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The Good Samaritan – Part 3

What is the core activity I do in every place I travelled to? joined the Walking Tour! Sadly mine was cancelled on last minute where I was already on the way to our meeting point. I still could get some chance of changing it to the next day, although it will only be for less than 1 hour as I have to go to the Airport in the afternoon.

Marlyn, you are not a beginner travelers, take yourself to explore Madrid! Search, ah Templo de Debod! let’s do this. Since we are visiting an old temple, let’s go back to ancient time, queueing for at least a good 1 hour long, good news: it’s free 😉 The descriptions match the engraved wall, although it wasn’t so clear like emboss effect, you could still see the patterns.

The outside appearance still hold its majestic, what makes it more magical are the gates still there! The location of the temple itself is also magnificent, kind of on the top of the hill.

There is also a look out area on the far end:

Mahlzeit eh? I’ve already eaten delicious Spanish food except…. Churros! Andreas and Irina told me the best churros ever: San Gines! I have to checked that, one portion of Churros for myself with chocolate please 🙂

Now I’m ready for…. Plaza Mayor! there is a fence due to some parts still under constructions where I met…. Sunny! she has a very good Handy with 0.5x camera ability! Girl!!! I gotta stay with you hahaha she was so nice! she let me borrow her phone, from Plaza Mayor we wanted to go to the Parliament House, passing a beautiful church. I went inside while she’s catching the sunset from the Parliament House.

The Sunset was very pretty, she got a spot on the edge, we take turns on taking pictures literally don’t give our place away haha don’t make the same mistake twice! she gave up her spot while looking for me, therefore when we found each other, nothing gonna part us from our edge!

We separated after that, I went strolling with no specific destination like Chueca, stopped when people are taking angle wings picture, want to have it too! #FOMO. Back to Cibeles Fountain and Banco de Espana. I’ve only witness the beauty in the daytime, now on nighttime it was beautiful too! As it says, lo que es bonito es bonito.

I got hungry heyyy! Irina wrote me some dishes I can try, most of them I tried it all with JP & Co, except one: it’s the stew meat. I already know I wouldn’t like it as much as I like the others yet I still give it benefit of a doubt. Was I correct? Yep! Should’ve had the Jamon with Patatas instead 😉

What did I do in the end? I texted Eric I might give it to the homeless people. He replied “if it doesn’t taste good for you, do you think you do a favor by giving it to the homeless?” Well….. he is a Spanish perhaps he will like it haha

Oh who is Eric? Very funny I met him while asking for picture with my La Casa De Papel Mask in front of Bank of Spain, turns out he’s from Switzerland so we speak Deutsch! Finally it starting to make sense of learning the language 🙂

My last day is here… didn’t get much from the less than 1 hour walking tour. While Paris has Eiffel Tower, Madrid has Puerta del Sol. It’s a bear eating Madroño ~ similar to lychee, fermented with alcohol. The bear will take a siesta after eating it then got thirsty once she wakes up haha

In some governmental building it will have 3 flags: EU + Spain + Madrid. There are 7 stars in Madrid’s flag who represent the seven stars in the Starry Plough constellation closest to the Ursa Major (Great Female Bear) Constellation.

Like every statue, people can’t keep their hands to themselves. It says if you touch the feet of the bear you will get luck, for his ass you will get love. Everyone is able to do it by themselves, except one 😉

Joy helped me to reach it! Maybe this is why I haven’t find one, I just need some help from the good samaritan along the way. Lady, if I found both of them after the trip, rest assured you get the VIP Treatment! #we shall see.

Despite it wasn’t designed for me, I determined to touch it! didn’t reduce my spirit!

