Filed under: Europe Trip | Tags: Amsterdam, border, Dusseldorf, Europe, Europe Trip, flowers, Friends, fun, Germany, Hakuna Matata, Kaufland, lifestyle, Netherlands, relatives, relaxed, roads, Roermond, roundabouts, shopping, smoking, travel, visiting
Today was my first full day in Dusseldorf. Germany has proven to be a delight already. : o
We’re staying with relatives in a suburb of Dusseldorf or a town or something called Bochum. Today wasn’t really that hardcore in terms of sightseeing. We went to a giant mall just before noon and spent a couple of hours there; I think it was called Kaufland. There is really nice shopping here. >:D But I didn’t go crazy because we only really got to walk into about 4 stores…out of 160. My dad went crazy shopping, especially with buying shirts at C&A. This kind of thing is rare so we humoured him. I did get a really nice scarf from this store called S.Oliver though : o. I like the scarf alot; it’s blue and ironic.XD Also, it’s hilarious to smile and nod and pretend we understand the salespeople while they talk to us. I only pretty much know how to say a few pleasantries in Deutsch so I make use of those profusely.
After going home and having lunch, we went to visit a couple of my parent’s old friends, who live a bit far away; actually quite close to the border of the Netherlands and Germany. We all of us drove to the border and got off to be tourists and take pictures with the sign that denoted the change of country. XD That’s all there was, even though they’re two different countries; two small signs on either side of the road. Apparently there used to be border guards, but they got rid of them since no one cares. There are also some random grocery stores and florist shops there (because that’s what the Netherlands are famous for- flowers- if you don’t count the notoriety of Amsterdam).
We drove past the border to a Dutch town called Roermond which was really pretty, seemed to be mainly all shops, but had really nice residences as well. Also really nice squares where people sat as there were quite a few cafes set up. All the streets were empty, and the stores were closed. D: Dutch stores close at 6 pm. Wtf, lazy people D:
We then visited with more people, having dinner at one of the friends’ house. Even though I supposed it would be boring for me, they were really nice so it was alright. They also had a friendly little kid, with a HUGE toy car collection.
I’m really starting to envy the European lifestyle. Perhaps we are only staying in each place for a little while, and aren’t in tune with the cities as much as we are in Toronto, it feels like they’re much more Hakuna Matata compared to North American living. Only one parent has to work and they get much more holiday time. They’re seriously way more relaxed. Also the community of Tamil people is closer here, possibly because there are less of them, unlike in Toronto where there are lots, but everyone is so caught up with themselves. People have more pets, especially dogs. : 3 The roads are nicer in Germany and well-maintained, albeit a little narrow. And there are a lot of roundabouts XD.
One thing that annoys me about Germany though is that everyone smokes. The air feels so dirty in some public places. : < Other than that, this place seems pretty awesome thus far.
Alright, time to sleep : D. Good night~
Filed under: Europe Trip | Tags: Dusseldorf, Europe, Germany, ghost house, lake, night, pretty, scary, Sweden, walk
Right now it’s almost 2 pm here and I have to leave for the airport soon for my flight to Dusseldorf, Germany. XD
Stockholm has been awesome and I don’t wanna leave D:
Yesterday night we went out on a walk around where my mom’s friend lives. It was just them, my brother and I, because my mom was too scared when she heard we had to walk past a forest and a “Ghost House” XD. That was sorta creepy because my mom’s friend’s husband kept making noises to scare us, and my mom’s friend kept spreading her fear to us by imagining random horror movie-like situations. Also it was really dark and quiet. We walked down to the lake, and an amazing lake it was. : o I even videotaped it. It would have been nice to put down a couple of chaise longues and sunbathe there if it wasn’t so dark, creepy, and mosquito-infested. D:
And then this morning we just went to random stores to look for some things, nothing special. It’s time to leave for the flight soon, but I’ve finally just figured out that I can charge my laptop here.
I really don’t want to leave and wish we could stay here longer : ( Maybe I’ll move to Stockholm in the future. >:D
Filed under: Europe Trip | Tags: 18, Chinese Pavilion, Drottningholm Palace, Europe, Europe Trip, FAIL, fun, pretty, Royal Family, Stockholm, Sweden, travel, Vasa, Vasa Museum
Today we went to Drottningholm Palace which despite what I said before is actually where most of the Royal Family lives now. The Royal Palace in Stockholm is their official place, like where they go to work, and only the younger prince and princess live in/near there. The King, Queen, and Crown Princess live in Drottningholm, except in July where the whole family goes to their summer residence in Åland. I went in to the palace on a guided tour by myself because my parents didn’t want to, and I really did enjoy it 
. It was really…palatial. XD. But seriously, the place was definitely worth the visit as well as the tour since if I had just walked in, I wouldn’t have understood the significance of anything inside. We couldn’t take any pictures inside since there was a lot of valuable and easily damaged paintings and tapestries and etc., but the outside was pretty enough. I wish I was rich/royal. D: And OMG the gardens. So pretty. Even if I didn’t get the palace, I’d like the gardens, but I suppose it wouldn’t look right without the house =_=.
