WE HAVE MOVED

With the intention of broadening the horizons of what I write about, The Teen Traveller will proudly move to the EUAN SUAREZ BLOG!

WE HAVE MOVED

With the intention of broadening the horizons of what I write about, The Teen Traveller will proudly move to the EUAN SUAREZ BLOG!

JOYLENE'S DAYOUT

Visit my auntie's awesome blog, Joylene's Dayout where she'll tell you all about her climbs, travels and French-toast stacking skills.

WE HAVE MOVED!

With the intention of broadening the horizons of what I write about, The Teen Traveller will proudly move to the EUAN SUAREZ BLOG!

a href='http://joylenesdayout.blogspot.com/' target='_blank'>JOYLENE'S DAYOUT

Visit my auntie's awesome blog, Joylene's Dayout where she'll tell you all about her climbs, travels and French-toast stacking skills.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

OCTOBER 2013 -- FAVORITES


October 2013 is finally finished! I decided that every month, I'll list down my favorites. May it be an "Eats" post, a "Miscellaneous" post or one of my regular travel posts, I'm gonna list them down.

October 2013 - FAVORITES

Stockholms Stadsmuseet 

The Stockholm Metro {Odenplan}

Tim Tam's From Australia

Drottninggatan & Gamla Stan

The Bellman Cafe - Hotorget

Flowers @ The Square - Hotorget

UPDATE: Getting Ready for Gothenburg!


Currently here in Stockholm, the Middle School students are experiencing their fall break... which will be finished in a couple of days. So we thought that a perfect way to end this break was to travel. Isn't travelling the solution for anything though? {lol, jk, but most of it, maybe?}

So we're gonna visit one of my mom's relatives living in Gothenburg (which is still in Sweden). I really don't know though if the house we're staying at has Wi-Fi (pray to the heavens it has), but I will still keep track of my travelling {and eating} experiences for you!, But don't expect for me to post anything for the few days coming up, though.

Thank you once again for supporting me and most importantly, this blog!

BONUS - Tomorrow's post will be a RECIPE!

LIKE MY FACEBOOK PAGE for BLOG UPDATES and such.


Wednesday, October 30, 2013

EATS: Bellman Cafe & Konditori


Whilst shopping for clothes and stuff in Central Stockholm, we thought that we grab a quick drink/snack at one of the nearby cafes near Hotorget and the Stockholm Concert House. 


We came past Bellman Cafe & Konditori, one of the first cafes we spotted. 


I ordered a raspberry smoothie and a chocolate chip cookie, my stepdad ordered a latte, my sister wanted a Pepsi and a double chocolate cookies and my mom got hot chocolate and a double chocolate cookie. 




The cookies were very good, considering that they were filled with chunks of chocolate. The smoothie was OK. It was very sour and it wasn't very cold. 


I forgot to mention that they also sell a wide variety of pastries, cakes and savory sandwiches. 

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Read More. 










Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Thoughts for Travelling PART 3: Shriya Sant

Thoughts for Travelling, a new section here in my blog where I interview people about their travelling experiences and their perspective on everything about "travel"

Click HERE to see PART 2, where I interviewed Daniele Grigaite.
Click HERE to see PART 1, where I interviewed Stephanie Younan.


PART 3: Shriya Sant -- Another classmate of mine from India, who currently lives in Liljeholmen in Sweden.


1: What's your favorite tourist spot here in Stockholm?
"Ummm... I would say Gamla Stan because it has a lot of really good waffles. And Stockholm originated from Gamla Stan, making it very old and interesting. 
2: What kind of travel tip can you share to us?
"I would say food, and you should pack food / snacks because the prices here (in Stockholm) are very expensive. Savor the food and its taste!" 
The Taj Mahal (Photo from Wikipedia)
3: If we go to your home country (India), where should we go? 
"It depends, because there's different stuff in different places. Like in Delhi there's the Taj Mahal and in Mumbai there's the city and its humid. I really recommend Delhi. I love the the history of the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort." 

4: Should you be scared of something while travelling? If yes/no, why? 
"I'm personally scared of losing my passport because that's the only thing I have, and if I lose it, I think that I'm not a citizen of my country anymore." 
5: When you hear the word "travelling", what's the first three words you think about?

"Extremely hot climate, exhausting and super cold water." 
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Thank you Shriya for letting me interview you!

Get Exclusive Blog Updates! Click Here To Like My Facebook Page.

