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Sadly, no matter how I wish, I can never turn back time but I can relive those moments. So finally, I will update my Scandinavian series. More than two years had passed already but I am thankful for this travel experience because I have something to look back. We were in Stockholm for 5 days and 4 nights so now let me share with you our Day 3 in Stockholm Sweden itinerary. 

Like I’ve said before, I don’t have a prepared itinerary for our trip so we just planned before we hit the sack. This is a sample itinerary on the Stockholm Pass flyer and we planned to do this for our third day. 

Hop on-Hop Offf Bus and Boat SEK520 

Skansen SEK195 

Vasa Museum SEK150 

Prince Eugen’s Waldermarsudde SEK150 

When we were in Europe, we always check the weather so during our trip the temperature was around -3 to 9 degrees Celsius so it was really cold. The start of the Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus is 10AM so we left the hotel around 8:30AM so we have enough time to eat our breakfast at the Central train station.

For our breakfast we just ordered the 4 McMuffin Bacon & Egg combo, it includes sandwich and hot and cold drinks, the total is SEK180. 

After our light breakfast, we went straight to Bus Stop 21 which is just outside the Central Station. We made sure that we were there before 10AM. There are tour buses passing by like the Stockholm Red Bus Sightseeing Hop-On-Hop-Off Tour but we did not see any Hop-On-Hop-Off bus for the Stockholm Pass. The bus stop started to get crowded and after one hour of waiting, we started to get impatient. According to other tour bus drivers, they did not see any Worldwide Citysightseeing bus.

 

I don’t know what happened but we were so disappointed. We paid for it but we were not able to use it. We don’t want to wait any longer because time is running out so we just took a taxi to Vasa Museum. We know how expensive taxis are in Europe but we had no choice. 

Adults: SEK 170 

Young visitors: 0-18 years free of charge 

This is part of our card pass so we did not pay any entrance fee. If Denmark has Viking Ship Museum, then Sweden has Vasa Museum; the latter is also one of the most visited museums in Scandinavia. Vasa is the name of the ship that has the shortest voyage in history. On August 10, 1628, Vasa set sail and sank in Stockholm harbor after sailing for 1,300 meters. Thousands of people witness how the ship sank 32 meters below. 

The supposed to be a powerful warship in the Baltic that was built by hundreds of craftsmen became a grave. It was a tragic incident because only 30 crews and guests survived and most of the people were trapped in the ship. After 333 years, the shipwreck was salvaged, reconstructed, and preserved. What you can see in the Vasa Museum is 98 percent original. The museum has 5 levels so it took us more or less 2 hours to explore. You can join a guided tour for 25 minutes and watch the film for 17 minutes.

After our Vasa Museum tour, we went straight to Skansen Museum, it was a long walk but we made it even we are already h-angry. Again, this is part of our pass so we just show our card to enter. 

Child 4-15 yr: SEK70 

Adult: SEK220 

Student/Senior/Group: SEK200 

Skansen is founded in 1891 by Artur Hazelius, it is the oldest open-air museum in the world which showcases the buildings, farmsteads, gardens, and animals of Sweden. Skansen covers an area of about 300,000sqm so it is much bigger compared to Glomdal Museum in Elverum Norway. If you have kids in tow, it is a must to add this to your itinerary. I think you need a whole day to maximize your stay because they have a lot of activities. Don’t forget to get a map and a schedule of activities. 

The museum is open from 10AM to 4PM and some establishments closed as early as 3PM so we had very limited time to explore the place. So we are happy that we were able to visit the Skansen Aquarium, Children’s Zoo, Baltic Sea Science Center, and 19th-century town. There is a close and open-air zoo where you can see Nordic animals and domestic animals. We were able to see European bison, brown bear, moose, reindeer, and other Scandinavian animals. 

We had our late lunch at Skansen Restaurant and we enjoyed the food here. We ordered pasta, waffle, ice cream, and of course Swedish meatballs. 

When we heard that the museum is about to close, we started walking to the exit where Bus stop 12 is located. We failed to visit Prince Eugen’s Waldermarsudde because it is already late and we were tired already. And because of what happened in the morning, we had no idea if there will be a bus in the afternoon but we were hoping na meron. We overheard other passengers, according to them, the bus will arrive so naniwala naman kami kaya nakihintay din kami. We are thankful na may dumating and we did not take taxi anymore.

Just like that, I finished watching Hometown Cha Cha Cha after two months of waiting every weekend for new episodes. And even it is only October, I can definitely say that this is my favorite Korean drama for this year. I like Hometown Cha Cha Cha because it is like "It's Okay Not to Be Okay" that deals with our mental health.

The setting is the countryside so it is such a breath of fresh air especially that we can't travel yet. I like how relaxing the scenery; both landscape and seascape. I love the chemistry of Kim Seon Ho and Shim Min A and I also like all the casts of this series. Each character has their own struggles too and you can learn from their own story. That's why I love the last two episodes because may ending ang bawat character dito. 

Losing someone you love is very painful and moving on is not easy too. The challenging part is when there is no one that you can lean on because you lost your family and friend. But Hometown Cha Cha Cha will teach you that you don't have to feel alone because you are surrounded by people who are willing to care and love you. 