There was also another place nearby called the Chinese Pavilion which was a small mansion decorated in that theme and filled with art and artefacts from China. The coolest thing was this room with a dinner table where the Royal Family could dine in private. They would just ring a bell and the servants would drop the dinner table down to the lower level, put the food, and hoist it back up. 
We left around 1 and went to Vasa Museum, which is in the city. Again, I went in, since it was free for me and my parents also didn’t care. The Vasa was a ship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628, almost literally as soon as it set sail. Apparently the hull needed more space for more ballast or something. But they had the recovered ship in the middle of the museum and a lot of other exhibits relating to the ship and Sweden at that time.
I guess I took a long time at the museum, because all of a sudden I heard something like “Kiruthiha, please report to the Information Desk”. ;_; Apparently, my parents thought I had been gone too long and since they didn’t have any way to contact me, used this method to get me out of the museum. T____T And my Mom’s friend lied to the Desk and said I was 17 so they wouldn’t think she was crazy. They only laughed at her instead. 18 is just a number, people. XD
That is probably the end of my sightseeing in Stockholm; later we went back to Gamla Stan to look for a certain shop with Piratpartiet merchandise but the directions turned out to be wrong. And then everyone was too hungry so we went home and some random relatives visited with my parents.
Time for dinner ^__^ Seeya later!
Filed under: Europe Trip | Tags: 18, Åland, birthday, cruise, Europe, Europe Trip, FAIL, Finland, fun, Ice Age 3, Mariehamn, Maybelline, Moomin, Silja, Stockholm, Sweden, travel, video games
Ok, I just really wanted to make random references, even if they have been misused.
So today, we went on a cruise, on a REAL LIVE CRUISE SHIP. Like the one that sunk in Poseidon. It was called the Silja Europe and basically takes you to Finland in about a day, because it runs really slowly. Since we didn’t want to waste a day, we stopped halfway at an island called Mariehamn, which is in between Sweden and Finland and belongs to sorta neither, but instead is part of an independent state called Åland. And then we took the Silja Galaxy, another equally awesome boat, back to Stockholm. The cruise was pretty typical (I draw here on my preconceptions) of cruises. Lots of tax free shopping, restaurants, kids’ activities, etc. We young’uns spent the whole time running around both ships. They actually have awesome stuff, like rooms with foosball tables, little playgrounds, videogame stations, etc. as well as scheduled activities. Everything was Ice Age 3 themed since that was a whole promotion thing going on with the cruise line.
I basically spent most of the time playing video games and foosball on the Europe. Unfortunately most of the games on it were racing games, which I absolutely FAIL at. While I was failing, some guy watching behind me got so nervous that he asked me if I had a license. XD When I nodded, he replied, “Only in India, not in Finland”. I LOLed for many reasons.
There was a restaurant on the Galaxy called the Galaxy Buffet where we ate lunch, and we got really nice seats. Only thing is that the boat was faster and maybe because it was near the front, I’d stand there and feel dizzy because of the motion. No ugly effects though. Also played the slots. Being 18 and all you know. >: ) No wins though. Actually, I could also have consumed alcohol with abandon, as they have wine spigots there along with juice and coffee and all, but I’m such a goodytwoshoes : <. Also found a DDR machine! And played XD.
Oh! And there was even a makeup lecture presented by Maybelline which was really very informative XD. I finally know how to do things properly now. I was the oldest person in there though, and that was slightly odd XD. They didn’t let older people in anyways. There were also plenty of instrumental performances, alot in English. And there is a really cute Finnish mascot that was around called Moomin.
We returned around 7:30 pm, and now I am a little tired from all of today’s excitement. A very fun (birth)day indeed :3. Except when the people around me kept trying to sing Happy Birthday- the first time on the deck of the boat (in English) and then in the restaurant in Swedish (this earned a few weird stares >_>).
It’s still my birthday in Toronto for about 9ish more hours. Heh. My day is so long this year. >:) How awesome is that.
Ok, I’ll stop blabbing now, blog to you all later XD.
Filed under: Europe Trip | Tags: City Hall, Europe, Europe Trip, fun, Gamla Stan, Nobel Prize, Royal Family, sightseeing, Stockholm, street performers, Sweden, travel
Hey guys (and girls…in fact there are probably more of you)!
