Update Paris - day 1

So what about Paris? Well, spring 2006 will be remembered as the spring of revision; I have been travelling a lot - but mostly to places I've already seen: Chamonix, Zurich, Vienna and now Paris.

Emma and I managed to see almost everything we wanted to. On day 1 we started with shopping on Champs Elysée, a look at the L'arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, a walk along the Seine where we ended up on this (see photo) cozy café (Paris made me realize what Zurich don't have: nice cafés!) Sacre Couer and Montmartre.

We stayed at hostel Aloha, which I strongly recommend you to A V O I D. We were not allowed to be in our room between 11am and 5pm (!), we had to be back before 2am at night and we were not aloud to drink alcohol in our room (we broke each one of the rools). We were surrounded with American backpackers (one of the rools of the hostels was: "please do not call the reception staff 'mam'") who where impossible to connect with.

I would not be surprised if French security police in the coming days will knock on my door, asking me questions regarding our very long and confusing visits in the French metro system. Why? Emma and I probably spent most of our time Paris figuring the system out - and we still do not have a clue. First of all: There is no united sign for "Metro" - each station has its own sign - creative but inconvenient. Secondly; Once you have get there, you never know your way out. And finally; it is impossible to know if you are actually on the right train.

Photo for mummy-mum

The weekend trip to Paris resulted with a thinner pocket and a few more clothes in my wardrobe. One of the best deals was this pink scarf that I found on Lafayette. And don't ask about the price...

Photos that make me homesick...

Photos from my home sweet home:
http://www.vmbild.com/galleri/landskap/Page2.htm

31 more days to go.

Emma and Ida go to Paris...

and the question is: who will loose whom?

To be continued.

Personal political disaster

There are days when I do not understand how I function. Yesterday was one of those:

1. I made the political life style test on DN's (i.e. Swedish newspaper) webpage and I just found out that I am 68 % "Folkpartist". You may cry for less.
2. I went to a friend in Zurich to pick up Emma's camera that she lost on Saturday. I returned with it safely, but forgot my MP3. Very smart.

Region editor

YES:
www.sviv.se

Hajomskolans kladdkaka (Chocolate cake from Hajom school)

You need:

200 g butter
6 eggs
6 dl sugar
3 dl flour
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
8 tablespoons cacao
salt

Melt the butter and add all ingredients. Bake in the oven for 17 minutes in 200 C°. Serv it with whipped cream.

(Ongoing project: teach Maria how to bake Swedish specialities. She is still only responsible for the dishes...)

Barbeque night on the river banks of Rhine

Last week I was on a barbeque on the river banks of Rhine with Emma and some of her class mates. The Rhine river also separates Germany and Switzerland. This photo was taken on the Swiss side and in the background you see Germany.

What I am longing for...

I am longing for:

• lazy Swedish summer days with lots of lots of fika pauses.

Coming up:

• dinner with SVIV at Dreikönigshaus
• region editor for Switzerland for the website of SVIV (!)
• no more bad words about SVIV

Not coming up:

• Midsummer - I thought Swedish Church, regardless where you live, was responsible for organizing the biggest Swedish holiday of the year - but no. Swedish Church Zurich is closed due to summer. No midsummer for me, unless I don't organize it myself...

We had an event for all our employees last Friday, which was interestingly fun. Maria managed to eat ALL her food.

Photo: Kristin Olsson