I basically had only 1 day and a half to see Stockholm, kase transit lang naman siya. But given more time, I would have stayed longer, as the city is really charming and clean, not to mention numerous posh and smartly interiored cafes, and lots of well dressed goodlooking people walking around. =) Anyways, here are some snippets, ganaps and things that I did on my short trip to Stockholm.
Stockholm is one destination na I felt super foreign. Wala akong na meet na Pinoy. Wala rin masyadong backpackers dun. Actually nga, sobrang limited ng number of hostels dun. This was attested also by the staff of Crafoord’s Place, where I stayed. Even my room mate was a Swedish lady from a nearby town. Unlike Oslo or Amsterdam, mejo conservative ang mood and vibe ng Stockholm City Center. Tahimik. Hindi matao. Very walkable.
If you have some spare time, its also nice to visit Stockholm’s public library. This is one thing you can do in this city for free.
Active ang Free walking tour culture sa Stockholm. This 1-2 hours tour is arranged by locals, free of charge. You can just donate any amount you prefer. I was able to join one that was referred to me by Crafoord’s Place. No more online registration, I just went straight to Gamla Stan Metro Station at 1 PM, and met fellow travellers there. Gamla Stan by the way is the old quarter of Stockholm. Fun thing about joining such hippie tours is that aside sa touches on history, madami sila naseshare na urban legends, and even royal family intrigues. Their current princess daw is married to her gym trainor, and the prince naman married a reality star na may mga scandal. How showbiz. lol. Anyways, here are some snippets of Gamla Stan, which is very photogenic by the way. And madami cafes and restaurants around. I spent 3 hours here. Kain, kape and just lounge around. Swedish pastries are amazing by the way.
After the tour around Gamla, I head to the opposite bank in the Sodermalm district, for a place called “Mariaberget”, kasi sabi dun mo daw makikita ang best view of Stockholm from a higher elevation. See the cliffy place with trees in the right side of the picture below? Yan na yun.
Indeed, the view from there is stunning. Post Card Levels. 
Sa mga fans ng Ikea, there’s a free bus ride from the city center to the huge main outlet, that is around 40 minutes away. Super free ung bus back and forth. Sadly, I was not able to do it since I lacked time. But for those visitng soon, bus leaves every hour near outside Central Station. (Malapit sa Max’s Burger)
Food. Observation ko lang ha, among the Scandinavian cities I’ve visited, food prices are almost the same. However in Sweden, mas madami lang choices on the cheap and budget. Pastries there usually packaged at 3 for 20 SEK (100 Pesos) lang. And I swear, sobrang sarap ng mga puffs and tarts nila dun.
Patok din sa kanila ang DIY Salad foodang. relatively cheap. 
Sa Sweden lang din ako naka hanap ng super cheap na sandwich set in Scandinavia. This set of ham and cheese pancake with brewed coffee is only 20 SEK (100 Pesos). Walang ganito sa Oslo.
Sa mga ma-alak people, may Ice Bar dun sa Central Station banda, near Max’s Burger din. around 900 Pesos entrance fee.
Absolut Vodka, by the way, is from Sweden. =)
Accommodation. I stayed at Crafoord’s Place, which is fairly walkable naman from the Central Station. The place is actually a penthouse on the 8th floor of Stockholms College of Information Technology. OK na to at around 1,350.00 Pesos per night. And like most other Scandinavian hostels, towel rental and linens are an add on cost. However, they provide comforter naman and a pillow, as seen on the picture below. 
Maganda ang view from Crafoord’s , I swear. 
Airport Transfer . Flying to Stockholm from Asia, you will most likely land at Arlanda Airport, that is around 45 minutes away by bus. Arlanda Airport is super convenient, meron na Metro train from there to Stockholm and other parts of Sweden. However, it is really cheaper if you go by bus, with Flybussarna. In addition, buying tickets online via Flybussarna app gives you more savings pa (as of the year 2016 ha), like 99 SEK per way nalang from 119 SEK when you buy at the airport kiosk. No worries, may wifi ung airport nila, I basically downloaded the app there na.
