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A Day as an Analyst

Sightseeing in Florence day 1 begin 🙂

When I told Julius about my Florence holiday, he directly said I must visit Uffizi Gallery and Michelangelo’s Museum. That Sunday before my trip I really sit down, arranged, booked everything.

FYI, Florence is small + Tracy lives in kind of city center, everything is walking distance within 25-35 minutes, besides the Bus App are really not user friendly, I gave up trying to understand it. First trip is from her home to Accademia Gallery where Michelangelo’s David statue placed, bought the first entry time slot between 08:15-08:30. I went out before sunrise, walked pass an expensive Salvatore Ferragamo boutique shop, Burberry with funny jacket on its mannequin, some Piazza until I reach the line queuing for my David’s.

Tracy said I wouldn’t spend more than an hour at David’s, the first floor are not very interesting because it has wayyyy too many Christianity paintings then David then room of Statues, last second floor. Just like she described, first floor is full of painting about Jesus, Maria and the Saints. Also on the second floor, I had to agree with her, at some point, you just have enough.

Wait until you arrive to the magnificent David, the one you have been waiting for, he looks very shiny from afar. The details, his eloquent pose, the size, it was really a WOW. He is the superstar in the whole Museum. Of course I asked people to take several pictures of me and David, from different angle, none of them are pleasing my eyes. Oh well, gotta live with it. These are the best I got 🙂

I started to go around him for complete look, Michelangelo is a genius! was in total AWE, how come someone sculpt someone he never sees… very handsomely? Look at his vein, abs, stature! #Melting. If only he’s a real person! #Drooling <3

I knew what room of sculpture she’s talking about, I was there. One of them reminds me of Mr. Whistler’s Mother from Mr. Bean movie haha I’m so sorry sculptor, didn’t mean to offend you.

Guess how many hours I spent there? Perhaps three! haha not because I was looking at all paintings but rather it was raining outside, at the end I was just skimming and sit for some hour before I continue my trip haha.

Walked pass Spedale degli Innocenti / Hospital of Innocents where I found this meaningful pink ribbon on the middle of the Piazza with QR code. Go visit nudmfirenze.noblogs.org it is a symbolic for women who have no more voice as they were assasinated.

We planned to have lunch together however Tracy was really swamped at work so I choose a random Pasta + Hugo place around the Duomo ~ heart of Florence. Tracy mentioned “you know we are not located near water right? so you might not get or have a good seafood pasta, order rather a meat one” Nope, you can’t stop me, Pasta with seafood it is hahaha, it’s still verrryyyy delicious!

Ready for my next analytic project: Uffizi Gallery. This is huge! as in H.U.G.E! It has many collections from Leonardo DaVinci, Raffaelo Michelangelo, Caravaggio. What amazed me the most are the ceilings! They are all decorated very beautifully.

I did recognize some of the names though, for example Julius Ceasar, Titus, Painting of Wedding in Cana, Adam and Eves, John the Baptist, Salomon. There is a red room where you can’t enter, you can only see from the sides.

I was very overwhelmed hence I decided to sit down every now and then. Tracy informed in the middle of it there is a Cafeteria, I can’t missed it. After almost 3 hours I reached it, let’s have a rest first, so much deserved 🙂 There I got the chance to know Juli from Brazil who located in Zürich, aha! since then we visited the rest half of the Gallery together 😉

She knows some art, she was very happy to see Carravagio Medusa! Look at the painting of the wine, you can see the bubbles, very real. I have to snapped a picture of the important family in Florence, the Medici!

Once we finished, we decided to have Florence “Döner” hahaha right after that we separated, I went to my Dark Mysteries of Walking Tour #First timers, very curious!

to be continued… my day hasn’t finished yet 😉

Facts: It was actually confusing to buy ticket for David and Uffizi from the official site, it always leads to B-Ticket website with 4 Euro fee. If you want to wait in line to see if the ticket office still have tickets for that day it will only cost 16 Euro, on the internet is 20. Same for Uffizi, I paid 26 + 4 while some people might get it for 19 Euro on special day or special time or so. The walking tour guide Gabriella told me, of course I didn’t pay attention about the how, since I received this info late, been there anyway. To my personal view, David is a must visit while Uffizi hmmm unless you really understand Renaissance, interested in paintings, prepared to walked for over 4 hours then you can go too, if not, feel free to skip it 😉

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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/

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Harry, Is That You?

Me and Erin first discover this place because we were in the city center earlier than we planned. Lead us to still have some time before my hair cut, we came into a Library, a National Library of Stockholm to be exact. We thought we need to pay to enter, we muss not, just hang our clothes and bring in nothing. Guess what? this place is amazing!!!!

They have an exhibition about…. very controversial topic: The Devil’s Bible! Obviously we have to take a look of it.

Time’s up! Need to checked out for my saloon appointment. I will return, now it is my go-to place! Imagine studying in this kind of environment, brooooooooo!!! take me out! I want to be a student again!

Next day, precisely when I came back to Estocolmo from Vaxholm, I will meet Syuke for dinner after he finish work caused me to have some time to wait, where? obviously the National Library of Stockholm! I explore more of this library 🙂 they do have an old book like 300 years old book, the one that I even afraid to touch it. Oh I found one! as I am aging in Stockholm, found a book about women and aging haha

I really feel like I’m on the Library of Hogwarts! Harry, is that you? Nope, but I could be Draco Marfoy 😉 #Team Slytherin #After all this time, Always

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Pay Attention – Part 2

The agenda for my second day exploring Estocolmo is to watch the changing guard ceremony at the Royal Palace and go to ABBA Museum. QQ’s recommendation, he said it’s a very interactive Museum with ABBA Avatar, the one I can dance along. I had to remind him that I will go there alone, who will help me recording myself? Hmmm, we shall see!

