[SWEDEN] Malmo in (more) photos

And here are a few more pictures taken during my trip to Malmo. This is the Radhus (or City/Town Hall, I think)...

and a statue in the middle of the Stortorget (or Big Square).

A nice building near the Stortorget. I see a lot of buildings built of red brick in Sweden, or at least in Lund and Malmo (I haven't really been anywhere else in this country yet).

This picture was taken in the park. That's Martynas, with the glass-walled Stadsbiblioteket (or City Library) in the background.


What's great about Europe is that in the big cities you tend to have a good mix of old historical building and modern architecture. Here's a cool-looking building that you can see from the park.

These white and off-white building facades line one edge of the Gustav Adolf Torg and provide a lovely backdrop to the busy street in front of it.

My new car in Sweden. Haha I wish! I wonder when I will get a chance to drive a car like this...

It was a warm sunny day and people felt the need to sit outdoors to dine, drink, or have coffee...


Or just chill by the canal.

And let's round things up with some interesting Swedish fashion. Ever seen a Scandinavian Cowboy with an oversized yellow Stetson hat? =)

[SWEDEN] Malmo in photos

Two weekends ago, I spent the day walking around Malmo with my colleague Marlena and our Lithuanian friend Martynas. These photos are taken from St Petri kyrkan (St. Peter church) and from our walk around the parks.

This is the Malmohus, a museum that used to be a castle. It sits right next to the Kungsparken, one of the parks in Malmo.

St. Petri kyrkan...

with its elaborate four-tiered altar...

and an equally intricate pulpit.

Marlena said she doesn't want me to put up pictures of her in my blog but this one doesn't really show her clearly enough so I thought it should be okay for me to share it. For some reason, I like the lighting in this shot.

The Kramare side chapel. Apparently, the inside of this church, along with a lot of other churches during the Reformation, was painted white, covering almost all the medieval murals painted on the ceilings. The only part of this church that was left with its original murals is this side chapel, the Kramare (or merchant's).

Spring is in the air! I took a photo of these flowers in the Gamla Begravningsplatsen, or Old Cemetery, which was right next to the parks.

Malmo is known as the city of parks. There are three adjacent parks - Kungsparken, Slottsparken, and Mariedalspark.

Eh, don't ask me what this is. We spotted it while walking through the parks.

And here's a nice little tree-lined path.

Happy Easter!

Well, I'm a couple of days late but I do want to wish everyone a Happy Easter and I hope that everyone had a great weekend. I haven't really been able to update my blog because Good Friday and Easter Monday are holidays in Sweden, and I decided to take a holiday to Switzerland during this time. My cousin John (or Don John) is a priest in Locarno (in the south of Switzerland) and I thought it would be fantastic for me to celebrate Easter with him.

I'm still in the process of sorting out the loads of pictures I took during this trip, and when in do, I'll surely put them up in my blog along with stories of my great experience. Stay tuned! =)

Elliott releases a CD!

Elliott Yamin has finally released a CD!

His self-titled album was released on March 20 and in its first week, it sold 90,000, taking to to#3 in the Billboard 200. Apparently, it's the highest new artist debut on an independent record label ever. Way to go Elliott! (and E-train of course =)). His CD has gotten good reviews and there seem to be quite a few radio-friendly tracks on it. So hopefully his songs end up getting some airplay which would then translate to him selling even more CDs. But even if he doesn't sell that hit platinum, the fact that he has been able to release an album that is doing well, at least initially.

There are no immediate plans to release his CD outside the US though, so I had asked my friend, Mark who is in the US right now, to get me a copy. Hopefully I can figure out some way to get it from him soon.

(Oh and to those who are interested in getting a copy, make sure you get the one with the bonus track - Elliott's version of' 'Whiter Shade of Pale'. I've heard that he does a fantastic job on this song.)

[SWEDEN] Happy Beer Day!

I had my first beer in Sweden last Saturday. And it wasn't long after the first before the next five followed.