Going to Gamla Stan? Read My Blog Post About It Here. Click this link to also get a bonus of Stockholm's Changing of the Guards!

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Monday, October 28, 2013

ANSWERS to the United Nations Fact Game


Before reading on, CLICK HERE if you haven't seen the main post. Or just click it even if you don't remember the statements or your answers.

So in the last post {click the link above}, I put out 10 statements considering the United Nations, 8 of which were true, two of which were false. The answers are below!

Statement 2 was a false answer. The first general assembly of the United Nations was convened in the Central Hall of London (in Westminister) and was held on the 10th of January, 1946, not on the 10th of January 1947.

Statement 8 was also a wrong answer. When this blog post was published (28 October, '13), there were only 193 member nations of the United Nations, as opposed to 195 on my first blog post.

Hope you got most of them correct!

Remember, tomorrow will be the day where I will post Part 3 of Thoughts for Travelling! Link shall be posted here! 

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Hötorget and the Stockholm Concert Hall (Konserthuset)


{Due to the fact that I'm not using a Swedish keyboard, every time "Hotorget" is said in this post, the first letter "o" always has two dots above it.} 

What is Hotorget? Hotorget is basically a square in the very heart of Stockholm. Since I've been here in Stockholm, Hotorget is basically the site where you can get some souvenirs from Stockholm, like mugs, magnets, shirts for affordable prices.



I also forgot to mention that one of the most noticeable things being sold in Hotorget are fresh (or so I hope that they're fresh) produce. You can find tons of blueberries, strawberries, Swedish mushrooms and all sorts of flowers and seeds being sold here at the square.

According to Wikipedia, flea markets are arranged here in Hotorget on Sundays, but I have personally never seen flea markets in this area of Stockholm since the day we've visited.

Hotorget also has the Stockholm Concert Hall (locally referred to as "Konserthuset", literally translated as "The Concert House"), which is the not-that-highly-emphasized blue building in the picture above and below:


The Stockholm Concert Hall directly faces the markets of fruits, vegetables and souvenirs in the square. This building also is the cite on where all the Nobel Prizes (except for the Peace Prize, which is given in Oslo, Norway) are given.

There are so many useful establishments just within a two-six minute walk within the square and the concert hall. Here are some useful establishment examples:

  • Hotorget Tunnelbana (Subway) Station is just a minute away. Literally.
  • Kjell & Company - A store that sells electronic accessories and peripherals (plugs, conncetors, etc
  • Kungshallen - A building where you can find a variety of food stalls, coffeehouses and restaurants.
  • Akademibokhandlen - A shop that sells books. It's a chain (along with Kjell & Co.), so don't be surprised that you can see these kind of stores in a range of locations.
  • Forex Bank - Currency exchange offices.
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You really need to read more. 

  • Stockholm Public Library
  • An architectural wonder, the library located in Odenplan and is circular in shape.
  • Stockholm City Hall
  • Where the Nobel Prize banquet is held, the Stockholm City Hall is trully a highly-recommend attraction.
  • Skansen -- Stockholm's Open Air Museum
  • An open-air museum that lets you experience the simple and old Nordic lifestyle. Also get ready for a magnificent view of Stockholm. 












Sunday, October 27, 2013

More About Drottninggatan


Remember that time where we went to Gamla Stan to see the Royal Palace and the Changing of the Guards? CLICK HERE to see that blog post.

I chose to blog about this again because it is one of the main streets of Stockholm. I bet you'll see it if you go to Gamla Stan eight out of ten times. 


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So far from my stay here in Stockholm, when we pass Drottninggatan, one thing really overpowers from the rest. The people. The monstrous number of people is because of the scattered restaurants and shops here in the street, and that Drottninggatan is also a direct way to the T-Centralen and Hotorget Stockholm subway stations, and Stockholm City itself. 

The number of people in this picture wasn't as much as there was though, because I didn't take a photo from up a hill which Drottninggatan passes through (which is near our house).

Not just restaurants and shops are present here, but there are also some hair salons, coffeehouses and a theater. Drottningatan is also connected to another street that gives you a quick passage to the City Conference Center and Norra Bantorget. 

Continue walking straight in Drottningatan and you will be welcomed by a stunning view of Gamla Stan, including a view of the Stockholm City Hall. 




This is the view from the bridge, note the Stockholm City Hall on the right side. 