So today was the first day of hardcore sightseeing in Stockholm. We did ALOT of walking, but it was really worth it : D This place, pretty much like the rest of Europe, is very picturesque. And I am still loving the abundant greenery. We took the public transit train which is obviously way nicer and cleaner than the TTC down to the city, since my mom’s friend’s family lives sort of on the edge in a suburb called Norsborg.
The first place we went to was the City Hall, which is really pretty in the architectural sense. But it also is really famous for being the place where they hold the Nobel Prize Banquet (which happens in this sort of courtyard-style room called the Blue Hall- and it’s not blue.) as well as giving out most of the prizes (except for the Peace Prize which is given out in Oslo). It’s also where they hold Parliament (apparently Swedish politics are very peaceful compared to other countries…and the politicians don’t have to fear for their lives so you can see them walking around in the street (which we actually saw). And the Royal Family holds other stuff in there too. The rooms are really pretty and the place is quite well-maintained. We went on a guided tour- the guy actually spoke pretty well and had a pretty cool accent : o. He was also one of the few non-Caucasians I’ve seen here thus far…that’s the only thing that sort of unnerves me about Sweden-it isn’t as multicultural as Toronto, which is obviously to be expected.
Next we walked to where the Royal Family resides; also very beautiful buildings. They also have those guards outside like the English, except slightly less embarrassing costumes and they can actually move. And even smile. They let you take a picture, but you have to stay outside this box that’s been designated on the cobblestone floor. They only let you see some parts and you have to pay so we didn’t really want to go in there.
Finally, we started to get hungry so we walked to Gamla Stan, or the Old Town, which is basically filled with souvenir shops and restaurants. But the streets are really narrow and there are little alleys everywhere so it was quite nice to walk around. We went to this Asian restaurant XD which was a buffet; the food was alright but there wasn’t much variety and the place was crazy crowded. Also it was really dark, and the waiters didn’t speak English. Or Swedish. Following that we went in search of souvenirs, which was a lot of fun. I didn’t buy much yet though, exploring all my options you see. >: )
A realllly cool thing about the Old Town is that there are alot of talented street performers. It started with a guy who walked on to the subway and started to play the guitar and singing, and then another guy doing the same thing on the street. They were both really good at it too. And then I heard a violin player so I HAD to stop and listen ;_;. It was beautiful. There were even people with cellos and clarinets and everything playing together. Oh and those people who are crosses between mimes and statue-impersonators XD. And the swindlers were out as well. : p
In any case, it was a blast, and I look forward to the rest of my stay here. I’m really sorry about the lack of pictures thus far. Hopefully I can get them up in the near future, even if it’s after I return to Canada. D:
TTYL ^_^
Filed under: Europe Trip | Tags: airport, íce cream, Europe, Europe Trip, Flunch, France, green, IKEA, Paris, pretty, Stockholm, Sweden, travel
So right now, it’s about 1:30 AM in Stockholm. I’ve only been here for a few hours; my flight from Paris was only about 3 hours long. We’re staying at my mom’s friend’s house.
We didn’t do much in Paris today, just went out to eat for lunch with another one of my parent’s friends. Most stuff is closed today since it is Sunday. The place we went to, called Flunch, wasn’t all that French in terms of cuisine, but it was pretty yummy. It was an odd buffet style concept and had a lot of variety.
After lunch, we had to go back to Charles De Gaulle, the Paris airport…where they kept all the passengers shut up in a small crowded room until it was time for the flight. Seriously, CDG at least Terminal 1, really sucks. The lady who gave us our boarding pass directed to Gate 70, which apparently doesn’t actually exist, as I found out when I asked a baggage check person later..And the airport terminal itself is not very nice looking.
Stockholm, the birthplace of IKEA and home to the best ice cream in the world apparently, of what I’ve seen so far (not much at all) is really pretty. It’s spread out over tons of islands, and it’s very very green. VERY, VERY GREEN. I love it. 
They seem to be pretty environmentally conscious. This house is really pretty and in a really suburban environment, which I love. What I’ve noticed now is that European homes really are more individualistic than North American homes, where whole communities will be built with only about 5 stock designs. Whereas every house here is really unique and cute, and the people we visited are oddly way more into DIY home improvement than any North Americans I know. XD Also I think the differences in building materials have something to do with it.
But yeah, I look forward to exploring Stockholm, and I guess I look forward to my 18th birthday as well, which is on Tuesday. After days of almost sitting I wanna get in some hardcore sightseeing! XD Hopefully I can revive my dead laptop and put in pics along with my posts. See you all later!