Thank you for the warm weather Madrid! Made me wanting to go to another city in Spain already 🙂

Also gracias to all Good Samaritans I met, wouldn’t have all these wonderful pictures without you 😀

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On and Offline

Did I just decided one day to have a weekend in Spain? No no no, like always there was a story behind 🙂 back to my birthday in September, JP inform me that he and Moni will be in Europe travelling for one month. Naturally I will do my best to catch their schedule. First attempt was to go to Brussels end of October, hat es aber nicht geklappt. The last option was on their last weekend before flew back to Mexico, November 10-12th, search for flights, if I come back on 13th, the price would be cheaper, which one I choose? Obviously the second #duh

Remember Moni had cousin called Ale who I visited in Koblenz few years back? Well, it would be great if she could join too, we texted the whole time planning this as she wasn’t so sure if everything will works with her own schedule. Therefore I bought my ticket, plan my own Agenda without waiting for her confirmation. In the end, she was able to join, yippiii! We only let JP know because we wanted to surprised Moni.

Our flight was at 07:25 AM, to be on the safe side, we stayed one night in a&o hostel, thanks to my Christmas Gift from Claudia & Julius we can stay for freeeee! thank you Freundin!!!!

We are a firm believer of arriving in airports 2 hours before departure time, Ale woke up at 4AM, I’m around 04:30 haha my colleague will laugh if I told him by 5AM I was already out and about #Only happen when you are on your way to Urlaub 😉

Catch the plane, goooooo! Madrid here we are! I am so happy as this is my first time in todos Espana. Apart from my own Agenda of visiting La Casa De Papel scene to which I nailed it! #proud, we were just gonna tag along JP & Moni, they are the one who travelled to Europe, por supuesto they have one.

We still have about 4 hours before they arrived. What do we do? planned to had lunch at 12 failed due to the kitchen only opens after 13:00, for this time they only offer some sweets, croissant, coffee etc.

Ale showed me some places around, El Retiro Park where at first she was quiet confused “Amigos, this is not the Park I want to show you” after some time doch! it is! haha on the way, there was an exhibition about Indonesia somehow yeaaaayyyy

We checked in to our Air BnB, where is the Wifi’s info? She texted our Landlord to which she replied the router’s location, time to get connected. My oh my, in comparison to 2 credit cards number, it’s longer! Ale read whilst I typed it on my phone, in the middle I can’t stop laughing, she’s still not done, it’s just super long! Ale said “it’s halfway, don’t type it wrongly or else we need to repeat it again” FYI, I got it correctly. Now is her turn, she chose to do it by herself, didn’t work. I volunteer to read it to her, I lost it right there and then once I saw it. The Password was not straight, you need to tilt your head to read it #LOL

We thought our surprise was spoiled 20 minutes before their arrival time -_- glad to know it was only Moni messing up with Ale “are you surprising me” Ale pulled out the better lie 🙂 she bought it #wink!

Ale hide in the bathroom, Moni went there, her reaction was rather scared like “aahh, ahh…who are you?” until she realized it was her <3

Mischief Managed

No jokes, I gotta eat yo! this is the first revelation: Spaniard eat so damn late! my Deutsche Magen won’t get used to it, it was already after 15:30 What do we have? Paella + Sangria checked!

Moni has to work for a while, we went to do some sightseeing passing Prado Museum (broke tips: it was free 2 hours before it closed, a lady from walking tour told me, not sure if they have it only on specific day, check the website) + Cibeles Fountain + The under constructions Puerta de Alcala.

We tried many many times to take pictures in front of Cibeles with less car until Ale found a trick on her Iphone. Mind you, it’s called a trick, with a particular catch… I can’t move an inch, need to stand fucking still, I even scared to breath haha it’s something with long exposure. We were so begeistered when we know it works!

Moni finished work, back to her, chill a bit then get ready to eat again haha the restaurant hasn’t open yet, went to the opposite place to have a Vermouth de grifo…. let’s say…. it’s not really my cup of tea…#hmmm

After the Vermouth, we met with their friends’ Lalis. We ate a very delicious food! She really know what to order, the raw Tuna? Tuna right? I think it was it, was fucking amazing! better than the vac 😀

I had too much alcohol on that day, started itchy all over my body, can’t go on anymore whereas they continued partying. Vane just arrived that evening when JP sent me back to the Air BnB I really need hot shower + drink my Pill which makes me drowsy so sleep is really needed. Have fun guys!!! I notice at some hour they came back yet I couldn’t be bothered to wake up hahaha

