Cykeltur runt Richmond Park

During the midsummer festival  in Hyde Park yesterday, I was approached by some Swede asking me whether I am interested to go to a midsommar efterfest at Moldiva Club.. (Come early and you can get into the VIP list) bla bla bla.. hahahahahah

perhaps its the age or generally I am getting "more" boring, I ended up going back home and then cycled around Richmond Park (just the back of my place).

The weather was really nice and warm!!

Had a glass of rosé wine at the park refreshment's centre...

Saw alot of deers as well! :)

what a nice day to end the midsummer yesterday by going to a small local pub and had a BBQ lamb burger and some beers.

:)

Royal Ascot 2011

It seems like today I have travelled back in time, backed to the 1800.

Hammersmith tube station was filled with these tophat gentlemen and crazyhat ladies..

today is the annual Royal Ascot.

Seems quite funny to observe these fancy dressed people walking around but perhaps it would be funnier to observe them when they are soaking wet? :) London is having hailstorm at the moment! :)

Äntligen sol!!!!!

Started the day with a very dull sky of just 12 degrees here in London today, got a message from Umeå telling me that it is almost 30 degrees back home!!! wtf..

Well, I decided to take my chance anyway to venture outside.
First I went to Camden town (North of London)..
The place was wonderful, filled with touristas though.
Was offered alot of freebies (food) on the street and did not even need to have lunch!!! :)
Mr Sun was out in the sky to greet us there and it was wonderful!! :)

Later I went from Camden to Leicester Sq. to stock up my favourite instant noodles from the Chinese supermarket.
Then decided to go to the Swedish shop as well but the "Circle line" was closed for maintainance so I ended up going to High Street Kensington instead.
Went to Whole Foods supermarket, was then approahed again by alot of people to offer me free food samples.
"Excuse me sir, do you want to try some Swedish crispbread"?.. hmmmmmm

Knäckebröd med mozzarella och soltorkade tomater.. hmmmmmm besides the "MADE IN ENGLAND" knäckebröd, the toppings do not sound very Swedish to me, first we don't have mozzarella and sun dried tomatoes made in Sweden..
Nevertheless I tried it and later ended up buying a metal bucket of "Peter's Yard Crisp Bread" :)

Chokladbanankaka à la Edmund..

Did the usual "rotten banana" cake today and brought it to the lab. :)

It was a success and now I have started a tradition to bring "fika" to the group meeting..

:)

Lyxig middag

Had a wonderful fancy dinner at my new Swedish friends' (Elisabeth, Magnus och baby Anton) house in London yesterday. :)
Förrätt= Pilgrimsmusslor med avocado och mango
Varmrätt= ugnsbakad lax med sparris och färskpotatisar
efterätt= chokladbananpaj
:)
we of course also had a bottle of Rioja 2006 vintage. :)
However, I missed melodifestivalen... :) that was the downside of yesterday. :)
but good food and wine always come before the "wonderful" song competition.

Kungliga bröllopsfika :)

Why are people so obsessed with Royal weddings?
As usual, I went back to work at the lab but was surprised by my work colleague.
She actually prepared some scones, chocolates (in the rather British tin can), strawberries jam, smör and some "pimms" for fika.
It was my first time trying Pimms (gin based drink of around 5% alcohol) and it is very English.
We watched some live coverage of the wedding from the internet but mostly I was in the lab running some Northern and Western. :)
But it was a nice day today, calm in the lab and had some nice fika with some good work colleagues.

Fantomen på operan

In the day, Erik and I went to visit St. Pauls Cathedral
2 entrance tickets = 29 pounds.
walked all the way up to the dome, walked around the crypt and saw Nelson, Wellington, Flemmings tombs....
later, we had a nice dinner at an Italian restaurant = 33 pounds

then.....
we went to watch Phantom of the opera.
2 tickets = 105 pounds
2 glasses of Chianti during intermission = 13,50 pounds
1 Phantom keyring for Erik = 3,50 pounds
watching it with someone who also enjoyed it as much I do = priceless :)

Flytande kväve är väldigt "farligt"!! :)

Finally took my 3,5 hrs Biological Safety-Foundation training..

