members have never been to Sweden, I thought I should make my posts as detailed as I could. Looking at the lengthy posts I made, I guess I might be too detailed. Sorry about that. I know it's better to write short and concise posts so that I won't bore the readers, but sometimes I feel like I just had to explain in greater detail. Please bear with me.
At first, I wrote quite often since everything was new and I had lots of new and exciting experiences. I wouldn't say I had culture shock, but there are quite a number of things that are different here from back home. I would write about things that I think would interest my family and friends. I know my sister and some close friends would be reading them so I guess this is my way of sharing my new life with them even when I'm so far away.
After awhile, there weren't as many new things to share. Also, I didn't really get many comments here and I thought no one was interested in this blog. That coincided with the fewer posts later on. Also, I would get writer's block sometimes. I would sit in front of the laptop and no words would come to me. Or if I did type something, it didn't feel right. But then I got some messages from friends telling me that they would check out my blog every day. My sister would also bug me if I didn't write.
That got me back on track. I notice that if I were to link my posts through facebook, I would get more views. But I don't feel like I should post the link there all the time. I feel that the people who are interested in my life here would already know that I have this blog and they would check it out on their own. I don't feel like I should shove this blog in their face(book) every time I have a new post. So I'm going to stick with that. It's only if I posted some photos on facebook and I blogged about them, that I'll post the link on facebook.
Oh, also I do want to remain more or less anonymous here. I have posted a few pictures of me and others at the beginning but after that, most of the pictures are of things and not people. I am also a bit vague about names as well. It's just to respect the privacy of my family and friends. Just because I am comfortable sharing about my life with the readers here doesn't mean that they are too. So I'm not going to use full names in my posts. The only name I've used is Pete's, I think, and he's fine with it.
Before I end this post, I would like to thank my loyal readers who would check out my blog - boring and long-winded posts and all. Thank you for your comments here and on facebook. I do try to write as often as I could, daily if possible, but contrary to popular belief, my life is not so super exciting that there's stuff to write about every day. But I'll try to write every two days at least.
You know what? After reading this post, you are more than welcome to give me suggestions and ideas on what to write about. If you want to know more about something here, just write in the comments. I will try my best to write about things that others might find interesting. You can also ask for recipes here as well. That might give me some ideas on what too cook. It's hard to think of different things to cook every day.
So, thank you, once again for reading my posts. I hope you've learnt more about my life here and that you've enjoyed reading and looking at the photos.
When I was saying goodbye to people back home, I told them to check out facebook since I thought I was going to do a lot of updating of status and posting of photos there. But when I got here, I thought that I wouldn't want to flood my friends' walls with too many photos and updates about me. It seemed very narcissistic. Pete then suggested starting a blog.
He helped me set it up and then away I went, tap-tapping on my keyboard. It made sense to write in a blog since I had lots to share. The blog is meant for me to share and relate my experiences here to people back home. Since most of my friends and family members have never been to Sweden, I thought I should make my posts as detailed as I could. Looking at the lengthy posts I made, I guess I might be too detailed. Sorry about that. I know it's better to write short and concise posts so that I won't bore the readers, but sometimes I feel like I just had to explain in greater detail. Please bear with me.
At first, I wrote quite often since everything was new and I had lots of new and exciting experiences. I wouldn't say I had culture shock, but there are quite a number of things that are different here from back home. I would write about things that I think would interest my family and friends. I know my sister and some close friends would be reading them so I guess this is my way of sharing my new life with them even when I'm so far away.
After awhile, there weren't as many new things to share. Also, I didn't really get many comments here and I thought no one was interested in this blog. That coincided with the fewer posts later on. Also, I would get writer's block sometimes. I would sit in front of the laptop and no words would come to me. Or if I did type something, it didn't feel right. But then I got some messages from friends telling me that they would check out my blog every day. My sister would also bug me if I didn't write.
That got me back on track. I notice that if I were to link my posts through facebook, I would get more views. But I don't feel like I should post the link there all the time. I feel that the people who are interested in my life here would already know that I have this blog and they would check it out on their own. I don't feel like I should shove this blog in their face(book) every time I have a new post. So I'm going to stick with that. It's only if I posted some photos on facebook and I blogged about them, that I'll post the link on facebook.
Oh, also I do want to remain more or less anonymous here. I have posted a few pictures of me and others at the beginning but after that, most of the pictures are of things and not people. I am also a bit vague about names as well. It's just to respect the privacy of my family and friends. Just because I am comfortable sharing about my life with the readers here doesn't mean that they are too. So I'm not going to use full names in my posts. The only name I've used is Pete's, I think, and he's fine with it.
Before I end this post, I would like to thank my loyal readers who would check out my blog - boring and long-winded posts and all. Thank you for your comments here and on facebook. I do try to write as often as I could, daily if possible, but contrary to popular belief, my life is not so super exciting that there's stuff to write about every day. But I'll try to write every two days at least.
You know what? After reading this post, you are more than welcome to give me suggestions and ideas on what to write about. If you want to know more about something here, just write in the comments. I will try my best to write about things that others might find interesting. You can also ask for recipes here as well. That might give me some ideas on what too cook. It's hard to think of different things to cook every day.
So, thank you, once again for reading my posts. I hope you've learnt more about my life here and that you've enjoyed reading and looking at the photos.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Second day
It's the second day of school today. I have made new friends yesterday and made arrangements to walk to school with one of them. Coincidentally, she lives in the same block as me. When I got out the main door this afternoon, she was already waiting for me. As we walked, we chatted and we've learnt more about each other.
In class, there were a few more new faces. More new friends. We continued with yesterday's lesson. We read short passages and answered questions, sort of like a comprehension exercise. Then, we had to do writing as well, a letter.
