Flash trip to Southwestern Portugal

As some of you know, I have had the chance to do a weekend trip to Portugal! Thankfully the rain that had been characterizing Portugal up until then decided to take a few days off. As such, I was able to enjoy a few days in the sunshine of southwestern Portugal!

Enjoy,

Raúl

The lunch table waiting for us at Pisco's place.

My Friends Pisco and Mónica basking in the sun

Main street of Porto Côvo (the town where we were)

There are real beaches in Portugal as well Kiri

(no comments)

The house were we stayed!

The gracious host

The gracious host's father and fabulous tomatoe soup!

Visiting Raul in Bonn!

Bonn, Cologne - Gemany
16-19 MayRaul is standing in front of his office - SERIOUSLY he works in a castle!


Vacation in the sun.


Raul & Richard waiting....


For German beer!


Miniature bbq at Raul's balcony supervised by Kiri. Tasted delicious later!


Kiri came for the weekend from Munich.


Touristing in Bonn!


Love art on the wall they have there....


At outdoor bars the beer comes in glasses where you pay extra for the glass that you get back when you return the glass. Also works like this at concerts, so no broken glass or messy scenery when everyone want the 2 euros back. Smart!


We climbed the long stairs up the Koln Dome!


Cool view!


Beautiful church!





Like in the set of Lord of the Rings!


And here the hobbits live in happy colorful houses!



Meat on a stick - in a different way!


Me and Ri also went to a German industrial rock concert - you might remember his favorite band Einsturtsenden Neubauten (I have no idea how to spell that) - anyway, the concert was AWESOME! One of the best both of us have ever seen.

To summarize: We had a great time! Thanks Raul and Kiri!!

hey!

Hey Raul, what's up with the weather forecast for the weekend in Bonn?
How are we going to do bbq's if it's going to rain all weekend.....

It's back to freezing spring here, so I was really looking forward to going south at bit.

Well, I'm sure it will be great anyway!

See you soooon!

plastic cup cheers on Friday night!

Photo from our old apartment actually, which Ruwani (second on the left) rents right now.

Finally!

I am now finally, officially, also Doctor Leao.
I got my PhD degree on the 30th of April!!! Yippieeee!!!

Bowling night

Hi, I just wanted to share a picture from yesterdays bowling with members of the Fisahn lab and others;
Hui Min with fluffy dog Chiyo, Richard, Andre, Samira, me and Ri.

It's a bit unexpected for me, but it seems like there are bowling-after work everywhere in Stockholm... but like an underground movement cause you never notice the entrance to places unless you know where they are...

Big hug,
kia

By the way, is there any better way of finishing a day of frustrating work than to throw big, heavy stuff in attempt to knock things over!!!

Stockholm - The City

Gamla Stan - the old town
Kiri with sundown in gamla stan as a backdrop

Sunset over on of the bridges coming from the Royal Palace (on the left)
One of the many boats moored along the warf area in downtown Stockholm

The Vasa ship in the Museum with the same name.

Agneta and Uve's house in Sanviken (Kia's parents). We had snow!!! Kiri is on the left hand side of the photo.

The narrow streets of Gamla Stan

Kiri in Stockholm

More boats and more cool turn of the century buildings behind them. Much nicer when it is sunny, trust me!

One of the many marinas in Stockholm. I kind of also want a house boat now! they look sooo cool!

Filming in Sweeeeeden!

Fatso and the Director

Eric the Red, the Director and Fatso

The Director aka Le Artiste!

Me and Eric the Red on an icy background

Kiri sound assistant and the Artiste

Kiri Freckling her way through the sound

Sadly my only photo of Kia, who managed to avoid the lens of at least 3 different cameras. the dashing gentleman standing up is Ove Kia's dad!

Fatso doing the javelin

Hey!!!!!! After a very long delay, here are some of the pictures from Sweden. These are from the filming of Sacrifice in Sandviken where Kia's parents live. Eric the Red is an aspiring Swedish filmaker who is collaborating with Richardson these days. All of these photos were taken by Joaquim, Kia's brother. (I corrected Kia's father's name from "Uve" to "Ove" following a remark by Kia - Sorry for the mispelling Kia!!)

Our house, in the middle of our street, our house...

Hi guys!

since I couldn't choose any particular photo that i was very happy with, since I'm so looking forward to changing wall papers and decorating, and getting more furniture, and and and.... I decided to just put up all the photos I took last weekend on a separate page so you can see it as a slide show.
http://kialeao.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album01
Well, for you to know that these are the "before pictures"... and then there will be photos of the prettiest little house in Upplands Vasby here later on, and hopefully one for each guest visiting...

by the way - Raul, I didn't manage to take one single photo when you guys were here so YOU have to post the proof of that (and soon). :-)

and btw, it's great to know that you guys pop by the blog once in a while Selma and Mika! So, Selma, where do you work now? I just saw the farewell drinks being announced on the jcsmr email.


And - Hiroe, for you to know, Elisabet looooves the little present you sent her as a thanks for the knitted cactuse! I promise to email you soon.

Big hug,
kia

the final frontier

More Köln and Bonn

Another pic of the Dom in Cologne. It is so big I cannot fit it with the lens.

A view of one of the many tour barges that make trips along the Rhein river. In the background you have part of what is called the Sindenberger (a chain of "mountains"), which is part of the Rhein valley world heritage site.

The Drachenfells (Dragon rock), which served as inspiration to Wagner for his Opera the ring of the Nibelungs.

A better view of the Drachenfells and the town at it's base, Königswinter. There are tours of dutch people coming here all the time, because this is the highest spot closest to the Netherlands.

Composite of the St Martins Cathedral in Cologne. I showed this before, but it was a grey day before and this one was taken on a sunny day.

Sorry I have been so absent from the blog, but I have been finishing some paper corrections and a research proposal. I have quite a lot of pics from mine and Kiri's trip to Stockholm which I will include later. Until then please enjoy some of the views from the Rhein river in Bonn and of Köln.

R.