Next day, continue with me doing my personal Agenda while they were still hungover. They had to endure with no water, fiuhhhh didn’t have to experience it. We met at Gran Via to have Jamon sandwich at Bar Postas although the famous one is the Calamari #whatever, continue our day to a bar inside Retiro Park. It’s a really cool place, reminds me of Yong Kang Lu Shanghai. Look how the waiter took all the drinks using 3 fingers whoaaa

We stayed in the Bar quite some time until our dinner time, which starts late…. Our reservation was at 21:00 haha by the time we were eating it was after 21:30. Casa de Fieras, let me tell you, the food there was better than the day before! very very very good! Their Tuna is really to die for! Lalis successfully became a total game changer in terms of Spanish food!

That was it! Next day they flew back home while me and Ale continued our stay one more day, doing our thing separately.

Here is our comparison back then when we were still planning via online video call vs offline version. Ops we are back in Shanghai, 我们到上海了！ #where it all began.

Thank you Guys! was very nice to catch up with you two who in the end became three with Ale to a sudden additional four, well….let’s make it five featuring Lalis and Vane. You really made friends in every corner 🙂

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Bella Ciao

Una mattina mi sono alzato… I was on the shooting location of the greatest TV Series ever exist! O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao! My heart can’t contain the joy in me, I was smiling from ear to ear!

Needless to say, research has been done as in where the shooting takes place? Found this very useful blog for another fanatico fans 🙂

https://www.klook.com/en-IN/blog/money-heist-film-locations/

I can visit 3 shooting places in city center of Madrid: Plaza del Callao, Banco de Espana, Casa De La Moneda. We will go through all three of them. Are you ready for it??

First Stop: Plaza del Callao

Was Wonderstruck! spinning myself around on that square. I have the so-called “not even near death experience” haha named it myself, they said when you near death you experience 7 minutes where all your memories flash back? yep had that too, only about the memories of La Casa De Papel episodes.

Professor threw money from Zeppelin or when he made announcement about Lisaboa & Rio. Brain rush to the fullest! I have never been to NY Time Square, undeniably it’s more WOW than this but for me, being present in the shooting location of my fav TV Series was another level!

Second Stop: Casa De La Moneda + Spanish National Research Council

Let’s go to the real Royal Mint which actually a Museum, at first I was arriving to their side entrance hmmm is quiet weird….. Okay, enough, wanted to take the Bus until I look up….. what?!?! this is the real entrance! re-do the pictures por favor!!!! 😉

How about the Royal Mint in the series? unfortunately I can’t get in, that is the research building. There was also a gate so you can’t really see it clear yet it’s enough for me, I was gasping in awe :O

Third Stop: Banco de Espana + Nuevos Ministerios

Went to the Nuevos Ministerios first, it was on a Saturday 11.11 yes it’s close, the guard stopped me with a very limited English while me…. no hablo Espanol at all at all. Though he managed to say if I just want to see, go around this building. Yes Sir! I don’t have any importante to be let in into the Ministry building.

Where is the entrance, where is it, where where where? the feeling that you can’t just wait for it! My excitement level is high! coming close…..soon…

This is it!!! their “Banco de Espana” I knew this building so perfectly damn well! invested 1000000 times watching the Series! The “Ai-ki-do” scene, Denver waving white flag, Professor entering the Bank und und und, beyond words! Dude….. are you for real?!?!?!

Perhaps you wanna know, how does the real Banco de Espana looks like? Very Bella too! Didn’t went inside simply because… por que? it’s a Bank, what do I’m gonna do there? become a Profesora, rob a Bank with my mask? haha

How Bella isn’t it? Obviously they can’t shoot in the real building, look how narrow the space on the real places are, it goes direct to the main street. Here is the surroundings video:

I rewatch the last episode with Feli (fact: she hasn’t watch the last one, pfffff how dare she?!?!) until it suddenly struck me, I think I was there, Plaza Mayor…. look at it how similar the red background is.