It might sound daunting but it's challenging and I love it. I tried to use whatever words I have learnt to write. I also asked my friends and learnt a lot from them as well. That's mainly how the lessons are taught here. The teacher would teach and then we would do the written work. We would help each other or we could use the laptops in the classroom to use the online translator. But if we still have problems, we could then ask the teacher.
The work is quite intense. After going through my work, I felt very mentally tired. I thought I had been at work for hours, but when I looked at the time, it was not even two hours! Luckily we were able to work at our pace. The teacher gave us more than enough time to complete the work so I have to learn to take my time and take more breaks.
Tomorrow and Friday, class starts at 8 am. I can foresee lots of yawning ahead. I have to remember to get enough sleep so that I would be fresh and alert when I get to class, so no more watching tv or internet surfing till late.
In class, there were a few more new faces. More new friends. We continued with yesterday's lesson. We read short passages and answered questions, sort of like a comprehension exercise. Then, we had to do writing as well, a letter.
It might sound daunting but it's challenging and I love it. I tried to use whatever words I have learnt to write. I also asked my friends and learnt a lot from them as well. That's mainly how the lessons are taught here. The teacher would teach and then we would do the written work. We would help each other or we could use the laptops in the classroom to use the online translator. But if we still have problems, we could then ask the teacher.
The work is quite intense. After going through my work, I felt very mentally tired. I thought I had been at work for hours, but when I looked at the time, it was not even two hours! Luckily we were able to work at our pace. The teacher gave us more than enough time to complete the work so I have to learn to take my time and take more breaks.
Tomorrow and Friday, class starts at 8 am. I can foresee lots of yawning ahead. I have to remember to get enough sleep so that I would be fresh and alert when I get to class, so no more watching tv or internet surfing till late.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
First day of school
So today was my first day at school. I'm learning Swedish - Swedish for immigrants. The class is run by Merit Utbildning and a school near where we live has kindly allowed them the use of a classroom for our classes. I would be studying there for four hours four times a week.
This morning, Pete woke me up early. I was feeling kind of excited and nervous. I didn't know how it was going to turn out - will I be able to follow the lessons, would I understand the teacher, would the rest of the class be nice to me and help me out? So many questions in my mind as I went about the chores.
After finishing the rest of the shepherd's pie and a slice of the apple pie, I got ready for school. I should have brought my pencil case, notebooks and files when I was back in Singapore but I totally forgot that I would need them when I started school. I only brought a pen with me and also the file that I received last week.
Pete walked with me to school. Class was supposed to start at 12.30 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays but the classroom door would be unlocked ten minutes before. We left the apartment at 12.15 and reached there five minutes later. There was only about five other people there. I saw an Asian looking woman and we started talking. She's from Thailand and another Asian woman, from Philippines, joined us soon after. Another woman from Pakistan sat next to me. I guess we were the only Asian girls there.
There were two other guys from Pakistan as well but they sat at the back of the room. A very friendly and jovial Romanian guy joined our table, followed by another Romanian lady. At another table, two other guys were there. I think they are from Albania. On the other side, a group of Arabic ladies were there, chatting away with each other.
The teacher started the lesson by asking us the day and date in Swedish. She spoke Swedish first and then in English. That's really helpful since I am hopeless at Swedish for now. She got us to fill up some forms about our education, career and other interests. At first I filled out my forms quietly. Then I realised that the others at my table were having some problems with it so I helped them a bit.
I finished my forms early so the teacher approached me and got me to do the first few exercises that I missed. She explained a bit but I was familiar with the words so I attempted to finish them on my own. She told me to approach her if I needed help. I was able to complete most of the first two exercises and the Pakistani girl next to me helped me with the rest.
My group mates are very friendly and helpful. They are also easy to talk to. Well, easy is not really the right word to use. Their English is very basic but we managed to understand each other somewhat. I am very surprised that I managed to find out a lot about them in just one day. They told me about their husbands, their jobs, where they live and how much easier it is to migrate to Sweden than Denmark. Two of them also said that they wanted to learn how to bake. I offered to teach them and I will probably have them over to my apartment one of these days.
During the breaks, they shared their cookies with me and welcomed me to the tea and coffee table. One of them also showed me the way to the toilet. Even the Arabic girls gave me and others at my table cookies. The Roman guy also played some songs on his laptop to entertain us. In all, it hasn't been intimidating. On the contrary, the class has been so welcoming and friendly, with smiles all round.
After the first break, we got down to serious business. We were taught prepositions. After writing in Swedish, the teacher would write the English translation below it. Again, at first, I would write quietly. But when I noticed that she was having trouble with some of the English words, I helped by giving the right words and spelling. She was happy to have me in the class, I think, so that the translations would be as accurate as possible.
There are a lot of words I haven't learnt yet and the worksheets that we were given were a bit tough. But the teacher is very helpful and I could also ask my classmates. We couldn't finish our work today so we would continue tomorrow. I'm not sure if I need to complete it at home. I don't think I will. I would just go over it with Pete. He would need to help me, especially with the pronunciation but I would not do more at home. I don't want to be the person who tries too hard to impress.
I have enjoyed my first day in class. I wasn't too lost and I was able to keep up and I made a couple of friends. I even walked home with a friend who turned out to be living in the same apartment block as me. Not bad for the first day. Not bad at all. Day two beckons and I am looking forward to it.
This morning, Pete woke me up early. I was feeling kind of excited and nervous. I didn't know how it was going to turn out - will I be able to follow the lessons, would I understand the teacher, would the rest of the class be nice to me and help me out? So many questions in my mind as I went about the chores.
After finishing the rest of the shepherd's pie and a slice of the apple pie, I got ready for school. I should have brought my pencil case, notebooks and files when I was back in Singapore but I totally forgot that I would need them when I started school. I only brought a pen with me and also the file that I received last week.