Just after the bridge are two magnificent archways which (in my opinion) symbolize the beauty of the architecture of the old town of Stockholm. Just think that when these archways were built, they didn't have as much technology as we have today, so this costed them lots of effort and workmanship. 

The Archways of Drottninggatan. 

Once you cross both archways, you can proudly say that you're in the heart of Sweden, Gamla Stan. Literally, Gamla Stan means "The Old Town". The Royal Palace is just a quick two-three minute walk, and don't forget to see the Changing of the Guards while you're there. 


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Friday, October 25, 2013

THE STOCKHOLM GUIDE


I have been blogging for about three-five weeks now, and I really focus on Travelling in Stockholm a lot, because I live there. 

I think it is about time for me to make a compilation of all the stuff we did in Stockholm, and provided a quick navigation for you. 


So here's the list of the places we've been. Click a link to be redirected to that particular blog post. 


The Vasa Museum (Vasamuseet)

Changing of the Guards at the Royal Palace
Gamla Stan (Old Town of Stockholm)
Acquaria Ocean Museum -- Stockholm
Uniquely Stockholm?
Transportation Comparison Between Sweden and the Philippines
Skansen Open-Air Museum
Stockholm City Hall
Strandvagen Harbor
Stockholm's Public Library (Stockholms Stadsbibliotek)
The Stockholm Metro/Subway (Tunnelbana)
Stockholm City Museum (Stockholm Stadsmuseet)

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Tomorrow will be the start of the Fall Break! So disappointed though that our visa application to London got rejected... Click here to know more about that. I do promise to blog more about tourist attractions in Stockholm! 


Thursday, October 24, 2013

U.N DAY 2013: United Nations Fact Game



In celebration of the United Nations day of 2013, I prepared an Interactive Game for you!

Instructions: Below are 10 statements, 8 of which show facts about the United Nations, 2 of which are just false and random. You guess which statements are false / wrong. Good luck!

Answers will be posted on Monday, 28 October.

1: The Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations (currently) is from Sweden. His name is Jan Eliasson. 

2: The first session of the General Assembly of the United Nations was on 10 January 1947, held in New York City.

3: When the U.N was founded, there was 51 original member states. Examples of these original members were Australia, the Philippines and Mexico.

4: The U.N has six official languages, Arabic, French, English, Chinese, Russian and Spanish. 

5: The United Nations was founded in 1945, to replace the League of Nations, and to stop wars among countries.

6: The U.N has lots of specialized agencies, an example would be the Food and Agriculture Association (FAO), currently based in Rome. 

7: There have been eight secretary-generals currently (2013), since the founding of this organization. Only two of which from Asia. 

8: There are currently 195 member states of the United Nations, examples of which are Ghana, Thailand, Austria and Bolivia. 

9: The U.N headquarters is currently in New York City, with more main offices in Vienna, Geneva and Nairobi. 

10: The United Nations Security Council was established in 1946.

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Thoughts for Travelling PART 2: Daniele Grigaite


Thoughts For Travelling, my new series where I interview some of my closest friends about their experiences in other countries, and other stuff.

Click HERE to see PART 1, where I interviewed Stephanie Younan.

PART 2: Daniele Grigaite  -- One of my classmates from Lithuania, who has a twin brother named Mindaugas. 

1: What's you're favorite travelling experience?
"To try new food. I really liked going to Portugal because we went to the Lisbon Aquarium and I saw different species of fish, ate different kinds of food and got to see the capital city, Lisbon.
2:  Favorite Stockholm tourist attraction?
"I really like the Stockholm Public Library. It's really amazing and interesting and I recommend you to go there."

  • Click Here to see my post about the Stockholm Public Library! Daniele is right, it's truly beautiful.
3: What travel advice can you give my readers?
"When you have decided on where in the world you really want to go, you need to read or research about it first. For example, research about its tourist spots or culture.
4:  If I go to Lithuania (Daniele's home country), where should I go?
"The city center or the capital city, Vilnius. In the evening, it's really beautiful and pretty. Also go to the tower of Gediminas (picture on the left). Highly recommended." 
Picture from www.wikipedia.org.

5: Where would you like to go if you were given the chance?
"I want to go to the United States of America, because it is a huge country and there could be lots of interesting stuff to visit and to do, and each of them are very unique and different.

Thank you to Daniele Grigaite for answering my questions!

