First post from Sweden

Well, I am dead tired and my feet are so sore they are throbbing, but it's been an amazing few days in Stockolm!  Thought it might be a good idea to post some pictures now.  One thing I've really begun to realize though, is that pictures rarely do justice to what I see.  And I think that's definitely the case for Stockholm.  It's so hard to capture all the colour and grandness of it.

Gamlastan (taken from Södermalm, another district in Stockholm)

Some kind of gull with black wings.  The Stadhuset tower (along with a church steeple) can be seen in the background.

Odd fountain across the street from the hostel.  I took this picture sometime between 10:30 and 11pm.  Notice how it isn't dark out.

Stockholm wildlife beside what I think is a children's playground.

I couldn't heard the sound on the computer at the hostel.  Hopefully it's ok.  This is the procession of soldiers on their way to the Royal Palace for the changing of the guard (I think - I was just walking down the street on my way to something else when they passed by).

My lunch - Swedish meatballs and lingonberry sauce.  The meatballs were also covered in another delicious sauce, although I'm not quite sure what it was.

Finally managed to capture a picture of the elusive penguin bird (aka magpie, aka skata)

Ping pong tables outside a school.  Why don't we have those in Canada?

Colourful buildings in Gamlastan

The Royal Palace - a rare shot with a blue sky!

Drottingholm Palace - it's similar to Versailles, but with fewer tourists and more interesting tour guides.  Unfortunately I couldn't take pictures inside.  This is actually the private residence of Sweden's king and queen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 8 - Brussels

It's hard to believe, but my time in Brussels is coming to an end.  I've had an amazing time and I'll be sad to leave, but I'm looking forward to Sweden!



Drinking a Rochefort 8 (trappist beer) at Delirium.  This bar has over 2000 beers to choose from.  With it we had cheese and celery salt, a very Belgian thing to eat when drinking beer.



Part of Delirium's menu.  That's right, a Molson Lager costs 10 euros.

Outside the Toone puppet theater/bar.  It dates back to the 1830s.

The Toone theater.



A clip from the puppet theater.  Hopefully it works.  If anyone speaks French, I would love to know why they all start dancing at the end.



At Cinematek - this is where the pianist played when we watched the silent film "The Wind."  It was pretty amazing.  The guy played for almost 80 minutes non-stop.

Making friends with the cat (every bar has one apparently) at l'Image Nostre-Dame, possibly the oldest bar in Brussels.



The dog version of Manneken Pis.  Yes, this is actually a statue in Brussels (it's called Zinneke Pis).



Sampling Westvleteren's beers at the bar across the street from the monastery.  It's one of the few places where you can buy it for a reasonable price apart from ordering a case directly from the monastery (which you can only do by phone and you need a car and I think you can only buy one case per month).



The after shot.



Day 4 - Brussels

First post overseas.  I arrived in Brussels safe and sound on Sunday, June 5.  It was a pretty good flight (with free alcohol! - my first on a plane), and the Brussels airport was ridiculously easy to get through.  There was hardly anyone around, and I felt like a minor celebrity as I walked through the exit doors alone and was greeted by a crowd of people waiting for the arrivals.  It was very odd.  My aunt and uncle were also there, waiting for me.  Traveling doesn't get much easier than that!  It's nice to know the locals.

Brussels is amazing!  And in only 4 days, we've managed to pack in a lot: the Grand Place, Manneken Pis, Royal Palace, Palais de Justice, Military museum, EU parliament, local flea market, the Cinematek, parks, churches, frites, waffles, and, of course, many different kinds of beer (my favourite so far is probably the trappist beer Westmalle Dubbel, although it's so hard to choose).  One thing I'm realizing though, is that I'm not much of a picture taker.  My aunt had to keep reminding me to take them!  I will get better, I promise.

Palais Royal de Bruxelles



Guided Tour of Cantillon Brewery, the last lambic brewery in Brussels (the beer is produced by spontaneous fermentation from air-born yeast - the gueze version of it tastes kind of like beer-flavoured sparking wine)



Grand Place - it's hard to capture in a picture how magnificent the square really is



More Grand Place, this time with menacing storm clouds above



Where the EU Parliament sits



Arc at Parc du Cinquantenaire.  On the right at the top there is a free view of the city.  On the left at the top you can eat at "The Cube", a tacky restaurant that will be moving around to various landmarks in Europe, first stop Brussels.



Military museum - a free museum with an overwhelmingly large collection, including a warehouse full of planes

Also at the Military museum  - I thought this was a rather disturbing/confusing display.



Obligatory shot of Manneken Pis, who's looking quite dapper in his flower-print vest.