Into the Artic, Kiruna ( 2 Jan 07 - 7 Jan 07) The last trip before returning to Singapore.. Kiruna, up north of Sweden into the artic. Over there the temperature is as low as -25 degree. Don't know how I survived the cold.. haha.. We went to the ice hotel on the first day. Ice hotel.. As the name suggest, the whole hotel is made of ice. There is this absolute ice bar in the hotel where we drink from this ice cup! The next two day we follow this northern light tour which brings us to a base camp where we stay there for one night. During this tour we did not manage to see the northern lights thus, we decided to stay another night (change our train tickets). Lucky we stayed one more night.. If not we will miss the beautiful northern lights! The last day we went to this iron ore mine.. Largest iron ore mine in the world.. The tour just intro us the mine and tell us how the iron ore are mined and processed and bring us into the underground mine tunnel.

Entrance to the ice hotel..

One of the ice hotel bed..

Ice bar.. everything is ice..

Drinking from the ice cup.

A night of fireworks..

First time on a dog sledge!

Having fun on the snow mobile!

Snow.. till my knee level..Trekking in the snow..

Northern lights!! Beautiful..

Kiruna..Kiruna Church..

I like that background.. so "magical" and beautiful..

The place there is so white with snow.. so beautiful.. especially the northern light.. We had a try on the dog sledge, snow mobile, rafting cross the rapids, chopping wood to keep warm, bbq with the firewoods, sauna and then running out to the snow, hiking in the snow forest.. everything is so close to natural.. the feeling is so different, so special.. Such a wonderful experience..

New Year Eve 2006 Happy New Year! Welcome 2007! Me and my friend did not really celebrate the new year eve, we just had dinner togather then went to watch fireworks after dinner. Thoughout the night you can keep hearing the sound of fireworks. When we arrived at Slussen, there are so many people! Fireworks are everywhere.. Police are also there to keep things in control. People just light the fireworks off the street and you have to be on the look out in case one fire into you. haha. Here are some photos.

Italy (20 Dec 06 - 28 Dec 06) Italy.. My last Europe country before my exchange program ends. We first travel to Rome then to Venice, Florence, Pisa, Siena and back to Rome. Seem like this period of time alot of exchange student went to Italy. Meet quite a few of them. So happy to meet friends whom I did not expect to meet. Its like a concluding trip where I met friends which I got to know when I was travelling. One regret is not being able to eat in this resturant in Rome.. Went there the first time we were too early and since we were too hungry we settle for something else.. the second time, it was fully booked! Each of the city in Italy has different thing to see.. For Rome, its more of the ruins.. then Venice, the beautiful water city, has a good sun set view and river side view. Florence has more statue then Pisa has the leaning tower while Siena is just a small town with a square and dumo (church). Rome: Colessum

Trevi Fountain

Spanish square.. connecting a shopping street(people queuing to enter Gucci, LV shop...)

So qiao to meet my friends..

St Peter's Square.. Look at the number of people queuing to enter the St Peter's Basilica Vatican City.. Forbidden grounds.. Visitor are not allow..

Venice.. The water city:

What a beautiful sun set.. too bad its too short..

Pisa:

Siena:

Florence: Soon.. I will be back to Singapore.. The last trip before going back will be to Kiruna. Its up north of Sweden into the artic circle. Hope to see the northern light there! Think it be very beautiful.

Christmas Market in Skansen (17 Dec 06) Skansen is a open air museum in Sweden. However during winter time there is nothing much there except the christmas market. Went there to get a feel of the christmas and to try some of the typical christmas food. There is this center stage in the market where people singing and dancing. We all join in and dance togather with the people. So interesting and fun. haha.

Entrance to Skansen

Fire to keep warm..

Christmas Market..

BBQ fish.. some typical Sweden food..

Dancing round the christmas tree..

Sweden Wooden horse..

Satisfying my Manjong itch ( 14 Dec 06) Finally.. I can play some manjong here. haha.. Went over to have dinner with my HongKong friends and realise they got manjong tiles.. then after dinner.. Manjong.. haha. The way of playing is almost the same except that they are playing with 144 tiles while Singapore play with 148 tiles (we got 4 more "animals"). The other main differences is the counting of tai. Dinner with my hk friends..

Manjong.. haha

Hmm.. play big play small? haha..

