the flight to copenhagen from stockholm is about 1hr. but the change in weather was completely different. it was scorching hot the last few days i was here and i couldn't believe i was in full winter gear the week before in stockholm. this is not normal.

cph very much resembles amsterdam except it's wider. it's very flat here. theres lots of bicycles, canals and colourful houses. i was told the buildings are so vibrant bc the weather most of the time is bleak. therefore it's a good way to help counter people's mood bc of the dreary weather.

learned: just a bit more expensive here than in sweden (ouch), very big bar scene, people luv their flags (use them for bdays, even when they greet their loved ones at the airport as a welcoming), there's a royal family here too and they're blood related to the royal family in sweden, most of the kings here are named christian or frederick, very international city

noticed: very easy to get around, the metro system here is excellent (they have glass casing on platforms just like in hong kong to prevent people from falling onto the tracks), people are friendly and can speak english well, there are hearts on their currency, sightseeing downtown is like watching a fashion show 

words: see sweden 

christiania: you have to come to this place if you ever are in cph. it would not be complete. this place is like a hippy commune. take the red light district in amsterdam and minus the strippers. it use to be a self-governing city within a city. cops come and go. other than that, the vibe here is chill and peaceful. it is very visually stimulating; so much graff here to make your eyes spin. 

my christiania series: 

an installation straight outta art school

danish po-po

their hats are made out of bear hair

puppy with life jacket

this star-shaped park called kastellet

hans christian andersen's mermaid

famous fountain called amaggertorv at main shopping st.

kongens nytorv-people sit 'ndrink beer on the edge of the canal (chillest spot)

stockholm is colourful, clean, and kinda cold. it snowed a bit when I was first got here. if you're traveling all over the place, be sure to bring clothes to accommodate all seasons. scandinavian climate is a bit colder compared to the rest of europe. better yet, drastically different from what i was use to in tunisia. but then again, global warming craziness has taken its toll, so i don't really know what's normal climate anymore.

learned: buying alcohol here is very strict (aside from bars & clubs). the gov't has a monopoly on it therefore you can only buy it from one chain of stores called system bolagett. they are only opened for a few hrs and close at 3pm. you can never buy any alcohol from there that is cold either. you would also think that absolut vodka would be cheaper here, but it isn't. reindeer meat (esp. in northern sweden) and fermented fish (smells awful) are popular here, nobel prize winners are awarded here, there's a royal family, apparently leaving your keys on the table is bad luck, the lion is their symbol, buy your metro tix from stores called pressbyran rather than in subway bc it's more expensive there, tax here is ridiculously high (this country is expensive), egalitarian and socialist country, forex is a good place to exchange your money, a product called snus is extremely popular (these mini tea-looking bags of nicotine you leave in your mouth); this is the only country in the EU that sells it since it's been banned everywhere else

noticed: the subways are aesthetically amazing (some are simulated as caves with modern and abstract art in each one), efficient transportation, escalators are sensored, the coins are heavy, marabou chocolate is good, young people like plaid, very symmetrical city, skavsta airport is ikea'd out, H&M is everywhere (naturally) 

words: hej hej-hello (the cutest 'hello i've ever heard), heyda-goodbye, tak-thank u, huir mordu?-how are u?, bra, tak-fine, thank u, nay-no, ja-yes, skol-cheers, sluten-sale, hiss-elevator

my mini subway series:

where u go to downtown stockholm

at another subway station

i like subway signage

name of this subway station in english is 'raspberry mountain.

caved-style subway

2 hisses

an abba record!

a hot dog stand

an art gallery at st. eriksplan

goldie at berns hotel

nice jacket

stus

cherryblossoms at kunstradgarden

the opera house

in the old town

jesus bearing his cross on wheels during easter

if you're ever in stockholm, there's a ship that you can make a reservation for called viking lines. it's completely free (i know, i lucked out). you get your own cozy bedroom that's with a complete washroom (and they even throw in a towel for u). it's amazing. the ship has everything u need: disco, casino, buffets, bars, duty-free shopping etc.

this ship also goes to talinn (estonia) or helsinki (finland). they all got reserved fast, so i settled for a fishing town called mariehamn.

there's two groups of people on this ship: geriatric retirees and twenty-somethings who want to get loaded. this is a party boat. unfortunately, instead of dancing with the retirees and young people at the disco all nite..i ended up taking a power nap that lasted 8hours...i missed it all:(

..but i did see finland.