Then I rewatch it by myself in ruhe, came out with a conclusion, yep it is! it’s written Madrid, no doubt it’s on Plaza Mayor, must be it! I was there too!!! See! the same right? Hey! I discover a new shooting place 😀

Oh Madrid, you are so Bella 🙂

Gracias por todo! <3

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The Moment I Knew

Andreas is kind of Kirmes’ fans, me on the other hand was only OK, apart from the public knowledge such as the biggest Kirmes is in Soest, I don’t know any ‘property’ of Kirmes: when its starts, where to get what from which stands etc therefore when he asked if I want to come to Kirmes Soest on the first day it started on 08.11.2023, my answer was yes!

We took Eurobahn from Dortmund Hörde to Soest. After several attempt to ask our colleague Maik or hoping Mike ~ yes thats 2 different person 😉 if he can drive us to Hörde failed, took the matter on our hand ~ take Bus instead. Lena joined us in some stations before arriving Soest.

Wiiiii! it’s indeed bigger, the location is direct on Soest’s Altstadt, surrounding by many old Fachwerkhäuser, makes the atmosphere even more beautiful! Like a Christmas Market minus the Glühwein + Christmas Baum.

As an introduction to Soest Kirmes, we had the rote Ampeln-Schnapps! It’s literally the translation of traffic lights ~ meaning 3 schnapps in one go with color red-yellow-green. I shared it with Lena, according to her we need to drink from the least favorite to the most, starts with Green. Had to agree with her, I do find green is the less tasty than the yellow & red. I like them both!

Moving to Langos, not this one, the Langos that parked near the Honig-Schnapps-Laden. Wokei, follow you! On the way there Andreas showed me Mr. Honig guy ~ he’s pretty famous in Kirmes area, owing to his singing ability that attract people to drink Schnapps with him, not all Schnapps, it has to be his Honig-Schnapps in his Laden.

I saw a girl holding a microphone in front of the Honig-Schnapps-Laden, playfully said “hello” to it, she proceeds with “oh do you want to say something to our DJ? you can say let’s come to Kirmes here is all great” during which Lena already on the way to the Laden, grabbed her arm, pull her to me as my morale Unterstützung. OK let me say some few words, after me it went to Lena then Andreas. I mean yo, you can’t just leave me #all by myselffff 😉

Wait, we haven’t even bought the Schnapps haha after our Radio-intermission, we had our Honig-Schnapps. What can I say? it’s sticky….the glass is cute which made from ice cream cone where we can eat, have to be honest, this Schnapps….gefällt mir überhaupt nicht iyeeeeyyyy -_- Anyway, the song! gefällt mir, something with cuk ku cuk ku cuk haha

Once we were out from his Laden, Lena met a famous 1Live DJ aka Daniel Danger, asked for a selfie, of course I also involved!

Besides food, there were some games, we played Frog. It’s 5 Euro for 12 frogs or so, I counted it was only 11 frogs! hey we are missing one! #Good job Marlyn. If we are able to put the frog to the bucket, we will get a gift, what could it be? a frog doll 🙂 did we get it? nope! there were some hits that was closed enough haha.

Even though the frog was not in our favor, we received a pleasant surprise when I found out the hammer we were using was a Promat hammer coming from one of my order!

Enough with the play, moving on to the carousel slash Achterbahn. Lena didn’t want to ride it, I was tempted simply because I don’t have this kind of carousel when I was younger. Before I became too scared or not interested anymore, it’s time to tried it. You can see how we ~ I meant me, still innocent before it starts.

I didn’t fell down except I got “kicked” from the girl next to me as we were all kind of jammed to each other and her legs were kicking my leg etc. We kept sliding over and over.

In comparison when I’m dropped dead afterwards. I felt soooo shitty not sure what could be the reason…. maybe I went after I eat Langos? Should I went before I had anything? hmmmm… not willing to test this theory #definitely.