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Thoughts for Travelling Part 3 will be released on Tuesday, October 29.
Read More:
The Stockholm Tunnelbana (Metro / Subway) 
The 20 Million Swedish Crown Painting





Tuesday, October 22, 2013

EATS: Tim Tam's from Australia


My stepdad went to Australia the past week to check on his farm and some other stuff that grown-ups do. 

We made a checklist on what to bring from Australia and back here to Stockholm. Among the list were staplers, supplies for school, Microsoft Office disks and Australian foodstuffs

He brought me two packets of TimTams, a biscuit kinda like a Kitkat (name resemblance, eh?), two packs of our favorite nougat and VEGEMITE. 


Based from internet sources, a packet of TimTams cost from about 2.50 to 3.20 Australian dollars, about 16-20 Swedish Crowns or 2-3 U.S dollars.

First Impression: Once I opened the packet up, I thought that they would go beautiful as an accompaniment to afternoon tea or coffee. 


I tried the original one first, because you always need to try the original ones first, duh. IT WAS AMAZING! The filling was very creamy and was very delicious. I think it was too biscuit-y though, but I don't care. It's very good. Highly recommend. The texture of the biscuit was like a thinner but wider Kit-Kat. 


Then I tried the dark chocolate one. I personally prefer milk chocolate (in general), because of its creaminess, and I think that dark chocolate is quite bitter, and white chocolate is just... "ehh". 

This kind of dark chocolate biscuit was good too, but it was kinda bitter too. Clearly not a disappointment, though. 

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I shall try nougat and Vegemite next time! 

You really should read more

(Thoughts for Travelling is one of my series where I interview my closest friends and let them share their travelling experiences with me and you) 

(A blog post where I share my ideas of travelling, and how travelling affects you for the better. Check out some of its benefits.)


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Monday, October 21, 2013

Like My Page, Get Updated


I have not that much people who regularly reads my blog, but for those who do, I now have an official Facebook page! 

I'm getting sick and tired of posting my new blog posts and updating my Facebook friends to my blog...  

This link will take you to a new window, so you can still enjoy my blog!


CLICK HERE TO GO TO MY FACEBOOK PAGE 
LIKE MY PAGE AND GET EXCLUSIVE BLOG POST UPDATES!

Don't just like it, SHARE IT! Spread the love.

Thoughts for Travelling PART 1: Stephanie Younan


So this is a new series on my blog. Something where I don't get to express my opinion, somebody else does, I just ask the questions. Welcome to Thoughts for Travelling, the series where I interview some of my closest friends and their travelling experiences.

PART 1: Stephanie Younan  -- First featured in "More Pastries from Hemkop" blog post, where she treated us before she went back to Canada.

1: What do you think about Sweden's tourist spots? What was your favorite one?
"Yeah. Söderköping was nice. I liked the view and their ice cream. It was just a very relaxing place. Gamla Stan isn't too bad either."
2: What is the best thing to eat here in Sweden?
" Definitely the ice cream from Söderköping was awesome, and so are the ones in Gamla Stan, because they make their ice cream cones fresh.
3: What's the best travel tip you can share to us?
" Always arrive at your train station or airport or whatever an hour and a half early. It really makes a difference. Things go faster.
4: Have you been to any other countries other than Sweden and your own (Canada)? How was your experiences?
"It depends. In Finland, it was cool to see their small markets and the police festival. In Milan, we stayed at a monastery and it was like heaven. Denmark was a little nicer than Sweden. New York is so busy. Everything there is just like... filled. Belgium was beautiful as well. None can compare to my love of Canada, though, because it is my home.
5: When I say "travelling", what comes into your mind?
"First, I think of where we're going and how I imagine it. Will it be hot? cold? freezing? warm? Then, I think about what I can see. Will I see trees? buildings? ancient stuff? I then think about the plane ride next. Will it be bumpy? Will we get there smoothly? Then, I think about how much I wish my friends could be there to share my adventures with me.

Thank you Stephanie for being a part of my blog! Good luck with yo' life!

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Next Part will be on Thursday, 24 October. Link will be posted here.
--> Share my blog and this post in Facebook or Twitter. Click the stuff just above the labels above this post.

Read More: 
Stockholm City Museum 
Bamboo City Asian Buffet (Chinese Food & Sushi)


  









Saturday, October 19, 2013

Stockholms Stadsmuseet


We went to Slussen yesterday (18 October) for a class trip to the Stockholms Stadsmuseet (Stockholm City Museum).

