Jack Sparrow (feat. Michael Bolton)

I heard this song a few days ago and I thought the lyrics were hilarious. And the song is rather catchy too. Hope you’ll enjoy this and have a wonderful Thursday afternoon. 

Barbeque the Norwegian style

I have been back in Norway for almost a week now and I have to say that I am quite enjoying it. The sun is shining and it is actually warm outside, which rarely happens here in May. I’m not starting work properly until Friday (in two days) and I have been enjoying the sun by sitting outside with a glass of ice tea and a book. For me, it really could not be better.

Because the weather is so nice, me and my parents decided it was about to have a barbeque, which I love. It is the perfect way to celebrate summer and to spend some quality time with my parents and my brothers.

Summer in Norway can be very boring because our country is so far north. It can be rainy, cold and dark, but we can also have sunny warm days and 25 degrees, like yesterday. Everyone is outside and people in general seem happier.

Tuesday the 17^th of May is Norway’s Constitutional Day and I sure hope that the weather will stay this way. We have had our share of rainy cold Constitutional Days but this year I think we deserve a sunny day. I will blog about this day as we celebrate it in a special way. Can’t wait to show you.

Until then, have a lovely day. I will go outside again and continue to enjoy my book, which is fantastic. I might have to blog about that one too.

Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet

As I mentioned earlier, I am finally finished with my degree. Because of my passion for books I have studied literature for three years, but I haven’t had the time to read books that I want to read. Reading one book a week for my course was time consuming enough next to writing essays and dissertation, but this week I decided to read a book that I wanted to read. I have to admit that it felt amazing; I have really missed reading for pleasure. And I loved the book and thought it was about time for a book review again.

Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet is a beautiful story written my Jamie Ford. It is his debut novel and he tells the reader a story that is emotionally connected with a physical place and a state of mind that is both bitter and sweet.

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The story starts when the reader is introduced to Henry Lee in 1986. He walks past the Panama Hotel in Seattle, which has been boarded up since World War II. He discovers that the new owner has found several boxes in the basement of the hotel, boxes that contain personal items that belonged to Japanese families who were evacuated to internment camps during the war. These boxes take Henry back to his childhood, leading the reader into the main storyline that is set in 1942. Henry is 12 years old then, a Chinese boy who is sent to go to an all-white school. Pearl Harbour is here a fresh memory for the American people and several of them thinks that Henry is Japanese and does not treat him well. Because of this, his father makes him wear a button that says “I am Chinese”. His life is not easy, and a less than perfect relationship with his father does not make it easier to be Henry.

Henry works in the school cafeteria and one day a Japanese girl named Keiko starts working with him. He knows that he should not make friends with her, but as he is the only Chinese student and she is the only Japanese at their school, they identify with each other and became true friends.

This is the start of a forbidden friendship that is the main framework of the story. It continues to reveal how it was like to be Chinese and Japanese during the war and the consequences that emerged.

I absolutely loved this book; I really did not want it to end. It is beautifully written and you cannot help but to fall in love with the characters and their dreams and hopes. The story gives the reader a vivid picture of what it was like to live in America at this time. The only thing I have to complain about is that Ford gives Henry thoughts and feelings beyond the maturity level of a 12 year old. But he writes it so well that it seems believable, which in my opinion is saying a great deal about the fantastic writing style of this novel. I absolutely recommend it, it is one of the most beautiful books I have read in a long time.

Your Travel – Bali

I am very excited about this post as this is the first contribution for my travel guest series, Your Travel. I was very happy when Kate emailed me last week and asked if she could write a post about Bali. This is the first guest post in this series and I hope you’ll enjoy it. Please be sure to check out Kate’s amazing blog Travelmoon.

I’m very excited to participate in Cammie’s new Travel Blog Series.  Cammie has really been to so many incredible and awe-inspiring locations on her around-the-world journey, which inspired me to share one of my own dream trips here.  

It is nearly impossible for me to pick my favorite travel spot as each trip has evoked a different feeling and experience.  Yet instantly, the first place that came to mind was tropical Bali.  I remember thinking as I traveled through each town peering over at the passing rice fields, rich in in lush greens, and watching people at their local temple steadfastly making offerings, that this was a magical location that was almost unworldly in its beauty.  And you will be hard pressed to find people anywhere in the world who are more welcoming and warm.  

If I could give only one tip it would be to leave your resort pool and check out the amazing countryside.  If you are brave, you can rent a motorbike for the day, where you can swerve in and out of traffic to get to places quicker.  After one harrowing motorbike experience (that is a story for another day), I have sworn them off forever.  Instead, we opted to hire a personal taxi driver for surprisingly inexpensive rates.  The taxi driver will wait for you while you spend the day on the beach, or take you to a temple, or to a different part of the county all for a fixed price agreed upon in advance.  We connected with a taxi driver we met on the first day who practically turned into our own personal tour guide and introduced us to traditional Balinese music.  Almost six months after my journey, I still find the repetitive tinkling tunes hard to get out of my mind from time to time.

There are many places to spot monkeys roaming wild or even visit a monkey forest if you dare.  Monkeys can actually get quite aggressive and you must make sure to not have any food while in the monkey forest unless you are prepared to have them jump on your head.  At a distance, they can be quite entertaining to observe.  If you want the opportunity to ride an elephant, Bali provides a chance for that too.

