Benefit of the doubt: Atlanta

Feeling really sorry for me, Rania, a woman I met though SecondLife not all that very long ago (what is it now, a year? Half a year? I forget) wanted to show me that Atlanta is not all about racism and seedy people glaring at you.

First thing that happened was that poor Rania thought a plane was going to crash into her car as she came to pick me up. The driveway is in an upward slope, and the plane comes in at an angle so I don't blame her. I was scared myself when I first saw how close the planes come. If you were stand on the roof of the hotel you could reach out and touch the planes as they come by.

We then headed out to a really good family owned Persian restaurant where I got to see what real Hummus should taste like. Also, I learned that kebob is nothing like the kebab we're used to in Sweden. It was so good and so tender I still tremble at the memory of the taste. Then we went on impulse to the Atlanta Aquarium.

Of all the indoor aquariums I've seen so far in my trip, this one was really the best. They got beluga whales, whale sharks, manta rays and otters! This place was amazing and really awe-inspiring. If you go to Atlanta, this is really the place to be.

After that we went to Der Beirgarten where I finally got to have a taste of good beer. German beer, yes, but good beer. I've been missing good beer ever since I got to America. Just as I've been missing good coffee ever since I left Kristina and Carla. I even got to show off a bit by pronouncing Pilsner Urquell correctly.

When all is said and done, I had a lot of fun with Rania yesterday, and I'm only sad I didn't have the chance to meet her husband and make use of their guestroom. But, what the heck, the jet engines passing over the hotel got a soothing quality seen from the right light... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Let's do it like they do on the Discovery Channel

I just about got home after a whole day outing with one of my dear hostesses, Kristina, after a day out in West Palm Beach. We had an amazing time at the Palm Beach Zoo where we got to see tons of interesting (and at points perhaps less interesting) animals.

This zoo was fun in the way that it felt more like an adventure park. The Americans are amazing with building areas and arenas where it looks like you are in another part of the world. The key word being that it looks like it, until you think about it. For instance, the swamp part with the alligators had palm trees in them. Meanwhile there are palm trees in the cities of Florida, they are in no way native to the Floridian flora. I'm not saying it is bad in any way. I actually like it how it feels a bit staged. Adds a certain charm. I'm not being sarcastic, damn you! I'm being honest here!

After the wonderful park we met up with two of Kris' and Carla's friends at a seafood place in Jupiter (in, not on, mind you). The restaurant was a Bubba Gump's. You know, like from the Forest Gump movie? Despite me not being a huge fan of the movie (I like, it, but I know a few who worship that movie like religion. I just can't get that into it) I must confess I really loved the food there. And their BBQ and sour-cream sauces are to die for. So, in a way, life really is like a box of chocolates. Speaking of chocolates; I finally got to have my Key Lime Pie! It was just as tasty as I remembered it. I will have to remember to om nom nom different sorts of cheese cakes as I travel north in the states. I feel a little bit like Agent Cooper, but for cheese cakes rather than cherry pies.

Amsterdam!

I've been a bit lazy with updating the blog lately. I've mostly just been walking around, looking at museums and things like that. The only thing with real blog substance was a zoo visit, but I spent all that day being lazy around the Hostel and picking at my bellybutton.

Yesterday afternoon I arrived in Amsterdam and locked myself into my hotel room. That's right, hotel room! It cost me only something like €160 for 5 days, and the only bad reviews were about mice. Sadly I've not seen any mice, even though I have my camera ready. I'm thinking about setting up a trap for a mouse and see if I can trap one for some nice pictures. Hrm, I should see if I can find a marcro lens.

Soo, the zoo! Let's talk a bit about it in retrospect. I walked though town, about an hour, an hour twenty and spent all the day at the zoo. I can for sure say that winter is not the season to be there. It is a bit like a post-apocalyptic landscape. No people, some animals, trees without leafs. The outdoor areas were quite commonplace. Much like you can see at any zoo. However, the indoor areas were were nice. They have 5 different buildings spread out over the area. And they show every aspect of the zoo. Turtle egg incubation, baby lizards, veterinary office. Heck, even jellyfish larvae.

The thing I didn't like about the zoo was the inconsistencies in English signs. All in all, only about 10 animals in total had English information, the rest were in Dutch alone. Hey I don't mind that there are no English signs, but it gets annoying when only a few got it. All or nothing.

Guess how I took this picture =D

The monkey area was quite dull though. And it really, really, really smelled like poop in there. Understandable since they're indoors for the winter and they don't spend as much time decorating places for the winter. What amazed me was that two other people was standing inside there, amidst all that horrible smell of urine and poop and eating. Then I heard them speak, German, and things fell into place.

Anyhow, I'll leave you with this, and head out into Amsterdam!

Happy Birthday to me!

zSo, today is my birthday, which I conveniently spend while on the road to avoid having to drink too much coffee with friends and family. Nothing against friends and family, but that much coffee gives me heart burn.

First things first. So, my visit here in Gothenburg is spent mostly with my brother Tobias and his girlfriend Veronica. They got a cozy little flat not too far out of town, some 10-15 minutes by tram or so I believe. And I must not forget Octavia, their very, very, very lovesick cat with a 2 meter trigger radius of her purring.

Erik's hat-moose

Yesterday I met up with my good friend Erik (who had his birthday yesterday) and his roomie Jon. We made home made tortillas and played obscene amounts of "Rayman: Origins". Just simply had an awesome time together.

Today me and Veronica spent going though "Universum". A mixture of a museum and an indoor tropical zoo. Here you can find tiny, tiny monkeys, and

they're outside of their cages, so if you're lucky... or unlucky, you can get one tangled in your hair. There is also an assortment of strange and awesome fish in huge tanks and aquariums. Snakes, spiders, poisonous frogs and so on.

Here be monkeys!

Tiny and very cute =D

 
After that we met up with my little brother and had a lovely supper which ended in lots of really delightful cheesecake. And gods, been a while since my feet were this sore.