I always carry an umbrella together with a plastic bag to put back the wet umbrellas into the bag. I told them I felt bad yet still walking until I can’t anymore…. I need to sit somewhere, on an Eingang of the Geschäft, me don’t care! I have my own Geschäft going on on my Belly right now. Andreas said “are you really want to do it?” Yes! we need to go to the dark alley since here is many people hin und her. I managed to do it, very little but it was good for the start! #facepalm

Walked around again, I do feel slightly better but there was still some unfinished business. Told them I think having a tea would helps, went to Kühbar and there is where I did quiet a number on the toilet, I was all out! Came out totally healthy again 😀 We closed our trip with finding a Bobatea-Doll! even as big as me! Life sized Boba!

Next year = no carousel! Not gonna ruin the Kirmes experience. Told QQ about it he replied “Remember your age, we can’t do that anymore” Yes! this conclude the moment I knew pffff not again! I had to stop or else it stopped me!

Oh remember I said few words on the microphone from 1Live? it got aired on Saturday, the Chef from our Kantine recognize my voice he said “I was listening to Radio on Samstag and suddenly Liebe Grüße aus Soest!” he said to his wife “this voice, I knew her” I don’t need to listen you say your name, I knew it immediately hahaha.

Insgesamt, it was a good outcome coming to Soester Allerheiligenkirmes 😀 Vielen lieben Dank Lena & Andreas!

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Wheels Has Turn – Revelation

Are you ready for it? #Rookie Swiftie 😉

Remember the photo shooting for Stadt Dortmund I did some times ago? My Colleagues has been asking about the results which automatically leads me asked our photographer, Roland.

He said on 19th October is the relaunch from Dortmund.de and that’s when I’ll see the photos. Since I followed Stadt Dortmund Instagram plus have been on Instagram every day, I keep up with all the stories until I stumbled upon:

MYSELF!!! Actually it’s ourselves but I’m at the center of it 😀

Yess! as you can see from the first story, the question box was in front of me but on the next stories was behind me unfortunately covering the others. Aileen from office who also followed Stadt Dortmund IG said: du muss immer vorne sein oder? What can I say? they are all taller than me hahaha

Of course announcement time! The hell I’m gonna keep silent about it.

The IG stories was on beginning of October, then 19th of October came #Oh Happy Birthday Julia 😀 Roland tagged us on his post, however when I go to dortmund.de then Aktion “Herzensorte” it didn’t show the same page as what Roland’s has. I asked him where is this? He said and people please do so 😉 dortmund.de > Menü öffnen > Dortmund erleben > auf Übersicht

Found it!

https://www.dortmund.de/dortmund-erleben/

Wonder what was my answer to the question: Fühlst du dich als Dortmunderin? -> Auf jeden Fall! 🙂

Left my Herz here <3

Blog about our photo shooting: Wheels Has Turn

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Preview

When I was in Stockholm, I saw the advertisement of Taylor Swift The Eras Tour-Movie will release on 13.10. I’m not sure about the strategy behind the release day before her tour in Europe, that’s why Erin doesn’t want to watch it because she wants to experience it first hand when Taylor Swift comes to Europe….. For the Americans yes it’s super make sense as she just finished her tour in USA. Me, on the other hand, really want to see it since I’m not sure if I get scammed even if I’m not I will be sitting way way way way on top, I’d better watch the movie to know where to look when she comes next year haha 😉

Who is the Swifties in Dortmund? Feli: she’s on Erin’s side, who else? Chantal!!! she got a ticket for next year from the official website yet she still wants to watch the movie! YES! Let’s gooooooo!

We fueled ourselves up with Waffle + Hot Chocolate. I asked her if I can sing inside the Cinema? She said maybe a bit leise…. Yes people won’t want to hear my voice haha I have to remind myself that I’m in Europe, we are not the loud American who have their own concert inside the cinema #Unfortunately

The movie itself was 2,5 hours while her concert was 3 hours, das ist nicht ohne oder?! Leute! I have to be honest with you, I was so so so soooooo enchanted by her ability, The Eras Tour’s concept, stage performance to which she totally nailed it!

Even for a Rookie-Swiftie she managed to make me have tears in my eyes for some weird reason: I felt so proud of her and her team to be able to pull out something beyond words like that!

