A One Day Getaway In Sigtuna

Stockholm is a very wonderful place. Sometimes, you just really want to get away from the hustle and bustle that is in Stockholm and just go to a  very relaxing place.

A few days back, me and two of my good friends went to a city just under fifty kilometers away from Stockholm called Sigtuna.

After a forty-five minute car ride, we arrived at Sigtuna proper. We quickly got to tour the town and even sit and chat at the one of the oldest coffee houses in Sweden, Tant Brun!

The Sigtuna Town Proper

Tant Brun!

We then walked to the pier where we saw a ton of boats, and this very astounding view of the surrounding islands. At the harbor, we got to see some ducks and birds hanging around and got the chance to feed them!

A view of the majestic pier.

We then had lunch at the local pizzeria, where it offered awesome views of the city.

Afterwards, we tried to drive to the Skolkoster Castle, but we couldn't find the way so we turned back to Sigtuna, and got a humongous ice cream at the shops at the pier.

Words cannot describe the excitement and the joy that I felt while roaming around this small, cozy, astounding city. It was quite of a tight fit for a day, but I got to spend it with two of my craziest friends and had a very filling mushroom and ham pizza for lunch. There was only so much time to spend in this wonderful paradise, so I look forward in going there again sometime!

Where do you think I should explore next? Vaxholm? Uppsala? Kiruna? Leave them in the comments below!

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The University of the Philippines

Four years ago, my auntie and I went to the University of the Philippines - Diliman Campus, just to feel the physical environment and atmosphere for me, and a walk down memory lane for my auntie. Four years later, we went to it again, this time with my sister and uncle.

Before you go inside the campus, you will be welcomed by the U.P Oblation Statue in front of the Quezon Hall. You might think that the Oblation is just some random naked guy with outstretched arms with a head facing upwards, but it actually represents a person sacrificing himself for his country and depicting selflessness.

A superstition / urban myth goes that if you take a picture with the Oblation and you study at U.P,
you won't graduate.

We originally parked at the Vargas Hall, so we went there to get the car. We then drove to the U.P College of Law and stopped to take pictures of the Sunken Garden. 

It's sinking! Group yourselves into... (Who gets that reference?)

The Sunken Garden measures 5 hectares (12 acres). According to Wikipedia, the gardens sink about two inches per year, although there is no proven study that verifies this. It also says that it sinks because of the trenches below the garden itself connects to the Marikina Fault Line that runs across the east of Metro Manila.

We then went to the Art Circle near the Bahay Ng Alumni (translated as the Alumni's House). The Art Circle showcases great paintings, most of them (in our experience) were directing about the Philippines and Filipino life. 

People engaging in a cockfight.

A seemingly rural town.

We then planned to go to the Carillion Tower, but it was closed and no light was visible. That ended our trip to U.P.

I leave you with this shot I took in U.P, which is one of my favorite pictures ever.

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Swedish Traditions (Crayfish, Midsummer, Etc)

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EATS: Starbucks ~ Greenbelt 3

For our first trip at the Greenbelt, we stopped by to get some drinks at Starbucks.

I got a Strawberry and Cream Frappuccino (No coffee, 'cuz I don't like it with coffee) while my mom and my sister got a Chocolate Chip Frappucino.

We also got our drinks with a Chocolate Glazed Doughnut (for me) and a Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie (for my sister).

It looked more high-quality in my phone. Sorry!

My frappuccino tasted really good at the start, until I found out that it didn't fully mix, so the strawberry syrup stayed to the bottom of my glass, leaving me with a less-fruity (and therefore less awesome) taste once I got to the middle of my drink. It was practically just milk and a faint taste of berry when I was at the middle. I got a great *burst* of fruit and milk goodness at the start of my drink, but not when I was halfway. Kinda like winter?

Strawberry to the left :D

For the doughnut, it tasted really creamy, but there wasn't enough chocolate. Or I'm just a hardcore chocolate lover. Who knows?

This is literally my second (if not my first) trip to Starbucks. So don't judge me as I judge their ambience.

The place was really comfy and gives off a nice, relaxed vibe to it. Christmas music was still playing (as this was experienced about two days before Christmas eve), and the smell of butter croissants baking in their kitchen delightfully gave me a grin on my face that was wiped off the exact time the strawberry syrup was wiped off out of my Frappuccino. The staff was very welcoming! Even the security guard occasionally comes in to the building and says "good morning"! No joke!

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There Aren't Any Starbucks In Sweden (If there are though, they're really rare). They Have Their Own Chain Off Coffeehouses Called "Espresso House". 

Public Library of Stockholm

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THE PHILIPPINE SUPERTYPHOON

I hope most of you have heard the situation in the Philippines. The debris and everything are causing harm to the environment and to the people. 

On me and my family's behalf, I want to condole everyone whose families are acquainted with this situation. I want to say that it is very heartbreaking to see this much people suffer from natural phenomena. 

Everyone, please keep safe. Whether you're in this typhoon or you're very lucky enough to avoid it. Take care and keep safe.  

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My Trip To Munkedal (Near Gothenburg)

Remember that update post that I talked about going to Gothenburg? I was really off. Turns out that we went to a cozy little town about a hundred kilometers away from Gothenburg named Munkedal.

So there isn't much to blog about Munkedal, though. It was really just a simple and quiet suburb type of town. One thing I'd like to talk about in the town was its nature.

The place where we stayed at was covered with trees. There were lots of trees, like birch, oak and some kind of fir or pine that are used for making Christmas trees.

We enjoyed the company of my mom's cousin, her husband and their adorable two year old. And did I mention their excellent food? She made us some olive bread and potato and leek soup with bacon bits. The soup is to die for!

Munkedal is a very pleasant experience and I would 100% go back. I wouldn't go again by train or car though, because long train rides make me dizzy and want to puke, and long car rides are just uncomfortable. I would prefer planes, but they're quite expensive. Everything has its pros and cons, though.

More cool stuff for you to check out: 
- Stockholm's Science & Technology Museum {Tekniska Museet} 
- Amusing Facts About Sweden


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