Sunday, December 21, 2008

Blogging about books

I haven't blogged much about the book circle lately. Well, I haven't blogged much at all to tell the truth :-(

The last book that we read was DH Lawrence's "Lady Chatterleys Lover". The book was published in 1928 but it was prohibited in Great Britain until 1960. It is not difficult to understand why. This is one of the most daring books I have read about the sexualty. It is astonishing to see how free minded some where already 80 years ago. Definitely a "must have read" book.

The next two books that we're going to read are: Robert Saviano's "Gomorrah" about the Camorra Mafia in Naples (Italy) and "The 100-minute bible". Next date we have is on January the 11th.

Other books waiting on my shelves are:
Four books by Selma Lagerlöf ("Gösta Berlings saga", "Herr Arnes penningar", "Liljecronas hem", and "Körkarlen") These book was a gift from my friend Åsa. Thank you Åsa, books are the finest thing to give to someone.

Two books of Salman Rushdie: "Midnights children" and the "Satanic verses). I started with this last one four years ago but I don't think I was ready for it.

"Bokhandlare i Kabul" of Åsne Seierstad. I have read some books that take place in Afghanistan lately. It is interesting and shocking to read about the atrocity in oppressed countries as Afghanistan.

"Los renglones torcidos de Dios" by Luca de Tena is a book in Spanish that I started to read after the summer vacation but I had just entered a "none reading period" and I didn't come very far. I'll give it a new try soon. Maybe I get inspired now when we're going to Spain over Christmas.

"Den du inte ser" by Mari Jungstedt. A Swedish detective novel that is supposed to be one of the better ones. Mari has written a serie of detective novels that take place on Gotland (a Swedish island in the Baltic Sea). I have been reading a lot of this genre lately, or maybe I should say "listening" since I have listened to the audio books. Detective novels are good (audio) books to have "on the side" for me. I usually have my mobile loaded with a detective novel to listen to on the tram, on the bus, while cooking, washing up, cleaning etc. But for bed time I choose the traditional paper book. Therefore I usually have more than one book going on.

Now I'm listening to Åsa Larsson's "Det blod som spillts" and reading "Candide" by Voltaire.

What are you reading right now?

Christmas party 2008

On Friday evening we had some friends over on a Christmas party. We had food catered from 3:ans. The food was great, and so easy. Just go around the corner and pick it up. Definitely a recommendation to all of you stressed Christmas souls. The party was a success and we got in bed a 7:30 next morning ;-)

Paco and Dani

Jimena, Hannes and Annika in a wild discussion


Dani and Alonso in action.

Åsa admiring the dance moves???

Take a look at the clock on the wall! Poor neighbours :-(




Christmas preparations

Last weekend we dedicated one day to baking. We made saffron buns, ginger bread, ginger rusks and ginger truffle. Lots of ginger...

After a day by the oven we went to Liseberg (Gothenburg's amusement park) to look at all the Christmas lights.



The usual photo of the two...






Saturday, December 6, 2008

EuroStar 2008 The Hague

The Test Conference in The Hague was a very interesting experience. After the two first days it was clear that this was a "club 0f mutual admiration" (as we say in Swedish). I didn't realize that so many "important" people was going to join the Conference. Even though it sounds that it was a bad experience I wouldn't mind being included in this circle in the future. I have always wanted to research and it would be a challenge to stand in front of a hundred people and give a conference.

A loooooooooots of bikes in The Hague...


... so many that they have valet parking for their bikes

The Parliament building to the right

A square in the centre, can't remember the name

The tram looks very much the tram in Warsaw, so narrow

Carita and I at Scheveningen beach (the hardest Dutch word to pronounce)

The mail boxes looks very funny (for me)

One of the streets of Den Haag

The Gala Award was held in "Grote Kerk", the Great Church. What an atmosphere!!!