Pete walked with me to school. Class was supposed to start at 12.30 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays but the classroom door would be unlocked ten minutes before. We left the apartment at 12.15 and reached there five minutes later. There was only about five other people there. I saw an Asian looking woman and we started talking. She's from Thailand and another Asian woman, from Philippines, joined us soon after. Another woman from Pakistan sat next to me. I guess we were the only Asian girls there.
There were two other guys from Pakistan as well but they sat at the back of the room. A very friendly and jovial Romanian guy joined our table, followed by another Romanian lady. At another table, two other guys were there. I think they are from Albania. On the other side, a group of Arabic ladies were there, chatting away with each other.
The teacher started the lesson by asking us the day and date in Swedish. She spoke Swedish first and then in English. That's really helpful since I am hopeless at Swedish for now. She got us to fill up some forms about our education, career and other interests. At first I filled out my forms quietly. Then I realised that the others at my table were having some problems with it so I helped them a bit.
I finished my forms early so the teacher approached me and got me to do the first few exercises that I missed. She explained a bit but I was familiar with the words so I attempted to finish them on my own. She told me to approach her if I needed help. I was able to complete most of the first two exercises and the Pakistani girl next to me helped me with the rest.
My group mates are very friendly and helpful. They are also easy to talk to. Well, easy is not really the right word to use. Their English is very basic but we managed to understand each other somewhat. I am very surprised that I managed to find out a lot about them in just one day. They told me about their husbands, their jobs, where they live and how much easier it is to migrate to Sweden than Denmark. Two of them also said that they wanted to learn how to bake. I offered to teach them and I will probably have them over to my apartment one of these days.
During the breaks, they shared their cookies with me and welcomed me to the tea and coffee table. One of them also showed me the way to the toilet. Even the Arabic girls gave me and others at my table cookies. The Roman guy also played some songs on his laptop to entertain us. In all, it hasn't been intimidating. On the contrary, the class has been so welcoming and friendly, with smiles all round.
After the first break, we got down to serious business. We were taught prepositions. After writing in Swedish, the teacher would write the English translation below it. Again, at first, I would write quietly. But when I noticed that she was having trouble with some of the English words, I helped by giving the right words and spelling. She was happy to have me in the class, I think, so that the translations would be as accurate as possible.
There are a lot of words I haven't learnt yet and the worksheets that we were given were a bit tough. But the teacher is very helpful and I could also ask my classmates. We couldn't finish our work today so we would continue tomorrow. I'm not sure if I need to complete it at home. I don't think I will. I would just go over it with Pete. He would need to help me, especially with the pronunciation but I would not do more at home. I don't want to be the person who tries too hard to impress.
I have enjoyed my first day in class. I wasn't too lost and I was able to keep up and I made a couple of friends. I even walked home with a friend who turned out to be living in the same apartment block as me. Not bad for the first day. Not bad at all. Day two beckons and I am looking forward to it.
Freedom pies
Yesterday. Last day of freedom. After that, I have to go to school!
Since I had lots of time, I decided to do what I love most - cook! I made shepherd's pie and apple pie for dinner. I even made Creme Anglaise for the apple pie.
I had lots of steps to prepare before I could bake the pies. I had to make mashed potatoes and the filling for the shepherd's pie. I then had to make the filling for the apple pie and the shortcrust pastry. I had to let the apple filling cool and let the pastry rest in the fridge for about half an hour. The baking of the pies also took a lot of time. I made the mashed potatoes fluffy so that I have a very light topping for the shepherd's pie. Then, when I browned the topping in the oven, the potato topping will give a nice crunch.
I baked the apple pie first. I added a pinch of cinammon in the filling. My mum will surely not approve. She and my sister don't like cinammon. But that spice made the whole apartment smell good as it baked in the oven. I used butter in the pastry and it smells very buttery too. Then I baked the shepherd's pie. The browning potatoes also gave off a yummy aroma.
As the pie was baking, I made the Creme Anglaise. It's simply a custard that is runny and smooth that you eat with dessert pies and crumbles. It's supposed to be made with full fat milk or light cream but I didn't have that. I used a lower fat milk but it came together beautifully. I had smooth and silky custard sauce but when I added vanilla sugar ( I didn't have vanilla essence), it curdled a little! Aww...I'll have to remember to buy vanilla essence next time. But I did manage to sort of salvage the custard sauce. I strained the sauce and it sort of worked. I managed to remove some of the curdled parts.
When Pete came home later that evening, we both had a really good meal. It was cold outside and the warm pies was just the thing to warm him up. The custard sauce was good as well. It could have been better but it was good enough.
Since I had lots of time, I decided to do what I love most - cook! I made shepherd's pie and apple pie for dinner. I even made Creme Anglaise for the apple pie.
I had lots of steps to prepare before I could bake the pies. I had to make mashed potatoes and the filling for the shepherd's pie. I then had to make the filling for the apple pie and the shortcrust pastry. I had to let the apple filling cool and let the pastry rest in the fridge for about half an hour. The baking of the pies also took a lot of time. I made the mashed potatoes fluffy so that I have a very light topping for the shepherd's pie. Then, when I browned the topping in the oven, the potato topping will give a nice crunch.
I baked the apple pie first. I added a pinch of cinammon in the filling. My mum will surely not approve. She and my sister don't like cinammon. But that spice made the whole apartment smell good as it baked in the oven. I used butter in the pastry and it smells very buttery too. Then I baked the shepherd's pie. The browning potatoes also gave off a yummy aroma.
As the pie was baking, I made the Creme Anglaise. It's simply a custard that is runny and smooth that you eat with dessert pies and crumbles. It's supposed to be made with full fat milk or light cream but I didn't have that. I used a lower fat milk but it came together beautifully. I had smooth and silky custard sauce but when I added vanilla sugar ( I didn't have vanilla essence), it curdled a little! Aww...I'll have to remember to buy vanilla essence next time. But I did manage to sort of salvage the custard sauce. I strained the sauce and it sort of worked. I managed to remove some of the curdled parts.
