Tourists

 Today I finally managed to go to Skansen and luckily it was a really nice day, full of sunshine, noisey kids and people taking pictures. We walked for hours and hours and didnt really realise how tired I was until I sat down to eat a massive burger (2nd best part of the day naturally).

Also passed Gröna Lund the theme park. I can't WAIT to go for my birthday, and as it's my 21st everyone will be forced to have fun and go on the rides!

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A short Swede and their every day houses... 

 I was rediculously confused/excited about the big things of milk, but seriously, why were they there?! Think people thought it was a day out of excited, camera loving, special gingers. And it kinda was :)

 The next few awesome picttures were taken by Kevin and his awesome camera. Shame he didnt have a zoom.. everyone else did.

Monkeys! After walking for miles and taking hundreds of pictures we decided to take a hundred more but this time look at cute animals. There were monkeys, lemurs, crocodiles, fish, snakes, spiders and a lady with a  spray thing of water to keep the lemurs from going near people..

 Cool dude. 

 Compare de meeerkat dot com! Shoulda hidden one in my bag...

At the end of the animals place there was a stall thing with an open box with a giant Boa snake and another with a huge tarantula. All the kiddies could line up and touch them, and THIS is why I love Sweden. It's so laid back, for instance the crocodile cage thing, there was some glass about 1m high then a giant gap all around the top, with a sign telling us they could jump. But heeeey, whats the worst that could happen eh?

Then at the 'petting booth' all the wee kids were patting the giant snake and spider, as you do. At one point a baby was sitting on the desk and the snakes head (the lady in charge didnt notice) was sniffing/licking the babies hand, while the baby tried to grab the snakes head until the woman noticed and casually pushed the snakes head in another kids direction. Sweden is the a laid back surfer dude and everything is just cooooool man.

 Then there was glass blowing, she was so cool... didn't look like a glass blower at all. Think I was picturing an old, soot covered hairy man.

All in all and awesome day out! Tonight is a free festival in one of the mini parks in the city, so going to that with quite a few people. Hopefully we get some good places to see the people playing.

Also, back to Scotland 4th-18th. Yeah man!

And it clicks

I'm kinda sad that I have given in and realised I was wrong after fighting a long, hard battle about this. There have been many nights of arguing about the way we call 10.30 'half 10'. I didn't notice until I moved here and noticed that in Swedish half ten means 9.30. I couldn't understand why they thought it was weird when we said it. I fought so long and hard.. really stuck to my guns on this one, convinced, finally, that I was right about something.


Then it clicked. It doesn't make ANY sense, half 10 should be 9.30. I will apologise to anyone I have had a screaming, violent match with because of this issue. Deeply, deeply sorry.

Anyway, in other news...
Today turned out to be the best Ive had in a long time. We planned to meet in the city for a quiet day of food and drinks while lazing in a sunny park, we didn't realise it would be so eventful! 

First off there was a food market. Now, anyone that knows me knows that I love food. And people that really know me should know how ridiculously crazy I am about meat. Especially Salami, and other types of that delicious food of Gods. If I could eat salami all day, everyday, I would. No joke.

Stinky cheeses 

Anyway, there were looads of stalls around Tcentralen, each with flags of their country. There were mainly British and German ones taking up the space with their tasty smells, but there were French ones with Crepes, sweets of all types, millions of different meringues . German ones with their meaty meats and weird... onion garlicky paste stuff (even my German friend didnt know how to describe it!).

Italian ones with sausages, another with chocolate. There was a stall of things made from forks, mainly jewellery. They were incredible, you'd never guess that they are made from forks, and since I'd experimented with using forks for jewellery in college (as my course project, not as a way to be cool and unique...) I knew how hard it was to do. So we had a nice wee chat and ended up buying a ring... I'm so sad that he doesn't have a shope here though. One day our paths will cross once again.... him in his cool rasta hat!

The best stall by far was the Ausssie grill. 

The people working at it were all from Manchester (can't say I wasn't disappointed in the lack of nice Aussie-ness) who were really cool and really liked me when they heard my accent. One was asking about the Island in Scotland that has wild wallabies on it but can't remember where it is..

They were trying to describe the burgers for me, the Crocodile one "tastes like chickeny fish" and the Kangaroo tastes like "very meaty meat". I ate the Kangaroo, because it's cuter when alive, and it was sooooo goood! LOVED it. Might go to Aus just to eat some tasty road kill.

We then just sat around in the sunshine in a wee park we found and people watched. And talked about au pair life, it reminds me of mums when they meet for a glass of wine to complain about the kids... sooo glad I have easy one to look after! 

Random dude chilly with his creepy rat dog...

Only 4 weeks until the family leave for good, the movers have come to see how long it will take to pack up etc. I still don't wanna think about it, have enjoyed it here soo much with them :( So stupidly happy that I get to stay here though. Even though after summer I don't know how I will have money or a house... or food. But it will all be fine.

Looking forward to the summer though, they leave on the 23rd June, Midsommar is on the 24th so Ill stay until the start of July then go home for 2 weeks. Dreading July though, don't want it to get hotter than this or I will be a big ball of mess and smellyness. MMmm yummy.

Also looking forward to coming home, unless Senair has accidently shot anything else apart from the wing mirror with his air rifle. I pity the fools with a boring grandad.