It is really really hypnotizing, congratulations to people who get their tickets! I was humming all the time, thanks to the movie comes with a song lyrics haha. Here is the video of some songs I like:

Right after watching her movie, I started to listening to some of her other songs which I didn’t know before like Bejeweled, Enchanted, Cruel Summer, Mastermind (she is a really mastermind).

It was worth spending 19,89 Euro on it!

I would be enchanted to meet you 🙂

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Nachhaltig

My colleagues will put a decoration on our table to the one who have a birthday, if one have a round-birthday (20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60) we will collect some money, if not then it’s only a small things as an Aufmerksamkeit.

We always use the same decoration over and over again, after one birthday it will goes to our “recycle” box. Even our Herzlichen Glückwunsch either already re-tape like 100000 times or some alphabet already tear off or the fact that it only cost us 1 Euro to buy a new one, none of us did it haha that’s how Nachhaltig we are.

Obviously when I came back I already know someone or sometwossss should have schmuck mein Tisch otherwise I guarantee we would have such a bad atmosphere in the office 😉 #Better don’t messed up with my birthday.

What I didn’t expect however, is they did have a new decorations, literally someone bought something?!?! #Very surprised! I called it the Hawaii decorations from Claudia as our new Gelande 🙂

To which I have to tear off and move the Hawaii to Monica’s Gelande haha #Nachhaltig

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The Credits

What else did I miss from Estocolmo???

Of course Arlanda Express, as stated on the name, it’s an express train from Airport to City, as fast as 17 Minutes with very luxurious seats! Oh my ass was so happy 😀 DB Bahn, can’t you do something like this bitteeeeee? They also have some kind of “arts-installation” thingy on their T-Bahn or U-Bahn or Metro or Subway or Underground #Don’t know what to called this mode of transport anymore.

The water area, I re-confirm something about me. If there is a city with water, it will take me some time to understand where I am. It happened in Hamburg before, now in Stockholm. I managed it in the end and turns into loving it!

So loved it until I want to see water from various points of view 🙂 We visited the City Hall Tower! it’s only open until 1st of October, we went exactly on the last day. Nope, we didn’t put it on hold, we tried to go the day before but it was all sold out. So Erin went even before the shop opened at 08:30 to buy the ticket for 13:00 that’s the only reason why we can go up there #Thanks Erin!

We arrived 5 minutes earlier yet wasn’t allowed to get in, have to be on time yo. The “guide” suggested we to give the elevator to the one who needed. Oh yes! it’s me, first because I just turn to a new age few days ago, I need to maintain all my bones structure. Second, I paid for this haha top that 😉

Didn’t guess they will display some kind of statues before we reached the top.

See Stockholm from above, isn’t it prettty? The weather was perfect, we only have 20-30 minutes on the tower. Here are the water view from the top points:

Want to see it in motion? here is the video 😉

We went home to take Ginger with us then met Rima on the other side of the water 🙂 to see another water! See the brick building behind me? we were just there. Both sides are very pretty hey!

The food! how it is easier to get variety of foods here than in Dortmund. Asian food, a new Doritos flavor, basically any other food either staple food like Fika things or not 😉 the fact that tap water is free!! to which Germany doesn’t even offer even after all the tax we paid pfffff what would it cost you hey?!?!

Bunch of activitiessss like on a Sunday morning, Erin and I went to the gym! haha! Never been to any in Dortmund, I have to fly to Stockholm to do it #High maintenance. Then visited churches, watch Barbie!!! Yais!! Glad she hasn’t watched it too! It’s really good movie, recommended!

Adventure in Stockholm has to end, I didn’t want it so much so until my luggage also doesn’t want it to end. I received an SMS right after my belt conveyor in Düsseldorf Airport stopped working. Great!

I had another Ramen dinner with Anu however with this issue, she has to wait in hunger. Had my luggage finished his adventure, we were just on time for late lunch meaning at 15:00. With airplane delayed + reporting luggage delayed + on the way from Airport to Takumi = the place has closed for their rest time.