When Pete came home later that evening, we both had a really good meal. It was cold outside and the warm pies was just the thing to warm him up. The custard sauce was good as well. It could have been better but it was good enough.
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| Apple pie! |
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| Close up of the leaves I made out of the remaining dough. No waste. |
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| The two pies cooling till serving time |
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| The inside of the shepherd's pie |
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| Want a slice of apple pie? |
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| Apple pie with custard sauce |
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Golden mall
Back in May, Pete's mum mentioned about a mall that was going to be built near a train station when she drove past the site. It was going to be big with modern and beautiful architecture. There aren't that many malls in Malmo. Back home, malls are everywhere. Mega ones or tiny ones. And they are crowded. I guess people head to the air-conditioned malls to escape the heat.
This mall, Emporia, that was opened on 25th October is only the sixth mall in Malmo. We wanted to check it out since it was somewhat close to our place. It's only a 15 minute bus ride away. Luckily we didn't go on opening day. It was really crowded. Some people were already queueing by 7am. The opening ceremony was at 10am. But they were there early for good reason. The first few people received some really good prizes such as mall vouchers. The opening ceremony also looked to be grand with red carpets leading into the mall and showers of golden confetti.
The gold was used, I guess, since that is the main colour theme of the building. I have seen the building from afar whenever I was at the train station nearby. But I couldn't really see the colour of the building. It was only when we visited the mall a few days ago that I could really admire the building.
And it really is gold. We were there in a quite sunny weather and when I was standing outside the building, the sun shone on the gold tinted glass walls and it shone and sparkled. It simply exuded affluence, lavishness and opulence. I literally went ,"Wow!". The building also has some unique features. Instead of a regular cuboid building, the top of the building is curvy. Inside the building, there are lots of unique features as well. There are lots of benches around the mall for tired shoppers. Most likely they will be used by husbands and boyfriends as they wait for their ladies.
There are also comfy benches near the toilets. Again, most probably for the guys to wait for the ladies. I didn't check the toilets to see if there are a lot of cubicles for the ladies. Usually the trouble with the toilets is that there are not enough cubicles for the ladies. We always end up taking a much longer waiting time in the toilet.
There is a section that could have been sponsored by Microsoft Xbox. A long panel on the wall had some interactive panorama projections on it which is made possible by a number of kinect sensors above our heads. An open room next to it has eight kinect stations where you can try out the games for free.
There was a beautiful spiral staircase in the middle of the mall. It was decorated with hanging green vines which gave it an ethereal feel. There is also a garden on the roof. We didn't check it out when we were there since it was a cold and windy day, but no worries. There will definitely be repeat visits in future. There are lots of stores that I would like to check out - clothing, furniture and knick knacks. There are also two supermarkets there.
There are not that many restaurants and eateries. Their food court had only five different sections: sushi, Thai food, kebab, grill, and an American type of diner. The food is expensive and it was crowded when we were there. And it was after lunch time. We were thinking of setting up our food business here actually. Pete contacted them about it. But I guess we were too late and all the available space has been taken up. Anyway, looking at the crowd, it might have been too much for us, newbies, to handle. Perhaps when we have been in business a couple more years we could start thinking about setting up a joint in a mall.
The day we went, the mall wasn't really crowded. It was comfortable walking around the stores since we didn't have to jostle with anyone. Even at the food court we managed to find a comfortable place to have our food. This is such a change from the mall experience back home. There, the foot traffic inside the malls is never ending from opening hours till the late (9 or 10pm) closing time. Also, the mall is not big, compared to those back home. There are only 240 stores spread over three floors. But it's enough for me. I really enjoyed walking around the mall. It was a nice experience.
Now if only Pete could share my sentiments about shopping. He's so guy about it. Just get the necessary stuff and go home. Good news, though. I could always go on my own or with his sisters. And since it is not too crowded, the positive experience we had there means that he is not opposed to go back there again. Yay!
This mall, Emporia, that was opened on 25th October is only the sixth mall in Malmo. We wanted to check it out since it was somewhat close to our place. It's only a 15 minute bus ride away. Luckily we didn't go on opening day. It was really crowded. Some people were already queueing by 7am. The opening ceremony was at 10am. But they were there early for good reason. The first few people received some really good prizes such as mall vouchers. The opening ceremony also looked to be grand with red carpets leading into the mall and showers of golden confetti.
The gold was used, I guess, since that is the main colour theme of the building. I have seen the building from afar whenever I was at the train station nearby. But I couldn't really see the colour of the building. It was only when we visited the mall a few days ago that I could really admire the building.
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| The curved top of the building. |
There is a section that could have been sponsored by Microsoft Xbox. A long panel on the wall had some interactive panorama projections on it which is made possible by a number of kinect sensors above our heads. An open room next to it has eight kinect stations where you can try out the games for free.
There was a beautiful spiral staircase in the middle of the mall. It was decorated with hanging green vines which gave it an ethereal feel. There is also a garden on the roof. We didn't check it out when we were there since it was a cold and windy day, but no worries. There will definitely be repeat visits in future. There are lots of stores that I would like to check out - clothing, furniture and knick knacks. There are also two supermarkets there.
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| The view from the inside of the food court. |
Now if only Pete could share my sentiments about shopping. He's so guy about it. Just get the necessary stuff and go home. Good news, though. I could always go on my own or with his sisters. And since it is not too crowded, the positive experience we had there means that he is not opposed to go back there again. Yay!
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Blue Birthdays
It was my sister's birthday on Friday. This is the first time we both weren't there for each other's birthdays. In fact, I have also missed my dad's birthday too and will probably be missing my brother's as well. The only birthday I didn't miss was my mum's. I was there celebrating with her and the rest of the family when I was back there in September. Yay!