Marlena was planning to rent a bike on Saturday but when I told her I was thinking of taking a day trip to Malmo, she said she would like to join me. We planned to meet at the train station at 10am on Saturday. She called me at 9am to ask if someone else could join us - she made friends with Martynas, a Lithuanian guy who is currently booked in the same hotel as she is. Naturally, I told her to bring anyone she wanted. The more the merrier!

We took a little tour of Malmo (pictures to follow in a succeeding post) before deciding to have a very late lunch. We ended up in Lilla Torg which was jampacked with people, so we found ourselves sitting on bar stools in an American restaurant. I've steered clear of beers so far because they cost about 50 kronor or 350 pesos (yes, I am sure by now you have figured out that it is an expensive country to live in!) so I tend to prefer spending my money on necessities rather than on entertainment. But it was definitely the perfect atmosphere for me to try my first beer and so I ordered my first beer, a Norrlands Guld.

We head out of the bar and then walk around a bit more before deciding to sit outdoors in Pizza Hut - it was the only place we saw that still had seats outside, and since it was 15 degrees Celsius with wonderfully bright sunshine, sitting indoors was not an option - so we grab a table and order another round. By the time we guzzled up our beers, it was around 4pm and most of the bars in Lilla Torg had free tables outisde. So we head to another bar and I have my third, and last, beer in Malmo that day. We take the train back to Lund at around 6pm.

We split up at the Lund central station and I head back to my apartment. I sort out some things out at home before I end up heading out to meet up with Mattias, a Swedish guy who worked in the hotel I stayed in and who I ended up being friends with (actually, I am now friends with all the receptionists in that hotel and I regularly pass by there to say 'hi' and chat with them for several minutes at a time). Anyway, Mattias said he would take me around town that night for a few beers. We end up going to three different bars, and I ended up having three more beers before I called it a night.

All in all a fantastic beer day. I don't want it to happen a lot though. There are cheaper ways to enjoy being in this wonderful country. =)

[SWEDEN] Two thousand pesos for a haircut

I had a haircut before leaving Manila, but after 2 1/2 months, my hair obviously got a lot longer. So recently, I swung by a hairdresser. I am now sporting short hair. The cost? 320 kronor. Or about P2,198.92. Ouch! In Manila, for that price I could have a dozen haircuts. Maybe I should just shave my head.

[SWEDEN] My apartment

Here's a virtual guided tour of my new apartment:

My doorway. It's customary to leave your shoes at the door (like in Japan and Korea). There's also a place to hang coats and jackets when coming in.



Some artsy thing in my hallway. This message is open to interpretation. You gotta dig the cool lighting on it though...

I have a guest toilet right next to the entrance (with the matching rug and hand towel).

My laundry room. The iron and iron board are tucked away in that closet on the right.

My bathroom. The shower area is actually quite small and considering the size of the bathroom, I wish it was a bit larger.

The flowers are only decorative.
My hallway. The pic is not meant to be a nice shot of the place, it's supposed to convey the space you see and feel as you step inside.

My study. The owners of my apartment are a married couple: French husband and English wife. And they have quite a bit of art put up all over the place. The plants on the window sill are real.

The kitchen and dining area. Stainless steel fridge, oven, and microwave. Pretty cool lighting on the dining table. Ceramic stove and built-in hood on the left. Toaster and water pot which I haven't used so far. More potted plants on the window sill.

Dinnerware that came with the place. All of them from Ikea. I think the multi-colored bowls and cups are cool.


An Art wall facing my dining area. As you can see, the color theme of my pad is a cool and soothing green which I really like (my pad is Manila has a yellow-brown-green theme going on).

My living room. I took this photo right as the train was passing by outside (not sure if you can make it out). The pictures hanging on the wall were taken in Montenegro by my landlady. I think they were rendered a bit to make them look like water color paintings.

There's a plant on the stand and more plants on top of the radiator at the far end of the room.

My 42" Hitachi LCD (or well I think it's an LCD. Could be a plasma. Doesn't matter). It swivels too so if I am in the dining area I can angle it so it faces me while I am eating.