We still have to eat, Anu almost ditch me -_- to my luck, now she doesn’t have any option other than wait haha. She arrived before Takumi opens to wait in line. Once I met her, she was still in line, few minutes later Takumi officially re-open at 17:00. Anu said “We need to wait until you land, the shop to close and re open again only for us to eat”. Yes girl! Our level of hungriness is really high at that time. See! it was 2 hours eating delay from where I supposed to land.

During dinner I asked her if I should wait for another flight from Amsterdam to arrive Düsseldorf, she said the next schedule from KLM has been delayed too besides “it only take 30 minutes to fly and this flight hasn’t even boarded” just don’t bother to wait, let them deliver it to Dortmund. I did what she suggested.

And I’m glad I did as when I was about to night night at 23:00 ish I got an SMS saying my luggage is landed with those plane (not the one I showed her which was supposed to land at 19:30)

Wow! Credits to a complete 11 days in Stockholm 🙂 Big shoutout to Erin and Ginger who hosted me, Syuke who make the time even after he just landed from Shanghai, Anu who hold her hunger plus managed not became hangry, Lisa who I met during the tour then explore the city together a bit, Rima who unfortunately we didn’t have photo together but I’ll remember your story about your baby Chanel bag vs your 200 kr bag 🙂

Estocolmo, what a city you are <3

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Pay Attention – Part 3

When I was in ABBA Museum there is an advertisement about Avicii Experience with code ABBA to get 30% discount, my Asian Genes sparks with joy!

It starts with Tim Bergling’s childhood’s room where it’s written he’s coming from an affluent neighborhoods in Stockholm. Yes, emphasis on the word affluent here, combine with talent = success guaranteed! And that’s exactly what he had.

The success he achieved in a quiet short of time, his name was as big as it can get in his genre. He was only a teenager when he got discovered, through his gift in EDM music he jump straight to famous, the one thing he maybe wasn’t prepare for.

This Experience also have a little bit of interactive part where we got to wear a VR to see the recording studios or when we could hear the songs which hasn’t come out yet.

Although we all know how it ends, I can’t even begin to imagine the pressure in the industry until someone who’s from affluent family decided to end his life. He could easily check out from all of this and still have a good life. After all, perhaps mental health is really something we need to pay attention for.

Thank you Avicii for inherited us your music, from not knowing anything about you to know you as an unbelievable music creator through this Experience your fans has built for you. It is such a shame for a very bright young man to leave the world way too soon.. Now we all have to going out without you.

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Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You

Stop right there! We definitely need to ask!

OK some background stories out of it. Remember Lisa? The German Lady from my walking tour in Estocolmo? We had lunch together before visiting Vasa Museum, she said that everything in Germany is not much cheaper than in Stockholm, they are kind of on the same level, Germany is getting “more expensive” (with the inflation). Look at this, I bought a 72 hours public transport ticket, it cost me 30 Euro. Yes it is still more expensive than Germany but not much anymore.

After hearing the price of the public transport, I feel quiet weird because every time I tap my Master Card it’s written 0,09 SEK = 0,10 Euro… Automatically I felt I have the Vorteile of not buying it as it only cost me 10 Cents each time. I am not the type who put fuel on the fire, so just let it be when Lisa said it, I won’t say “btw I only paid 10 Cents” reason: a. it’s not helping; b. this is so not true at all! hahaha

Fast forward to end of the month, Erin need to renew her monthly card, to which I asked “why don’t you just tap like me?” see it’s always 10 Cents. I actually don’t understand why because if I eat in the restaurants, the real value is there directly, for example dinner 1390 kr = 119,94 Euro or 980 kr = 84,43 Euro. All are correct other than public transport one.

Moment of truth ladies and gentleman!!!! I was completely wrong the whole damn time! I have 0 idea why, SL (the public transportation) need 2-3 days until the real value came up to my Master Card. It all depends on the exchange rate sometimes one way fee was 3,33 Euro or 3,44 Euro or 3,67 Euro. Verdammt! She was right! Rrrr should’ve trust the Germans for sure she did her research before! Aaargghh! had I knew it, I would have bought that damn 30 Euro card! I used all public transport like no one ever just to know it hasn’t been charged completely!!!

