a little history on swedish fish and pastellfiskar, photos, and uni on top

Hellooooo to those who are actually reading my blog. Today feels like a list kind of day, so here goes.


1. The Swedish Fish in Sweden are surprisingly not red. They are white, yellow, lime, and orange, but not red. This confused me and I pondered. I came up with the idea that the ones sent to the states are the defective ones. But of course, this isn't the case. So I've done some research and here is what I have come up with on the history of Swedish Fish (McRobbie 2009).


Swedish Fish belong to a group of candies called "wine gum," which is a chewy candy that is harder and more chewy than other gummies like gummy bears. It does not contain gelatin, so yes, it is vegetarian/vegan!


Why are they called Swedish Fish? They are imported to the US from Sweden, and fishing is a huge industry here.


"According to Cadbury, 7,000 metric tons of Swedish Fish are produced each year; that many fish weigh as much as 1,929 orca whales, they claim."


In Sweden, these fish are called pastellfiskar, meaning pastel fish. The fish, rather than being more sweet, are more fruity flavored and have a lighter color to them. 


As for my irking question for why I have not found red fish, I don't know. Maybe they are just not sold at the stores I have been buying them at.


So that is my little schpeeeel on Swedish Fish / Pastellfiskar. Which one I like better? I love both, what can I say?


2. I found out yesterday that two of my photos were accepted to be displayed at the OC Fair! I submitted 4 of my photos, and 2 were accepted, so I am pretty stoked. They are both panoramas, one of the Franklin Wharf in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia and the other is at California Adventure at night, overlooking the water. The only problem is printing and framing them, as they are both unusual sizes. I'm working on it!


3. My high school, University High, just got ranked number 8 in the nation and number 1 in California! It makes me proud to be a trojan, and proud of my school. It is always difficult to describe my high school to my friends or others I am with, but this definitely helps. UNI is a very special school and its not quite describable, but you can get a feel for it on the facebook group, "you know you go to uni when...". It's fantastic and it goes on and on and on. 


http://www.newsweek.com/content/newsweek/feature/2011/americas-best-high-schools.html


So, for UNI, I say "Hit 'em high, hit 'em low, hit 'em where the trojans go. Gooooo UNI!"


That's all folks!

its raining, its pouring and we're out in it

The sunset from the station.

I've had an amazing past two days filled with mini adventures and amazing sights. It is quite amazing how much you can do in a single day, especially in a place where the sun rises at 3 am and sets at 10 pm. Here, there is no concept of time. It baffles me that it does not get dark until so late. 8 pm feels like 5 pm and 10 am can feel like 2 pm. I wake up, I eat, I go to class, I eat some more, I go to lab, I eat some more, I do homework, and I go to sleep. That is basically the typical day, with some fantastic adventures in between.

17 June 2011

As for yesterday, our lab was going orchid hunting out into the meadows. They were so small I would have never been able to find them. I always thought that orchids were big like those sold at Trader Joes, but no. They are tiny, delicate little things. They are nothing but amazingly complex and cunning. We were especially looking for Ophrys, a type of orchid that mimics a female bee/wasp in odor, touch, and sight. The male bee/wasp is attracted to this type of orchid and tries to mate with it, thinking it is a female bee/wasp. The flower will then deposit pollen sac on the bees, who will unknowingly visit another flower, thinking that it is another female bee/wasp, and allow pollination to occur. On our hunt, the dark gray clouds started rolling in and a thunderstorm hit our area. The rain started pouring like mad before we made it to the car, but that wasn't the end of our adventures.

The Ophry Orchid

A butterfly I saw in the meadow.

Another butterfly I saw.

Later in the day, I went on a bicycle ride with a group of classmates down to a small beach in Haga Park, where a popular campsite is located. There are no waves, but it is a nice little beach nonetheless. It was the first time I have ever set foot in the Baltic Sea! I was amazed at how nicely warm the water was. It was still cold, of course, but for ocean water it was surprisingly warm. I loved it. And the water goes no deeper than your waist very very far out. I plan to see how far I can go until I either get tired or it gets deeper. The sand is so soft and feels great when it squishes between your toes.

Haga Park -  The picture is taken from Katie R.

18 June 2011

We had lab today, though it was Saturday, and learned about curating and collecting plants and insects. Afterwards, I crashed. I took a greeaaat nap, but felt so groggy afterwards. Regardless, I'm glad I had the rest of the day off for myself.

Today we went on a bike ride to Farjestaden to the dock again, thinking it was a great idea to go have ice cream on the dock. It had just stopped raining, but about half way on our ride it started again. It was light rain, but there was a lot of it. We got our ice cream on the dock, stood underneath a gazebo, chatted with the owner, an adorable elder man, and headed home. By the time we got back to the station, we were literally drenched. I could have jumped into a pool with my clothes on and I still would have been just as wet. It was an adventure, nonetheless, and I loved being out in the rain like that. Of course, as long as I don't catch a cold.

And that is the end! But definitely not the end of my adventures in Sweden!

sunsets and ice cream cones

And class has officially started. Plants, plants, plants, plants, plants.

And after class, I went on a beautiful bicycle ride to the town of Farjestaden, meaning "ferry town". I felt like such a kid again. I rode a classic bike, the ones you picture europeans riding. It was the bicycle that the wicked witch in wizard of oz was riding in the tornado, minus the basket. I felt so free and so silly.

It was just so perfect. When we go to the dock, the sun was just starting to set. And what did we find? A glass (ice cream in swedish) shop where we got some of the best flavors. Eating ice cream along the harbor watching the sunset was amazing, and it will definitely happen again.

Picture are here, to the courtesy of Katie R. I claim no credit for these.

Very cliche picture off of the dock. But yes, we had to do it.

