Stockholm, Sweden

Welcome to Sweden, where we're gonna be living now for the next few years!

The currency of Sweden is the Swedish Krona (Sek) and 1Euro = 8,5SEK.
The total population of the country is around  9,5 Millions people for the 3rd largest country in the European Union.
Sweden is a Monarchy with the King Carl XVI Gustaf on the throne... even if he is useless!
Since the Great Depression ("la crise de 29"), Swedish national politics has largely been dominated by the Social Democratic Workers' Party, which has held a plurality in parliament since 1917. During the period from 1932-2006 the Social Democrats presided over the government for 65 years, almost exclusively without a minor partner.

Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia.
Stockholm is known for its beauty, its buildings and architecture, its abundant clean and open water, and its many parks. It is sometimes referred to as Venice of the North.

A Taste of Stockholm is an early summer festival that each year attracts hundreds of thousands of people with a shared interest in food and drink. During the first week of June the downtown park Kungsträdgården, or ”King’s Garden”, is transformed into a party with culinary sensations and performances by many well known artists. As you'll see below, you can taste bull balls tacos, a lot of weird animals meat and cooking from all over the world... the idea is kind of good, the food... not that much!

The non-violence sculpture are created by the Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd and are exposed in other several places of Stockholm, Göteborg and Malmö, and in the rest of the world.

Enjoying few beers with Erik, Kikki and Kiwi :)

Before going to work, we had some free time and decided to go to the culture house of Stockholm where there is this free exposition: "Street Smart" these last few days.
Really cool ideas and a lot of movie projects, I definitely recommend it if you are around and have the time to get in there... but again... we always have the time, but will you decide to take it?

Back to the Hive

It's been a little while since I didn't post a new article, and the reason is simple... I don't have time.

This article will be a bit different from the other ones. As long as I didn't have time to go to Stockholm to take some photos while good weather, I focused on Bees...

As we know, Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are adapted for feeding on nectar and pollen, the former primarily as an energy source and the latter primarily for protein and other nutrients. Most pollen is used as food for larvae.

According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way that a bee should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyway. Because bees don't care what humans think is impossible.

 Bee Movie is a political computer animated movie written by Jerry Seinfeld. It gives prominence to the Human life with the bees lifestyle and point of view.

A lot of comparisons between bees and humans are made in this movie, like:
_ The decisions and facts of studying hard to work hard "We know as you as a bee, you've worked your all life to get to the point where you can work for your all life"
_ The low motivation for workmen in any factories or non qualification required jobs: "most bee jobs are small ones, but bees knows that every small job if its done well, means a lot... But chose carefully because you'll stay in the job you picked for the rest of your life"
_ The ironic confrontation between workmen and stingy employers: "So you'll just work us to death??... We'll sure try! HAHAHAHA!"
_ And the eternal question which doesn't motivate anybody... "Don't you ever get bored doing the same job everyday?..."

It is because of all these questions and realities that Barry (J. Seinfeld), an ordinary Bee, wants to get out of the Hive and discover the life he wants and realize what's hiding behind this "too perfect bee world" and eventually change it with compromises between workers and employers...

This movie is made with a lot of cultural references (like it's name... "B Movie") and famous actors or shows.

In Short, I decided to write this article because I feel a bit like a bee right now... I have absolutely no time anymore for myself and Josefin. I already worked 132hours in only 2weeks that I started working. I have of course a minimum wedge and no advantages or what so ever for working late hours, bank holidays or week ends... But as we say... That's the way it is!... At least I got a job!

Bergen, Norway

Holidays with friends!
Julien and me decided to visit Damien in Bergen, Norway, before he would go back home in the beginning of June... and we are all glad we did it!
Bergen is the 2nd city of Norway with 265,600 people, on the west coast of the country (5,009,150 people) . It usually rains all the time but we got so lucky, we spent 7days under a beautiful blue sky and 25 degrees temperature!
The currency of the country is the Norwegian Krone (NOK) and is more or less the equivalent of the old French "Franc" before we switched to Euro... Except that it's norWAY too expensive!
Being one of the rare countries with no debt and owning a lot of oil thanks to the northern sea, the life Standards here are way higher than anywhere else.
Alcohol is also controlled by the government and very expensive. You can only buy alcohol in one Store Chain, Vinmonopolets, and very expensive. All the taxes are, fortunately, for the government and not private!
Otherwise people are Healthy, in a very good physical shape (running mountains up and down without spiting their lungs hehe), and they seems to enjoy themselves a lot due to their high level of life.

In Fantoft, the Residence where Damien was living for the last year, the Japanese Cherry Trees were blooming. Most of the people living there are foreigners Erasmus student coming from all over the world. Interesting mix of culture! It's always full of life and energy!

When the sun shines in the country (20 days out of 365... haha), people try to enjoy it a Maximum and go tanning in any little park or green areas in the city! This is quiet amazing and funny to watch... (The attitude of fit boys and girls showing off half naked is quiet hilarious!) They take there one time BBQ and spend all day having fun in the grass...
Sadly, once everybody's gone, you can only find a huge amount of rubbish everywhere, with these Aluminium bbqs, plastics and wastes everywhere... Not so ecological and clever for a country controlled by rules and so developed...

The Architecture of the buildings, houses and church are very interesting and nicely designed. Straight lines and clear but still pretty cool! There are also a lot of colors everywhere, which has a huge and benefit effect on the mood (specially if it rains most of the time, otherwise it would be grey, black and white and depressing!... like Paris in rainy days!)

even the sea gulls look good here!

We also noticed the presence of a lot of flags hanging a bit everywhere, which is actually quiet good to be a bit patriotic, not like us in France where if you hang a Flag out your windows, you are considered as a racist and part of the Extreme Right FN! (I guess that something we should change quickly and start reconsidering...)

A nice little hike on one of the 7 Mountains surrounding Bergen... it gives us a very nice point of view on all the bay, and perfect spot for a Sunset! Very very enjoyable! :)

Just a little Street Art graph for Florent ;)

Norway's extensive coastline, facing the North Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea, is home to its famous fjords. That's why we decided to rent a car for a day and went to visit these beautiful lands.
Again, everything has a price, any road you drive on got automatic tolls, any parking is taxed, and the gas is 14NOK per liter!
When we went back home and parked the car down Damien's residence, we stopped 1hour to eat something and rest a bit to go back to town to drop the car... we got a fee of 700NOK!!! (equivalent of 100Euros) which make absolutely NO SENSE for a parking fee! I personally think it is a shame, specially for students... that's why we decided not to pay it! ;)
Norway is a beautiful country, but a very little people can afford to visit it...