Month: July 2016

Sayonara Stockholm.


Konnichiwa Helsinki.

I arrived Helsinki at 3:30 pm.

It’s still bright so I could visit few places in Helsinki.

Temppeliaukio Church (Rock Church)

When I was approaching to this church, I just saw rocks.

I was wondering what made this place so famous to attract many visitors because I didn’t see any significance on it.

But I was wrong, very wrong.

The church is amazingly beautiful and songs…are there angels singing…?

I think they are students and they were practicing singing.

The church is also a popular place for concerts due to its excellent acoustics.

The place made me calm.

If I had time, I would just sit there to enjoy the moment.

Market Square

Finland is famous for production of blueberries.

I tried these local blueberries and they are nice.

City Hall

Helsinki Cathedral and Senate Square

Tonight’s Dinner @ Crown Plaza
I enjoyed a pork dish with a glass of red wine♪

I will depart for Tokyo tomorrow.

I enjoyed staying in Scandinavian countries: Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland.

I enjoyed being surrounded by dynamic nature: trees, mountains, ocean, waterfalls, etc., and learning local history and culture.

Food is simple, but fresh and natural.

Farming is one of major industries for Scandinavian countries; therefore, we can enjoy fresh milk, yogurt, cheese, bread, butter, chocolate, ice cream, etc.

I wish to return here one day and I strongly recommend you to visit if you haven’t.

In the morning, I visited the Drottningholm Palace.

The current King lives at this Palace and commute to the Royal Palace in Old City every day.

Royal family live at left side of the building and open the right to public.

I feel Royal just standing here. hehehe

There are many facilities on the premises.

Capel

Theater

Garden

Open Air Natural Theater

Guard Tent

China Pavilion

I returned to the Royal Palace in Old City area and had lunch at Ebenist Restaurant, opposite side of Nobel Museum.

Their meatball, pan fried herring, cream brûlée and panna cotta were nice.

I just relaxed and listened to a street musician singing.

Then I walked back to hotel.

Royal Palace

Opera House

Drottninggatan Street

This street is closed to vehicle traffic and there are many stores along this street.

I tried few Swedish traditional sweets.

I stopped by Ahlens Department Store to buy tonight’s dinner.

Japanese sushi wasn’t bad.

Then of course, I visited Hard Rock Cafe Stockholm❤️

I stayed at the Clarion Hotel Sign in Stockholm.

This hotel is very modern.

Each lift plays different music: Lounge, Jazz, Pop and Rock.

Okay, time to pack now.

I’ll fly to Helsinki tomorrow.

I checked out from the First Marin Hotel, Bergen this morning.

It’s nice hotel and food is decent.

I wish I could stay there longer, but I left hotel early to visit few places in Bergen.

Bryggen, one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Fish Market

Norwegians surprised me because they call fish roe, Caviar…these are not the caviar that I know…

At the Hansa Museum, I learned their life in those days.

Then I left for Stockholm.

At Stockholm, first, I enjoyed Haga Forum’s hand-made meatballs.

Lingonberries/mountain berries enhanced the flavor♪

After enjoying nice meatball lunch, I visited City Hall.
You might recognize this place because every 10 December, the Nobel Prize Banquet is held here.


Palace

Gamla Stan (Old City)

I checked-in at the Clarion Hotel Sign.

It’s a fashionable hotel.

I quickly fresh up and went to the Grand Hotel to experience 2014 Novel Prize banquet dinner.

The place and food are nice.

The dishes are:

     *Cauliflower soup with a mosaic of king crab, peas and lemon picked cauliflower,

     *Herb fried loin of deer with carrot, salt baked yellow beet, smoked pearl onion served with potato purée and game gravy, and

     *Mousse and sorbet of dewberries from Gotland with saffron pannacotta on browned buttered sponge cake.

I’ll continue sightseeing in Stockholm tomorrow.

This morning, I took breakfast in rush to leave hotel by 8 am.
First, I stopped by at the Tvindefossen Waterfall.

There is a rumor that Disney referred this waterfall for one of the scene in Frozen.

And there is another rumor, perhaps only among Japanese, that a sip of water can make us a decade younger.
Yes, I managed to get few sips. hahaha

Then I stopped by at the Stalheim Hotel for a coffee break.

I enjoyed a cup of coffee while overlooking at a part of fjord.

Of course, coffee tasted much much better.

This is the Stalheim Waterfall.

I proceeded to Gudvangen Port to enjoy the Fjord Cruise.

The weather was nice so I enjoyed gorgeous scenery while cruising.

Ahead of me is the famous Sognefjord.

At the end of cruise, Flam Port, I had Norway Salmon Lunch at the Fretheim Hotel.

By the way, this is the Flam Light Beer, nice beery tasted beer that you should try.

From Flam Station, I took the Flam Railway.

On the way to Myrdal Station, this train stops at Kjosfossen Station to admire the Kjosfossen waterfall and to look for a fairy.

Please enlarge this picture to look for a fairy. fufufu

I changed the line at Myrdal Station to the Bergen Railway to return to Bergen Station.

At last, I climbed Mt. Floyen by taking the Floibanen Funicular. 

I could look over the whole city of Bergen!

Isn’t this nice?

Today, I tried many different rides. hahaha