Our family has a tradition of celebrating birthdays. Thinking about it, there would always be at least a cake and often, a meal, either cooked by my mum or at a restaurant. There were some surprise birthday parties too, where friends have even been roped in as well. I had organised a few for my sister and she had also surprised me quite a few times too.
It felt quite weird not being able to be there and wishing them 'Happy Birthday' in person. Missing my sister's birthday hit me the hardest. I was a bit out-of-sorts that day. My thoughts kept going back to her. I was wondering how she was spending her day and hoping that she was having a good time. That night, I was thinking about her, about how we used to do everything and go everywhere together. I miss her.
The only thing I could do was to send something for her through the mail. And hope it would arrive on time. It didn't. I didn't want to send it too early or too late. The idea is for the package to arrive on the exact day. But of course, postal services can be unpredictable sometimes. I have to remember to send birthday packages a bit earlier next time. It's better for it to arrive early than late.
This won't be the only year I would miss their birthdays. This is just the start. I am sure I would be missing more in future. I do miss them terribly but I guess I have to get used to it. Life goes on, whether I'm there or here. They would have to celebrate without me. I hope they know that as they have their birthday meals and cakes, I would be here thinking about them.
Our family has a tradition of celebrating birthdays. Thinking about it, there would always be at least a cake and often, a meal, either cooked by my mum or at a restaurant. There were some surprise birthday parties too, where friends have even been roped in as well. I had organised a few for my sister and she had also surprised me quite a few times too.
It felt quite weird not being able to be there and wishing them 'Happy Birthday' in person. Missing my sister's birthday hit me the hardest. I was a bit out-of-sorts that day. My thoughts kept going back to her. I was wondering how she was spending her day and hoping that she was having a good time. That night, I was thinking about her, about how we used to do everything and go everywhere together. I miss her.
The only thing I could do was to send something for her through the mail. And hope it would arrive on time. It didn't. I didn't want to send it too early or too late. The idea is for the package to arrive on the exact day. But of course, postal services can be unpredictable sometimes. I have to remember to send birthday packages a bit earlier next time. It's better for it to arrive early than late.
This won't be the only year I would miss their birthdays. This is just the start. I am sure I would be missing more in future. I do miss them terribly but I guess I have to get used to it. Life goes on, whether I'm there or here. They would have to celebrate without me. I hope they know that as they have their birthday meals and cakes, I would be here thinking about them.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
SFI starts soon
Of course. Just when I was getting ready to leave the apartment to get to the school for SFI, it started raining very heavily. The temperature was a cold 7C and it was windy. I was fussing about my layers and bag to make sure that everything was waterproof. Pete was fussing about the contents of my bag. He was like "Have you brought this?" "Did you bring that?" "Did you bring your pen?" He seemed more excited than I was.
I really wasn't keen on going out of the building. It was raining and windy and cold. I was standing at the door of the building, contemplating using an umbrella and trying to think of ways to stay dry. That was when I saw a group of kids from the kindergarten nearby, at the playground in front of our building. They were playing in the rain as their teachers kept an eye of them. Ok. If they can brave the rain and cold, I should be able to as well.
I pulled the hood of my waterproof jacket over my head and headed out with Pete. The walk to the school was brisk. The rain was heavy but it wasn't that bad. It did soak a bit of my socks but I wasn't as wet as I thought I was going to be. Once in the school building, we went to the reception counter and someone was there to lead us to the classroom.
When we got there, a class was already in session. There were about 12 people in the class doing work and discussing with one another. When we went into the room, I could feel all of their eyes on me. The teacher was called Jenny and she told us to wait for another person who was going to discuss my SFI classes with me.
When the administrator came, we were led to a room next to the class and there, I filled out a seven-page form about my personal details such as address, contact number, educational background and future plans in Sweden. As I did that, we asked the lady some questions such as where and how long I will be studying. We were happy to know that I will be studying there and my teacher is Jenny, the one I met earlier. I was also going to be in that class too. I guess the people in the classroom would be my classmates. I'm not sure how that's going to be. I didn't really get a good look at everyone but they generally look smiley and welcoming. I hope.
The admin lady told us that they have just started SFI classes a few months ago since the school Lindangeskolan, has allowed them to use their classrooms. How lucky is that? The school is only a few minutes walk away. And I would pass the supermarket so I could buy groceries on my way home too. Very, very convenient.
Once I was done with the form, I was given the file that came with it. The admin lady said that the file is mine and as I get through the classes, it will be filled with stuff. I guess it would become a sort of portfolio for me. I have also been given a timetable:
Tuesday & Wednesday : 12.30 - 14.00
14.10 - 15.45
15.50 - 16.30
Thursday & Friday : 8.00 - 9.30
9.40 - 11.15
11.20 - 12.00
I start next Tuesday where I will also be given books to study. All free. There are some breaks in between lessons and beverages such as coffee and tea will be provided. I can already foresee that I would be bringing some baked goods to share with the class in future.
I am kind of excited. Not nervous yet, but I am sure I will be on Tuesday morning. Although I am joining an existing class, I will be taught at my own pace. The admin lady said that classes are tailored to suit each individual and all of us will proceed at our ability level. It will be interesting to see how that would be like. Being a former teacher, I usually get a class of kids of the same level. Their abilities may be different but they are all learning the same things.
I can't imagine or figure out how the lessons will go. Would the teacher teach everyone the same thing at first and then she would approach me and give me one to one lessons? Would I need to do group work or presentations? Would I be assigned a buddy? Most of all, do they all speak English? It would be hard if they speak in other languages and we would not be able to communicate. Well, no point worrying about any of that right now. Maybe I could revise my notes from the very short three-day Swedish 101 lessons that I attended back home. If I could find those notes, that is.
Once we finish the orientation and meeting the teacher and such, we headed out while the rest of the class got back to work. It had only taken us about 40 minutes. By the time we got outdoors, the rain had stopped and the sun came out. It was a beautiful day. We headed to a newly opened mall. I felt like I was cutting class as I walked out of the school compound. I guess I better treasure the time I get to spend out of school. Soon, I'll have to back to the classroom which means reading, memorising and oh homework!