I arrived few minutes before 12:00, asked the guard where will the changing guards ceremony takes place? “See the stairs? Take it and you can’t miss it, it’s all there”. Spot on! there are many people already, I kind of get the side spot.

The Bell rang at 12:00 however there is no actions other than the bell was ringing. It could be the Church Bell though which has nothing to do with the ceremony. Few minutes later, the side guard started to walk back and forth, still no special things until 12:15. We have more guards coming out from the middle door to start the ceremony. They also have a “moderator” or “MC” or maybe “Captain”? Well, he was the one who announced “Welcome to today’s changing of the guards of Royal Palace” in both Swedish and English.

I was stand by the whole time, I mean…. I got only one job, pay attention! Here is the recap with 3x speed or else you have to watch it for over 10 minutes 😉

I texted Lisa if she could make the time to go to ABBA Museum with me as her agenda for that day was Kayaking in Vaxholm, she will be done in the afternoon, let’s see if our time matched again. While waiting for her WA, I am strolling around the area.

To bad, she couldn’t make it…. here I am, crossed the bridged by my own, off to ABBA 🙂

Allow me to unfold the secret of why I have a shame relationship with one of ABBA song, particularly the Dancing Queen one. This is our (Sissy and I) “aib” for as long as we shall live! we were on ‘oopps’ I meant formed a Band! Oh God! I wish I could wipe it from my memory 😀 I was on 5th Grade, Sissy 6th. I played drum, Sissy keyboard and Rivi is the Dancing Queen singer hahaha! I can’t even fathom why would we ever want to do that. The only good thing coming out from this is Sissy met her BFF Rivi. We love you Rivi! #4eva <3

OK, 5th grade was a century ago, it’s time to face my “aib” demon, enter that Museum door please!

It started with their journey, the clothes they were wearing, achievements, history of them-little did I knew they are all Sweden #All white people looks the same 😉 hihi I was still a child when my father played all the songs through a laser disc player. How should I knew they are all Swedish? I thought all English speaking countries came from America haha

They have a labyrinth dedicated to all their achievements. Besides all of it, they also display the set of Mamma mia, here I go again. Picture on the Mamma mia car?! how can I resist you?

Here are the interactive part where you can sing along-or maybe for me better not, a Karaoke room where you can look over the recording studio, silent disco where you just put a headset so your music could be different from other people’s music. The Avatar I have been waiting for! Audition for the 5th Member of ABBA 😉 Will I make it???

I believe the Avatar was made based on their real size? Supposedly right….I looked at myself on the video, damn! they are all so tall!

Thank you ABBA for your music! You guys were and are still phenomenal!

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Pay Attention

After more than 3 hours walking on the walking tour, I befriended with a German lady named Lisa. We both not only hungrrryyyyy but also wanting to peeeee hahaha In Stockholm, a free public toilet is almost nonexist, you must pay…with card… honestly speaking, it’s only 5 SEK (0.50 Cents) however it’s annoyed my Asian genes 😉 I’d rather be in a café having Fika and use the facilities there #See my logic.

Moving on to the more interesting theme, eating! We had our lunch in a very cute place which looks like unfinished building. Right after, we went to Vasa Museum via boat.

My smart ass thought I can walk or be inside the ship without thinking that this damn ship is very fragile plus still under continuous renovation, restoration, preservation bli bla blub haha

Once we got in, the ship is directly there, displayed to our naked eyes in his own majestic way. It still indeed have some smell, oceans smell? I don’t know, can’t describe it. For today’s size, I have to say it’s small or rather very small. However, we were talking about year 1626 when they started to built it, it was for sure the biggest ship ever existed. Very “Jumawa” of Gustav II #QQ reference.

Started the visit of the Museum from the bottom floor only to be wowed by it, look at all what engraved there! It is crazy thinking it took them only 2 years to built it!

Although there is actually nothing other than this Ship, you won’t feel bored, all the displayed were very engaging. I really paid attention to every info written there.

They have a 17 minutes film about Vasa in many different languages or a 25 minutes film for child, tell the same story with different illustrations.

FYI, we both watch the adult version too.

They laid each floor with different facts, despite finding 13 skeletons, they suspect the number should reached 40. Well, it wasn’t sail too far to begin with so people could still jump and save themselves. The people who couldn’t run away was the one who stuck between the cannon, such a painful and slow death, I’m very sorry for them. Surprisingly, there wasn’t any people held accountable for this accident.

We decided to go to the 7th floor to see the ornaments on the ship that they managed to restore. In my view, the ornaments decorations was too colorful haha red, gold and bunch of other different color. For sure it will looks “shining” in the middle of the ocean but what purpose does it serve? to scare the enemies or to make you an easy target? hmmmm #Deep thinking

We went back to the lower floor then Lisa passed into a German guided tour, she said to me “they are German, we can hear what they say” haha but the tour guide explained what we already read #We were faster!

They have the model of the ship with ratio 1:10. See how colorful it would have been, had it made it to the sail, we might not have the Museum #Either or 😉

We stayed until the Museum closed, oh yeah they made sure we got out of the gift shop by closing the door so no one could get in anymore.

Left Vasa Museum satisfied 🙂 This museum is a very must go! either you’re a Pirates of The Caribbean fans yohooo yohoo or not, you can’t never miss it. Entrance ticket is not so expensive, around 16 Euro.

Then we went to the city just to have a Fika at Under Kastanjen (under the Chesnut Tree) I need sugar!! Carrot cake to the rescue! Especially after the tension when we realized we might have taken the wrong direction’s boat haha We closed the day with walk around the city.

Thank you Lisa! Very happy to meet you! 😀