We then randomly stumbled upon a huge parade that happens every year around this time. I think its students all make floats and then walk around the city. From a distance I just saw floats then I heard Bagpipes. I felt like screaming "Braaaaveheart" and running towards them. Doubt any of them were Scottish though... and even if they were they probably wouldnt have appreciated it much. All of them were really funny and sooo much thought was put into it! There was two Viking boat ones but this was the best, especially since there were people dressed up and running at the crowd with fake axes.. I hope they were fake at least.

 Rollin' on a huge skate board! Was so cool, wonder if people can drive them around after the parade. I like to imagine that they can..

 This one was AWESOME! Very impressed by the people driving it as well.... scary stuff!

 Big ant fight... obviously.

 The cigar smokin' Pope with his security, Pope-mobile and very cool followers!

All in all and awesome day! And tomorrow will hopefully be just as much fun :)

Address to a Haggis

<3

 This was the highlight of my trip tae bonny Scotland. Ah, I only Yoke, of course it wasn't. The fish n chips were.

I brought a Haggis back, it's in the freezer as I write this. At first I was so excited to make it for people and show them how AWESOME it is, but then I started thinking that if they don't like it then I'll have to eat it all since I can't freeze it again.  And the problem is that I would eat it all, then want more, then cry for a week because I can't get any for months. So maybe Ill make a romantic dinner for myself, candles.. wine and a biiiig 'ol plate of Haggis, neeps n tatties! Mmmmmm.

Also, looked up Rabbie Burns' poem 'Address to a Haggis'. Don't hae a clue what that's aboot.

Was awesome to be home again, not having to worry about saying words "wrong" in my accent and be bullied for being ginger instead. I fully believe in karma, I've shared too many ginger jokes in my time. It should make me be a nicer person, but hey, then what would I do for fun? Have to be honest though, I was expecting better ones that "oooh... trying to be like your mum? Cause, well.... she has ginger hair too".

                                                                          Really?

                                                  King Donald and his 19 lives.

If you want to hear a grown man talk extremely high pitched the way most women do around babies... just watch my father talking to Donald :)

 Now this is what a real hard worker is.

Took forever to get home from the airport, took 3 and a half hours just from the airport (usually one and a half tops), but my awesomely great family gave me the morning off. I tink (meant to be think but this sounds more gangstah) after 5 months they know now that tired or hungry Fio should be avoided at all costs. Everyone learns eventually.

This weeks been very Scotland in ways of the rain. And it SNOWED 2 days ago! In May. What??! Was warmer today so back to wearing shorts at the weekend hopefully. On Saturday me and Elle were the only ones in the entire city wearing shorts as it rained. In our defence it had been sunny when we left our houses... regretted our lack of clothing as soon as we were huddled on a par bench under a table cloth for warmth! No long johns for us, we're real men! Except not men.. but beautiful girls. Obviously.

Tomorrow we cycle to school for the first time. Three will leave the house, I honestly don't know how many will return.

"WHY ARE YOU GINGER?!"

Just a few pics of Bonny Scotland. All of them taken through a car window being driven by my young brother who has just passed his test... The camera must be amazing!

Glencoe

It is impossible to take a bad picture in this place, I proved this since it was in a fast car and that most people know how blurry my pictures come out, even when the subject is standing still in front of me. Or sleeping in their beds...

Okay.. this one was when I was safely away from The Death Car. 

Anyhoo, good to be back Chillllaxin' in the land of Fish n' chips. Taking full advantage of the shops and fun times that can be had! Hope I get to see everyone, but looks like I will have to wait until June for some peeps :( 

Weather is awesome! No rain really so far... just a wee bit. Loving the fact I can speak as much as I want and not having anyone saying "you say this word wrong". Poooor Yoooou

Brap Brap for now!

Spring is here!

It's official, spring is here! It's been so nice and sunny lately, definately worth the months of freezing mornings and thigh high snow. 

Tomorrow I will be eating fish and chips in Glasgow :) So excited to get home! Hope those ten days don't go too fast... the last time I was flying from Stockholm was when I was leaving "for good", so I have to keep reminding myself that I will be back! In my head I said that in a terminator voice, I'm as cool as ever.

 I always have a pattern of what I do when I'm going away anywhere though which I can't seem to break. I can't pack more than a day before I leave or else I forget what Ive packed and have to repack over and over... and still manage to forget something important like my phone charger, but manage to remember 3 different types of moisturiser. So then, I put it off until as late as possible until Im packing at 2am and only get a few hours sleep. I would get all my packing done now, but this blog is super important...

 Can't believe it's April already. Where the heck is the time going?! I finish this job in less than 3 months now... Think the plan is to finish at the end of June, then go home for two weeks then come back to house sit from the 17th July- 20th August. Exciting stuff! Hoping I will have sorted out the job situation then, I don't want to be an au pair for another family. These two have been great, chances are that the next one will be one of the horror story types. Yeah, past few weeks I've realised just how depressing I am... Going to start posting about happy, positive things. And how much I love my life because it's awesome and how much I love my gingery blonde hair.... and how much I love hearing about how Scottish football teams are rubbish.

Nah. 

It worries me that I would seeeriously miss complaining, I think it's part of my endearing charm though..

On a happier note I have a list of things to get in the UK to fill up my big suitcase. 

1. Creme Eggs
2. Black pudding (to show Sweden how Black pudding should really taste! Like Angels have thrown up in your mouth, yep, that good.)
3. Haggis.
4. Buckfast. oh how I miss the empty bottles lying around the place.
5. Frankie Boyle.

Bring it on :)