acemi is abroad

Stockholm welcomed us with good looking swedish people who were answering our questions about finding food at 9.30 on a Thursday night. Somehow we were always busy with finding a good restaurant but I should admit, the last one we found was just perfect.

I didn't check any travel guide before this trip but I think we could see the most famous tourist attractions. Our first destination in the city was Gamla Stan, the old town. It was so touristic that some people were trying to bilk tourists with a where-is-the-ball-game. After walking in the narrow streets of Gamla Stan we took a boat trip. The boat was the last one and they offered us a day ticket which was valid for the next day too. It was a good deal for 100 SKR (about 11€) but wasn't a joyful tour. The city was introduced by a tape which was recorded by the most bored person on earth The only thing I remember from tape is the price of appartments on the most expensive street of Stockholm, 10.000€/m²

On the next day we've headed to Vasa Museum which hosts an almost 400 years old historical warship. Scadinavian lifestyle of 17th century is illustrated in 5 floors, or was it even bigger? I found it a bit exaggerated.

After seeing Vasa we went to Skansen which is an oper air museum and has a zoo of scandinavian animals. We were busy with watching animals most of the time and there I found out "Björn" means brown bear. Björn is a common male name in Europe, especially in Sweden and I think it represents a powerful and brave man like "lion" in turkish. I was very surprised because "bear" connotes rudeness and harshness in Turkey.

We were yearing to have some swedish food from the beginning and very close from the exit of Skansen we found this restaurant and had delicous swedish food for reasonable prices. They served juice of lingonberry (I'm not sure what the fruit is though) for free and we were very satisfied with the meal. I was told that Stockholm was very expensive but I think it's not expensive than Paris, except alcohol. That dinner costed us 12-15€ each person but we payed 7€ for a beer in a nice bar on Friday night.

I'm still tired of these last trips but I'm very happy I could go to some cities I wanted to see.

Carnival was the most interesting event I've ever experienced in Germany. It was a kind of culture shock for me. I saw the craziness of german people, I was suprised and impressed at the same time. Nobody joined the carnival parties or parades was behaving in their normal attitude. I talked to german people in pubs, restaurants or on streets who I didn't know and wouldn't see again and that doesn't happen so often. (By the way it was very jolly to hear compliments about my costume, hair and even my eyes )During the carnival I became a witch (I made myself up to look uglier for the first time in my life ), partied at the office building, I had litres of beer, walked in a parade, got flamed on my hair (luckily my friends realised it and my hair didn't burn much), tried to catch chocolates... I enjoyed these four days very much. Although it was so fantastic I couldn't publish carnival stories because firstly I didn't have time, my calender is quite full lately and secondly I don't feel good, I'm kind of broken.

My carnival celebrations started at the office with a breakfast (incl. beer). All my colleagues were in costumes like I was. To have beer at the breakfast is another thing I've done for the first time in my life. (Everything was for the first time for me, except drinking beer at night ) The party at the post tower started at 11.11 but I could arrive there by noon. The party was a lot of fun and almost all the employies were in costumes. Have you ever seen your boss or department manager in a funny costume, well I did

At 7 pm I was about to fall a sleep, because of sleeping very little at night and drinking lots of beer (I bought just 2 cups of beer actually ) After sleeping 12 hours I was ready for the next party in Cologne!

A friend of mine came to visit me (or just to see the carnival ) from Mannheim. The poor (!) girl had to take off with me and two turkish trainees to Cologne just after the dinner. I absolutely don't know any good/popular pubs in Cologne like noone in the group do and we decided to ask any person on the street. (I don't like to ask questions to people I don't know, but yeah I saved the night ) We followed some young ladies until Heumarkt and found a street full with pubs, had some beer on the street (and it's cold in February at 12 at night). We could get in a pub and danced, did funny stuff, had a lot of fun... (I hope I don't embarras the guys on the right photo below!)


Saturday evening we went to Cologne again and joined to the alternative parade which is called 'Ghost Parade (Geisterzug)'. It was crazy!!!


Even girls could pee as they were standing

The fun went on at the subway station, dancing whole night... Dancing in the train wasn't posible because we were like sardines in a can, but it didn't stop people singing!

















It took totally 3 hours to arrive home but at least we could!

On Sunday we had another celebration, the chinese new year! Trainees with chinese origin cooked delicious chinese food for us but unfortunately I missed some food. For the rest it was a quite day.

Monday was the last boom day for carnival and we went to Cologne to see the 'Rosenmontagzug' and catch some candies. I wasn't much successful but I enjoyed some Haribos and even got a beatiful flower from my very kind salsa partner




















After carnival I had the traditional Matjes Herring for lunch with an apple-onion-yoghurt-mayonnaise sauce and boiled patatoes, perfect after boozing my colleagues told me. (I'm going to upload the photo here when I get it from my boss)



From all those litres of alcohol and parties I gained better contacts with my colleagues and AIESEC trainees, this is the lesson of the story

As I woke up I was hoping to meet my friend as I would walk around in Milan. At the breakfast I met a girl from USA who was going to study in Istanbul for one semestre. After breakfast I've decided to go to Venice. I wasn't just sure if it would worth to pay 40€ for the train ticket and stay there for 5-6 hours.

Inside of the train station reminded me the one in Hamburg, trains reminded me the ones in Austria and the delay reminded me the old trains in Turkey.



This is the first view in Venice you see.


I took a boat in canal to go to San Marco square. Buildings were beautiful there but it was a short trip. Walking in very narrow streets and window shopping for glass goods and masks brought me to the Piazza San Marco. You can see photos here. I was so amazed with the view I even forgot to get into Basilica di San Marco As I was walking I saw Harry's Bar accidentally. I was even suprised that I could remember the bar's name which I saw in a documentary on TV. I had one famous Bellini cocktail and payed 14€ but it was very delicious.

I headed for a delicious but not very expensive pizza and I found myself in an irish pub eating italian pizza. After I had my dinner I saw many snack bars and sandwiches and wraps seemed very yummy to me, well maybe next time. And this is the desert, easy but very tasty. Walking 5 hours long and shopping a little (not in Gucci ofcourse) made me tired, it was time to turn back to Milan.

In Italy you have to validate your train ticket by a stamp and I didn't know that. The controller said it was no problem I guess because I bought the ticket on that day but normally I should have paid 25€ penalty

For the Silvester I went to Antwerp. Unfortunately the weather was terrible and I couldn't see much from the city. In new year's eve I attended to an enjoyable house party and today to a new year's lunch for the family of my friends but that's a pitty that I cannot speak Flemish.

In the photo below you see Gordon's Scotch beer, which I had on Saturday in a bowling alley. This beer which served in an interesting glass is a Belgian beer and it tastes like Efes dark and I like it very much.

I wish you all a happy new year!