Talk About Technology at a Museum - Stockholm

I was fortunate (more like insisted) to visit a museum in Stockholm (museum name will be revealed in the next entry), the vending machines impress me a lot; for a moment I really thought I was in Japan. Then there was the museum displays and the 3D movie… memang excited sakan.

There’s a few must visit places when I travel, regardless of the price (if I find it good enough); (1) UNESCO sites, (2) Museums – my first priority will be free entry museums or at least affordable and last but not least (3) Zoo!!! How can you not like zoo right?!? Then the rest of the attractions follow suit.

This is a teaser of what I see in Stockholm. Next entry I will include the coolness about this museum and how I wish I too can be a museum curator. I will be ecstatic.

Oh! By the way, I will be traveling soon. To a country that is rich in culture and heritage, and nature too. Follow my Instagram for instant/live updates.

Tanto Norra, Stockholm : My Winter Wonderland.

Planning a winter trip is tough.

The idea was to travel during cold hash winter to the northern most region – Scandinavia; covering Norway, Sweden and Finland. However, upon reaching our first city; snow was everywhere as expected, in fact, the whole park was covered with white powdery snow and yet I still don’t feel ‘it’, I can't feel 'it'. Where’s my ‘it’?

Have you ever felt hungry and craving for food, but when you finally have it, it did not hit the satisfaction level you imagined (macam ada benda yang tak kena, tak puas). Then you kept buying and eating, and stuffing with all types of food but still, it did not meet the mark, a mark that even you don’t know. You kept feeling frustrated, you disappoint your tummy, your taste pallet, your craving. Lepas tuh bebal, naik angin, semua tak kena. Well, that was the same feeling I had when we landed in Oslo, looking and searching for my ‘IT’. Justifying to myself, this IS it, accept and enjoy the trip. Not that easy, let me tell you that. 

Braving and ‘pujuk-ing’ myself to enjoy Oslo, forcing myself to take a few beautiful shots (which I personally think it wasn’t, yet hoping it is), I succumbed and settled with what's given. This is Oslo, this is my Scandi trip (finally), this is my Winter Wonderland. Hell NOT!

Little did I know, Allah SWT have something in store for me, a better plan, a better IT. And I will forever thank him for that, am blessed.

It started with us arriving at Stockholm from Oslo, my second trip here, not thoroughly overjoyed but I am cool with it. I have a few to do list, places and things I would like to cover and buy. I guess a 3 days 2 nights fit me pretty well. I do have one worry though, the hostel we booked is slightly out of the way, unlike other cities we booked, we were able to walk everywhere, anytime but not here; in Stockholm. With both iPhone and a hardcopy map, we should be able to find our hostel quickly and hopefully easily. Luck is not on our side.

It was far (kinda), it took a while for us to get our bearing right when we resurface, the overnight ride and the cold weather wasn’t exactly easing our frustration. We finally found the junction that led to the hostel but after a long tiring walk, the hostel was still no where to be seen. Anger kicks-in, for me at least. Until…

... this beautiful sight. My winter wonderland. At last.

This became my favourite street, my park, my everything.
Park covered with snow, leafless tress, and morning rays. Bliss.

We bumped into Tanto Norra, some sort of a garden. It must be really beautiful in spring I bet.

Tanto allotment gardens

Tanto Norra allotments were established in the early 19th century to help the poor grow their own food during the crisis -  famine, world war, and food-rationing crisis. Now, Tanto Norra consist of 93 allotments. These allotment gardens at Tanto are dotted with perfectly cute red, yellow and green cottages and dapper sheds above Årstaviken bay on Södermalm. The best time to visit is end August when the allotment holders put on a harvest festival. The gardens are part of Tantolunden park.

So, was the walk long and far (from the Tunnelbanna)? NO, frustration makes a 10 mins walk feels like an hour. Ahaks.

I will definitely come back, Zinkensdamm.
This time in summer, where I will roam, laze and bath under your beautiful sun.

This is where we stayed. 

Blog : #TravelTips | Zinkensdamm Hostel - Where I stayed in Stockholm

Zinkensdamm Hostel
Zinkens väg 20
SE-117 41
Stockholm
Sweden

Tel : +46 8-616 81 10 / +46 8-616 81 00
Email: mail@zinkensdamm.com
URL : http://www.zinkensdamm.com/en/

Direction
Take the red line southward towards Fruängen or Norsborg. Get off at station Zinkensdamm. Cross Hornsgatan and follow Ringvägen straight ahead. Turn right on to Zinkens väg after the sports field (about 200 meters) and follow the road to the end. 

Yummiest salmon : Helsinki Old Market Hall

The silent “L” in Salmon.

I was chatting with my colleague the other day on me wanted to start a business in any Scandi country (sungguh berwawasan tak?), remembered telling them that the only food I told myself to try is their salmon. By the time I hit my fourth country during this trip, the salmon that I was looking for was yet to be found. Well, I saw a couple of shops and supermarkets selling but not exactly how I imagine it to be… Just about then, in Helsinki, while walking aimlessly, we saw this old looking building which I am intrigued, hence wanted to photograph it. Guess what? It was the Helsinki Old Market Hall, and as I got inside….. it was SALMON HEAVEN. Menggigil tangan, I was ecstatic and speechless on our finding (not like we found a pot of gold or whatnot but it was close enough; for my darling tummy at least *gleaming*).