And finally my bedroom. More plants on the window sill. The flowers are decorative. The drapes in the other room are all off-white but in the bedroom I have black drapes to give me more privacy (and darkness at night).

More art on the wall. And those mirrors are actually sliding doors that, when opened, reveal my large closet space.


That's the end of the tour. I really am lucky to have gotten this place and it's even cooler that the owners made sure to furnish it with a lot of great stuff.

Jeopardy snafu

I found this while I was searching for something in youtube and thought it was hilarious. Definitely something you would never expect to hear in a respectable gameshow LOL



video uploaded to youtube by kraut63

Actually, I would've given the same reply. =)

[SWEDEN] A new colleague in Sweden

I finally got an internet connection at home so I should be able to update my blog a bit more now. The problem: it's not wireless and the port is at my doorway where there is no table and chair. I pulled a chair from my dining area and my laptop is literally on my lap as I type, and I won't be typing for long because it is getting a bit too hot. I am planning to get a WLAN router soon (or maybe not so soon since I am guessing it will cost quite a bit to get one) so I can actually work in my study (yes, my new pad is large enough to actually have a study among other things).

Anyways, I now have a colleague working with me here in the customer site - her name is Marlena and she is Polish. She's staying now in the same hotel that I stayed in when I got here, and in fact she actually got the same room I got. She says there's a plant in the room that is almost dead which is why she has started watering it, but i take no accountability to the death of that plant since well it's a hotel and there's someone cleaning the rooms daily so it should be their responsibility to water the plants (or at least tell me so if they expect me to do it). Speaking of which, there are quite a few potted plants in my new apartment and so far I have been able to remember to water them a couple of times each week. Hopefully by the time I leave my apartment all these plants are still alive.

Yesterday, Saturday, I went over to her hotel because we planned to walk around the centrum so that she could familiarize herself with the city. Unfortunately the wind on Saturday was incredibly strong. It was somewhere between 5 and 10 degrees I think, and I now find that temperature to be warm enough to be outdoors without a hat and gloves and with my jacket unzipped (guess I have adapted to the cold weather pretty well). But not on Saturday. The wind was so strong that it felt a helluva lot colder than it was. Marlena was actually tearing up from the wind, and after we had walked around to see the Domkyrkan (I'll write more about the Domkyrkan in a later post) and a few University buildings when she suggested that we go have some coffee because and hope that after our coffee, the wind would die down.

So we head to Espresso House (of course) and end up talking about how it is working in a different country as well as the history of Poland and the Philippines and how life is in our respective countries. Marlena knows a lot about Poland and it's history, and it embarrassed me a bit because I just realized I didn't have the same in-depth knowledge of my country's history as she had of hers. So the next time I get back to Manila, maybe I can get a decent history book and read up on it again so I have better, more insightful things to say to people who ask me about it next time. Or maybe I can just check the internet.

When we step out of the cafe, we find out it was still very blustery outside. So we decide to call it a day and maybe try to see more of the city some other weekend when the wind isn't forcing us to stay indoors.

I actually decided to run today. As I said, it doesn't feel too cold anymore so I was feeling ready to take on the weather in just my running attire and a sweater. And I did run - I have no idea what distance I covered but I ran for 28 minutes so that's probably about 4-4.5 km. The intense wind was still around though and it made it extremely difficult to run. But I really needed some exercise so I am glad I did it.

Repeat of 2005?

Woo-hoo!!! Liverpool get through to the quarterfinals of the Champions League!!!

They actually lost to Barca 0-1 at home, but because they did beat Barca 2-1 a couple of weeks ago, they end up on even terms 2-2. But Liverpool get through because of the away goals rule - in their match-up against each other, Liverpool scored 2 away goals (i.e. in Spain) while Barcelona scored only one.

Next up: PSV Eindhoven, who Liverpool trounced during the group stages earlier in the tournament, so there's a good chance that they make it through to the semis. Of course, you can never count out any team because anything can happen.

