Weekend Trip: Take #1

This destination has long been on my European "todo" list. I've been told that if I were to see any major Scandinavian city, then this should be the one. A quick browse over travel forums and I soon realised that attractions were not the major draw card and found that it held a sentimental appeal of character and atmosphere. With newly assessed expectations and a fistful of Swedish Kronas we set out for Stockholm.

We opted for the after-work flight option and arrived at Arlanda International airport just before midnight local time. Thankfully the tourist information was still open and in the bright halogen illuminated room we stood in awe of the postcards and posters depicting an aestival Stockholm. This was unfortunately, not to be. We were greeted by cold, wet weather. That, and the fact we had limited daylight meant we had a severely reduced number of tourist options.

The general concensus, was that Stockholm is definitely a Summer city (A number of locals reiterated this point). Resigned to the fact that it would probably remain on my "todo" list I set out to count the number of Ikea Products, Saab Automobiles, H&M stores and beautiful Swedish women I would see over the trip. I lost count after the first day.

Stockholm Christmas Markets - Sugared Almond vendor.

My Ikea futon - In fact, in our hostel room alone, I counted 3 Ikea-labelled products. Don't get me started on the kitchen and bathroom.

Saab - It must have been the weather, but every single car we spotted was filthy and in dire need of a wash.

H&M

Dubbelrulle - It's 50% kebab, 50% hotdog. 100% post-alcohol snack.

Vasa Museum - Replica (10:1) of Sweden's most famous ship.

Overall, plenty of fun. We spent majority of the time cafes, sleeping and walking the streets of Old Town. Didn't get to see any Ericsson Mobiles or Nudie Jeans, that I'm afraid, will have to wait until the summer.

Krakow

It's time to dust off the keyboard and re-invigorate the fingers. My hiatus has been warranted, at least I believe so. November, simply put has been consumed by work. It gnaws at my patience, infiltrates my social life and leaves me in a stupor incapacable of discerning reality from office life. In other words, work has been busy. The exodus of expats has slowly come to a halt and despite the reduced numbers each weekend unfolds like the many before: hazy, distant, reckless and spontaneous. Of course, we can't forget one of the mains reason for being in the UK.

To travel. Next destination, Krakow. We had heard good things about Poland, relatively cheap, decent grub laced with plenty of culture. Unintentionally this had somehow ended up as a lad's trip and the had been billed by some as Bucharest, part 2. It turned out to be an intense 30 hours in Krakow and one of my favourite weekend trips to date.

Relatively cheap. We managed to get flights for around £68, one night at the Holiday Inn for £33 including tour prices and spending money the trip cost approximately £250.

Food. Not too many surprises here, follows the traditional Eastern Europe cuisine. Plenty of meat, potatoes, sauerkraut. There were a couple of gems that we stumbled across.

Mushroom Soup - Served in a loaf

Zapiekanka - The perfect after hours snack

Plenty of culture. I'll spare you the details but since coming back I've found myself immersed WWII history.

Auschwitz Concentration Camp

Salt Mines

Hookah - 30 minutes before the leaving for the airport

Home. Early flight back, time to meet my new house mates!

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" - George Santayana