I havent really updated on my goings-on since Stockholm. Feels like since I went back to work after my illness, I havent really stopped. Work has been getting busier, with lots of new assays and techniques. Good practice for me, but its taking me a while to catch up, and remembering to write everything up in my labbook is taking more time than it should. Plus when you look outside and its pitch dark, you start thinking that your quite happy at work (radio, internet, tea) but eventually you brave it...
Anyway, this is whats been going on in my world for the last 2 weeks. Its pretty mammoth, so dont feel obligued to read it, its more for me than anything...
17/11
Knitting club again. I started on my hat. Seemed to be going pretty well. Although found it hard to say 'knit one pearl one" over and over in my mind and follow a conversation at the same time...
18/11
The language cirlce returned to Poro as they all said how much they enjoyed it the first time. In the end only 2 others turned up, but was nice anyway. I do like that bar, even if it is maybe a bit tacky...
19/11
Carrie and Will decided to host a thanksgiving dinner. This was quite a cool idea, and I was excited about going and trying traditional thanksgiving foods. The turkey was great, as well as all the other food. I was picturing something similar to Christmas Dinner though, and it wasnt really much like that at all (no roast potatoes, no vegetables either really...), but givene the limit resources here, I wont take it as an exact replicar (for instance, they couldnt find anywhere selling Pumpkins for Pumpkin pie).
20-23/11
Stockholm!!!
24-26/11
Stayed in sick mostly. Except I did still make it to knitting. I finished my hat! Looks very nice, and covers my ears (even when I tie my hair back, which I do a lot), so have been using a lot sor these cold mornings.
27/11
The language circle met to play cards for lack of a better idea. Was nice though, got covered in glogi in a heated game of Spoons. Ah, Glogi. Apparently comes from a Swedish tradition, but who cares, its lush. Its a heated drink of juices, cinnamon, and spices. Often has some red wine thrown in for good measure....
28/11
Went out for a hot chocolate with Vlad and Malaurie (those that I met at the cottage weekend). Hadnt seen them much since the cottage weekend, so was nice to catch up. The drunken Finns in the bar also provided some amusement.
29/11
The university arrannges tours of certain attractions of Turku for free. I decided to join the group going round the Handicrafts Musuem. This is normally only open for the summer season, but they also open for the Christmas season, and I was intruiged. It is a museum about old traditional handicrafts, but most interesting it is loacted in the only area of Turku that survived the numerous fires, meaning it is the only part that gives any indication to the fact Turku is the oldest town in Finland. The guide was quite good, and although it was cold, it was worth getting out of bed for.
Then in the afternoon/evening they were holding a ceremony outside the Catherdral for the lighting of Finlands official Christmas tree. For this, my friend from Helsinki headed down for the night. Was an interesting ceremony, with dancing and a choir. Then there was someone talking in Finnish and suddenly the lights came on and everyone went home! Haha.
We headed home for food and glogi before heading out for the night. First to Koulu, where there was more glogi, and then to Zanzibar, a latin bar in town. Was alright, but the music didnt really make me want to dance, and then it was too loud to have a proper conversation with anyone. So we headed for the night bus home.
30/11
Got up relatively early and headed for the castle. Did a tour of the perimiter, before walking up along the river past the Finnish Swan (a boat in the Maritime museum), and came as far as the free ferry from Turku to Åbo. Which we went on. And then back again. For anyone unaware, Åbo is the Swedish name for Turku. The ferry just goes from one side of the river to the other :p
We got the bus back to town, and went up the observatory to get a view of the town, before heading down and round to the Cathedral to have a proper look around the Christmas market. After that we headed back to mine before going to Indre's. A lithuanian girl I lived with in Helsinki that my friend wanted to catch up with too. We had a cup of tea and a chat before going to the station to see my friend back to Helsinki.
1/12
Had the first chocolate from the advent calander that my mum had sent over from England. no idea what gave her that idea, but made me smile.
Then in the evening was more knitting. Since I'd finished my hat, I decided to start on some arm warmers. Same wool so they match the hat.
2/12
My lecturer came to visit us students. We all went out for dinner (univeristy of surrey picking up the bill, many thanks). Was nice. Went to Blanko Bar, which is this trendy looking place in the corner by the river. Go past it on the bus a lot and always think it looks nice in there. It was nice. I had a sort of steak. Pretty yummy. Desert was yummier though :)
Ok, I'm bored of this now. Will finish it off ... sometime. Another busy week this week, but the weekend is totally free, so we'll see what happens...
