Scandinavia

After our little adventure in France, it was time to separate and come back to reality. Mike returned to the Jing, and I went to Scandinavia for work. First stop was Stockholm. To be honest, I didn't (and still don't) know much about the Nordics - Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland, except all four of these countries were way up North and now was not the best time to travel there. Oh well.

I didn't get a chance to see much of Stockholm, but based on what I saw, it's a really pretty city. It's much quieter than some of its other European cousins - London, Paris, Rome...but it's very elegant and classy. The people are gorgeous (men and women), and the designs are just really cute. In fact, all I did during my free time was shop!

Drottninggatan, the street where my hotel was at. Unfortunately (for my wallet), it also had a lot of cute boutique shops.

Ligonberries on sale at the Christmas market

Chantarelle mushrooms. I never knew this, but Scandinavians love to pick mushrooms in the forests during their free time.

My hotel, the Hotel Bentleys, was a really old building that was constructed in the 1600s. Here's the elevator. No joke, it seriously dropped a few centimeters when I rolled in with my suitcase (plus it didn't fit through the door). Did I mention I had to close the doors myself as well?

Dinner on my first night at a restaurant called SPISEN. I ordered a seafood stew cooked in a light tomato broth and sprinkled with chives. It was very fresh and hearty.

View of Stockholm during the day

Notice how there's no sunlight during the winter!

My second stop was Helsinki. If Stockholm is the darling of Scandinavia, then poor Helsinki is like the ignored ugly child. I arrived yesterday morning, and at first glance, Helsinki looked grey, drab and boring. It wasn't until my coworkers took me around the city that I got to see its charm and beauty!

Drinks at A21, a cocktail lounge in Helsinki. This place mixes the Finns' love for berries and plants into its drinks. I thought the rhubarb martini was delish.

Dinner at Strindberg , a long-time favorite spot for the Finns

Glass of Glogi - my colleagues called this "Christmas wine." It's a type of warm wine mixed with spices and nuts to keep our bodies warm. It tasted sweet at first, but I realized later in the evening (maybe too late) that this drink was rather lethal and strong. I may have had too many glasses of these - my chest was feeling warm and fuzzy, but my head was a bit dizzy!

For starters, I ordered the goat cheese mousse, with beets, drizzled in a vinaigrette with honey and lavendel. This was really yummy - the ingredients were really fresh!

My entree - seared white fish with tiny bits of shrimp and potatoes, cooked in a light cream sauce

The next day I caught a glimpse of downtown Helsinki

The library of the Helsinki University. Note the neoclassical style of the building

Tuomiokirkko, the Lutheran Cathedral. Note the Russian influence on Finnish architecture

Lohikeitto, salmon soup with cream, another popular Finnish dish

Some other places I like:

• Efva Attling - Swedish jewelry designer. Very pretty and chic
• Gina Tricot - the Scandinavian version of Forever 21 and H&M
• Indiska - Swedish clothing store with an Indian flair
• Cafe Engel - Near the Lutheran church, this place is popular with the locals!
  

Anyway, that pretty much sums up my trip! I have to say, while this adventure was definitely fun and productive, I'm pretty tired now and I'm ready to head back to my warm comfy apartment in the Jing. Can't wait to head back!