(It is part of the required regulation for anyone who wish to work in the lab)

We were told how to fill in different form(S) before we could work.

We were also briefed about different biological chemicals and genetically modified organism and such as the "danger" of handling 2L of ethanol in a "NON-SPARK FREE" hood.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!

One whole hour about how liquid nitrogen will kill you!!!!!!!!!!!!
"DO NOT GO INTO THE LIFT WITH LIQUID NITROGEN INSIDE AS IT MIGHT ASPHYXIATE YOU"!!!!!"

Istället för "he he" mannen, har vi en "galen tant" i vårt bodypump klass här i London.

I went to the usual sunday bodypump class today (supposed to be at 1300 but was delayed to 1500).

The first 15 minutes was alright until a funny woman came into the class. Not only that she was 15 minutes late, she started screaming out during the class (Rygglyft) that this is not bodypump but aerobics!!!! er..............(ok).

She continued to scream alot of weird things like "I do not like this session" or "I will not do this and that", the trainer was too nice not to kick her out of the class ( I would :P) .

This is actually the highlight of my day today :)

Dagens lunchlåda

Experiments usually do not work out during the weekends. :(

Oh well, went walking around S. Kensington area during lunch time and ended back up at Tesco supermarket. Bought of one these ready to eat lunch box, "Malaysian coconut Beef" by City Kitchen. It costed me £4.20 (42 kr). The taste was alright, but the portion of beef was disgraceful. In total I managed to find 4 pieces (half cm thick och 3cm x 4cm) of beef in the "gryta" and the rest were just vegetables.. feeling abit being ripped off....

Turistas! :)

While walking to the "closed!!!" café shop at work to get my much needed coffee..

Two rather lost tourists approached me...

T:  Excuse me, where is the medical building?

Me:  er..... this is the medical campus,so every building is medical building?

T:  Where can i see the lab?

Me:  er... you cannot go into a lab without a swipe card..

T: We want to see the labs where scientists work...

Me: I am sorry, but these labs are restricted.

T: Oh.. :(

Ironiskt eller hur? :)

I got myself a "punishment" yesterday..

I went for bodypump at Imperial College sports centre. The building has 3 floors.

I was thinking to myself "Who the f#%k takes the lift to go up 3 floors??? especially at the sports centre"

As I was going home, walking down the stairs, I twisted my left knee and hit my kneecap on the sharp turn of the staircase!

Now my knee is swollen and I am limping...

Can't even bike and now "might" have to take the lift!!! :)

I will still continue to walk the stairs!!!!! Hardcore! :)

Bodypump 77

I thought London would be faster than Umeå.. apparently not..

the trainers just received their DVDs few days ago and I am already pestering them to play the new bodypump! :)

BODYPUMP 77 tracklist

Warmup: Commander – Spacegliderz
Squats: It’s My life – Swade
Chest: DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love – Usher feat. Pitbull
Back: Hold Me Tonight (Manox Remix) – Manian
Triceps: I Like It – Tokyo Haze
Biceps: Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom) – Shinedown
Lunges: Only Girl In The World (E-Nergy Remix) – Nick Skitz vs DJ Lotus
Shoulders: Ti Sento – Scooter
Abs: We No Speak Americano – Yolanda Be Cool vrs DCUP
Cooldown: One Last Chance – Daughtry

Let's hope today's BP, she will play all of them!!! :)

Vad blev det till middag idag? Pannbiffar med löksky! :)

Decided not to be lazy today and cooked "husmanskost" for dinner.
I used my 20 kr (500g köttfärs) today and my expensive Wasa ströbröd from "Totally Swedish" for the pannbiffar..
they tasted ridiculously good!!! :) (Yes, I am not a very modest person) :D
"Self praise is a self disgrace" but to me is always
"Self praise is the best praise"!!!
Ana Maria (landlady) cooked linguini med köttfärsås och parmesan..We (A.M. , Hugo (son) and I )  had an Italian and Swedish dinner tonight..
Had a glass of Chilean sauvignon blanc as well..
what a monday night.. :)

Är Malaysia ett rasistiskt land?

