Last glass of Maltese Lemon Cello.
I visited Malta for last Year-end New Year holidays.
Malta received me with warm hospitality, delicious food, beautiful land and culture.
I would like to visit there again.
One day, I will introduce beautiful country Malta.
A bottle in red is Maltese Cactus Liqueur.
This is also nice♪
We (Mom and I) enjoyed Danish and Swedish beers, salad, assorted sausages (including reindeer sausage) and favorite meatballs with mountain berries.
We talked about our recent trip to Scandinavian countries and discussed about our next trip.
After dinner, I enjoyed mint green tea at home.
This is Denish tea.
It’s nice and I can brew tea in the bag!
They are so innovative and fashionable!!
I love traveling!
Who has Marimekko slippers?
I brought hotel slippers to use it on the plane so that I can collect Marimekko slippers.
I must have surprised CAs when they found hotel slippers behind instead. hahaha
Yes, I’m happily wearing Marimekko slippers at home♪
Oh, I have extra pairs because I also collected Mom’s. hahaha
I used to think salmon sandwich is boring.
Now sentimental value is added and I appreciate it very much.
I’m happy to see products, especially food, from Scandinavian countries at stores in Japan.
I prepared salmon sandwich with Denmark’s smoked salmon for my brunch.
For dinner, parents were in town to go to a classic concert; we met up after the concert to have Italian.
I gave Mom the cosmetics that caused me skin problems.
It’s branded cosmetics so it wasn’t cheep; it costed me About USD 60.
Yes, the cosmetics became a gift to Mom.
She gave me a big smile when I gave it to her.
I thought
how many times do we need to celebrate Mother’s Day in a year? hahaha
I bought this Caviar tube in Bergen.
This is not the caviar, eggs of sturgeon, that I know.
This is actually cod fish roe (eggs) tube.
Norwegians call all fish roe caviar.
It’s delicious!
It’s nice to paste it on a bread, mix it with spaghetti, etc.
I look forward to visit Scandinavian countries again!!!
I had a big lunch at the Imperial Hotel.
In Japan, we call buffet viking.
Why?
This Imperial Hotel imported the Scandinavian meal style, Smorgasbord to Japan, but it’s difficult to pronounce it.
The hotel named it, Viking because the area was famous for Viking.
I had a Japanese smorgasbord lunch at where it’s originated in Japan.
I ate many plates of food till I wowed my office mates.
I decided to have a light dinner.
I found these made-in Sweden Smoothes.
Yes, the products have been there at the shelf for long, but I didn’t pay attention nor it didn’t catch my eyes.
Today, I enjoyed a blueberries smoothes.
The packaging is simple, but it’s rich in flavor, very blueberries!
I had few hours before heading to the airport.
I slept very well last night.
I took a big breakfast preparing for a walk to the City Centre.
Forum is a nice shopping mall.
I shopped at Moomin Shop and Vero Moda.
Of course, I stopped by at the Hard Rock Cafe Helsinki.
I bought a nice Hard Rock Cafe Finland cap.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to enjoy a cup of coffee at Hard Rock CAFE. Ahhhh
There are many types of trams running in the town as transportation, pub and sightseeing car…?
The park was decorated by Japanese artist Kusama Yayoi’s polka dots.
I heard that her exhibition will be held in Helsinki soon.
It’s a nice sunny day; people came to the park to enjoy sunshine.
Central Station
Okay, time to say Sayonara to Helsinki. Sob sob.
Now I know why FINNAIR serves blueberry juice – it’s Finland product.
I’m thirsty and hungry because I walked around the town and skipped lunch.
At the airport, I was busy for last minutes shopping.
I didn’t have time to relax at the lounge. hahaha
Wow, Marimekko and iittala, two famous brands!
Dinner was served.
Amuse bouche: root vegetable pie with roasted swede mayonnaise.
Main dish (Combination of Japanese and Western main dish): miso soup, vendace roe jelly, simmered duck in red wine broth and Osso bucco, quinoa, and smoked tomato sauce.
Desserts: Finnish cheese, cup cakes, blueberry Finnish organic JYMY ice cream and coffee.
I took American breakfast (scrambled eggs, poultry sausage, broccoli, potato wedges, yogurt, fruit, croissant and orange juice) just before landing.
Sigh, it’s Japan all right.
Unfortunately, I’m home.
Thank you for traveling with me.
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.
sonokotchi 