Facade

Opening Sign <Close-Up>

The first thing we did was to look at an overview of Stockholm by century, from 1400 to 2000. We then proceeded to another corridor with this replica on it:


This is a replica of the Stora Barnhuset pa Norrmalm, or the Norrmalm Orphanage. Our tour guide told us that children here were treated quite badly, giving them meals of bread and butter, chickpeas, or sometimes, no breakfast or lunch at all. If children tried to escape, their heads and hands will be chained to a wooden contraption, or their legs will be shackled to a chain connected to a heavy wooden log.


16 children have escaped the orphanage, though. They then raced to the Royal Palace (picture above, not exactly how it looks like now), where they met the current queen. Interestingly, the palace is heavily guarded, there were only a few entrances and exits and the walls were very thick and high, but they still managed to go in. Even our tour guide didn't know what happened. Maybe they were just really fast runners? They should have raced against Usain Bolt back then.

Fast-forward for about forty-fifty minutes and our guide led us to some stairs, before ending in one of the corridors leading to two houses. One of the houses belonged to a family of three, who really can't even afford the cheap price of the house. Because of this, two men from the harbor just nearby also settled into the house to help pay the bill. Quite disturbing.  <No pictures because my phone's battery died!>

Then our guide showed us the next house, belonging to only two people. This house was quite better, because it had a sewing area, some kind of writing/reading nook, wallpapers, and etc. It really is like those stereotypical "grandma's houses" that you see in the T.V shows.

The houses were really small though, everything was kinda squished together. I wouldn't be surprised if the house replicas would fit into a rather large bathroom or a small bedroom.

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Fees: SEK 100 (19 years +), otherwise free.
Overall Impression: Very good. The museum is great for kids because it is somewhat interactive, but it is still loaded with historical information. 7.5 out of 10.
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You should read more. 

Travel stories? Advice? Tips? Bizarre experiences? Click here to share them.

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Thursday, October 17, 2013

EATS: ICA's Strawberry Ice Cream Cones


While shopping with my family last Sunday, we stumbled across this ICA Ice Cream, which is just a brand of ice cream from the supermarket we bought. 

We bought one box (8 pieces) of Strawberry & Vanilla ice cream, 250 calories per 100mL (which is great, considering each cone is 120mL), SEK 20. 


Nothing fantastic. The ice cream came out just like the pictures above, with less strawberry jam. Surprisingly, the cone was covered in chocolate in the inside and the ice cream is also filled in the inside of the cone, not just on top. I love the chocolate-filled tip! It makes you want more. 

Value for money is excellent. 8 cones for 20 crowns is fine, considering you can get one cone of a equally-tasting Cornetto in Hemkop for SEK 5 (there was a sale), and that's only for one ice cream. 

ICA also makes biscuits, cookies and simple breads for great prices. 

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Aiming for 5,000 views before December! Thank you all! 











Wednesday, October 16, 2013

The 20 Million (Swedish) Crown Painting


My mom, my sister and I met with a nice Filipino lady the other day and took us to her nice and cozy apartment. After we took the little tour, she offered us some snacks and a strawberry drink. 

She then showed us this:

Nothing much, just a painting right? That's what I thought until I heard my mom's friend say "It's worth SEK 20,000,000"

My jaw just dropped. How can this painting be worth so much? Is there something I missed? Some kind of hidden message I didn't get? Hmmmmm..... 

I know it isn't exactly travelling, but isn't it mind boggling? 

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Remember to submit your travelling ideas/experiences/tips to euansuarezblog@gmail.com! Or, click here to learn more. 

SHOUTOUTS:  Patricia Balla | Elleina Suarez | Leah Suarez   {thank you people!

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Sunday, October 13, 2013

The Stockholm Tunnelbana (Stockholm Metro)


How we love good company. It's not just about having good friends, but how they treat you and the memories and experiences you share with them. Isn't that just delightful?

We met with Anika, Orka and their daughter Matilda in Huddinge for a nice Saturday. The plan is to help them with gardening and to have a wonderful dinner together.

We decided to use the Stockholm Metro (or the Tunnelbana) to get there. I always think that we are geographically blessed because our house is just a two-four minute walk from the Odenplan subway station (on the green line). My school is also on the green line, at the Skanstull station.

One of the many entrances of the Odenplan station 

Odenplan after the ticket-gates. 