 

looking out from the deck at 4am & only seeing blackness

 

 

 

 

the city of god is in the details. barcelona is the most structurely attractive city i've ever seen. so much respect to antoni gaudi for being a ridiculously amazing architect. i appreciate his pursuit of greatness in design. it really makes the city what it is.

it rained so hard in barcelona when i was there the first few days, but i still managed to explore and see everything i wanted to. gaudi's park guëll is my favourite park in the world.

learned: barcelona is the capital of catalonia (catalunya), the bull/toro is the symbol of spain & donkey is the symbol of catalonia, there's 2 languages here; spanish and catalan, paëlla is a national dish, everything is dubbed in spanish-no english movies here, the MACBA (contemporary art gallery) is free on wednesdays, raval street is the best place for vintage shopping, mango and zara are much cheaper here

noticed: people who speak spanish here sound like they have a lisp, the crazy people on the streets are fun characters, DIA grocery stores are good and ridiculously cheap (customer service is very bad), every object in the city seems to be designed with so much detail (the lamposts, the pavement, the highway, even around atm machines), i like the urban planning (big streets are designed for pedestrians to walk in the middle of them; it makes people feel part of the city), it seems like people will go out of their way to help you if you're lost, there is an albino monkey that is very popular here, no shortage of FCB scarves, souvenir shops and flowers on the famous las ramblas

words: ¿quel tal?-what's up/how are u?, bien-good, ¿quanto questa?-how much? mucho gusto-nice to meet u, no lo entiendo-i don't understand, no hablo espanol-don't speak spanish, buenos dias-good morning, buenos tardos-good afternoon, buenos noches-goodnite, vale-ok, wai-cool, claro-of course, ching ching-cheers, vamos-let's go!

at park guëll

a really cute poco pero

my colourful friend

not my friend, but i liked his dogs

fun busker on las ramblas

la pedrera

view outside a window

on passieg de gracia

casa batlo at nite

sagrada familia under construction

in the middle of the nite in a posh neighbourhood

in barceloneta; laundry haven

on the beach

detailed pavement

so some say

all cabs in barcelona are this colour

poli-urban art

locked-up shopping cart

at the MACBA, this piece was awesome

if there ever was a place that had a lot of cultural and visual stimulus, it's definitely here. tunisia is a small islamic country located in north africa just between algeria and libya.

some of my favourite people ive met in life has been here. tunisian hospitality is like no other (people like to accompany you wherever u go to make sure you're ok) for the most part, foreigners are treated like gold except for times when people try to rip you off.

everyday people here are different where u see men walking down the street holding chickens by their feet, or sometimes crazy kids hanging outside of the train as it would pass by.

learned: people here speak a mix of arabaic and french, 2nd language here is french, venders at the souk (market) can speak like 10 languages (they can also be very aggressive so beware), one of the safest countries in the arab world (i've walked at nite on my own many times & never had problems), more liberal than countries in the middle east, women do not have to wear a hejab, but being a single woman with child is very much frowned upon in society (they lose out on jobs bc of this), the president of tunisia's picture graces every public place (very handsome guy), you can buy a donkey for $70cdn, national food: couscous and bric (potato, egg, spinach), they use bread sometimes as a spoon, the oranges here are the freshest you'll ever eat, the coffee and tea is so sweet, mesuede is their popular arabaic-sounding music with hard beats