Make sure to venture inland to Bali’s spiritual center that is brimming with artists: Ubud.  This is where you can see or even stay among the rice paddies.  Ubud has a large market where they sell traditional and native wares and also a plethora of spas as well.  We indulged in hours of spa treatments for rates so low it seemed almost sinful.  Nearby, is Tegalalang, an expansive stepped rice terrace (a mouthful to say but you will be speechless once you arrive).  I sipped ginger tea and ate fried bananas in a restaurant built into the slope to maximize the splendid view and in a fit of madness asked if the owner was willing to sell the restaurant.  I know I am far from the first person who has been seduced into contemplating staying in Bali forever...

The pictures are Kate’s personal photos.

If you’re interested in contributing to this, then please do not hesitate to contact me on cammiewaaden@yahoo.com. I am very interested in posting about your travels and to learn something new.

Pizza Express

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As I mentioned yesterday, I celebrated my birthday at Pizza Express. I thought it was about time then to give my review of this restaurant.

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Pizza Express is a lovely restaurant chain that is located all over London. I celebrated my birthday in Putney, but you can also find the restaurant in the famous shopping centre Westfield, Notting Hill and close to the British Museum. These are only a few of the many places where you can find this restaurant.

It is a very popular restaurant and the menu offers several different options. There is something for everyone and the pizza is exceptionally good. With a thin crust you can choose from quite a few varieties when it comes to pizza but they also have a fine selection of pasta and salads. One starter that seems to be highly popular among my friends is the dough balls. The garlic bread with mozzarella is also very tasty, and they are both perfect to share.

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The prices are also not bad. It is quite affordable and it is plenty of food for the money. Pizza Express is the perfect place to celebrate your birthday, have fun with friends, to spend time with your family and even have a romantic evening. I absolutely recommend this restaurant and I hope you’ll enjoy it too if you ever decide to eat there.

Happy birthday to me!

It was my birthday yesterday and I am now 23 years old. It is so weird to write that, 23 sounds so old. I can’t believe it is five years since I turned 18, it really does not feel that long.

I had a fantastic day yesterday though. My best friend Johanne and I had a Starbucksdate where we ended up spending a few hours talking about everything. I love my Starbucksdates with her; I could sit there all day long with her if we had to. We always have a lot to talk about and I just have to say that she truly is an extraordinary friend. I am not looking forward to spending the summer not being able to see her every week. So I’m glad we had some quality time together yesterday.

After our date we went home and later I had dinner with some friends at Pizza Express. They have very good food there and it is absolutely a restaurant I recommend. I’ll write a review about it later. But the evening was such a success, at least in my eyes. I got to spend time with my friends and boyfriend and even though some people are still busy with revising for exams they took time off to spend time with me. And that means a lot. So thank you so much, everyone, you’re the best!

 I also feel very spoiled as I got some very nice birthday presents. I even got a cake, and I love cake. I could probably eat cake all day long, if I had my way. Just look at the picture below; doesn’t it look like a little piece of heaven? It really was. And so was the rest of my presents, I love them all. I am truly blessed with some amazing friends.

How good doesn't this cake look? Yum.

My amazing birthday cards.

Beautiful shoes from my best friend Johanne.

Earrings also from the always lovely Johanne.

Wine with my name on it from Jenny and Eirik. I didn't see it yesterday but it says happy 22nd birthday, which is funny because I'm 23. I could not help but laugh.

My boyfriend completely surprised me with these Burberry shoes. How amazing isn't he?

The Royal Wedding

I feel extremely lucky to be living in London these days. Next to being a beautiful city, there is always something happening. Of course this week it was something rather special going on; the royal wedding. Prince William would finally marry his beloved Kate.

Kjell Steinar and I decided to go to Central on Thursday to have a look at the decorations for the wedding. We ended up having a great time, looking at all the people from every corner of our world. It was so nice to see that so many people were excited about the wedding. We saw several people who had brought their tents and were ready to spend the night on the street so that they were able to have a good view the next day. Many of them were dressed up and counting down the hours until Kate and William would say their I do’s.

The atmosphere was amazing. By walking in the streets you could feel that something big was about to happen. The camera crew was already in place the day before the big day and you could feel the excitement of the people. When we got back home we found out that Kate and William had been in the church when we were outside. Oh how I wish they would have come outside and said hi to us.

On Friday was the big day. London was like a ghost town. Hardy anyone was outside. I have lived here for nearly three years and I have never seen the streets more empty. But the minute you got close to Westminster you could hear people shouting with anticipation. I don’t think I have ever seen so many people in one place, it was insane.

I am very glad that Kjell Steinar and I decided to go to Central on the day of the wedding, even though we didn’t see much. We saw Kate and William drive from the church but only for a brief moment as it all happened very fast. But we were there and we celebrated their wedding with a frappuccino from Starbucks. Funnily enough we were not the only ones with that thought. While we were at Starbucks we saw two nicely dressed men who bought a coffee. They had been to the wedding and came straight from the church to Starbucks. They had the program from the church with them, which is why we knew where they came from.

I think it is important to remember that even though Kate and William are royalty, they are still people. This was a big and special day for them and the people who were lucky to be invited. They all might just be craving a Starbucks like the rest of us every now and then. 

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