So we plan to go to Ragsved (note that the "a" should have a little circle on top of it) and walk about a kilometer or two to the house. Most of the Tunnelbana we use is underground, but the route from Gullmarsplan to Ragsved is amazing. Everything is above ground and the scenery was very natural. 


Whilst on the subway, the train stopped at the Globen station and it has a view of the globe. See that mini-globe above the larger one? Well you can ride on that and get an awesome view of the whole Stockholm. I want to go there some day.

Arrived at Ragsved! 

By the way, here's something that may catch your attention. This is a video I took just after we left the Gamla Stan station to Slussen. What an amazing view. I see this everyday. Very stunning. 

Sorry for the quality of this video. Filmed from an iPhone. Watch in H.D

I saw my school from Skanstull - Gullmarsplan! 


SHOUTOUTS: Matilda Jackobson | Joylene Love D. Suarez 

Want Something Random? Click here

~ ~ Thank you for 3,000 views ~ ~ 












Friday, October 11, 2013

Travel To The Philippines! Part 2 - FOOD


Before you continue to read this post, make sure you read part one. Read part one here.

So in my previous blog post, I talked about the fun and exciting things you can do in your visit to the Philippines. Now, I shall talk about gastronomy!!


  • Pan de Sal & Ensaymada
These are the most iconic Philippine breads. Pan de Sal is a simple, small bun. That's it. Just a small bun. Filipino's like this in the morning with some Dairy Creme (butter) or some Cheez Whiz (cheese spread). Ensaymada, on the other hand, is my favorite Philippine bread. It's basically like a brioche, but it's topped with cheese and sugar. Simply amazing. 

  • Kwek-Kwek & Fishball
Now for the Philippine version of street food. Street food vendors typically have a bicycle with a cart that has everything needed for them to cook tons of varieties of street food. Fishball is a typical example. These are basically fish, flour and other stuff mixed together, before being deep-fried onto the cart of the vendor. These are very cheap indeed. 1 piece typically costs 50 Philippine cents, which is about a U.S penny. 

My personal favorite street food is Kwek-Kwek, which is basically a quail egg deep fried with an orange batter. I also like Tokneneng, which applies the same principle, but uses a normal sized egg. 

Tokneneng (image by ph.news.yahoo.com

  • Batchoy 
Oh my God, Batchoy. One of the most awesome inventions of mankind. It's basically noodles, chicken stock, crushed pork cracklings and beef loin. I have nothing left to say. Batchoy -- best there is. You can buy these in some restaurants (mostly family owned). There are also some hawkers by the sidewalks, but I don't buy this from them... 

  • Lumpiang Shanghai 
Another one of those things that you just need to try. It's basically pork mince, carrots and other vegetables mixed together, stuffed inside an edible spring-roll wrapper, wrapped and deep-fried. You can see this in most Philippine restaurants that have a predominant Filipino or Chinese menu. My family once went to this fast-food place in Tagaytay and I ate a whole serving of this. That's about 15 spring rolls as big as your ring-finger. 

  • Turon 
This basically has the same method of cooking as Lumpiang Shanghai, but is stuffed with banana slices and is covered with brown rice before deep-fried. I really like this because it's a hot dessert, and is not typical. Recommend buying this from hawkers. If you do purchase some, make sure that there's a lot of brown sugar coating that is not burnt. Turon can be gross if the sugar is burnt. 

  • Sago't Gulaman 
You know that craze "boba tea"? This is basically like boba tea, but replace the "boba" things with squares of gelatin. And the liquid is basically some kind of infusion of pandan leaves and brown sugar. I have a family relative from Cavite in the Philippines that makes this and the smell of the pandan infusion and the sugar drags you to the kitchen (literally and figuratively). Do not buy this from the street / street vendors.
















Thursday, October 10, 2013

Government Shutdowns are like Travelling Frustrations


So in the news, the United States is experiencing a government shutdown. Apparently, the shut down happened because of debts and stuff like that. I'm not quite updated with recent news, so I really don't know.

Everything in life can be treated as a challenge. Recently, we had problems with banking, thus lowering the chance of going to the Philippines on Christmas. The latter may be treated as a hindrance, a hurdle or an obstacle.

Whilst travelling, you're brain needs to "shut down" from all the hassle and stress from your day-to-day life. But sometimes, you can also "shut down" (literally and figuratively) from your travel, because of the actual stress you deal with travelling.