It will also teach you that there is no problem with grieving but you don't have to stay in that phase. You have to learn to forgive yourself because you deserve to be happy. Your life is precious too and you should not waste it because of what happened in the past. 

I already blog about their burger, chicken karaage, and tail-on shrimp, last week I finally tried their Dinuguan Heat and Eat meal. I bought this because I don’t know how to cook this meal and I don’t think I will ever try it. I usually order dinuguan in the restaurant na lang, I like the dinuguan of Kanin Club,Goldilocks, Razon’s of Guagua,and Mang Inasal  

I tried Cebu’s Best Rico’s Dinuguan frozen food last year but it was not a hit so it took me a while to order the Purefoods Dinuguan. 1kg is PHP480 so it is a little bit expensive but I am happy that it tastes good, kalasa niya yung Goldilocks Dinuguan. You can reheat this on the pan or microwave. 

Pan Heating: Heat frozen products at medium flame for 8 to 10 minutes and stir occasionally. 

Microwave: Transfer contents to a microwavable container and heat frozen product at medium to high setting for 8 to 10 minutes. Stir halfway. 

The perfect partner of Dinuguan is puto so I remember the Sarap Puto Mix that I bought last year and I immediately cook it bago pa maexpire. Hehehe! It’s been a while since the last time I cooked puto, hindi na gaano trip ng anak ko ito but since last year, nahilig na ulit siya sa puto. I cook puto from scratch or sometimes I used pancake mix or instant puto mix. Check my old blog posts. 

This time, I tried the Sarap Pinoy Puto Mix P60.75, one box is divided into two packs of 200g but I decided to cook everything . You can buy this online, medyo mas mahal lang ng konti. The taste of the puto is good naman, though hindi siya yung sticky puto na parang kakanin. What I don’t like is, 25 minutes to cook so it took me few hours just to finish everything because I have a small steamer. More or less 40 pieces yung nagawa ko, estimate ko kasi kinakain na agad ng mag-ama ko after may maluto. Hehehe! 

200g Sarap Pinoy Puto Mix 

1 cup water 

1/2 cup refined sugar 

3 teaspoons cooking oil 

Half fill steamer with water and boil 

Grease puto molders with margarine or butter. Set aside. (I did not do this because I am using Silicone Cups) 

In a bowl, combine the puto mix and water. Slowly mix for 1 minute. 

Add sugar and slowly mix for 30 seconds. 

Add cooking oil and slowly mix for 30 seconds. 

Pour into greased puto molder about 3/4 full. 

Steam for 25 minutes. 

And because of the lockdown restrictions, we are all experiencing physical, financial, mental, and emotional stress. It can feel quite daunting to manage all of these stresses so we need to find a new outlet to unwind even we are confined at home. 

How do I deal with this pandemic? To keep my sanity intact during community quarantine, I spend my time learning several short courses and designing graphics for my client and business. I rekindled with my old hobbies like reading books, baking, and crafting. I started subscribing to streaming services so I can watch TV series and movies. And lastly, the COVID19 pandemic turned me into a gamer.

Playing games may seem an unhealthy habit and I know that you can be addicted to it but we cannot deny that there are benefits to playing games. Not only kids can play games, but adults can also take time to refresh the mind and body through play. It depends on our circumstances but life is short to focus only on work and family matters. 

Having a balanced life is very important so I am thankful that I have the luxury of playing games to kill time. During pre-pandemic days, I only play games if I am outside like if I am waiting for my doctor’s appointment. I play Wordscapes because I can play this game even without an internet connection. 

Early this year is the start when I really spend more time on games, I started with… 

Since I cannot go out, I fully embrace online shopping and somehow I agree with this quote “Treat yourself to a little retail therapy” hehehe! Somehow, it relieves my stress because I can still buy what I need and want even in the comfort of my home. But to save money, I started playing Shopee games because I learned that I can earn coins and discount vouchers which I can use for my purchases.

My favorite games are Shopee Candy, Shopee Bubble, and Shopee Farm. It is like playing Candy Crush, Puzzle Bobble, and Farmville. This is a win-win game because you can have fun at the same time, earn money too. I can save up to PHP50 using the game vouchers. 

A few years ago, we bought Nintendo Switch for my son but I don’t enjoy playing it. But things changed when we gifted him a “Super Mario Party” game. It was his graduation gift last June, this is a multi-player game so I play this game too. I love this game because, in order to earn coins and stars, you need to play different mini-games. It has 84 mini-games so there are so many choices and I haven’t played all the mini-games. 

Aside from the standard Mario Party mode, you can also play Partner Party, River Survival, Sound Stage, and Toad’s Rec Room. There’s a little bit of exercise because you need to move in order to play some of the mini-games. It is really a fun family game especially during those times when we have no internet connection for several days. 

A card game like Solitaire, also known as Klondike or Patience is one of the popular games in the world because kids and adults can play this game. If I remember it right, I was only 9 years old when I started playing Solitaire and other card games. It is so easy to play and, I just learned it by watching my aunt who loves playing this during her free time. The goal is to arrange the cards in sequence and complete the four suits starting with the Ace card. 