in the desert: a lot of times when you eat with traditional families you eat from one plate (symbolic gesture of unity), weddings last 4-5 days long, if you hear loud gunshots don't be alarmed it's probably a wedding (ritual they do)

noticed: the doors and tiles of tunisia have a beautiful distinct style, a lot of the architecture is influenced by france and are often in blue and white, you can buy loosies at stores for 10cents even in schools, you will see cow heads suspended in every meat market, it's normal to see straight boys arm in arm, 4 kisses on the cheek (esp. w/ people u haven't seen in a while), there are men-only bars (just a cultural thing), you'll never see tunisian women out at nite by themselves, if u see anyone panhandling, people always give money, any asian you are they think you're japanese, some arabaic men have no shame in gawking at foreigners, massari is big here, traditional men wear brown cloaks (kechabia) and red hats, women wear white scarf and dress, hanging bananas in the fruit market, crossing the street is like asking for a death wish (uncontrolled 6-way intersections)

tips: you have to try a hammam (where the spa originated from) literally a bathouse where u get scrubbed down from head to toe (women get bathed in the afternoon and men go in the evening), do not pay to get your laundry done bc you get charged for each article of clothing; it's expensive and they will jack up the price bc u are a foreigner, do not buy plane tickets from travel agencies it's an absolute ripoff, buy them online

words: salem-peace, aslema-hello, beslema-good-bye, barcha-too much, ishec-thank-you, kif kif-same, shala-it's allah's will (to hope for something), hamdula- thank god (or im fine), hobi- term of endearment for boy or girl, enhebik barcha- i heart u, beneen- when food tastes good, saha-they use this word for everything!

what traditional men wear

 

typical tunisian door

 

typical tiles on the wall

signature style; blue and white

the colourful souk

 

outside my window

 

long loaf of bread is a staple here

 

 

the fruits taste so fresh

 

amen bank is popular

 

typical guitar

 

i like this ad

 

shades on the cow look great!

 

major transportation hub

 

the father of tunisia

 

 

 

couscous and bric

 

a regular day in the kitchen

 

my crazy flatmatesxo

 

when it rains, it pours

 

boy delivering bags of rice

 

what traditional women wear

 

 

the black & white is also a signature style

 

tunisian flowers (mouchmouns) at carthage airport

 

these slippers are very uncomfortable

 

cute kitten

 

a morning in tozeur

 

 

5 of us about to eat couscous from one plate

 

my friend's goat

 

downtown tozeur

 

on the way to school

 

the front of a typical arabaic home 

 

 

at a wedding in tozeur. they're holding perfume for a ritual

 

at a place called ras el ain (head of the eye)

 

 

 

a beautiful arabaic house

 

traditional women from the desert have tattoos on their face

 

that is my shadow

 

in a desert in douz..not too far from where they filmed star wars

 

donkey carriage joyride

 

sunset; a sight for sore eyes

i had no idea that croatia has about a thousand or more islands. very laid back scene here. this is where i would like to retire. people seem to have all the time in the world, where old men stroll down the boardwalk wearing their tweed caps with hands behind their back. you see the older women bumping into each other on the streets where they know everyone..chatting and gossiping for hours..this is my kind of city flow.

in croatia im known as "kike" (kee-keh). just a croatian-ized nick name i was given..made me feel special.

learned: hadjuk is their football club where you see their logo at every corner, the old peeps hang out in the centre close by the riva (a palm tree-d boardwalk that is undergoing construction), split is in the region of dalamatia which is in the south - apparently thats where dalmatian dogs come from, in february they celebrate halloween called "maskare," they have a beautiful palace; the only one where people still live and its not expensive

noticed: the dogs here are the cutest, i only saw one dalmatian and it only had one spot that was brown, people take life slow, everyone knows everyone, when you arrive at bus station you got old grammas asking u if u want to stay at their home for a small fee.