Travelling should be a leisurely past-time and not something that causes your brain to explode. Make the most out of your travelling and most importantly, plan ahead!

If you do come across some travelling frustrations and want to express your opinion against them, email me at euansuarezblog@gmail.com or click here to learn more.

Want to learn more about the United States' Debt Limit? Here's a video from one of my favorite YouTubers, C.G.P Grey. He does educational videos about all sorts of stuff.

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READ MORE: Stockholm's Public Library 











Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Travel To The Philippines! Part 1- TOURIST SPOTS


I have lived in the Philippines for more than ten years, and I can honestly say that I have only explored less than two percent of the whole country. But I do know the basics for Travelling in the Philippines.


  • Luzon 
Luzon is the second largest island-group in the Philippines. The current capital city, Manila is also located here. Luzon is a great place if you want to experience an urban, but nonetheless diverse culture of the Philippines.

Going here? Go to Mayon Volcano in Bicol where you can see the perfect cone shape of the volcano itself. You can also experience lots of fun, leisurely activities. Also, either go to Tagaytay or Baguio. Baguio is an astounding place with lots of parks and natural activity. Don't forget to get a jar of strawberry jam while you're there.

If you wish to stay in the Manila area, go to Roxas Boulevard and Rizal Park. Rizal Park is a great place where you can see a large monument of our national hero, Joze Rizal. The place on where the monument actually stands on is the place where he got shot into his death. Go to Roxas Boulevard to experience a wonderful sunset and maybe try some of the local street-food.


  • Visayas
Geographically, Visayas is the smallest group of islands in the Philippines. It may be small, but it contains some of the most fascinating festivals and relaxing beaches there is. 

If you want to enjoy the sun and the sand, most people want you to go to Boracay. Boracay is probably is the most notable Philippine beach. If swimming in Boracay isn't enough, you can also scuba-dive, snorkel and ride glass bottom boats there. Quite the trip, isn't it? 

Opt to experience a more cultural aspect of Visayas? Go to Bacolod in Negros Occidental to feel the wonder of the Masskara Festival. Literally translated, the Masskara Festival means "The festival of masks." You will find tons of street dancing and exhibitions including people wearing artistic masks and the like. 

  • Mindanao
Mindanao is probably the largest island group in the Philippines, considering its size. This part of the Philippines is really green, as most of its natural aspects come from the fact that it is an agrarian part of the Philippine archipelago. 

If you really want to experience nature but want your heart pumping at the same time, go to the Dahilayan Adventure Park in Bukidnon. What's so notable here? Well I know that you can experience Asia's longest dual zipline here (850 METERS!!). They also have a ropes course and a crazy bungee-rope type thing that plunges you into a man-made lake. All for an affordable price. 

Part 2 is out now! Please read it here.
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I really do recommend WOWTRIPPERS.COM if you want a stunning Philippine adventure. Make friends along the way, don't forget to party and most importantly, explore the Philippines and experience its history and culture. 

<They also do International Trips too!> 

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Monday, October 7, 2013

EATS: Bamboo City Asian Buffet


In my previous blog-post about Stockholm's Changing of the Guard and Old Town (click here to view), I said that we ate in Bamboo City, which is a buffet restaurant located in Drottninggatan. 


I think that the price for buffet for adults is SEK 158 and SEK 128 for kids. I just based it on the sign above, so I'm not sure...

While we were seated, we ordered three Pepsi's and a water which was served in less than five minutes. We then went to get some food from the buffet. There were a wide variety of options to choose from, from deep-fried goodness, to a fruit and ice-cream bar to a bar where you get your own raw food and let the cooks cook it for you.

My first plate was sushi. Below (clockwise from left), I had a sushi roll filled with mango and crab, a crabstick wrapped rice roll, a shrimp (?) topped rice roll and salmon sushi.

The crabstick sushi was the best, as I love me some awesome crabstick. I wouldn't say that the salmon one was good, because it tasted gooey and was like gelatin. It also kept falling from the rice blob.                                      

My second plate was dim-sum. I didn't take a picture because it looked so good that I just had to eat it before capturing. I had steamed and deep fried shu-mai, a deep fried dumpling and a boiled fish dumpling.

Everything was very good, with the exception of the boiled fish dumpling which tasted like water. Loved the deep fried shu-mai, basically because I never had one of those in a long while. The deep fried dumpling was disappointing though, because it was kind of chewy and not crisp.

