Friends Came for Summer Holiday in Stockholm

During the month of June to July we have couple of guests visiting here in Stockholm. It is always nice in the summer where 80% of the weather normally will be prefect sunny and we are able to do lots of outdoor activities coming along all the time.


Here are ladies guest.
To the Left> Anna Ankarlou, Zain Haddad and Myself.
In this photo, Zain has just arrived to Stockholm couple of hrs ago and had slept for few hrs before we took them out for dinner at TGIFriday.


The men side.
Left> Peter Törnquist, Per Ankarlou and Raed Qudsi
Taken on our the roof top terrace during BBQ dinner for social gathering with nice view and big space.



Jonas, Walter and his wife Lilit join us for a BBQ that night.



Us with my son, Gabriel by the side.


Dont really know what to wear that night. Bought this dress about a year ago and had not been using it. Anna saw it and asked me to put it on.



We went for a drink in Berns after dinner at our place. Since we were big groups around 12 people that night, we have not so much choice of a place to choose from as lots of places will be full. Berns is a nice night out place somehow negative side is can be tiring as no seat all standing. After 11 the music gets louder and louder plus no more talking just noise and crowded.



This is one of Peter friend's who are with us that night, Magnus. He just lost his wife and I had a posting of her funeral earlier in my blog.

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Few days later Dag Harald came with his wife and 3 children from Norway. They have been on a 3 weeks holiday somewhere in the eastern country and before they head home back to Norway they stop by Sweden and visit our family.



Again that night we did another BBQ but this time by the water next to our apartment and not on our roof top terrace. The Swedish love to BBQ in the summer. As for me it is easy as I do not have to stand in the kitchen to cook.

Somehow Siriphan, wife to Dag Harald taught me how to make Thai Chili Dip best for grilling. It is really hot and excellent.

If you like to try here are the recipe, simple and easy but really burning damn hot.

20 Small Thai Chili ( Cili Padi) Depending for how many person as we are many that night but only 4 of us who ate that chili dip.
2 Garlic
2 teaspoon sugar
2 lime
Many dash of Fish Sauce.

Pound the small cili, garlic and sugar.
When it's done squeeze the lime and splash fish sauce.

Done easy.

Gröna Lund, Tivoli Stockholm

This is called the ladybug roller coaster for small children. Parents are allowed to accompanying their children on this ride. Probably I choose this one particular photo which was taken by my friend ...... to be in as to prove I am not a carousel type of person. I don't fancy the speed, the height and obviously I believe that I cannot control myself in such situation. My heart beats so fast each time it moves up and down. Of course I was the only adult shouted loudly more than any children on this ride.



Gabriel love the different types of carousel ride. One of them is the free fall. Most children are screaming when it drop down fast and yet they smile and wanted more when it is over.





The Ghost House.

It may not look as scary from the outside but it is scary from the inside. I remember probably 9 years ago we went inside, Vel was screaming and crying and hugging Peter so tight. I was running here and there trying to escape and find my way out fast.



Here comes the, "Gabriel the Mini Ghost". No he did not try this as I do not want him to have nightmare and unable to sleep at night but in a few years when he is a little bit older, yes I would allowed him to go inside.


Thinking to myself, If I do scream on a children mini roller coaster,I guess I will scream and cry on this ride, probably fainted. It looks fun though but the speed and seeing the seat being thrown left to right plus moving up and down, I am so sure that I am better being on the ground watching.




Throwing the ball into the bin is not that easy especially you have to collect few hundred balls in a short time.


The flower on their neck was what they got from the game. It is just a small symbolic for children who played and did not scored anything.




Few days later we went again to Gröna Lund. Basically the children enjoyed it most to being there. This time we were 8 adult and 5 children.



Even a horse like this who doesn't move and cannot do much attract the children so much to climb up and down.


Vel and me trying to win some big kilo of goodies. Here I am digging for 25 SEK a spin of game.



The spinning of tea cup. I wonder why those people don't get giddy. Just by watching how fast it move and turn I dont get myself picture inside those giant cup.


Cute little Sandra trying to hug Gabriel. Gabriel is always shy and trying to get away from being hug by any girls and his dad always teases him that when he turn 16 he would be the one running and after those girls for a hug by then.


From top left: Vel, Gabriel, Sandra, Theresa, Anita and little small corner left on the pram is a cute little Mikael.


They found another type of free fall for children but this one goes up and down repeatedly. Gabriel said this is more scary than the first free fall but he went on twice.



Look at their faces. I love it and I am so lucky to get this very good shot of the kids. To take a closer look click on the photo.



Left: Gabriel
From Right: Sandra and next to her is Anita.

Therese cried as she has to be 1 meter to take this ride and she did not manage to get on this ride. Brave kids we have here unlike me who was called the Chicken.

