Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Sweden: Safe Destination for Tourists

Sweden advances in tourism ranking and places high in the international honesty index. Are the two linked?

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) says that global tourism grew by some 80% between 1995 and 2006, and that worldwide receipts from international tourism reached USD 735 billion last year. Population gains, greater prosperity and budget airlines are just three of the factors that lie behind the increase in growth. According to UNWTO, Sweden's receipts from tourism rose to USD 9.1 billion in 2006, up 23% on the previous year. Sweden now ranks 20th in the rankings, up 4 places from the previous barometer. Apparently Sweden has passed even a sunny and hot place such as Portugal.

The magazine Det bästa has tested people's good will by "losing" mobile phones in 32 cities around the world. According to the test, the world's most honest people live in Ljubljana, Slovenia, where 29 of 30 mobile phones were returned. But Ljubljana was followed closely by Toronto, Seoul, and Stockholm.

So maybe another reason why tourists come here is because the feel safe and don't have to worry about losing their belongings!

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

The World's 50 Most Popular Attractions

And I have been to 24! Out of 50! Not bad at all! Inspired by Skolfröken (as often).

1. Times Square, New York
2. National Mall & Memorial Parks, Washington D.C. Sort of...
3. Disney World, Florida
4. Trafalgar Square, London
5. Disneyland, California
6. Niagara Falls, USA/Canada - Canadian side
7. Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
8. Disneyland, Tokyo
9. Notre Dame, Paris
10. Euro Disney, Paris
11. The Chinese Wall, China
12. Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Tennessee/North Carolina
13. Universal Studios, Osaka
14. Sacré-Coeur, Paris
15. Le Louvre, Paris
16. Everland, South Korea
17. Forbidden City, Beijing
18. The Eiffel Tower, Paris
19. Universal Studios, Florida
20. Sea World, Florida
21. Pleasure Beach, Blackpool
22. Lotte World, Seoul
23. Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, Yokohama
24. Disneyland, Hongkong
25. Centre Pompidou, Paris
26. Tate Modern, London
27. British Museum, London
28. Universal Studios, California - well, the outdoors part
29. National Gallery, London - Six hours without getting bored!
30. Metropolitan Museum, New York
31. Grand Canyon, Arizona
32. Tivoli, Copenhagen
33. Ocean Park, Hongkong
34. Busch Gardens, Florida
35. Sea World California, San Diego
36. Statue of Liberty, New York
37. The Vatican, Rome
38. The Opera House, Sydney
39. Colosseum, Rome
40. American Museum of Natural History, New York
41. Grauman's Chinese Theater, Hollywood - Well, outside
42. Empire State Building, New York
43. Natural History Museum, London
44. London Eye, London
45. Versailles, Paris
46. Yosemite nationalpark, California
47. The Pyramides in Giza, Cairo
48. Pompeji, Italy
49. The Hermitage, St Petersburg
50. Taj Mahal, India

Friday, July 20, 2007

Friday Four

Theme: Favourite quotes

What is your favourite quote about...

1) ...love?
Love doesn't sit there like a stone. It has to be made like bread; remade all the time,...made new. - Le Guin

2) ...life?
Play for more than you can afford to lose and you will learn the game.
- Winston Churchill

3) ...death?
'til death do us apart.

4) ...happiness?
Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them.
- Leo Tolstoy

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

The World Is a Sick, Sick Place

I read in Financial Times the other day that the World Food Programme, the UN's organ to fight starvation in the world, has difficulty to balance its budget. One reason is that the price of grains is increasing, as a result of increased demand for bio-fuels in the developed world. Crops that earlier have gone to starving people in countries such as Chad and Etiophia now go to changeover the western world's transport to environmentally friendly.

I.e. the West is now going to burn what others want to eat.

The changeover from oil dependance to other fuels is of course important, but are we going to do it at the expense of efforts to alleviate starvation? There must be some way to reconcile the work to reduce poverty and starvation and the work for a better environment!

Monday, July 16, 2007

Is There a Facebook Addiction Test?

61%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Free Online Dating from Mingle2

Listed

Entertained myself with these questions at work today.

1. What did you think when you saw yourself in the mirror for the first time this morning?
I look tired. Why do I never go to bed at a decent hour on Sundays.

2. How much cash do you have on you?
200-300 kr which is rare because most of the time I carry hardly any cash

3. What word rhymes with "test"?
Quest

4. Favourite planet?
Tellus

5. Who is no 4 on your missed call list on your mobile?
Some number I don't recognise and they didn't leave a message...

6. What is your favourite ring tune on your mobile?
I just use one of the complimentary. Not too bothered about changing ring tunes.

7. What are you wearing on your upper body right now?
One of my favourite summer tops, bought at Principles in the UK. It's aubergine with green and pink flowers

8. Do you put lables on yourself?
No, and not on other people either

9. What is the brand of the shoes you are wearing right now?
Oscaria or similar (the tag has been somewhat worn out)

10. A light or a dark room?
Design-wise I like light rooms, both light coming through the windows and light base colours but with elements of colour through pillows, curtains, paintings, etc. I don't like the completely white design style! I can also sleep pretty well when it is light if I make myself used to it.

11. What did you do at midnight?
Slept, but I went to sleep just half an hour or so before midnight

12. What does it say in your last received text message?
"Okay, I'll be in touch"

13. Where is the Seven Eleven nearest to you?
Artellerigatan at the corner of Valhallavägen

14. Which expression do you use most?
I use "like" and "I mean" way too much

15. To whom did you say "I love you" most recently?
Peter. But one of my favourite little girls, Ester (friend's daughter) said to her mum "I love Anna" the other day! So sweet!

16. Which furry thing did you touch most recently?
A cat at Peter's parents old summer house on Saturday

17. How many different kinds of drugs have you used in the last three days?
White and red wine and some Bacardi Apple

18. How many rolls of film are laying around waiting to be developed?
None

19. What age has been the best so far?
It's just getting better every year!

20. Your worst enemy?
No one that I know of

21. What is your desk top image right now?
At work, the required background (cannot choose), at home some Stockholm archipelago picture

22. What was the last thing you said to someone?
Talked about some remote place in the archipelago with a colleague

23. One million dollars or the ability to fly?
The money. Then I could donate to worthwhile causes, pay off my student debts, travel to all the places I haven't been to yet, and buy my dream house.

24. Do you like someone special a little bit extra right now?
Besides Peter, a British MP who sent me a very nice letter as a thank you for organising such a good study visit for them in Stockholm.

25. The last song you listened to?
Don't know the name of the song but something on one of Peter's 2,000 LPs!