Anyway, they are a few more wins from possibly winning their 6th Champions League trophy, after capturing it 2 years ago. I am not going to count my chickens before they are hatched, especially since both Chelsea and Man Utd loom in the distance. But I will continue to keep my fingers crossed that they do well and snag the big prize...

Good luck Liverpool!!!

[SWEDEN] Settling in

Finally! Last Sunday, after being in Sweden for almost two months already, I moved to my new apartment! Funny thing though, after only a couple of days of being in my new place, I had to fly to Rubiera, Italy for a business trip. So I'll have to re-settle in tomorrow night.

The internet connection in my apartment hasn't been set up yet, so my blog will probably stay un-updated for a week or so (although I hope it gets sorted out sooner than that). I'll try to sneak in a few posts every now and then to remain connected.

More on my fantastic new place (plus other updates) soon!

Fantasia sings 'I'm Here' on Oprah

OMG. I just saw this in one of my favorite blogs, www.rickey.org. Fantasia is going to be playing the role of Celie in "The Color Purple" on Broadway starting April 10. She recently guested on Oprah and sang 'I'm here', the same song she performed in American Idol a couple of weeks ago.

Now I remember watching a video of that AI performance a couple of weeks ago and I thought to myself, 'Man, this woman really knows how to deliver such an emotionally charged performance, it's almost like she is putting everyone else on AI to shame.'

Then I saw her Oprah performance. The arrangement had been changed to make it even more stirring and heart-felt. And, my God, I was blown away even more!!!


(I didn't upload this video to youtube myself, it was uploaded by user peppa800)

I've re-watched and re-listened to this dozens of times already and it still moves me deeply each time. I read a comment that someone made on this video online that you watch it and you feel it in every fiber of your being. I couldn't agree more.

Kelly Clarkson may be the biggest-selling and most internationally successful Idol ever, and she may never be surpassed in that regard. Carrie Underwood's debut album is the highest-selling debut album by any Idol winner and she may end up being the most award-winning as well, with Grammys, Billboard, Country music and American Music awards trophies under her belt already. Jennifer Hudson has so much buzz attached to her name now with her role as Effie White in Dreamgirls, which earned her a Golden Globe and an Oscar award that you expect a lot more success to come her way. And Chris Daughtry's album has already sold 2 million copies (actually outselling winner Taylor Hicks by a mile) and selling more records than any other non-winner in AI history.

But for me, no one else in Idol history can dig as deep within themselves, deliver more emotion, bare more of their soul, and move people as much as Fantasia. There is an unmistakable truth to her performances that, to me, no one else can match.

I just hope that at some point in her career, she can come up with an album featuring songs like this one.

[SWEDEN] My first Swedish parking ticket

Ugh what dumb luck!!! I got a parking ticket a few days ago.

Normally when I head home, I have to get a parking pass from the hotel reception. I drive up to the front of the hotel, park on the side of the road, get a parking pass, then I chill in my room for a bit - you can park on the road for 10 minutes - before I head back out to drive my car to the parking lot about 200 meters away. Then I head straight to dinner.

I followed that same routine one day and when I step out of the hotel lobby, I see a parking ticket on my car! WTF? I was there for less than 10 minutes! I step back into the hotel and ask the receptionist to explain the ticket to me. Apparently, the ticket was not for parking for more than 10 minutes, but for pointing the car in the wrong direction i.e. against the flow of traffic. In the Philippines, parking this way is not a problem hehe so I didn't know there was a rule like that. To make matters worse, my ticket costs 800 kronor or about P5600. Damn!!! That is a lot of money for parking in the wrong direction for less than 10 minutes.

Anyway, I never made that mistake again. Ah well, I guess you could say your experience in a new country will never be complete unless you have some infraction against the law hehe. Okay that is not true, but I will just think of it that way so I'm not too bummed about the 800 kronor I just flushed down the toilet...