Singaporean Laksa Recipe

I called it Laksa Lemak. My children love it and I have to cook and eat Laksa at least once a month.

We don't have the luxury like in Singapore where we can just go down to the coffee shop and find variety of noodle to eat. Each time the kids and I are craving for something, I would go to the Asian Market nearby and buy all the ingredients and start cooking myself.

I had this one of my many cooking posted on my blog as Veldiner would like to have the recipe for her someday if she have to cook them by herself.

The blended paste into a pan with little oil.

 Ready to serve.

Recipe

Ingredient A
2 slice of white fish fillet. (Either steam it OR I did a faster way rub them with salt and into the microwave between 5 to 8 mins)
5 Shallot or 1 big white onion
4 garlic
1 thumb size of ginger
1 fresh red chili (Cannot put more than 1 as my children do not eat too spicy)
4 full tablespoon of Babas fish curry powder. ( I only love babas curry powder)

Ingredient B

Fish Ball
Fried Beancurd
Prawns (Boiled till it turn red and put aside on a plate)
Cockles (Optional)
Noodle (depending what type of noodle but in Asian store you can also find white Laksa noddle otherwise spaghetti noodle is great enough)
Bean sprout ( boiled hot water and once the water is boiled put the sprout for less than a mis and put them aside)
Cucumber (Slice thinly)
Vietnamese Mint (Chopped)
Coconut milk


Once the fish is well done, put all the ingredients A into a blender and blend well till becoming a paste.

Heat a pan with little oil and add in the blended paste for few mins.

Add in one can of coconut milk. (Usually I also add in the water from the boiling of prawns)

Next throw in fish ball and fried Bean curd.

Let the fish ball cooked and add in Salt to taste.

Serving

Place noodle in a bowl
Add in a handful of bean sprout
A handful of thinly slice cucumber
Cooked Prawns
Cooked Cockles(Optional)

Pour in Gravy with fish ball and Fried Bean curd.

Sprinkle Vietnamese Mint.

I love the topping of a big spoonful of sambal for my laksa. (Optional)

Done and enjoy.

Permanent Eye Lashes Extension in Stockholm

Elrener, Anna and myself decided to do our eye lashes extension as we are tired of applying mascara each time we need to go out.
We called many beauty salon here in Stockholm but they are fully booked till the end of July and I finally found a beauty salon which can take us a day after at 15.00 hrs and even it is a little long distance, we decided to confirmed the booking and took a train down.
It took us an hr for each of us to do both eyes. Painless and we do not need to apply mascara after. It was nice and we were very satisfied after.

They applied one extension lashes each time to our original lashes and that is why it took a long time.


Elrener before the eye lashes extension.


Elrener after the eye lashes extension.


My self before the extension.



After the extension.


Anna after the eye lashes extension. I didnt get to get any good shot of her before the extension.

Our Final Farewell to AnneLie in Uppenbarelsekyrkan i Saltsjöbaden

I have never been to a funeral here in Sweden before and Magnus had made such a nice beautiful memorable funeral for his late wife yesterday. I heard lots of people commented after such a pleasant memories combined with mixed touching feeling will somehow remain with them forever.
I was very moved and touch by the whole ceremony.
Annelie left behind her husband, Magnus and 2 teenage boys, Jacob and David.

Since it was such a nice sunny weather, the ceremony was held outside the church. Magnus have made arrangement for a singer and a pianist to sang AnneLie's favorite song. In between the speech and preaching from the priest the song were played. It was a real well picked songs for the whole ceremony.
Combination with the wonderful scenery over looking the peaceful calm water, the soft breeze passing by, greenery of the trees during the summer and the soft whistling from the birds surrounding the atmosphere really bring such a perfect combination to the ceremony.

Annelie have several other requests before she left and one of them is that no one bring flowers to her funeral as she would like the money to be donated to the children cancer fund instead. So everyone did as she have requested and bought along a small flower in hand as a last gesture of saying goodbye which were placed on top of the her coffin before we left. We were also requested to be dressed in light colors clothing which normally would be black. So most ladies came with white or lightly colored dress while men came with light beige pants and a white shirt.

After the ceremony ended, we met at Magnus house for a glass of champagne, ate lunch and drank rose wine. All this were also another request by Annelie. She wanted everyone to be happy and not mourning over it. She is well known as a very strong women.
Normally the tradition will be just coffee and some light snack but Annalie want everyone to be served with good proper food. We gave a cheers for AnneLie after Magnus have given a short speech with a glass of champagne.

We and few others left quiet late that night. I joined the other 2 ladies to help cleaned up the place after most of them have left.

May you rest in peace Annelie and you will always be remembered by all your love ones.