Anyway, this is whats been going on in my world for the last 2 weeks. Its pretty mammoth, so dont feel obligued to read it, its more for me than anything...
17/11
Knitting club again. I started on my hat. Seemed to be going pretty well. Although found it hard to say 'knit one pearl one" over and over in my mind and follow a conversation at the same time...
18/11
The language cirlce returned to Poro as they all said how much they enjoyed it the first time. In the end only 2 others turned up, but was nice anyway. I do like that bar, even if it is maybe a bit tacky...
19/11
Carrie and Will decided to host a thanksgiving dinner. This was quite a cool idea, and I was excited about going and trying traditional thanksgiving foods. The turkey was great, as well as all the other food. I was picturing something similar to Christmas Dinner though, and it wasnt really much like that at all (no roast potatoes, no vegetables either really...), but givene the limit resources here, I wont take it as an exact replicar (for instance, they couldnt find anywhere selling Pumpkins for Pumpkin pie).
20-23/11
Stockholm!!!
24-26/11
Stayed in sick mostly. Except I did still make it to knitting. I finished my hat! Looks very nice, and covers my ears (even when I tie my hair back, which I do a lot), so have been using a lot sor these cold mornings.
27/11
The language circle met to play cards for lack of a better idea. Was nice though, got covered in glogi in a heated game of Spoons. Ah, Glogi. Apparently comes from a Swedish tradition, but who cares, its lush. Its a heated drink of juices, cinnamon, and spices. Often has some red wine thrown in for good measure....
28/11
Went out for a hot chocolate with Vlad and Malaurie (those that I met at the cottage weekend). Hadnt seen them much since the cottage weekend, so was nice to catch up. The drunken Finns in the bar also provided some amusement.
29/11
The university arrannges tours of certain attractions of Turku for free. I decided to join the group going round the Handicrafts Musuem. This is normally only open for the summer season, but they also open for the Christmas season, and I was intruiged. It is a museum about old traditional handicrafts, but most interesting it is loacted in the only area of Turku that survived the numerous fires, meaning it is the only part that gives any indication to the fact Turku is the oldest town in Finland. The guide was quite good, and although it was cold, it was worth getting out of bed for.
Then in the afternoon/evening they were holding a ceremony outside the Catherdral for the lighting of Finlands official Christmas tree. For this, my friend from Helsinki headed down for the night. Was an interesting ceremony, with dancing and a choir. Then there was someone talking in Finnish and suddenly the lights came on and everyone went home! Haha.
We headed home for food and glogi before heading out for the night. First to Koulu, where there was more glogi, and then to Zanzibar, a latin bar in town. Was alright, but the music didnt really make me want to dance, and then it was too loud to have a proper conversation with anyone. So we headed for the night bus home.
30/11
Got up relatively early and headed for the castle. Did a tour of the perimiter, before walking up along the river past the Finnish Swan (a boat in the Maritime museum), and came as far as the free ferry from Turku to Åbo. Which we went on. And then back again. For anyone unaware, Åbo is the Swedish name for Turku. The ferry just goes from one side of the river to the other :p
We got the bus back to town, and went up the observatory to get a view of the town, before heading down and round to the Cathedral to have a proper look around the Christmas market. After that we headed back to mine before going to Indre's. A lithuanian girl I lived with in Helsinki that my friend wanted to catch up with too. We had a cup of tea and a chat before going to the station to see my friend back to Helsinki.
1/12
Had the first chocolate from the advent calander that my mum had sent over from England. no idea what gave her that idea, but made me smile.
Then in the evening was more knitting. Since I'd finished my hat, I decided to start on some arm warmers. Same wool so they match the hat.
2/12
My lecturer came to visit us students. We all went out for dinner (univeristy of surrey picking up the bill, many thanks). Was nice. Went to Blanko Bar, which is this trendy looking place in the corner by the river. Go past it on the bus a lot and always think it looks nice in there. It was nice. I had a sort of steak. Pretty yummy. Desert was yummier though :)
Ok, I'm bored of this now. Will finish it off ... sometime. Another busy week this week, but the weekend is totally free, so we'll see what happens...
3 comments:
I really want an advent calendar- RH has a Kinder egg one,with full size Kinder eggs/Buenos and things in.They're really full on with their calendars here,ours are pretty lame in comparison! Maybe I'll be myself one...Oh,do you remember the ones we had last year?I was thinking about it the other day and it made me laugh :)
Just realised I wrote "be myself one".Premium Ginglish.
Thats ok. Reading the post back, I realise I wrote 'the restaurant in the corner by the river' rather than 'on the corner'. Blooming prepositions!
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