During the ’90s, I also play Solitaire on our computer because it is a built-in game on Windows but I don’t know why it was removed. Fortunately, there is solitaire.org where you can play the classic Solitaire online and it is free too. The online game is pretty straightforward so it is not difficult to play. There is a timer and you can earn and lose points too. 

I only play Classic Solitaire so I have no idea that there are other types of Solitaire like Spider, Free Cell, Tripeaks, Pyramid, Gold, and Mahjong Solitaire. I got curious so I explored the website and tried playing Spider Solitaire. There are different modes, you can choose Easy, Medium, and Hard. Of course, I chose the Easy mode which you only need to arrange 1 suit from King to Ace. 

So far, these are all the games that I’m playing while I am stuck at home. Do you know that playing games can relieve stress, improve brain function, stimulate the mind, boost creativity, improve social skills, and more? So don’t feel guilty about playing games, you deserve to have fun too. Do you also play games? Care to share your favorite online or offline games.

When I was young, we always have Dolor’s Kakanin if there are special occasions. It is one thing that I missed ever since I moved to South Luzon area. I like their sapin-sapin so last January, I tried this Sarap Pinoy Sapin-Sapin Mix PHP144.75. I just followed the instructions at the back of the box. 

Sarap Pinoy Sapin-Sapin Mix 

Cooking Oil 

8” round pan 

Plastic liner (cling wrap) 

1. Half-fill steamer with water and bring to boil 

2. Grease 8” round pan with oil and line with plastic liner (cling wrap) 

3. In a bowl, dissolve 2 packs of coconut powder completely in 1 1/2 cups of warm water. Divide coconut mixture into 3 parts. 

4. Dissolve each pack of powder mix into one part of the coconut mixture. 

5. Pour first the ube mixture into prepared pan and steam for 5 minutes or until mixture has totally set, pour in the white mixture and steam for another 5 minutes or until mixture has finally set, pour in the yellow mixture and steam for 8 minutes more. 

6. Cool completely before releasing from the pan. Refrigerate before serving. 

Optional: Top with toasted coconut before serving 

The recipe said it will only take 5-8 minutes per set but I ended up steaming this for several minutes. I don’t know bakit hindi na tumitigas yung white and yellow mixture. Inabot yata ko ng oras so my first try of sapin-sapin was not so successful. Maybe next time, I will use a puto molder baka mas mabilis kung maliit lang gagawin ko. With regard to taste, it is a little bit sweet for our taste pero pwede na if I'm craving for sapin-sapin. 

The most important thing is that your skin is clean at all times. This is the foundation for having clear and smooth skin. The worst thing you could do is use the soap you wash your hands with to clean your face. The harsh detergents will strip your face of its natural oils and make it prone to breakouts. Instead, go for a nice, gentle, and hydrating cleanser that has as few chemicals as possible. 

Serums are all the rage in skincare, and sometimes it can be difficult to understand what they do and how you should use them. Serums are meant to nourish the skin, they are made up of various nutrients that will penetrate deep into the pores. You must use them in the proper order, serum should be applied after cleansing and exfoliating. This is because dirt on the outer layer of skin will prevent the serum from penetrating properly. You also have to make sure that you add it before adding a moisturizer. The moisturizer will lock the nutrients in and keep your skin looking healthy and glowing. 

We would also suggest that you get both your moisturizer and serum from the same brand as they will often be formulated to work with each other. If you're looking for a great line of high-end skin products, then browse the products at SSENSE from Tata Harper. They have everything from cleansers, to eye creams, to moisturizers that you can choose. They also have a wide selection of different serums that you can try. 

Some people think that toners are overkill, but they play a very important role in skincare, especially if you wear makeup. Even if you clean your face properly, there will be some residue left and a good toner will take care of that. It will also help any additional treatment, like serums, work better.

Exfoliator 

Exfoliation is very significant to get a nice, gentle, and refreshing exfoliator in your collection. One thing you have to be careful with is how often you exfoliate your skin. If you’re exfoliating every day, then chances are you are doing your skin more harm than good. The face also needs that protecting layer to block sun rays. Only exfoliate once or twice per week and make sure that you have a moisturizer with good UV protection. 

These products are all that you need if you want your skin to instantly look better. Learn how to integrate these into your routine and use them properly to get the best results.

6 pcs of Chicken Fillet 

2 Tbsp Minced Garlic 

1 Tbsp Dried or Fresh Rosemary 

1 Tbsp Dried or Fresh Thyme 

1 Tbsp Cracked Pepper 

6 Tbsp of Olive Oil 

1 Lemon (extract the juice) 

Season with salt according to taste 

You only need few ingredients that are commonly found in your pantry. All you need to do is mix all the ingredients and marinate for 30 to 1 hour before air frying. I am using Philips Air Fryer HD9270, the setting is 180C for 20 - 25 minutes. The minutes will depend on the size of your chicken. 

I usually prepare this in advance and I just put the marinated chicken in the Freezer or Prime Fresh section of our fridge. I used to grill or bake the chicken but now I prefer using the air fryer. The taste is also good even without the lemon juice.