More things to follow. GTG muna akey =)
From Stockholm, relatively affordable na lang ang plane tickets to Iceland. Salamat sa skyscanner.com to help travellers book a good deal. Ito ang pasample kung pano ako mag hanap ng cheap. Though the screenshots below are not the exact flights that I got into last month, the concept of finding tickets is the same. For the purpose of costing, I will be using the values given below as reference. 
Ito naman ung Itinerary that I followed when I was in Stockholm,Oslo and Reykjavik. Maliban sa Northern Light tour ng Reykjavik (see 
Fave Street Food Session: New Delhi, India (2014). Bias because I love Indian Food. The taste and smell of curry and other spices excite me. When I went there, I tried my best to find the pagkain na featured ni Migrationology.com (one of my travel idols). There’s this Curry Lamb Stew in Baphe da Hotel, Delhi na hinanap ko tlga. Well, its a sit down type of street food, and it was amazing!!! Plus the Samosa, Biryani, the lamb kebabs, the masala omelette, the Gulab Jamun you find sa street… amazing!!!!
Have I ever got sick during travel? Sickness from food, yes, in Siem Reap, Cambodia (2013). I went to a public market with a local whom I met there. He introduced me to a certain local cold noodle dish. His Treat! I was a bit hesitant because it is a cold dish but I was just too shy to refuse, kasi her was very accommodating. The food, I think it is called Khmer Noodles; Though it was good and peanut-ish, turned out,na I was right. My tummy wasn’t able to handle the rawness of the dish. I had recurring stomach pain that lasted for 3 days, pero tolerable naman. Moral lesson, never trust dishes that are not cooked on fire.
#3 Hansy Beer of Vienna, Austria. Concocted by a local Viennese restaurant Gasthaus Hansy that brews their own beer, this lager beer is surely served fresh and crisp. Tripadvisor has good rating for this restaurant, and the beer as well.
#4 Mythos Beer of Greece. 4.7% to 5% Alcohol. As per some reviews, some find it too mild. But I find it good actually. Perfect to pair with meaty street food around Athens.
#5 Staropramen Beer of Prague Czech Republic. This is among Prague’s Decent Bohemian Pilsen, that is balanced to the milder side
G Menabrea Beer of Italy
Kronenbourg of France
Pilsner Urquell of Czech Republic
This list is really just a fraction of Beer names around Europe. Will I be updating the list on my next visit? We’ll see. =)
Although this Roman Catholic Church is relatively new (completed 1905), the church impressively stands at the middle of the a crossing that its tallest towers can splendidly be seen from blocks away. It effortlessly became one of my favourites. The church also has one of the most impressive altars I have seen, to which I shall be featuring on a separate post. Architectural Style : Neo Classical
Here is another cathedral named after St. Stephen, that is amazing it its own right. The original structure was completed 1160, and underwent a number of restorations due to fire and war. However, the structural and most of its facade and details remain original. The most amazing feature of the church is probably its tiled roof with geometric patterns, that is unlike any other. Architectural Style : Gothic
Original structure completed 1344, the church completely embodies the Goth-bohemian character of Prague with its impressive exterior embellishments. The facade still has burn marks on the walls from several fire accidents of the past, to which somewhat gave the church a story to tell. Architectural Style: Gothic
St Mary’s of Krakow is a unique Brick-Cladded church, originally built in the early 13th century. The very tall church proudly stands like two guardians. Krakow is among the most beautiful towns I have visited; And indeed, its church and square has one of the most beautiful setting. By tradition, a golden trumpet is blown every full hour from the window of the higher tower. This is still practiced until today. Architectural Style: Gothic
Barcelona Cathedral(Original Structure constructed 1298 to 1420) is another Gothic church with a beautiful set up, worthy of praises. The Spanish steps elevated the church to a more impressive view and an ethereal feel. Although the Sagrada Familia is the more famous, it is yet to be completed and there are cranes and lifts around its towers. Based on perfect setting, this church is the most beautiful in Barcelona. Architectural Style: Gothic
The Notre-Dame de Paris was among the first buildings to use the flying buttress, or the additional reversed L shaped support placed on the outer side walls for further stability, and later became part of the design pattern. The box type bell towers at the front also made the church distinct from others. And who doesn’t know Victor Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre Dame? Architectural Style: Gothic
I must admit that the 90’s movie ‘Madeline’ did have an impact for me to like this church so much. =) Architectural Style: Neo clasical
The Pisa Cathedral is probably the oldest in the list (construction started 1064). The baluster-like posts at the facade are each made of solid white marble, and most of the original posts were picked by the Romans from the ruins of Greece. Behind this church is the famous leaning tower. Architectural Style: Romanesque.
