Painting the Horizon

Just got back from a little weekend-holiday with my mom and my sister. Left on Friday, flew to Helsinki and sailed to Stockholm overnight, spent Saturday there, sailed back to Helsinki the next night, spent most of today in Helsinki before flying back.

Things of note:

We had a bus tour of Stockholm on Saturday, and that city is so beautiful. It was all gorgeous architechture and well-tended parks and gardens and wow. Helsinki has its share of cool architechture (the central railway station comes to mind) and even the occasional park, but somehow it's not half as coordinated as Stockholm is. However, I'm inclined to think that Stockholm doesn't have quite as much charm as Copenhagen.

We went to Linnanmäki (=an amusement park in Helsinki) while we had the time, and I was brutally mandhandled by one of the newer rides. No ride has ever made me nauseous, but damned if that thing didn't try. It left both of my shoulders sore and quite a fetching bruise on my left one. Never getting on that one again, thanks.

Also sampled octopus at the ship's dinner. It was like eating a piece of rubber and it didn't really taste like anything.

I spotted a Toys R Us (from a distance) in Helsinki on Friday. I had no clue we even had those in Finland. Granted, that could've been the only one there is, it being Helsinki, but still. A bit of a "wait, what?" moment, there.

I'm not much of a shopper, but I did score Terry Pratchett's A Hat Full of Sky and a WoW game card (three euros cheaper in a certain gameshop in Helsinki than what I usually pay for them). Also, my mom bought Making Money, which I read through on the way back home (great book), and my sister bought Good Omens, which I've read in Finnish some time ago, but have been trying to find in English for a while now.

And. Um. I think that's it.

Oooohhhgoddd has anyone else read Terry Pratchett's Wintersmith? It was fabulous. And I have to say, right after Deathly Hallows Pratchett's writing is.. indescribable. I'm not dissing Rowling, but Pterry's writing just flows way better for me.

I want to draw fanart but as always with Discworld I feel like I can't put my mental image to paper (or canvas, as the case may be, because this one would have to be painted. With like, real paint) and that it's a waste of time to even try. orz

And I still want a copy of Where's My Cow?. I hear it has Vimes's own version of the story in it and I. WANT.