Hejda!
Filed under: Europe Trip | Tags: Eiffel Tower, Europe, Europe Trip, France, French, Paris, planes, travel
Hey everyone!
I just arrived yesterday morning in Paris; well actually, I’m in a town called Combs la Ville, which is about an hour away. The flight went safely, but it was so damn boring… the stupid entertainment system didn’t work the whole flight, so I watched exactly half of 17 Again and then stared off into space for about the rest of the 8 hour flight..But I got some weird gesture of goodwill card from Air Canada so I’ll have to see what that is about…
We didn’t do much yesterday, just hung out at our family friend’s house for most of the day and then went to see the Eiffel Tower, which was amazingly beautiful. I’ve seen it before, but not at night, so I was awed at how uniquely beautiful it can be at different times of the day. Especially when it starts to sparkle. @_@ Voracious photography ensued.
Interesting things besides the Eiffel Tower:
People in Paris do NOT care about their cars. Or other people’s cars. Parking is so tight there. While we were waiting for a guy to get out of his spot, he literally BUMPED the car behind him to get out. With extreme nonchalance.
The Eiffel Tower souvenir hawkers in the vicinity of the Eiffel Tower. They’re hilarious XD and the price changes so much (as in getting lower) as we walk around. But what’s truly funny is how they engage the tourists. One guy as we walked by went, “Tamil? Tamil? India! India! Friends! Friends!” (gestures friendship). I really wanted to reply, “Tigers? Indian Army? No friends!”, but alas, we walked by too fast XD.
I’m trying my best to speak what little French I know here, or at least pretend that I am totally not a tourist while I’m here. So far I have managed to hoodwink a few strangers I think. (Like the neighbour’s kid, who while I was playing with my friend in the backyard kept going “Bonjour~” through the hedge…No clue what that was about. I just said some random stuff back.) Except my 7 year old friend here, who speaks way better French than me. So I’m learning and practicing my French with her. : )
Alright then, I’m going out to lunch, and then back to the airport for my 2 hour flight to Stockholm. And my laptop is dying. So I will see you all later : D
Au revoir~
Filed under: Europe Trip, Generalness | Tags: Air France, Atheism, fears, life, Malcolm Gladwell, planes, Randomness, The Outliers, Thoughts, travel
Right, so my date of departure is fast approaching- this Friday night, in fact. As usual, I’m an ever-changing mix of nervousness and excitement. Not that I’m a nervous flier, per se, but planes and I don’t usually mix too well. I know this from a lot of experience, having spent the majority of my flights being an insomniac and/or throwing up and being ill. But then, I discovered Gravol. Besides my body’s rejection to airplanes, seeing movies with all those plane crashes make me just a taaaaad nervous, but I try not to think about these movies- my mantra is that fact about how you’re more likely to get in a car crash than have your plane crash.
Add to this rather chaotic brew of thoughts the recent section in Malcolm Gladwell’s The Outliers about Air France’s rather dismal record, and then you can guess what I was thinking about a couple of nights ago while trying to fall asleep. Counting sheep is apparently not enough for me. So thinking too much, led me to this rather interesting musing on how we atheists cope in situations such as these. It’s not like we can start praying to some God as soon as things start to go wrong. Regarding this aspect, I’ve been feeling awed at how it takes a lot of courage to be faithless, because it leaves us feeling rather vulnerable in situations where we cannot possibly exert any control- like being thousands of miles in the air in a plane that’s about to crash. Of course, I suppose it could also be argued that it takes just as much courage to be faithful in a world where there are so many people doubting the foundations of your faith. But I’m not trying to insult anyone; it’s just a random thought I had that I thought was quite interesting…
By the way, I asked my father the next morning and apparently it’s Air Canada we’re traveling on. XD
Filed under: Generalness | Tags: Europe, Generalness, graduation, IB, life, school, travel
So after nightmares galore, and nervous overthinking, and a lot of measured carelessness on my part, the day of IB results came…
And WOOT. I graduated! XD (Yeah, I was actually questioning this due to the disaster called Math Paper 1. Not that the other 2 papers went awesomely well, because they didn’t.) So all’s well that ends well and all that. At least now, two years of torture have some sort of meaning. Very little, but some sort of it, nevertheless. I’m also slightly proud of myself for it in the end. >_> Slightly. >:) It’s also quite nice to be part of an international group of students who have been tortured for a long time and emerged with a diploma, and (somewhat) mentally unscathed.
And to add more happiness to this mix, this blog will become a travel blog for a period of 3 weeks XD during my Europe Trip. Capitalized because I expect it to be AWESOME. > : )