words: see bosnia and herzegovina

chillin on the edge

typical dalmatian men

the riva under repair

i always find a bird man somewhere

maskare

he looks like his dog

your weight for a fee

toupe dog

diocletians palace

laundry everywhere

so bosnia & herzegovina is one country but divided into 2 regions..bosnia in the north and herz. in the south...

sarajevo, the capital of bosnia really surprised me. u would think theres a war going on still and that there is no electricity or something. there are a lot of visible scars left from the war in the landscape, but i can vouch that sarajevo is completely safe. its a city that has everything u could need in a city. shame on media for giving this city a bad rep these days. im definitely coming back.

for me, bosnia & herz. was all about the people. i have a theory that countries that are less evolved compared to the west are the most evolved when it comes to hospitality and kindness...the people i met are overwhelmingly nice..its unreal.

learned: there are muslims (bosniacs), croats & serbs that live here, 3 presidents that rotate every 8 months, only city other than jerusalem that has a mosque, synagogue & catholic church within a 1km range, u can park anywhere in this city..parking tickets are a joke..no one pays them, bribing cops if u get a speeding ticket is normal, turbo folk music is huge (new genre i learned..not crazy about it), there is NO mcdonalds in sarajevo (really refreshing), cevapi and burek are the main eats here, austro-hungarian & turkish influence in architecture, bono has an honorary bosnian citizenship, the sarajevo film festival is suppose to be really really good.

noticed: youth here are really in touch with their city; they know their history, bosnian families are extremely hospitable they always want to feed u:), they drink sarajevska beer, mostly mosques here, mtv adria is good, some people think its weird when they see me put on my seatbelt..hehe.

in the old town

i like this building

overlooking sarajevo

guard watching over ex-president's tombstone

downtown

classic bosnian dish - burek with yogurt

cevapi is another

salsa nite

at olympic mountain

oldest mosque in city

mostar, is the capital of herzegovina. this small city reminds me of a place out of a fairytale, this town consists of mainly croats on one side of the bridge and muslims on the other. the lifestyle here is slow and there is a strong coffee and meat-eating culture here..if youre a vegan dont come here..people will feel sorry for u.

they used to have a statue of bruce lee in their park..until someone stole his nunchuks (sp?) and vandalized it..however i did take a pic of the base that it stands on with his name on it..apparently he will be coming back this summer

learned: muslims pray 5x a day..u hear them chanting/singing on a megaphone heard by the whole city each time, muslims do everything with their right hand,  spending time with friends by going out for coffee is important..all i did was go out for coffee & had a really good time

noticed: funny-looking election posters (in sarajevo too), so many cats and dogs on the streets, jewellery here is amazing; cheap too, lots of babushka figurines (the ones that get smaller as u keep opening it), so many gas stations and bakeries, people are very proud of their culture, kindness and hospitality..cant emphasize that enough..

words: see serbia 

cross overlooking mosque

mostar bridge rebuilt

on bridge

year bridge got bombed 

war wreckage

cant get enough of burning cans

where bruce lee statue once stood

belgrade is beautiful. the only city in europe i left and felt sad. before i leave europe, i am going to find my way back here somehow..thats how special it is.

despite being a post war-torn country with remnants of bombed out buildings, belgrade is progressively in construction..this is a resilient city and its mostly reflected in the people that u meet. they have a happy spirit.. hearing their stories are memorable..they tell the best stories.

