The Stockholm I Know (and Love)

I just had to post these few photos up, to let those who were here (i.e. Bob, Nick, Paul and Dawn) a week and a half ago know that Stockholm is actually really beautiful, when the sun's out and the skies are so clear and blue.
I experienced such fine weather when I first touched down in Stockholm, but I guess the saying's really true - you never appreciate what you have till you've lost it. Thankfully for me, in this case, the "lost" wasn't permanent; the dark and gloomy weather didn't stay and the skies cleared, so I could finally appreciate Stockholm's beauty (what I took for granted when I first arrived) and understand when people say Stockholm is beautiful.
Just a background on why I'm blogging about this: When Bob&theHamburgers were here, the weather was really bad...it rained everyday and it was so gloomy, with the dark clouds looming over our heads everytime we were out. In a way, it probably ruined their trip quite abit and left them with a not-too-wonderful experience of Stockholm. I experienced that weather for a week (it only started pouring when they arrived; prior to that, we had really good weather!) until last Sat, when (goodness I was really excited) the sun came out - I was really ecstatic lah.
So even though I hadn't really started on my studying (yes exam's next Monday and yes, I'm actually still quite unprepared), I decided to join my friend in showing his Aunt (who was here on a short trip) around Stockholm.
So to Bob&theHamburgers, this is how Stockholm is when the skies are clear:

Outside my hostel


On the way to the bus-stop

On the island of Djurgarden (where Skansen is located)

Update

Since the last post, we have been:

1. to the finals of the Stockholm Open, where we saw James Blake and Bjorn Borg;
2. to Mannheimer Swartling, the largest law firm in Sweden (beautiful library and amazing pantry, btw!);
3. to the Svea Court of Appeal in Stockholm, which is as modern as the courts in Singapore, but housed in a more traditional building;
4. to school! (lectures, lectures, lectures...)

We have also played host to Kin Yew, Nick, Dawn, Paul and their Turkish friend Dyugu, and are all set to receive Terri and Sam next weekend!

The weather in Stockholm is getting really chilly- it was 5 deg celcius yesterday, it's been drizzling the past 5 days, and i havent seen proper sunshine in a week!
But no matter, since our first exam here is on 6 November 2006.
Bad weather = cannot go out = stay in to try to study.
However, bad weather also = conducive sleep environment (it's really nice to snuggle under my warm quilt) = waking up after midday, while staying in = msn, blogsurfing, watching backtoback episodes of Lost, CSI (for Jo) and random movies.
Pros and cons to everything, huh...

But besides the impending exam, all's been good! Been talking to alot of you guys, and i'm glad to hear all's going well, although the exams/ essays are a pain. But hang in there ok!

Take care, everyone. :)

Photos from Germany

Because I'm lazy and also because 5 other people will blog about how the Germany trip went, I shall only put up group photos. For everyone to see us and for the 5 others to kop it off this blog...lest they say I'm slow in passing them the photos.
(Btw, Terri! I want photos from you too! Zip the group photos/photos of me and others and send to me please! Tack!)

Berlin:


Sam, Jess and I on the Berlin S/U-bahn


Law students on a tour of Berlin!


Us at a random traffic light...photowhoring as often as possible. haha


Us in front of the Humboldt University's Law Faculty! (Their law fac is really damn...nice. Too bad the woman who took this photograph focused only on us)

Dresden:


We stopped over at Dresden for about 2 hrs coz we didn't want to arrive too early in Munich. Jess emerged with 2 bottoms after a mere 20min in the shop. -.-

Munich:


Dunkin' Donuts for dinner.


Policemen in the background were randomly checking peoples' bags for drugs...


Law students at Oktoberfest 2006!


Me and Jess right smack in the middle of the carnival...


Food was damn good.


The guys had 2 of those each.


We shared a 1L mug - Oktoberfest beer is different from normal beers. Tastes really good (this coming from a person who generally dislikes beers).


:) (The other 2 people in the photo are architecture students on exchange in Paris - 1 is my friend and the other Nick's. What a small world!)


Sam acting cute.




3 bengs in Munich.


Terri enjoying her pork knuckle sandwich.


We had dinner at a true blue Bavarian restaurant, and Jess and I shared a pork knuckle. Sinful.




Sam and his cordon bleu.


Nick really looks like a robber with his beanie on...haha.

Salzburg: (minus Nick coz he returned to Hamburg after Munich)


This is what happens when we fall asleep on trains...But no one really gave a shit about how photos were being taken of us sleeping then because we were just so exhausted. We had to wake up at 6.30am to catch the 7.45am train to Salzburg!


Me and Terri.


Law students/backpackers in Europe! (Backpacking's no joke-the bags can get really heavy.)


In front of Mozart's statue.




The view of the Alps is really fantastic and amazing...worth the hike all the way up to the fortress.

Cologne:


Guess who's the only one awake during the long train rides...haha


A cold cold day in Cologne.


Us with our new friend in Cologne.

Not many group photos in Cologne coz everyone was tired and the weather was turning cold(er). There was also nothing much to do in Cologne except for the superb shopping.

There are actually many more photos (and stories) I wanted to post, but it's time-consuming and tiring. Looking through the photos brings back loads of memories. It was truly a great trip - thanks for the great company Sam, Nick, Jess, Terri and Shu. :)
Germany was so enjoyable because firstly, we went at the very right times (Berlin before their re-unification day-3rdoct, Oktoberfest in Munich), secondly, the great and very affordable food on offer and thirdly, the fantastic company.