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 :)