noticed: if u can drive here, u can drive anywhere in the world, gipsy women are the most fashionable and u get the best deals from them, pastry shops are everywhere and theyre amazing, garbage cans on fire are normal here, everyone in belgrade smokes..even nurses in hospital rooms, the air is not so fresh, no shortage of lingerie boutiques, u have not seen a burger not unless u had one here (u need to strategically plan how to bite into it..and i can only ever finish a third of one..its really a monster of a burger..shoulda taken a pic), serbs are tall, lilly drugstores everywhere, c market gorcery stores everywhere too, women here have the greatest boots, serb men are handsome & nevr let u pay for anything

learned: 3 kisses on serbian new year and your birthday, jelena piva (deer beer) and lav beer are the national beers, smoki chips is the national snack, u dont really have to pay for tram tickets, tram rides are an adventure..some rock from side to side..dont be scared,  raft parties are where its at..(actually on a stationary boat..but thats what theyre called), live music is everywhere..anything u want, chinese peeps in markets can speak serb, serbians are the most genuine and giving people..they want to give u everything 

words: hvala-thanku, kokysi-how r u, kolko ovo- how much, jivili-cheers, dobardun-good day, zdravo-hello, dovejena-goodbye, sorenje-shitters, i heart u-volimteh

serbian breed dog

at a cafe

st. marcos church

sava temple

slavija square

national snack & beer

gipsy kids

typical can on fire

coffee shop in boat

in zemun

no poledancing on tram

at the zoo

if youre coming from bratislava to budapest the best way to get there is by a bus called 'student agency.' (they got other destinations too but not many) u do not have to be a student but theyre just called that. no clue. but trust me theyre great! the bus ride cost me 3euros and i got a spacious leather-upholstered seat, with unlimited coffee, moccacino, cappuccino, tea whatever u want, a headset so u can listen to the radio or watch a movie. it was luxurious compared to what im used to :P 

anyway buda and pest are separated by the danube river. everything that's happening (parties, restaurants, hostels, fun-ness) is in pest and not much goin on in buda. pest is flat and buda is hilly.

hungarian is completely different than the other slavic languages..they say the language is a combo of estonian and finnish. very unique.

noticed: many streets end in 'ulca', they play silly circus music in between metro stops, dogs here are so cute, high-heeled shoes are kinda ugly, the currency here has way too many zeros, small groups of  homeless men lined up in subways with their sleeping bags, so many heroic hungarian statues

learned: hungary is called magyar here, 2 kisses, lots of wooden dolls as souvenirs, no one pays for tram tickets, hungarian wine is better than their beer..i needed more time here.

go to: the thermal baths; the popular one is called sechenyi (better to go in afternoon than morning so u dont have to see any of the saggy seniors in their bikinis and speedos)..the men hang out in the baths while playing chess..its cool.

theres this huge chinese market (kelgeti station) where u can can bargain and get really good buys..they gots everything..scored a few pashmina scarves for $5cdn..

tisza sneaker shop - i learned these were the only sneakers worn here during the communist regime and theyre only made in hungary

money museum - u can get your face printed on money for free if u can answer some multiple choice questions about the history of the euro.

simpla- really chilled out lounge where when u look up the place has these huge plants all around with intense lighting on them ..looks like some kind of grow op.

west balkan club- nice spacious venue with projectors that make really funkyhypnotic visualizations and play kungfu art videos..

theres so much more..but i didnt get the chance to visit:(

words: see-yah-hello, kosonom-thanku, goodbye-viszlat how much- mennyi

i have not seen the movie hostel. and im really glad i didnt bc i ended up staying at a place that had shady decrepit walls and a deep dark alley u have to go thru to get to the main entrance. but the inside was fine. aside from that i found bratislava to be clean and friendly.

this country was a pit stop and its not as cheap as i thought; for accomodations anyway..not many hostels..so prices are kinda high.

noticed: hot dog stands also have menus that say 'hot cats' (i was afraid to ask),a lot of little art galleries that are free (abstract contemporary styled work), the currency is brightly colourful, there are fun statues placed randomly in the city

learned: young peeps here are easygoing and really fun to party with, well known for their sheep cheese called 'bryndza', slovaks hate the movie 'hostel' that i learned was actually filmed in czech

go to: sub club (underground club/bar literally underneath this castle on a hill), slovak pub (u can eat like a king for amazingly cheap)

words: dekuuyum - thank u












japanese tourists










underneath a castle