The blue hour is that almost magical period of twilight between dawn and sunrise, or between sunset and dusk, when the sky and the world around you take on beautiful hues of blue. Although it’s spectacular anywhere, I particularly love to experience it in a snowy rural landscape when everything is ‘oh so quiet’. Just before… Read More Blue moments in the midst of Finnish winter
Sometimes the decision to visit a place can be based on something quite small. In the case of my and hubby’s recent trip to Hamburg, however, that something small turned out to be something quite huge. As a bit of surprise to myself, I ended up having a great few hours in Miniatur Wunderland, the world’s largest model railway… Read More Miniatur Wunderland – the world where tiny people rule
There is something magical about German Christmas markets. They are vibrant and bustling, yet hold a certain warm, relaxed old-time charm that so often seems to be missing from many current Christmas events. I was recently heading to Hamburg for a long weekend convinced my timing was slightly off and I would just miss the city’s… Read More Tastes and colours of Hamburg’s Christmas Markets
There is so much hatred, uncertainty, and fear going around right now. If you follow the news and related discussions on any economic, political, or environmental decisions, it’s easy to feel hopeless and powerless. The world can seem volatile, divided, and threatening, instead of a place full of hope and opportunities, something to embrace with open arms.… Read More “Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way!”
Food plays a major part in the whole travel experience. Not quick take-aways from global chains but sit-down meals at local eateries where (in a lost-in-translation way) you may sometimes wonder what you had actually just ordered… My family visits to Finland can only be described as over indulgence as my Mum likes feeding people, especially… Read More Tasty times in the land of the Finns
A lot of art and food makes most sense on their home turf: espresso tastes best in Italy, Banksy’s street art really hits home in Bristol, and I can only imagine how captivating Sigur Rós’s haunting tunes would sound in the eerie Icelandic landscape. Coming from Finland where winter nights are long and dark, the teenage… Read More If it was good enough for Sibelius…
Cultural identity and where you feel at home are intriguing concepts, particularly for those in multicultural families or jobs that take them regularly to new countries for long periods of time. Although my own situation is much simpler, having lived almost as long in my new home country as in my country of birth, I… Read More The Finn in me: how cultural identities swap places
When I started this blog just over a year ago, most of my readers were my old friends. In fact, they were the same friends who encouraged me to start sharing anecdotes, photos, and tips from my travels in the first place; people who already knew plenty about me and my habits. A proper introduction… Read More The girl with the red rucksack
I find train travel relaxing. By this I don’t mean commuting in hot, crowded carriages at peak times but rather more leisurely journeys with a comfortable seat and adequate provisions, such as a good book and a large coffee. When you live on an island, the most obvious ways to travel abroad are flying and… Read More Under the English Channel: London to Antwerp by rail
There was a time I knew very little of Brussels and its landmarks but even then two images would have easily popped into my head: one was that of Manneken Pis, a bronze statue of a little boy peeing; the other was a picture of a colourful flower carpet covering the main market square looking like giant… Read More The giant flower carpet of Brussels
