Hamburg!

Laura's been working for Airbus in Hamburg for about a year and a half now, and as she came to visit me in Stockholm I thought it was only right and proper to return the favour, and a great excuse for a mini-hol! We checked out the May-day riots, managing not to get hit on the head by any riot police, and ambled through the gorgeous houses by the canals. Check out the pics!

A Holiday in Two Halves - Part 2

The second part - Dubai! Possibly the most extreme opposite to Stockholm. An average of 29 degrees and hot hot sunshine, insanely huge shopping malls boasting aquariums/catwalks/waterfalls/gold, rickety wooden boats, pristine white beaches, endless-reaching skyscrapers, the world's tallest building (Burj Khalifa), indoor skiing, sheesha, Coldstone Creamery ice-cream, the Palm, world's only '7*' hotel (Burj Al Arab), more sheesha, glitzy marinas and WAITROSE!! Could it do no wrong?! Would definitely be intrigued to go back in a few years to see the crazy additions to this expanding city, and really recommend it as a holiday destination for anyone interested in visiting the place that has everything.

Post-beach tomato faces

Burj Al Arab

Ski Dubai

Sheesha - strawberry flavour is the best

Deira souks

New Dubai Marina

Faithful as ever!

Burj Khalifa - it's quite tall

Dubai Mall Aquarium - the world's only nearly complete tunnel thing

A Holiday in Two Halves

The first part, Stockholm. To paint the picture, it was -12 when I stepped off the plane, the snow was heavier than I'd ever seen it, and Lake Malaren was frozen over. Winter clearly hadn't shifted just yet! But we had sunny skies, Oscar's night festivities, a ride on the new Globen lift with great views across the city...and Muffin Bakery - I was happy :).

From Freezing to Foreign

So yes, 8 degrees may be balmier than -5, but surely the best way to escape the January blues is to go to Dubai, right?! Well that's my new solution at least. It's hard to refuse an invitation to check out what must be one of the most extreme cities emerging at the mo, home of the tallest building currently standing on this earth. Having never ventured into the Arab world, I'm intrigued to see what the Middle East has to offer. Well, indoor skiing for a start! As well as huge shopping malls, flawless beaches, gold 'souks' and....Gordon Ramsay. Which sadly can't be helped. So here's what the Swede and I are looking forward to in March, and to add to our travelling lists:

Followed by the snow

Now the snow's all melted, I kind of miss it! But then I remember trudging through snow drifts this time last year in Sweden, and I'm quite glad the UK's weather has gone back to its default setting: reliably rainy and 8 degrees :). Here are a few memories of our white winter...

SNOW TUBBY!

Christmas 09!

The Blah Blah Blog is back! After 2 months of hibernation, I think it's time to begin again for 2010. So here are some pics from the Xmas celebrations, this year held chez us. We even had snow!

24th Celebrations

All the spoons together in one place?! It's gotta be the annual birthday bash. Kim and I seem to have made an unwritten pact to get all the group together once every year, no matter where in the world we may all be. This year was no exception (and extra thanks to Laura for coming from Hamburg!). Twas a fantastic day and evening, complete with Harriet pulling her own pints, Kim going off her rocker and Laura learning the fine art of pass the parcel. I quote: "So, what is the concept of this game??!"