The quaint inside of this Old Market Hall overwhelmed us, you’ll see cafes, delicatessens and fish stalls. If it is not because of the price or our exchange rate, I believe I will be here daily if not hourly *ahaks*. And I would like to add that I for one have not seen so many ways to prepare/cook your salmon… there’s the salmon spring role, the grill salmon, salmon sushi, salmon salad and the list goes on and on. Pecinta salmon boleh jadi giler kat sini. By the way, it’s pronounce as “sa-mon”, with the silent “L” (I pun baru tau).

So, I guess the next question one will ask will be, is it expensive?

The answer to this is pretty simple, cheap!!!! NOT.

I got myself a salmon tapas the size of my palm and it cost me approximately €5 which is around RM20 at that point of time, it’s practically the cost of two McDonald Value Meal. BUT the salmon taste… Well,I can still remember the taste till now, it is THAT good. I was hoping to revisit the Old Market Hall the next day but since the distance and weather doesn’t permit us, we gave it a pass. Sigh…. Nyesal sampai arini hokkay.

Here’s the thing, I couldn’t find any similar shop in both Oslo and Stockholm or perhaps I didn’t try hard enough.

My #TravelTips to everyone heading to Helsinki, do try their fishers, if not salmon. Supaya tak menyesal dikemudian hari *wink*.

FRAM Museum, Oslo - A great seafarer museum

The last Viking Ship I saw was in Vasa Museum in Stockholm, Sweden and that was during my 2006 trip. 

Visiting another ship museum in Oslo, Norway clearly brings back a lot of memories, and a lot of comparison too. There are also another one in Roskilde, Denmark; Viking Ship Museum. My target next  *smirk*. 

I have few choices in terms of ship museums here in Oslo; Kon-Tiki Museum, Fram Museum and Viking Ship Museum and we voted for Fram Museum. No disappointment *smile*.

We planned it in such a way that every country we visit, we will include 1 museum as we know the cost will burn a hole in our already pathetic wallet and we managed to do so just about that. What I always say is ‘alang-alang menyelok pekasam, biar sampai ke pangkal lengan’, ‘alang-alang dah sampai, apa kata belajar history dia orang and cover one educational attraction’, the least we can do. Sungguh ilmiah tetiba, ahaks.

Fram Museum. 

#TravelTips 1 : Each museums can be expensive depending respective country exchange rate. Maka, pandai-pandai lah plan yek.

Oslo is pretty easy to get around, we hop on a bus and took a 30mins ride till the end of the town (well, kinda), here lies 3 museums next to each other; Kon-Tiki Museum, Fram Museum and Viking Ship Museum. Since we already decide on Fram and the building looks more interesting, it made fickle minded people like us to decide faster. Not knowing what to expect as I did not even bother to read about Fram before coming here, “surprise me” I said to myself. Sometimes having least expectation is good heh. The road to Fram is so beautiful in, the local homes, the buildings, the country side, makes me wish I have more days and just take a pit stop to wander at every point that calms me. 

These 3 popular museums is located at peninsula of Bygdøy, five museums located here; the Kon-Tiki Museum (houses exhibits from Thor Heyerdahl expeditions, who also being awarded and added to UNESCO's "Memory of the World"); the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History (Norsk Folkemuseum); the Viking Ship Museum; the Norwegian Maritime Museum and the Fram Museum, aside from these five museums, the official summer residence of the King of Norway and Oscarshall Castle are also located here.

#TravelTips 2 : Allocate 1 full day if you plan to visit these museum. Even if you don’t, do allocated 1 full day as you can always wander around Bygdøy area or even plan for picnic at the park *wink*.

The Fram Museum (Norwegian: Frammuseet) is a museum telling the story of Norwegian polar exploration. 

Background

Nansen's Fram expedition was an 1893–1896 attempt by the Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen to reach the geographical North Pole by harnessing the natural east–west current of the Arctic Ocean. In the face of much discouragement from other polar explorers, Nansen took his ship Fram to the New Siberian Islands in the eastern Arctic Ocean, froze her into the pack ice, and waited for the drift to carry her towards the pole. Impatient with the slow speed and erratic character of the drift, after 18 months Nansen and a chosen companion, Hjalmar Johansen, left the ship with a team of dogs and sledges and made for the pole. They did not reach it, but they achieved a record Farthest North latitude of 86°13.6′N before a long retreat over ice and water to reach safety in Franz Josef Land. Meanwhile, Fram continued to drift westward, finally emerging in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Source : Wikipedia

The kitchen in Fram looks like any other house kitchen.

  

The museums tells us every steps on the Polar Exploration and it comes with visual and ship experience, we actually went inside FRAM to take a look how it felt inside. Unlike Vasa Ship in Stockholm, we were unable to do this. I beginning to feel, the ship docked in Melaka that is now a museum should imitate this similar format. The history and background is very thorough.

This was the most interesting read for me. It actually explains about the dog as well plus its mission. 

Not only that, they also have a book store that sells books on ships, vikings, seafarers, Fram itself, maps, posters, Oslos museums as well as souvenirs.

I will build a strong ship so constructed that it can withstand the pressure of the ice, and living in this ship, to float across with the ice. It will be just big enough to carry provisions for twelve men for five or six years. – Fridtjof Nansen

We spent an hour or two here then wandered around its compound, and waited to catch Oslo at sunset.

If you wish to view more of this FRAM Museum photos, pleaseclick here and you will be directed to my Facebook Page Album. Pleasant viewing.

  

Psst. Just so you know, the bus stop is at the door step of the museum. Convenient huh.