Hmmm. I am wondering is this even allowed in anywhere around the world?
this sign is outside of "Malaysia Hall" in London where they serve cheap Malaysian food to people (apparently only Malaysians are allowed to enter), any "Jamals and Jam"es" have to be accompanied by Malaysian?
I need to find a day to visit the place :)

Påskmust i London!!!! :D

Found myself a treat at "Totally Swedish".

PÅSKMUST!!!! :) £2.50 per bottle (25kr) not that bad.. :)

Bought my knäckebröd and skorpor now.. :)

so I am happy!

Bodypump och Svensk Mat :)

Sunday again = Bodypump day! :)

We will see whether my bike will be stolen again today! :)

Out of Kanel knäckebröd and some essential daily provisions... will try to get some at "Totally Swedish" as well today.

Don't ask, just do it!

I realised now that I should just do what I want and stop asking for permission in the lab.

Lab is too big and no one seems to know anything specifically.

I have now adopted a new way of getting things done.

"Don't ask, just do it" :)

hmmmmmmmmmmm :(

Perhaps my lock isn't that good after all.. :(

Här är min nya cykel med mitt nya lås!

Finally,

took me almost 1 hour to take bus 10 from High Street Kensington to King's Cross...

bought the bike and a new über bike lock. (ABUS plus Granit 1000)
(costs? £64)
Bring it on you London bike thieves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!






The bike is another story..

The guy (also named Ed) is from South Asia and he seems to be very reluctant to talk to me about the bike in public. We ended up walking behind some small road at King's Cross station and discussed about the bike. He claimed that he bought the bike last year (Carrera Subway 2, new price £375), and he has biked with it.

He looks like a drug addict and doesn't even have energy to walk a few streets without dying of short of breath.

He wanted £180 for it but I managed to haggle it down to £150 and he was happy to accept..

Lets hope that I have really bought a real 2nd hand bike and not a 2nd hand "STOLEN" bike...

Är det här ironi, eller?

I got an email today.... finally telling me that my "bike" has been given a green light to be parked within the Imperial College campus..

1 day too slow Imperial........

Åkte med bussen idag.

Having no bike today I was forced to take the busses.

First bus 33 from Priest Bridge to Hammersmith and then Bus 9/10 from Hammersmith to Queens Gate.

I could not complain as the traffic was alright and it took around 50 mins.

Reading the Metro and having a cuppuccino on the upper deck. :)

I do miss having my bike though....

We will see this evening when I am going to Kings Cross to look at the 2nd bike...... :)

Min cykel är borta!!!! :(

After bodypump and some small work at the lab, I went back to the place where I had my bike....
all i found was a beautifully cut bike lock with no bike..
I fell into 1 of the category of frustrations that biking Londoners encounter almost daily..
(Bike theft!!!!)
The bike was new"ish" and it wasn't that expensive (160 pounds).
but it is more of the frustration that I have to hunt for another bike...
At least I still retain my bike helmet, light with no holder, my bike pump and a metal water bottle for the bike.

I am lucky to have a good landlady who tried to comfort me when I got home with homemade "Gnocci" :)
oh well, back to bike hunting on the net again..

Bodypump på söndag. :)

Back in my wonderful lab today at Imperial to do some small experiments.

Sandwich and a cuppuccino for lunch and getting myself ready to pump today :)

I really hope that the instructor today will be good..

Being here in London for almost 3 weeks now without much training is starting to get to me..

feeling sluggish and not really motivated .........

Lördag..

Saturday.. it has been a nice day today (finally sunny!!!)
been to the lab and did some small experiments.
Crazy may it sound but I seem to find it hard to find a good place to sit down to have lunch/fika around S. Kensington.

Finally, I am getting myself one of these blogs.

Sitting in front of my computer, counting the days I have left in Umeå before moving to London. Suddenly thought to myself that perhaps its good to start a blog and let my friends know what I will be doing in London when I am gone.