I really wasn't keen on going out of the building. It was raining and windy and cold. I was standing at the door of the building, contemplating using an umbrella and trying to think of ways to stay dry. That was when I saw a group of kids from the kindergarten nearby, at the playground in front of our building. They were playing in the rain as their teachers kept an eye of them. Ok. If they can brave the rain and cold, I should be able to as well.
I pulled the hood of my waterproof jacket over my head and headed out with Pete. The walk to the school was brisk. The rain was heavy but it wasn't that bad. It did soak a bit of my socks but I wasn't as wet as I thought I was going to be. Once in the school building, we went to the reception counter and someone was there to lead us to the classroom.
When we got there, a class was already in session. There were about 12 people in the class doing work and discussing with one another. When we went into the room, I could feel all of their eyes on me. The teacher was called Jenny and she told us to wait for another person who was going to discuss my SFI classes with me.
When the administrator came, we were led to a room next to the class and there, I filled out a seven-page form about my personal details such as address, contact number, educational background and future plans in Sweden. As I did that, we asked the lady some questions such as where and how long I will be studying. We were happy to know that I will be studying there and my teacher is Jenny, the one I met earlier. I was also going to be in that class too. I guess the people in the classroom would be my classmates. I'm not sure how that's going to be. I didn't really get a good look at everyone but they generally look smiley and welcoming. I hope.
The admin lady told us that they have just started SFI classes a few months ago since the school Lindangeskolan, has allowed them to use their classrooms. How lucky is that? The school is only a few minutes walk away. And I would pass the supermarket so I could buy groceries on my way home too. Very, very convenient.
Tuesday & Wednesday : 12.30 - 14.00
14.10 - 15.45
15.50 - 16.30
Thursday & Friday : 8.00 - 9.30
9.40 - 11.15
11.20 - 12.00
I start next Tuesday where I will also be given books to study. All free. There are some breaks in between lessons and beverages such as coffee and tea will be provided. I can already foresee that I would be bringing some baked goods to share with the class in future.
I am kind of excited. Not nervous yet, but I am sure I will be on Tuesday morning. Although I am joining an existing class, I will be taught at my own pace. The admin lady said that classes are tailored to suit each individual and all of us will proceed at our ability level. It will be interesting to see how that would be like. Being a former teacher, I usually get a class of kids of the same level. Their abilities may be different but they are all learning the same things.
I can't imagine or figure out how the lessons will go. Would the teacher teach everyone the same thing at first and then she would approach me and give me one to one lessons? Would I need to do group work or presentations? Would I be assigned a buddy? Most of all, do they all speak English? It would be hard if they speak in other languages and we would not be able to communicate. Well, no point worrying about any of that right now. Maybe I could revise my notes from the very short three-day Swedish 101 lessons that I attended back home. If I could find those notes, that is.
Once we finish the orientation and meeting the teacher and such, we headed out while the rest of the class got back to work. It had only taken us about 40 minutes. By the time we got outdoors, the rain had stopped and the sun came out. It was a beautiful day. We headed to a newly opened mall. I felt like I was cutting class as I walked out of the school compound. I guess I better treasure the time I get to spend out of school. Soon, I'll have to back to the classroom which means reading, memorising and oh homework!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Dance, not walk
The daily temperature here for the last couple of weeks has been hovering around 6 -8C. That, plus the strong winds, makes it difficult for us to head outdoors for our walks. Also, the sun sets earlier now so it gets darker earlier, at around 4pm. That gives us a short period of time to get our walks, if we somehow manage to find it in us to battle the cold and the wind, that is.
Hence it has been tough to get moving and exercising. I haven't been serious about working out for awhile now. Whatever weight we have lost during the fasting month has long been regained. Plus some extra weight that came from nowhere. Ok. OK. I know exactly where - hari raya cookies, rich Malay delicacies, oodles of noodles and indulgent meals that I have been cooking for Pete since I got home.
Now that the weather is getting colder, I have to put on more layers when I want to go out. The result of the layers is that the sleeves of my outer jacket gets very stuffed and tight. Sometimes it even affects my mobility. Also, the layers and heavy clothing does nothing to make me look better. On the contrary, I look like I have put on 10kg instantly (think Stay Puft Marshmallow Man). That does nothing for my fragile ego, especially when people have been asking if I am pregnant ( Nope. Just fat.)
So, yeah, I have to do something about it. I have seen people running outdoors in this cold weather. The Swedes are actually quite health conscious. There are many people out there in the cold and sticking to their workouts. I always look at them with envy. They all look so fit and toned.
Due to my foot injuries, I haven't been running for three years. I am cautious here since I don't want them to hurt again. My bunions would bug me when I walk too much but luckily my heels are not bothering me much. Hopefully some day I would be able to run again. Also, I would need to learn to dress properly if I were to run outdoors again in the cold. But that's for when I can start running again.
For now, all I can do is to look for exercises that I can do at home. I have some Zumba DVDs that I can follow. The great thing is that I have a number of those so I can always mix it up and not do the same ones all the time. I am trying to get other DVDs. I used to love doing Les Mills' Body Combat and Body Step classes when I was in Fitness First, a chain of gyms back home. I really miss that. Pete has been helping me to search for it online but we haven't been successful. So, for now, I can only Zumba my way slowly back to fitness. I shall add other more intense workouts when I'm back to my former fitness level.
Hence it has been tough to get moving and exercising. I haven't been serious about working out for awhile now. Whatever weight we have lost during the fasting month has long been regained. Plus some extra weight that came from nowhere. Ok. OK. I know exactly where - hari raya cookies, rich Malay delicacies, oodles of noodles and indulgent meals that I have been cooking for Pete since I got home.