Romanesque (pre-gothic time)was prevalent especially in the 11th and 12th centuries and characterized by massive walls, round arches, and relatively simple ornamentation and less window openings since structural design are yet to be further developed during that time.
Milan Cathedral, Italy (Construction started 1836). With the capacity of 40,000 pax, Milan Cathedral is the 2nd biggest, next to St. Peter’s in Vatican. And with 3,400 statues, 135 gargoyles and 700 figures in all, Milan Cathedral has the most impressive number of decorative statues. Impressive in every angle, this church easily because one of my favourites. Architectural Style: Gothic
St Mark’s Cathedral (Construction started 1084). Located in the East Isles of Italy, Venice shared a lot of its history with the Turks, as such, the Byzantine Architecture is very evident on the city’s most celebrated church. The Gold facade embellishments, pointy arches and mosaic art frescos and colored glass chandeliers are among the adopted characters from the Turks, and have clearly made this catholic church a ‘one of a kind’. Architectural Style: Byzantine
The Stripe Church of Monterosso (Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista – Church of St John Baptist, Monterosso al Mare, 14th Century). Standing at the Seaside town of Monterosso, Ligurian Region of Italy, the church is really a stand out on this list for its Stripe black and white walls and impressive rose window. Though the relatively unknown of the group, the seaside church (and the whole Cinque terre, infact) is worth a visit. Architectural styles: Renaissance architecture
With such intricately detailed exterior, Florence Cathedral honestly got my spot for most beautiful facade on this list. The Photo does not give enough justice, as this church is truly ethereal and stunning in actual (nakaka-lula in tagalog). Living up to the principles of Renaissance art, the cathedral itself is an a masterpiece of when Italian art and knowledge was at its most glorious days. Architectural styles: Renaissance architecture
St. Vitus Cathedral
A commemorative medallion installed outside the house of a victim during Prague’s Nazi regime. This memoir can be found Though out east and central Europe.
Prague’s Old Town Square. See the impressive St Nicholas Church, Tyn Cathedral and Old Town Hall and pause to admire the world-famous Astronomical Clock, with its mechanical procession of 12 apostle figurines.
Wenceslas Square is one of the business centre of old Prague. 
The Dancing House building by Ar. Frank Gehry has a very non-traditional design, and was controversial at its time because the house stands out among the Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings for which Prague is famous.
KOLENO is roast pork knee (or knuckle) in big portion, a dish that’s also common in Czech cuisine. 
VEPŘO-KNEDLO-ZELO – roast pork (vepřová) with bread dumplings (knedlíky) and stewed cabbage, or sauerkraut (zelí), a classic Czech dish
Fish dish in vegetable-laden gravy, typically made with herbs and root veggies like carrots, celeriac, parsley root.
Other fun stuff in Prague =)
A Walking along the Danube River as well offers the best view of Hungarian Architecture.
The Chain Bridge is one of the rustic links between the west bank of Buda and and the east bank of Pest.
St. Stephen (Budapest Cathedral)
Walk around the artsy – bohemian neighborhood
A Bathhouse that has been standing even before WW2 and is still perfectly beautiful ’til today. 
Goulash is a staple food for Hungarians. It is basically beef (or chicken) in paprika and other seasonings.
Pörkölt and Paprikás -The word pörkölt literally means ‘roasted’ and the dish is made of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, pork or liver (varieties depend on the region) cooked with onion, paprika and other spices, resulting in a juicy dish served with another Hungarian gastro-curiosity, the nokedli (egg noodle dumpling). (Wiki)
Never leave a country without tasting a local bee. Here are Soproni and Arany of Budapest.
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