Newspapers and Me!

on board CX from Hong Kong to Beijing

Personal collection

Above is a picture of FT Weekend and the International Herald Tribune (the global edition of the New York Times). I assume these are publications taken for granted by business professionals and perhaps any one who could afford such subscriptions. High level employees often have this delivered to their desks daily. 

When I was studying in the Czech Republic, I was so deprived of English. I lived in a dorm that had no cable TV (which we take for granted in Manila) and internet. That was a time when laptops were quite new and having wifi on one's laptop was quite a big deal. To go online, I had to go to an internet cafe or go to a hotel's business center. 

So whenever I traveled through airports or visited friends and family billeted at any of Prague's hotels, I would hoard newspapers to have access to the rest of the world and not forget my English. It kept me abreast of world events and made me feel I was still plugged in. We Filipinos may be a developing country but we're very much in tune with what is going on elsewhere in so many ways. In Podebrady, it was just a parallel world of Czech language, international students, and elderly who all spoke Czech better than English most of the time. 

Years on, I still have the same habit. Although I could possibly afford these papers, I still found it expensive to buy them. With the wealth of information available online, it didn't make sense to spend on it either. But when I have the chance, I get newspapers. 

 

Newspapers + Fika at the Dusseldorf Airport

Personal collection

I just wish I have time to read them. On a recent trip to Prague, I hoarded newspapers at the Dusseldorf airport again. But thanks to school work and the actual holiday, I haven't read them. Literally, old news. 

Fika Love

White chocolate muffin and cafe latte at the Muffin Bakery

Personal files 

We had a long touristy day - a river cruise around the Stockholm archipelago, wandering the cobbled stone streets of Gamla Stan, and soaking up monarchical history at the Royal Palace - all on a rainy day. We had a few hours to kill before our evening plans so I took a solitary walk around Drottninggatan where our hostel was located. Walking plus fatigue called for a break.

A few days before the trip, I read about fika as social construct in Swedish culture. Both a verb and a noun, it refers to a break with friends, colleagues or anyone without any romantic connotation. Fika is having coffee with something sweet, bread or anything dunkable to a cup of coffee. 

So fika was in order. I have always been in search of that quaint cafe in Stockholm but there were just too many to choose from! Too many tiny, narrow cafes and restaurants with warm lights, big windows, small tables, full of happy people seemingly enjoying hanging out together over a meal and drinks. But I was alone. My friends were resting. So I walked, and walked until I stumbled upon the Muffin Bakery.

I know, it's in English and it struck me more like a New York-style cafe than a Swedish one. But it was so inviting my solitude was so comfortable inside. Upon entry, I was immediately welcomed by the barista  who spoke perfect English. He guided me through the chiller, showcasing what was still available. I said I wanted something sweet, something between a cake and a cookie - he suggested I have a molten white chocolate muffin with my coffee. 

And there as he heated and served the muffin and prepared my coffee, he chatted me up and introduced me to another Swede (both of them non-blondes). We swapped stories about Sweden, Germany, and the Philippines. I expressed how my Euro was practically worthless against the Swedish Crown -- everything is so expensive. They thought otherwise. But everyone agreed the Philippines seemed like paradise. After a few more minutes and telling me the coolest clubs and neighborhoods in Stockholm, we parted ways. I went to my bar stool, the lady left, and the barista back to his job. 

Ever since, I've been smitten by the concept of fika, adopting it whenever possible -- like those who vacation in America coming back with a bit of an American accent. You go somewhere and you take something back with you. For me, it's fika. We've had a long coffee culture in the Philippines and I have taken it with me everywhere. I'm just so glad now I know, it's not just coffee/tea and cake. It's fika! 

Muffin Bakery

Drottningatan 73

Stockholm

http://www.muffinbakery.se/index.html