Living the fairytale

It was quiet impressive visiting my best Friend Eliane at Vasteras.
We travelled from Stockholm by train to Vasteras station. When we arrived I was looking for her in wrong direction.. hahaha I guess I was nervous! Then I heard her voice coming behind my back, when I turned we screamed to eachother saying our names Eliaaaaneeeee! My husband and kids enjoyed watching this small show which lasted about a minute, accompanied by lots of hugs. Then it was time to greet my family and for me to greet her family and we all went to Eliane’s home!
We had a lot to catch up but communication with the rest of my family was a bit difficult. Eliane can speak Swedish, French and Kirundi and her kids could only speak Swedish and few English words. I could speak English, Dutch, Kirundi and French. My husband could speak English, French, Dutch. Somehow I was playing a translator role. Kids are amazing because few days later they were communicating without translation. Eliane could speak French to me and my husband which was very easy for the 2 days Michel was there. After it was Kirundi and Swedish and Dutch talk hahah!

We visited nice places like Airplane museum, Water park Kokpunkten, an impressive water paradise for kids where they have a lot of water activities for kids and for adults you have a relax place that includes sauna, steam water, and relax pool. It was nice since it was raining, finally. We visited many more nice places in Vasteras such as the Dom cathedral which has very beautiful scriptures of Jesus and well-designed chairs. Eliane has many friends like I do. We went to visit a couple on the countryside outside of Vasteras, her so called Swedish parents. Very lovely people and the place reminded me and Michel of our House in South Africa.

Cinderella Cruise ship.
I always wished to be on a cruise ship and sleep on it and just go as far away as possible. Never say never because this dream came true at least! I was able to experience life on cruise ship Cinderella with my boys. How was our trip from Vasteras to Stockholm where we board to Viking Line Cinderella?
Friday afternoon a very luxurious bus came to fetch us from station Vasteras and brought us to Stockholm bay where we went on-board. Back when were still in Stockholm I saw this very big boat Cinderella quite often and told my husband that this boat is always in the water, like it never goes away. He said ‘Maybe they have many with the same name”. So when this time we go on-board I saw that it was Cinderella. I was so happy that She was taking us to Finland! 
On-board is the same routine like Airplane. Show our passports and tickets to the officer, our luggage’s to the belt which goes through the scan. Akira was so nervous he wanted to take everything out while searching his Nintendo. Till they told him that is not necessary. It all went well.
By the entrance of the Cinderella there is a photographer to make the most memorable picture to take home with! Cinderella is a huge ship with 12 floors and more than 1,000 rooms. We were staying on the 6th Floor in room 6033. On the same floor there was a Spa for when you wanted to relax. On floor 7 there was lots of shopping and Restaurants. Floor 8 had a Casino, children playground,  game room, Cinema and many other activities. I loved the Captain’s floor, this was on the 12th Floor where you can view the water and the surroundings. When we got in our room, the beds were made but you needed to push a button to bring them down. The cabin had a small clean toilet and shower. Everyone was very excited to sleep in a boat. We had never done it before and felt weird to move around all night. Unlike on a plane where you are stuck to your seat. The boys moved all over the ship and visited basically every floor.

We made a reservation for diner at 20h30 because we thought we will first make up our bed and then prepare for diner. But it was all done for us. So we had plenty of time before diner to look around and discover Cinderella.  When entering in restaurant we had a table by a window with a view, just like our bedroom. The food was very good with many choices, only we have to stand in a long queue. I had to take my medication a bit late since I first needed food in my stomach. It feels weird to be in a Buffet restaurant on boat! After diner the boys were running everywhere and I went with Eliane and her youngest Son Rian to a disco for parents and kids. It was an entertainment because we danced to live music.
Unfortunately at 23h the kids had to get out because that is the time for real adult disco. You know it is the time when the security guard enters and every parent and kids get out with no words! Then we had another place, Harmony restaurant, where parents and kids can do karaoke. Some kids have got really talents! They sing very nice. Akira was doing the amazing moves I was very proud to see him inspiring some others kids and Rian as well! 
At 1.00 night it was the end of the party so everybody gets out again for a Dj to start disco for adults! We went to our room.

Troubles
In many places the information is written in Swedish, and you have to search careful to find English. Eliane did show me how to open my bed to get it down. I did not need to read any sign warning in Swedish. When we came back to sleep everyone is very tired, we wanted to rest for the next day, so I pulled down the boys bed, but I forgot my small suitcase was under the sofa which will change into my sleeping bed. Once I pulled down the bed, it was stuck. I did not get it down nicely and it did not feel comfortable. I could not sleep on it. When I checked why, yeah I saw the suitcase. Immediately I read the warning sign “Please do not put any object under the bed it will block the bed”. First it was clearly written in Swedish then under a small letter in English! I told the boys “Too late I have already made the mistake”. Akira wanted to cry, so I said “hey boys, let’s work together like a team. Who is the captain? Akira you are the CAPTAIN”. Two of us pulled up the bed and another pulled the bed. We tried around 20min. Somehow I called Eliane her phone was with no network. She was on 9th floor but I did not remember her room number. So I gave up and took few min of rest. After we decided to give it a try again. This time we succeed. We finally slept around 1:30. I was very nervous as I did not want to miss the arrival at Finland. I woke up a few time to go to toilet. Somehow I fell asleep early morning and I realized we were already in Finland and KPN did not miss the opportunity to warn me that I finally reached Finland with an sms around 2.49 in de morning. Akira saw Finland in the night since he was sleeping close to the window and he woke me up at around 3.00 to show the lights at houses. In the morning I took some picture since we were not allowed to get out of the ship.
At 8h morning the ship left Finland again, back to Stockholm. Rio and Akira went to the game room and played till our brunch time. We did have fun and this experience on the Cinderella ship will never be forgotten. Eat, play, dance, sleep on a boat and see a new country at the same time! What a great experience!
We are now preparing to come back to Netherland next week Tuesday.
Are you ready to give us a hug?
Peace ,
Eliane