"Fairest of the seasons"

Tantolunden is a huge park, next to Eriksbadhuset which has several pools and a gym. My favorite part is that there are many 'allotment gardens' here, I have never gotten a satisfactory explanation about how these gardens came to be, or how people get to have one of their very own. All I hear are rumors, perhaps they are handed down through families, perhaps a person needs some connection to royalty, perhaps they are won through a lottery system...
I have also heard that originally they were communal land for farming to help stave off times of starvation during periods of famine. I believe these have been as they are since about 1915.
I have put up photos from my last summer and from yesterday, autumn into winter...they always look idyllic to me and I marvel at the gardens, and wish, wish, wish, I could have one of my own.

"Snowflake Music"

I take it all back, every ill natured thought I had, every semi-veiled comment I might have said out loud about double winter.
Why?
Because it has started to SNOW!
Okay, sure yesterday the flakes were teeny, teeny, tiny flakes, but there was no other word to describe them as they softly floated thorough the air.
There was no denying their existence as they hit a person's coat and sat there unabashed, gleaming and white. I was walking around, smiling like a fool, as many a person glared at me.
Again, today there is snow, big, fat, wet flakes, and although you might be able to accuse them of being more like sleet, or put an adjective in front of the word 'snow' still the word 'snow' will be part of the descriptive sentence.

Also, I have found a couple of new pubs, well the pubs aren't new just my love for them.
There are many micro-brews on tap now, some even coming from Sweden, like the tasty smoked porter I had, made by Nils Olssen. I also got to try the micro-brew from Brooklyn which I have only heard about on a podcast from 'New Yorker Out Loud'. The 'Bishop Arms' is a bit drafty but it is located on one of my favorite streets called 'Bellmans' Road', the road end with a Spire, made of some black metal, then there is a cliff side walk that begins at the end of the stairs.
Beer is precious here, micro-brews cost more of course, but there is an added tax based on alcohol content. My porter was 8.5% and therefore I wasn't allowed a whole pint, and the cost was 64 kr, for 400 mls, or about $11. AU (or US at todays exchange) for about a half pint!
But who cares for such trifles when one is gazing out at snowflakes...

"...my directive to trace my former colleague...code name Stockholm"

Many might assume that since I come to Stockholm once a year or so, that I would know quite a bit more than I actually do. Mostly, I find myself thinking 'Oh, yeah, I knew that', as someone is explaining.
I have never gotten the hang of the subway system here, and therefore I tend to walk everywhere simply to avoid dealing with the trains.
A short film of myself interacting with people, would surely be entertaining, and I basically frame my answers by guessing-I mean I know the schema of the situation I am in, and therefore I fill in the most probable answer.
Often the person has a bemused look so a fair bet is that I am often off the mark.
I also have a dreadful habit of naming places. I can't pronounce or do not know the real name so I just invent one. This park up the road, below Moosebacken (correct name), I call 'naked lady park', l don't know the name of the water tower, because although I have read the sign I always forget.
I remember that a famous architect designed it, maybe mid-1800s.
Zok is away again, in Germany again.
I can't decide on a destination so I think I'll just strike out in a direction, and hopefully the neighborhood will jar me into some recollection, and I will find a destination this way.

"Tricks or Treats is over and I missed it! You blockhead, I was robbed"

The graveyard at night, did not disappoint.

"You don't believe the story of the Great Pumpkin?"

The weather has been good-about 36 F., with most leaves still colorful and scattered everywhere. Zok is in Germany working, so I got up early to try and work out a bit-using my trusty jump rope and the huge set of stairs that are a shortcut from the apartment neighborhood down to the waterfront.
I was only warm while jumping rope, even running up and down the stairs wasn't quite enough movement to fend off the chill.

Even though I am having double winter I feel pretty good, I only feel resentment when I have to put on so much clothing before I can get out of the apartment. Also there is more light this time of year than I remember-there is light from about 7:40 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., although of course the amount of light will decrease each day.

I like seeing signs of Halloween, as I haven't in years. Although the pumpkins and kids in costume make me want candy.

My favorite graveyard has all of its headstones spruced, with new plants put in, some have pine wreaths, and almost all have candles burning. After darkness falls I am going back to see if they can be seen flickering way away through the dark.

"Hong Kong garden takeaway"

I did not understand how everyone did not carry a nice parasol to keep the harsh sun off their heads.
I seemed to be the only one.
I did not understand why we had to leave the shade of the parks, where people en mass were practicing Tai-chi, where many interesting birds could be seen, as well as fancy butterflies where constantly going by, and the city seemed far away instead of just beyond the tree line.

As with all really humid and hot places, I enjoyed the night best.

There were many small children taking themselves to school on the subway, which reminded me of New York, a lot reminded me of New York, I suppose this is my largest city to reference. Also I thought that the Asian tourists we saw were not unlike the Americans that go to New York, to marvel at the vastness and to of course; shop.

I think that I would have to visit Hong Kong several times, in short stays to feel as if I had seen any of the city.
All I can think of is the many, many side streets I must have missed, plus Zok walks quickly whereas I always want to sit on a bench and really take a look.
I had a nice birthday, although I feel very old.

"Tourists swarm to see your face"

We saw photos from the 1970s as well as early 20th century, and Hong Kong was crowded then as well.
There were many, many, tourists in most places. The parks were quieter and had less round eyed devils than the big Buddha, or atop the lookout from the peak tram.
I found the presence of malls attached to tourist spots exhausting. I get tired just thinking of the quantity of items, the value of those items, and the money that goes round the world.
Instead I enjoyed the night markets where I bought a few items at very low prices.
Do you take the time to marvel at the quality of your life? The space and freedoms you enjoy?