Now that the weather is getting colder, I have to put on more layers when I want to go out. The result of the layers is that the sleeves of my outer jacket gets very stuffed and tight. Sometimes it even affects my mobility. Also, the layers and heavy clothing does nothing to make me look better. On the contrary, I look like I have put on 10kg instantly (think Stay Puft Marshmallow Man). That does nothing for my fragile ego, especially when people have been asking if I am pregnant ( Nope. Just fat.)
So, yeah, I have to do something about it. I have seen people running outdoors in this cold weather. The Swedes are actually quite health conscious. There are many people out there in the cold and sticking to their workouts. I always look at them with envy. They all look so fit and toned.
Due to my foot injuries, I haven't been running for three years. I am cautious here since I don't want them to hurt again. My bunions would bug me when I walk too much but luckily my heels are not bothering me much. Hopefully some day I would be able to run again. Also, I would need to learn to dress properly if I were to run outdoors again in the cold. But that's for when I can start running again.
For now, all I can do is to look for exercises that I can do at home. I have some Zumba DVDs that I can follow. The great thing is that I have a number of those so I can always mix it up and not do the same ones all the time. I am trying to get other DVDs. I used to love doing Les Mills' Body Combat and Body Step classes when I was in Fitness First, a chain of gyms back home. I really miss that. Pete has been helping me to search for it online but we haven't been successful. So, for now, I can only Zumba my way slowly back to fitness. I shall add other more intense workouts when I'm back to my former fitness level.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Pre-test
I got a letter yesterday regarding my SFI (Swedish for Immigrants) application. It was from the school that is close by. I thought I got a place there. I was excited! But it turns out that this is for the first session only. There, I will be tested on the level of Swedish I have acquired. Then based on the results, I will be placed in a class with others of the similar level.
The classes could be held in three other venues. Two other venues are quite easy to get to since I can take buses from here. The other one is not too familiar to me. And of course, this one is just a five minute walk away. I really hope I get placed here. It's much better to walk than to have to commute there.
Anyway, the test will be held this Thursday at 11am. I'm not sure how long it will take and what kind of test it will be. I know, though, that I'll start right at the bottom. I do know a few words but I don't think it's enough. I'm more comfortable starting from the beginning too. Well, let's see how it goes on Thursday.
The funny thing about the letter from the school is that it's written in Swedish. All of it. So ironic, isn't it? To write in Swedish to someone who is applying to learn Swedish? The Swedes have a sense of humour, don't they?
The classes could be held in three other venues. Two other venues are quite easy to get to since I can take buses from here. The other one is not too familiar to me. And of course, this one is just a five minute walk away. I really hope I get placed here. It's much better to walk than to have to commute there.
Anyway, the test will be held this Thursday at 11am. I'm not sure how long it will take and what kind of test it will be. I know, though, that I'll start right at the bottom. I do know a few words but I don't think it's enough. I'm more comfortable starting from the beginning too. Well, let's see how it goes on Thursday.
The funny thing about the letter from the school is that it's written in Swedish. All of it. So ironic, isn't it? To write in Swedish to someone who is applying to learn Swedish? The Swedes have a sense of humour, don't they?
Monday, November 5, 2012
Expensive brands - they're not all they're cracked up to be
My hands have really been taking a beating here. I'm in the kitchen a lot since I prepare all three daily meals most of the time. I wash my hands a lot since I need them to be clean when I'm preparing food. The air here is really dry and I really have to be conscientious about applying lotion or else my fingers will crack, especially at the tips.
I have quite a few small tubs of hand cream, mainly gifts from friends. Some are quite expensive since they are 'branded'. It's hard for me to use them since I treasure them so much but hey, they are given so that I can use them, right? So I have used quite a bit since I've been here.
What I've found is that I really need the heavy duty one. I've used one from Crabtree & Evelyn and it's useless on my dry hands, even though it was labelled as 'ultra-moisturising'. I had to apply and re-apply several times because after the lotion has been absorbed, my fingers become dry again. So, within three weeks, I finished a whole tub of the cream. Cost really doesn't match the effectiveness, does it?
What was more effective was hand lotion that's from a local brand. It's a special formula for repairing dry skin and I guess it's formulated for the local weather. I guess another solution is to wear gloves when I do the washing up but it's too troublesome. But looking at how my hands are cracking, I think it's something worth doing.
I have quite a few small tubs of hand cream, mainly gifts from friends. Some are quite expensive since they are 'branded'. It's hard for me to use them since I treasure them so much but hey, they are given so that I can use them, right? So I have used quite a bit since I've been here.
What I've found is that I really need the heavy duty one. I've used one from Crabtree & Evelyn and it's useless on my dry hands, even though it was labelled as 'ultra-moisturising'. I had to apply and re-apply several times because after the lotion has been absorbed, my fingers become dry again. So, within three weeks, I finished a whole tub of the cream. Cost really doesn't match the effectiveness, does it?
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Truffle in the kitchen
Two weeks ago, a very good friend of mine stayed at our place for three days. He had spent three weeks in Germany and some other European countries nearby. He visited us for awhile before continuing his journey to the northern parts of Sweden, Finland and Norway. When he got to our place, he had some gifts for us - fine chocolates, a cute cuckoo clock fridge magnet and two very special items, truffle salt and truffle oil.
Truffles are a luxury that I rarely get to indulge in. In fact, I don't think I've ever really had truffle anything. But I have seen truffle oil or salt being used either in food shows or some fancy restaurants. They are used as finishing touches and when the chefs drizzle the oil or sprinkle the salt, people would go 'Wow'. I do wonder how much of a difference tiny drops or sprinkles of the stuff would make in a dish. I haven't had the opportunity to use them yet. My cooking is more rustic than refined so I don't really go collecting recipes that would call for such frivolous ingredients.