In the glass shop! Glass anyone?

Ahhh... eating ice cream on the steps leading to the water overlooking the harbor.

take a little peek

So I'd like to give you an idea of where I am living right now, and what better way to do it than through pictures? Pictures tell a thousand words, as one says.

This is where I am staying, the University of Uppsala Research Station in Skogsby, Oland in Sweden. I'm staying in a dorm like room with windows that open up to the backyard, which has a greenhouse that isn't being used and gardens. We have a nice kitchen, and all that you could ever need. 

This is a view of the fields from the research station. On the right is a strawberry field.

The view of the Research Station from afar.

This is in front of the station, the portal to the Alvaret.

And just for fun, this is one of the very many windmills that are placed all around Oland.

alive in skogsby

I never thought this day would come, but it has so fast. I am alive and I've finally made it to the Research Station in Skogsby, Sweden. It is like another world here. It is so beautiful and green everywhere around the island of Oland.

As amazing as it has been to travel around different countries, it is so nice to be able to unpack and settle down for the time being. I don't have to dig around my backpack to find my chapstick or toothpaste without taking out everything in my pack. 

Time for plants!

The Christiansborg Palace

Surprisingly, yes there are 7-11's here. And they actually serve pretty decent food. 

I went at the time of the Copenhagen Carnival of 2011, so it was crowded as heck. And a lot of different street performers and all that.

One of the many cathedrals in Copenhagen.

castles, cliffs, and a pinch to grow an inch

I'm greasy, I'm dirty, I smell, and do I care? Not really. But I think I need a change of socks today (they're black. i guess that's a sign).

In response to my mother's questions on my last blog post, I will gladly give an answer.

#4 How did you do after a pt of Guinness?
Well, that's a good question. I couldn't finish a pint, let alone even half a pint. Guinness is very very filling, so without getting a stomach ache I had to stop at the bottom of the guinness logo.
Did you find a leprechaun?
Yes, I have found LOTS of leprechauns, who are all being sold in the stores. I have yet to spot a real one ;]



Tomorrow I leave from Galway to the Dublin airport at 7:30 AM. Here's a break down.

Wake up at 6 AM.
3 hour bus ride to the Dublin airport.
2 hour wait until my flight.
1 hour 20 minute flight to London.
1 hour 45 minute layover in London.
1 hour 55 minute flight to Copenhagen.
1 bus ride to the hostel, where I will meet up with my travel mates at approximately 8:30 PM!

I guess that is what I get when I find the cheapest flight. Cheap, but timely. Then again, I have all the time in the world, so why not?

On a different note, I treated myself to a tour around the West Coast of Ireland today, and it was absolutely gorgeous. It is just so green, everywhere. Here are a few pictures, but they can in no way capture the magnificent beauty that it holds.

This is in Galway along one of the rivers. I would tell you the name if I could find it. 

One of the many beautiful castles.

I don't think I need to describe this.

This is a tomb that people built for the dead in the stone ages. In this particular tomb, 22 (?) bodies were found of various ages who died of arthritis.

This Cliffs of Moher!

At the cliffs of Moher. I thought this picture would sort of capture the beautiful "greeness" that is not found in california.

And a little last word.. the best part of my birthday, besides seeing ireland's nature, is that i found my money! Somehow when I was thinking about putting it in a safe spot, I didn't actually know that it happened. I apparently have no memory of putting it somewhere. But I found it! You don't know how happy this makes me.

hello from galway

Greetings from Galway!

I apologize for the lack of updates for the past couple of days. The hostel I stayed at, which claims to have free wifi, failed to work on my computer no matter what I tried. So here I am in Galway, Ireland and I'll try to recap the last couple of days. Since I like lists, I am going to make lists.

1. I pulled my first "all-dayer". I can't quite call it an all nighter since I chased the sun as I went east. I arrived in Dublin around 10AM, since began my day right away with a three hour long walking tour. With the help of coffee, I was able to stay up until 9PM, totaling about a 31 hour day with only a couple 1/2 - 1 hr. naps in between. Let me just say, I was feeling very funny with spouts of dizziness. That was my cue to go to sleep.

2. I met up with Carly, one of my classmates who I will be studying Pollination Biology in Sweden with, and I had a great time touring the city with her for two days. 

3. On the tour we hit many major parts of the city, like the Dublin Castle, Temple Bar, Christ Church's Cathedral, St. Stephen's Green, Trinity College, and so much more. The history behind the buildings and the Irish people is fascinating.

This is the backside of the part of the Dublin Castle (on the right).

Christ Church's Cathedral is over 1000 years old, one of the oldest buildings I've ever seen.

4. The next day I visited the National History Museum, the National Gallery, The National Science Center, and of course the Guinness Storehouse, where I had my first Guinness. For your pleasure, here is a picture. It is LEGAL, so there is nothing scandalous about this picture. 

Guinness is HUGE. At the very top was the Gravity Bar, where everyone got to try a pint of Ireland's most prized Guinness. It has a panoramic view of the surrounding city, and it is absolutely gorgeous.

5. After a 3 hour bus ride across Ireland's beautiful green landscape, I am in Galway.

6. Upon stumbling into the hostel, I look into my wallet to pay for my stay and find myself 160 euros deficient. So, I've been freaking out for the past couple of hours and I guess there is nothing I can do. Whether I lost it or it was stolen, I have no idea.

7. On another note, tomorrow I am treating myself to the the Cliffs of Moher for a way cheaper tour price than if I were to go from Dublin. Hopefully I will also get some sight seeing in, too, as I am leaving the next day. Apparently I don't have time to check out the University of Galway, which is what I wanted to check out to see if I want to study abroad here. But I guess I can determine that based on whether I like to city or not and the people I talk to.