"Our Generation's Genius"

The Oscars are over. And I'm just as pleased as almost everyone else that Martin Scorcese finally has a Best Director Oscar. I guess I'm glad on some level that Helen Mirren got an Oscar for best actress. She was superb in 'The Queen' but despite all the odds, I was still hoping for Meryl Streep to beat the odds and take her third Oscar (2nd for best actress). She does have the record for the most Oscar nominations - 14. But this also means she has lost more times than anyone else (at least in the acting categories).

So anyway here's a bit of a tribute to the Marvellous Meryl Streep, whom Diane Keaton calls "My Generation's Genius" (Diane's tribute to Meryl in 2004 when Meryl was given the American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award:


After all, she not only can act...

(my fave scene in 'The Devil Wears Prada'):


She can also sing...

(from 'Postcards from the Edge' - if there is any vid in this post you watch from start to finish, this should be it):


(and from 'A Prairie Home Companion')




And no one does accents and even languages better than her!

Speaking in perfect Polish in "Sophie's Choice" (warning: this video is extremely heart-wrenching!!)


Speaking in perfect German, also in "Sophie's Choice"


And copying Lindy Chamberlain's half-Australian/half-New Zealand accent to perfection in "A Cry in the Dark"


Congratulations again to all the Oscar winners. I am just hoping that at some point in the future, Meryl wins at least a couple more.

[SWEDEN] Where the hell is Frosty?

You know, the Snowman? I mean, I thought I was in Winter Wonderland. Unfortunately, I didn't really see him anywhere. Guess that must have explained the lack of jolliness despite the large amounts of snow.


It started snowing lightly but continuously yesterday afternoon. The forecast wasn't good though. Satellite shots in DMI indicated that this red "blob" was initially heading out towards the Baltic Sea and was supposed to miss Sweden completely, but it changed directions last minute and made its way to the south of Sweden. I had a meeting from 430 to 5pm that I didn’t want to skip coz it was with a person who was so hard to get on the phone. By 5pm there were almost no people left in the office.

I step out into the parking lot only to see that the ground has been covered in snow. My car wasn't completely covered in snow yet, but I needed to use my ice scraper to get the ice off the windshield and windows.

Driving in snow was no longer unfamiliar to me so I wasn't all the worried. Up until my windshield started fogging up. Thankfully it's just a 5-km drive. I managed to get through.

On my way to church for Ash Wednesday mass, I realized it was not the best night to go walking around the city. The snowflakes were gritty, like tiny bits of ice. And with the wind blowing really hard, the snowflakes hitting my face, the only part of my body that was exposed, actually hurt. Kinda like when you are in the beach and the wind starts blowing really hard and the sand starts slamming against your skin. Not fun.

Anyway, here's how the streets were last night. Not the best road conditions to be driving on, but still manageable.

And here's how the roads looked this morning, I guess after the snow kept falling all night. Had to make sure I drove a bit more slowly. I also saw a couple of snow plows getting rid of the snow on the streets.


By the end of the day, the snow and ice on the roads had turned into cold, gray, sludgy slush (check out the left side of the picture below)...


Oh and I actually slipped on the frickin' ice! And not the whoops-I-almost-took-a-spill-there kind. I mean the embarrassing, butt-right-smack-on-the-ground kind. I just bought a sandwich and a coke light in can from Subway and was heading back to the hotel when I stepped on a slippery patch with my right foot. I think the laptop on my right shoulder made it difficult for me to regain my balance and the next thing I know, my butt is on the icy sidewalk and my sandwich and coke had slipped out of my hand! And since I involuntarily shouted "Sh*t" when I fell, everyone around me looked my way and saw me sprawled on the ground. How humiliating hahaha! Thank God I had gotten a coke light in can, and that my sandwich and coke were in a plastic bag.

It's supposed to get warmer beginning tomorrow, but in case Lund remains snow-covered by the weekend, I'll try to take more pictures while the sun is up. I bet the park behind my hotel looks really nice now.


This really has been the most snow I've ever seen in my life. My colleague told me this is the most snow that Lund has had for a while. A bit of a hassle really but when I think about it, it really is a great experience.