Helsinki in June

I thought I'd add a couple more pictures of Helsinki in the summer time, it's the most wonderful place:


This is a bay right in the centre of town. The channel to the sea is so small I mistook it for a lake for ages. The residents have resisted plans to drain it, for which they should be applauded. This is at about 11 or 12 at night.


Joonas and Alex chat close to where the president lives, the rocks are climbable, and the water is warm. Again, despite appearances, that's the sea.


Seurasaari, the "Museum Island" (a bit like Bunratty back home, they moved a bunch of interesting buildings to one place for preservation and tourist luring) has a nudist beach. It's completely walled off from the rest of the island, and the sexes are segregated. This entrance is as close as they get.

Oh and a very Happy Birthday to Mariana!

Fun in the sun

Hei hei,

What a weekend. The weather lived up to the promises of the forecasters (Sunday was billed to be "Delightful, with overcast periods" which is decidedly un-Finnish, and just demonstrates what Finns might be like if it was sunny here all year round...)


Anywhoo, after a refined evening out with Lorna and some of her friends on Friday, Alex and I did the first 50km of Reitti 2000 on Saturday - a cross country bike route with terrain ranging from nice paved road, to rocky tracks, to "I can't believe it's not bog". My poor, light, little kerb-hoppin' city bike made me proud (even if the front wheel is no longer perfectly planar). We arrived back at my place from Espoon Keskus by train, made some food, and collapsed in front of the "Team America: World Police" DVD that Niamh the super-thoughtful (kisses) sent me by post (surprise postal packages are like mini-Christmas). I'd spent a lot of time in Paris completely out of the loop, pondering the hidden hilarity of "I'm so wownwy..."


Sunday saw me doing a little bit more cycling (speedy city sprinting this time), rock climbing with Joonas on real rock at long last (unfortunately I sucked), and er... better say "spontaneous swimming" at Seurasaari, in the sun, at 10pm. I then went home and practiced skateboarding. To say I suck at that too is an understatement, but it's more fun than walking, and shall be my new mode of commuting after the move. The board has been christened Yorick for obvious reasons.

Anyone who attempts to refer to me as "skater boy" shall be first against the wall after The Revolution - you have been warned.

Oh and what do you think of the new avatar thingie? I was saddened to see other people use my "totally unique" South-Park style self-representation. Gilles has cartoonised me (in about ten seconds, amazing), and given me a semblance of hair-style, so I'm switching to this instead :)

On the move

Salut mes amis!

Well Paris was fantastic. Almost a fortnight ago now, damn my tardiness, but I spent many hours over the weekend developing and printing some of my photos of the trip by hand so it's very fresh in my mind.

Well when I say that "I" did it, I should clarify: my friend Antti, a professional photographer in his spare time, attempted to teach me how it's done, illustrating many tricks of the trade... and I tried not to get in the way.

In effect, the man booked a photo lab in Helsinki, developed both our films, then proceeded to help me choose the best from mine, and print each of them just so, attempting to correct for my shoddy photography, and making sure each was the best it could be before moving on. I think one in particular took almost an hour. I'm profoundly grateful to have five A4 sized prints I'm very delighted to lay some small claim to (even if the best shot of the bunch was captured by Seamas - I'd love to pretend it was mine, but this may be tricky, given I'm in the picture...).

On another note, it's finally completely official - I'm moving from Pasila. Joonas has purchased a rather nice apartment in town, and I'll be renting a room from him. On the upside, it'll be central, merely a kilometer from work. Oh, and living with someone might just recalibrate my circadian rhythms a little. On the downside, my most enjoyable 6km morning sprints will be no more. I'm in two minds as to whether to pretend work is in fact very far away, and take a circuitous route, or to seek alternative commuting pleasure in the form of a skateboard. Comments welcome.

Today I became unseated once more from my bicycle. In the middle of a road. I was trying to learn how to "wheelie", and generally successful.