China snaps 2006-2009

Even though I am currently in Finland, I constantly think about China and about all the things that has happened since I moved there in 2006... It's been some interesting years, to say the least! Here are some of my favorite moments captured: 

Shiji Gong Yuan (Century park), Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai
Temple of Heaven, Beijing
Green Lake park, Kunming, Yunnan
Daxi, Yunnan
Daxi, Yunnan
Dalian
Russian street, Dalian
Beijing Olympics (men's basketball final) 
Beijing Olympics
Hainan Island

Hainan Island
Shuangxi, Hunan
Shuangxi, Hunan
Changsha, Hunan
Suzhou
Half marathon in Hangzhou 
Chinese wedding in Shanghai
Beijing's Great Wall

Shanghai marathon

Can't wait to explore more of this amazing country! 

The week that went by

When time flies it's easy to forget how great things actually are... I thought I'd do myself a favor and look back at the week I just spent in Sweden (starts from the bottom, so you need to scroll down and start from there). Sure, it became a bit hysterical when it came to making time to see everybody and so on, but all in all, I had a fantastic time, all thanks to my family and friends! Until next time!

Sunday afternoon: Hello (again) Finland!
Sunday: bye bye from the train station before I catch the train to Copenhagen airport
Saturday: Not feeling too flash. Treat time again.
Mia's cute dog Sam (everybody's called Sam nowadays!?)
Getting messy
Friday (night) Girl's night at my friend's Mia's place
(later) Friday: enjoying Malmö's old town
Friday: Eh... eating again?! This time picnic in the park with my oldest childhood friend
Thursday (night): Catching up with my other sister Nella
Thursday (day): It's all about food. Enjoying yet another lunch with my parents
Again, Wednesday: Dad acting Chinese man and carrying all of our shopping bags (however, he refused our handbags)
(still) Wednesday: being treated a lunch by my awesome folks
Wednesday: Shopping and eating in Ystad, a cute beach/fisherman village in Skåne, Sweden
Tuesday: Catching up with my friend Mari
Monday: Family time with my sister Charlotte and baby Sam
Sunday: Well deserved hangover. Not as well deserved Sunday treat. But oh so good.
(still) Saturday night (and it's bright as a day outside!): Singing for the most recent bday girl
Saturday (night): Catching up with my fave girls
Saturday (day): My sister's baby's Sam's day. Literally! Baptizing.

Yet another food post

One of the things that I probably miss the most about China is the food. Not only is it tasty and spicy (at least when I am in charge of the ordering), but also, it’s cheap! I’ve tried to minimize my ‘eating out’ experiences over here, simply because it’s too expensive, and after all.. food is food. You can cook great things in your kitchen so why go out and pay loads to have someone else do it for you? (well, that can be nice too but when it costs like over here –a simple thai dish is something like 200 yuan at a proper restaurant, and a starter like tom yum soup goes for 100 yuan- it feels a bit overwhelming…. Or, maybe it’s just me who’s become food-stingy?!). I have to say that both friends and family have reacted about how much importance I put on food. I was the girl who used to skip lunch and munch on an apple if I felt like it. Nowadays, that lunch hour is holy.

To my great surprise more than one friend over here have been completely into the whole ‘let’s order a bunch of dishes and share.’ Me like! Sure, we cannot order as freely as I am used to doing in China, but, it’s nice that people are more open to the whole ‘eating together and sharing your food’ than before. When I came home from China 2 years ago and suggested the same thing I was met with suspicion. Still… cannot help missing Chinese food. Yuuuuum. Oh well, some salmon salads will have to do until then.