Special easter treat

thanks to Johannes!

Spring spring spring finally spring

Sun is shining! Hard to believe how good weather can make such a change, but the city is different. Everyone wears a happy instead of a grumpy face, I can't believe it.
A shame that I have to stay inside in order to write that 25 page paper... But I have my door to the world opened so I get the fresh air. The flowers I have in my room also help, tulips and narcissae in a overbright yellow.
And for all of you out there, some pictures - nothing that is not already on flickr, but well... Especially for Ulli I have a series called "yes, my university looks like mini-versailles". And some other "skate city" shots with that I had a lot of fun changing in iphoto. Not many options, but very enjoyable. Includes some of a Tallinn trip.

The city awakes / Skate capital of Scandinavia

Just two days of sunshine, and Helsinki gets out of its long long winter's sleep.
And just as I thought, it especially gets busy around Kamppi, as the nice architect mus t either have a skating son or was skating himself. The side of Kamppi really is just one big skating sweet spot, with loads of grinds, boxes, stairs and even a nice pillar where you can try to ride the wall. As of today, it is just packed with skaters of all ages showing their skills. And where skaters are, police isn't far - but maybe that 13 year old was to publicly drinking a sixpack, who knows.
So after Barcelona is no-go, why not come to Helsinki?

See pics on flickr - not enough time to upload here as well!

Back with a life / The trip that wasn't

As usual, things happen to quickly to put them all on here. Seems strange there is no slowing down, it seems either one wild ride or nothing but boredom and laziness to me.

One day after I came back to Helsinki, I went on a cruise with Media.ry, the commmunication students association, to Tallinn. Though I have to say: I never left the ship! There are several ways of doing a journey to Tallinn, and this was the first one I made with a boat that left in the early evening, taking about three hours. It arrives late in the evening, around 11 pm or so - someone said "look, where in Tallinn already!" Thing is, Tallinn itself is not important for the whole trip. It could be anywhere. Leaving the ship is only an option worth considering if you want to do some serious shopping or to see something else than the seemingly endless Shining-esque corridors of the cruiser. The finnish way of doing a cruise is easy & effective:

1) bring some intial booze with you, if you do not intend to buy it on the ship's store
2) Order 1 (one!) drink at the bar, down it
3) "Borrow" the glass for free refills in your cabin

This way, all night drinking fun can begin. The cabins are small but fun squeeze into, allowing some sauna-like partying (I really think there is a connection).
So after a night of enjoying tango-karaoke with the average-58 year old passenger, a cabaret show that drew inspiration from Chaplin till Men in Black and some odd aqquaintances, I was far too tired and hung-over to get up at 8 am to see Tallinn. Seriously!
As usual, all the more pics are at flickr, also here and there