Budapest & Prague (9 Dec 06 - 14 Dec 06) Hmm.. Let me start talking about Prague, Czech Republic. It is a very beautiful and romatic place. Full of tourist also. Lucky for us, the weather was good, clear blue sky. This makes the whole scenery very beautiful. We spend 2 days in Prague, one day in Kutna Hora (small town in Czech) and another day in Budapest, Hungary. Kutna Hora is famous for its Ossuary chapel which has its interior filled by 400,000 human bones. Budapest.. Hmm.. maybe its due to the foggy and cold weather, I don't think it is as beautiful as Prague. Should have tried the thermal bath there but did not really have the time. Chain bridge at Budapest was quite nice too. "One should view Charles bridge on Charles bridge but should not view Chain bridge on Chain bridge." (If u get what I mean)

Prague- Old Town Square

Charles Bridge

Prague Castle

Ossuary Chapel, real human bones..

Budapest:

Heros' Square..

Thermal spring..

Chain Bridge

Cold..

Fisherman Basilica.. (Should get a good view of sunset here.. too bad weather quite foggy)

Sleeping over at Airport..

Lastly, some lesson learnt.. Always check your change and the price of the stuff you are buying.. Firstly I was given the wrong change.. then I realised that I had paid ard 10Sgd for a bottle of mineral water.. Kaoz.. kanna cheated!

Rock Climbing (3 Dec 06) Got to know this friend Jackie in KTH (my school here). He bought us to this indoor rock climbing place and give us a crash course for rock climbing. Now my hands are aching after the climbing and its abit difficult to type. haha.. Need some workout. Rock Climbing..

Climbing lesson..

Making my way to the top..

Finally.. top of the wall..

Everyone..

Russia ( 22 Nov - 30 Nov 06 ) Finally the long waited Russia trip. 9 long days... Althought the whole trip is 9 days, we spend only 3 days in St Petersburg and 2 days in Moscow. Rest of the time is spend on travelling. In Russia, nearly no one speaks English. Getting around asking for direction and ordering food had to be done using sign language! Also, almost every car in Russia is a "cab". Just stand along the street, car will stop by and after getting the price right you hop on and it takes you to your destination. Next, no gums and guns are allowed in the clubs of Russia. There are also no age limit. Girls as young as 12, 13 years old can be seen clubbing! One can also find police, solider, security guards almost every where.

Place visited in St Petersburg include the State hermitage Museum, Catherine's Palace, St Peter and St Paul fortresses.

In Moscow, went to the Red Square, Kremlin and Old Arbat walking street.

In addition, went to catch a Russian Folk Dance Performace, Russian Ballet, clubbing and bar in Russia. Bought the tickets for the Russian Ballet from the tout at 500 Rup. Starting price was around 1500 Rub and it drop as the time for the show draw nearer. Some other was able to get it for 200 Rub.

In front of State Hermitage Museum

As I mention.. Soliders can be found everywhere..

Pushkin & Catherine's Palace.

Red Square (Moscow).

Lenin Mausoleum.

Wall of Kremlin in the back ground

In front of Kremlin, the eternal flame..

Hotel Ukraina (where we stay). One of the seven Stalin time building in Moscow.

St Isaac's Cathedral

Cathedral of the spilled blood (aka Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ)

The perfect street in St Petersburg. Width and height of street are equal in length.

Gambling onboard the cruise.. Using candy as chip. haha

Travelling friends for the Russia trip..

Who jump the highest? haha

Skiing (17 Nov - 20 Nov 06 ) First time that I tried skiing! We went to Salen, further up from Stockholm (4 hours of train), to ski. Spend 2 days there skiing. The other 2 days was spend travelling there and back. Well who knows how to ski when they are born. haha.. Had alot of falls but all in all its fun. Whole body aching after that. Taken when we were on the bus to Salen. Our accomodation there.. cosy place with own living room.

Snow man! Salen.. Slope behind will be where we ski.. Cold..

Our ski

Looking at the slope..

What can I say.. Great company, fun activity!

Ice Hockey Game (16 Nov 06) How can one miss a ice hockey game when spending winter in Sweden. Thus off we go to watch this ice hockey game. All I can say is its interesting! Manage to see some pushing and a penalty shoot where one play versus the keeper alone.. Sure goal..

My Birthday!! ( 11 Nov 06) Hmm.. lets see.. think its the first time I am celebrating my birthday overseas! In Europe somemore.. haha.. Alda and Uwei help me to organise a potluck dinner with my friends here in Sweden. Thank you everyone! Also not forgetting thank you my friends, cousins and family in Singapore for their birthday wishes!

My birthday "cake". (tiramisu made by Uwei)

Shots..

and shots..

and shots..

and I am drunk.. gone.. haha.