My third plate was "randomly Chinese". (Clockwise from middle) I had some fried rice, deep fried shrimp, a squid cracker, deep fried chicken and two spring rolls.

The deep fried shrimp, chicken and the squid biscuit were exceptional. If you ever go here, don't miss those. The rice was "ehh" as I couldn't taste anything besides the corn kernels. The spring rolls were fine...


I then grabbed a fourth plate, which was a plate just with the deep fried shrimp, the cracker and the chicken. I called this the "favorites platter". I then grabbed a watermelon slice, a fried banana, some ice cream and maple syrup for dessert.

Overall, I think was the dining experience was above-average, although the placing of their buffets were not exactly up to par. The main buffets and the place where you get the raw food to be cooked are in the left of the restaurant, the fruit bar at the right, and the Chinese food and deep-fried stuff on the back right of the restaurant, near the restrooms.

Speaking of restrooms, they were nasty. Toilet paper everywhere. Not very hygienic at all. Half of my appetite was lost.

Value for money? I think it's too steep. It should've been SEK 100 for adults, SEK 70-80 for kids. Or is that too low to make a profit?

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Bamboo City (Chinese/Mongolian Buffet) 
Drottninggatan 28
Stockholm 111 51 
Norrmalm, Sweden 
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Sunday, October 6, 2013

Stockholm's Changing of the Guards & Gamla Stan


Another misty Sunday morning in Stockholm, and what better thing to do than go to Gamla Stan (Old Town) and enjoy the magnificent view, the awesome architecture and some of its narrow streets.

So just a few meters away from our apartment is this street called Drottninggatan (literally translated to "Queen's Street"). The street very nice because when you walk along it, you will be greeted with numerous restaurants, cafes, salons and in the middle of the street is Stockholm City Central. You can also find T-Centralen there.

Fact: T-Centralen is the only Tunnelbana or Stockholm Metro/Subway station that connects all three lines, the green, blue and red.

If you opt to pass Central Stockholm and go a bit further into the street, you will be welcomed by a bridge with a magnificent view of City Hall and other cool stuff. Also, you will see two cool archways that lead you to Old Town or Gamla Stan.

 The View from the Bridge

Archways.

So once you go through the arches, you will be in Gamla Stan. After you cross the second arch, you should see the Royal Palace towards your left. 

We took the route opposite to the Royal Palace as we wanted to explore more through town. After about half an hour walking through narrow streets and browsing souvenir and shops that sell scarves and hats. We then chose to go to a cafe. 

I didn't blog about the cafe because we my mom, sister and I just got some soft-drinks and my stepdad got a latte. My sister and my mom also got a Chokladbol (Swedish chocolate ball) and an apple pie as a snack. 

More walking before we came across the Royal Palace itself. We saw about a hundred people gathering and we realized that there was a changing of the guards happening. I recorded two videos, one where the guards enter the palace grounds and one where the guards really change. 

Fortunately, the guards really changed near us, so I manage to get a video. Here it is (sorry for the bad quality and that the video is shaky): 


Watch This Video In High Definition!

By the way, before going home, we ate at this buffet restaurant called Bamboo City. It will be released tomorrow, 9 in the morning if you're in Stockholm, 3 in the afternoon if you're in Manila. I will also link it here when I publish it.  

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Saturday, October 5, 2013

Stockholm's Public Library


Today, me and two of my friends, Gloria and Linh opted to go to Stockholm City today (Saturday) and just explore and roam around.

Linh and I met in the Odenplan Tunnelbana station and walked to Stockholms Stadsbibliotek or the Stockholm Public Library, to meet Gloria.

You might notice that the library is kinda weird in terms of the shape of its outside. It kinda looks like a cylinder with a normal shaped building affixed to it.


When you walk on the main entrance, you will be welcomed with an awesome view. The library is basically like a large circle. There are some pathways that lead you to non-circular quiet study rooms with more books about geography, science and demographics.

The large circle is divided into three floors which can be accessed via staircases. Along every part of the circle are shelves of books, either in Swedish or English with tons and tons of genres and fields of knowledge.

The Library's Name in the Main Entrance


The View From The Third Floor 

By the way, if you opt for a small snack or a coffee, I think that there is also a cafe inside the library itself. Once you go out of the library, there is a small park, a McDonalds, a Thai Food Stall and a shop where you can buy stationery. 

Thank you Linh and Gloria for making this day extra fun!

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