Hey All!

Not much in the way of exciting stories this week...i've been forced to geek it up! But be warned there will be a very big week ahead to make up for lost time!

Trips
I've got 2 big trips planned for next month. Firstly, i'm going to the arctic circle (yes, really!). I'm going to this place in the north of Sweden called Kiruna. It is home of the famous 'ice hotel'. Everything is made completely of ice, even your bed (sounds comfy!). Apparently they even have an 'ice bar' where they serve you drinks with glasses made of ice...how's that for an incentive to drink quickly!

While i'm there I'm also going to go on a two day dog sled tour where you get pulled on sleds by huskies...so that should all be very random! Oh, i nearly forgot, the also have the northern lights up there which are meant to be really cool.

Yet another strange fact....
I heard that the japanese believe that the Northern Lights help them conceive so they all rent out igloos with glass tops. Apparently as soon as the northern lights appear at night all these japanese just run for their igloos. I'll have to report back on the truth in this rumour!

My other trip is at the end of march and i'm going to Russia. Once again, pretty random but it is meant to be really great. If anyone has any good suggestions about some more trips, please let me know.

No longer unemployed!
INext week is my first day of work snce i got here. i think i may be having withdrawels! You will never believe how much i get paid...well actually i don't even get paid, i just get 2 free meals...how outrageous! I'm thinking it's more like charity than work!

Food - help!
Ok, i'm seriously out of food ideas! If anyone is in the area could they please come over and cook for me or perhaps you can just suggest something easy for me to do myself. Also, if you have any suggestions of how to make baked beans exciting that would be much appreciated! Loren, i'm not eating them through a sieve!

Love
A retired Aristos

Sorry about the lack of action on my blog...i have been having some technical difficulties! I'll try and give you all a bit of a speedy update.

Firstly, I experienced my first swedish sauna. And yes, people really do run around naked in the snow! Let me explain.....I went to a party at one of the student housing areas called Flogsta. Flogsta is a little strange (mum, you'd be very glad i'm not staying there!). Anyway, back to the story....every ten minutes or so everyone runs out onto the roof and rolls around naked in the snow! And I'm sure some of you may be thinking i was involved but i can assure you all, especially you mum, i was too busy taking photos to roll around in the snow! I've got lots of photos to prove it (photos on application!).

There was only one photo that i thought was semi appropriate to share with you all. Lauz, this is just for you! You requested photos of hot swedish guys so the guy second from the left is all yours! Andrew, i'll be sure to find you an equally hot swedish girl!


The truly bizarre...
At one student housing area they have a very strange tradition. Everynight at 10pm everyone who lives there (around 1000 people) start yelling out their windows. If you are anywhere near the area you just hear all these people yelling...it's soooo strange! Apparently, the students all do it to relieve stress.

Another thing that is rather strange is the latest trend amongst the Swedish men right now. For some stupid reason someone has told all the guys that moustaches are cool! Oh dear god… I hope they get over this repulsive trend soon, I feel like I’m surrounded by cheesy 80’s porn stars!

And the third and final random thing is the arabic smoking pipe. Yes, it's another strange trend sweeping the city of Uppsala. They are sold in milkbars and other random shops, they are everywhere! It is huge...it took 2 photos to get it all in. Mum, it's not drugs, it's just apple flavoured tobacco in a communal smoking pipe. Below is a photos of one of the swedish guys smoking it and in the next photo you can see what it looks like (well, sort of!).



The Raccemottagning
Not sure if i have told you much about the nations. Anyway, i've joined one called Snerikes. They have a huge club that has parties twices a week and you can go to the bar there any night. You can also just go to their restaurant or study in their library, the place is huge and really old. It's historically listed so it's really cool to go to these massive parties there.

Anyway, the other night i went to this welcoming dinner there called Raccemottagning. This nation has been around since the 1500's so it has heaps of really old traditions that were rather strange.

Firstly, when you get there you arn't allowed to go up the stairs to the dining room until you are escorted by a man. Then, they serve pea soup and pancakes for dinner (it is a traditional swedish meal that the swedes eat every Thursday).

They serve this warm punch with the entree (pea soup) that is severely laced with alcohol. You are not allowed to drink it until you have sung a punch drinking song ( you always have to sing a song before you can drink anything!) Then you have to cheers to your left, then to your right, then opposite. Take one drink and do it all again. Then out comes the shots of schnapps and it keeps going!

Next we had the oldest student orchestra in the world ( seriously, my nation has the oldest orchestra in the world..pretty impressive!) play for us. They started off with a few traditional things and then out of nowhere blew us all away with Nirvana! I had to take a picture of them, they all looked rather strange. Wish i could show you guys the video!




Finally, to conclude the dinner one of the head guys (a really old professor) has to stand on his chair. Once he does, everyone else has to do the same and we can't get down until after he does...imagine me after some highly potent punch and a few shots of schnapps...the old man was doing a better job of standing on his chair than i was! Once everyone gets down from their chair it's rude to sit down again so you all leave the room...bizarre!