Somehow, this morning, I decided I would like to try and use them. We were having boiled eggs with bread, butter and cheese for breakfast. I usually butter the bread, place some thin slices of cheese and pull the egg apart and place it on top. A sort of simple open-faced sandwich. Though simple, I love how the ingredients combine to make a tasty dish. This morning, on impulse, I opened the tiny bottle of salt to sprinkle some over my eggs. The moment I opened the jar, the aroma of the white truffles permeated the kitchen. An earthy scent filled the kitchen. I used a scant amount, not even a pinch, and took a bite. Yumm. The salty earthiness gave it an extra dimension to the sandwich. Umami. Now I understood that word.
In the afternoon, I was heating up a simple potato and leek soup I made yesterday. I added some corn for some extra crunch and decided to use the truffle oil to pump up the flavour. After ladling out the soup into bowls, I drizzled mine with a bit of the oil. Again, the smell of the white truffle was overwhelming. But when I mixed that in with the soup, the flavour of the soup was lifted and made the humble soup more than it is. I compared my pimped up soup to Pete's plain one and I could tell the difference. His was nice but dull, while mine had that oomph of umami.
It's amazing how such a small amount of mushroom could impart such flavour. In fact, Pete was surprised that the truffle salt had only 0.3% of white truffle. I was surprised too. Pleasantly. I am so happy to have such an indulgent ingredient that I can use. Although I don't have that much, a little goes a long way. If you do have amazing friends who gives away such delicious presents, treasure them (your friends). And use them (the truffle oil or salt). The truffle oil and salt really pushes your dishes over the edge.
Truffles are a luxury that I rarely get to indulge in. In fact, I don't think I've ever really had truffle anything. But I have seen truffle oil or salt being used either in food shows or some fancy restaurants. They are used as finishing touches and when the chefs drizzle the oil or sprinkle the salt, people would go 'Wow'. I do wonder how much of a difference tiny drops or sprinkles of the stuff would make in a dish. I haven't had the opportunity to use them yet. My cooking is more rustic than refined so I don't really go collecting recipes that would call for such frivolous ingredients.
Somehow, this morning, I decided I would like to try and use them. We were having boiled eggs with bread, butter and cheese for breakfast. I usually butter the bread, place some thin slices of cheese and pull the egg apart and place it on top. A sort of simple open-faced sandwich. Though simple, I love how the ingredients combine to make a tasty dish. This morning, on impulse, I opened the tiny bottle of salt to sprinkle some over my eggs. The moment I opened the jar, the aroma of the white truffles permeated the kitchen. An earthy scent filled the kitchen. I used a scant amount, not even a pinch, and took a bite. Yumm. The salty earthiness gave it an extra dimension to the sandwich. Umami. Now I understood that word.
In the afternoon, I was heating up a simple potato and leek soup I made yesterday. I added some corn for some extra crunch and decided to use the truffle oil to pump up the flavour. After ladling out the soup into bowls, I drizzled mine with a bit of the oil. Again, the smell of the white truffle was overwhelming. But when I mixed that in with the soup, the flavour of the soup was lifted and made the humble soup more than it is. I compared my pimped up soup to Pete's plain one and I could tell the difference. His was nice but dull, while mine had that oomph of umami.
It's amazing how such a small amount of mushroom could impart such flavour. In fact, Pete was surprised that the truffle salt had only 0.3% of white truffle. I was surprised too. Pleasantly. I am so happy to have such an indulgent ingredient that I can use. Although I don't have that much, a little goes a long way. If you do have amazing friends who gives away such delicious presents, treasure them (your friends). And use them (the truffle oil or salt). The truffle oil and salt really pushes your dishes over the edge.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Morning walk
Pete and I went on a walk today. The morning was grey and cloudy. It threatened to rain but we wanted to drop by his mum's place for awhile and so we still headed out after dressing very warmly. The wind made it seem much colder than 7C and by the time we reached his mum's apartment ten minutes later, we were glad to be indoors.
After spending some time with her, we headed out to a supermarket that was selling cheap butter. 20SEK (about SGD4) for 500g is a very good price. I wasn't really keen on going back out but I know we had to. The walk would be good for us anyway. Luckily the walk to the supermarket was very nice. It was not as windy so we were feeling quite comfortable. The sun was also peeking out behind the clouds and it got a bit lighter. I managed to get a few nice shots of the parks we walked by.
By the time we reached home, we felt good. The walk was just what we needed. We didn't feel it but the walk must have been more strenous than we thought. When we took off our jackets, we realised we were sweating. Wonderful! I am so encouraged. We would do this more often, then. So far, it has rained only at night. Sometimes it would rain for a bit in the day but not much. If this keeps up, we would be able to take more walks.
After spending some time with her, we headed out to a supermarket that was selling cheap butter. 20SEK (about SGD4) for 500g is a very good price. I wasn't really keen on going back out but I know we had to. The walk would be good for us anyway. Luckily the walk to the supermarket was very nice. It was not as windy so we were feeling quite comfortable. The sun was also peeking out behind the clouds and it got a bit lighter. I managed to get a few nice shots of the parks we walked by.
By the time we reached home, we felt good. The walk was just what we needed. We didn't feel it but the walk must have been more strenous than we thought. When we took off our jackets, we realised we were sweating. Wonderful! I am so encouraged. We would do this more often, then. So far, it has rained only at night. Sometimes it would rain for a bit in the day but not much. If this keeps up, we would be able to take more walks.
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| These stones are remnants of a possible Viking shipyard. There wasn't any plaque that explained the structure though. |
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| Pete thinks the stones were used as a frame while building Viking ships. There are ruler-like markings on some of the stones. I'd like to think it's the Viking version of a stonehenge. But then again, we both could be wrong. It reminds me, though, of the rich history of this place. |
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| The fallen leaves make such pretty patterns on the grass. |
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| Not all trees were bare. These willow trees are lush and bushy. |
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