Fuck fuck fuck! what can I do? Now it’s not lohnt sich anymore to buy the 72 hours as my trips approaching the end. On top of it, I already visited all the necessary sightseeing with always tap tap tap tap #Running out of money! What can this Scandinavian country offer me? Erin sent a link “free museum in Stockholm” aha! that’s what’s I’m gonna do for the rest of my trip with the rest of the money I have. How about public transportation? Nope, I’m gonna walk the whole damn day!

We will reveal it one by one:

First: The Medieval Museum

I chose the locker number that represents my age 😉 then I read a sign there will be an English tour whoaaaa There is a part where I remembered clearly is about a punishment for adultery, the woman need to carry a 30-40kg of weight on her shoulder while the man’s private part will be tied on a string and they have to walked all the city. However! most man will get away by paying the money while girl doesn’t have much money to begin with. What?! I hope I understand that part wrong except I wasn’t…. Oh see the brick wall? that was the real wall from ancient time, they found it when they dug die Erde to make this Medieval Museum.

Second: Moderna Museet with Erin

The free entrance was 2 hours before it’s closing. We did went through all exhibitions, sometimes our reaction were only ‘hmmmm’ didn’t think I understand it 😉 I do however understand one paint with thinking “are we in Asia?” once I got close yep! inspired from Thailand 🙂

Moving on to one part where they provided us a book of a conversation between Rashid Johnson an Kevin Quashie called ” Thinking-In-Action” in Swedish and English at a corner called “please have a book”. We happily taking the book thinking “oh we got ourselves a souvenir!” Only to find out they didn’t put the Q and A on the right page, or maybe this is still a part of the art? where I need to guess on which page the answer will continue?

Third: The Jewish Museum

I came exactly at the hour when it’s free for public. Followed by many people after me, hello not paying customers 😉 #I’m not the only one

What really strucks me was this videos:

The first lady’s family were hosting Jewish girl from Berlin when she was 9-15 years old. She didn’t like her at all, according to her the Jewish girl came out of a sudden to her family and everyone need to feel sorry for her. She gave her a real hard time. Then they met again at age 40ish. She asked her about her experience on living with her family? To her surprise the Jewish girl replied “that’s the best year of my life”. Then she said “you know I was hard on you”. The Jewish girl didn’t felt and never thought of it. She is not religious person but she prayed to God for forgiveness for hating her.

The middle lady remembers a Hitler songs in German: “if a Jews’ blood drip from the knife then life is twice as good” I could still see the fear on the video when she recite it.

The third man said when he got older he understood the reason why every time he visit his classmates’ home there will be coins on the floor and it’s to see if he will take it. That’s when he felt what is the meaning of being offended.

Fourth: The Swedish Holocaust Museum

This Museums tells the story about 7 Jewish survivors who came to Sweden. They have the part where we can ask questions with AI’s help unfortunately by the time I came we can only ask in Swedish.

I bought a book from them, it’s very…. I can’t read it in one go, not because its too think, rather the content is just so wow in a negative way.

Fifth: The Living History Forum

There’s one corner about the story of Per Anger, a diplomat of Swedish Embassy in Budapest who issued a fake Passport for Jewish people. He saved so many Hungarian Jewish, there was a time he went to the train full of Jews asking “who has Swedish Emergency Passport?” only two people has it, then he spoke to the Hungarian if they have any receipt whatsoever anything that looks like legal? The German officer won’t understand it anyway. They did have that and Per Anger talked with the German officer “their Swedish Emergency Passport just got delivered, here is the receipt”

Thank you very much for standing up Sir! That’s why your name and your best friend’s Raoul Wallenberg are still be remembered to this day.

That was it, all the museums I could visit as my last resort against the cold and against the money in Estocolmo 😉

I’m so happy that Stockholm offers this options. Germany! do it please! Take a good example from your neighbor European countries!

P.S: Here is the link https://www.visitstockholm.com/see-do/attractions/museums-with-free-entry/