So this year we got a Real winter here in Finland. The temperatures have been between -10 and -20 c for most of the last month. That has given nice white landscapes, but on the other hand a bit limited the outdoor activities.

Last weekend we however got ourselves on the train to Imatra, that is situated a few kilometers from the border to Russia and enjoyed a weekend at the classical Valtionhotelli and it’s new neigbouring spa. Below a few pictures from winter in Helsinki and Imatra.

Ellie and my Father on a winter walk around Kaivopuisto, Helsinki

The sun setting outside of Kaivopuisto, Helsinki

Icy sea mist around Harmaja outside of Helsinki

Ice on the windows of Café Ursula, Helsinki

Ellie posing by river Vuoksi, Imatra

Winter wonderland in Imatra

The dam by the legendary Imatra rapids

Our Hotel, the beautiful Imatran Valtionhotelli

Finland’s biggest hydroelectric plant

Ellie by one of the old viewing shelters at Imatra rapids

Me having dinner at the restaurant in Valtionhotelli

View from our balcony at Valtionhotelli

Relaxing in the lounge at Valtionhotelli

The castlelike Valtionhotelli built in 1903

Wearing a cap does good for the hairstyle.

A wonderful warm summer night with sunshine and one of my favourite bands performing.

Very difficult conditions to get any good pictures, especially since I didn’t dare to take the big camera. Enjoyed it a lot, Mike Patton rules.

Ellie and me

The best I could do in the light conditions…

…of course the screen was better to capture Patton

A satisfied audience

It really is worth seeing these guys

In 2001 I started to keep track of my cycling kilometers in Excel, and today marked the first lap around the globe (the equatorial circumference is 40075 km).

It took 1464 days with cycling, averaging 27.4 km a day, to finish the first lap. The yearly average is around 5000, which is all I can do with work and social life taking it’s share and the Finnish winter months keeping me off the bike a few months every year.

If every kilometer on the bike burns 20 calories, it has been about 150 kg of chocolate burned away.

Hope next lap is faster.

This weekend was a good example of how much fun it is possible to have in only 2.5 days time.

On Friday we had a great Indian dinner at Asna’s place, on Saturday the Zoological Museum with my father and Jarkko’s birthday dinner at Raku Ya. Sunday crowned it all with smoke sauna and ice swimming in Kuusijärvi with CS friends. Here’s some photographic evidence.

Indian dinner with Asna

Ellie and my father at the Zoological Museum

Jarkko and Ellie at Raku Ya

Drinks with Jonna, Jarkko & friends at Groteski

Ellie starting the swimming season

Martin starting the swimming season

Ellie and Martin

Kuusijärvi was icy and cold

Asna and Ellie

CS people cooling off at the smoke sauna porch

Ellie and me at the barbeque

We did other things than partying during this visit to Oslo too. A nice winter walk from Frognerseteren via Ullevålseter to Sognsvann was one of the highlights. Pics, pics and more pics.

The Holmenkollen ski jump is missing! Someone stole it!

View from Frognerseteren

Frognerseteren itself

Ellie eating snow

Walking from Frognerseteren to Ullevålseter

Moose and human. Which way?

Pony and human, which way?

Sunset close to Sognsvann

Me and Myriam!

Ricard testing my camera’s smile detector

Aker Brygge

Boat by Aker Brygge

Bamse Brakar coming in at Aker Brygge

Lucy and Ellie

So, for the second year in a row it was time for a CouchSurfing new year at Aarvoll in Oslo. The party was, if possible, even better than the previous year, much thanks to the fantastic arrangements. Here’s the best captures from my camera.

Ellie joining the party at Aarvoll

Wendy!

Brie, Chloe and Orescent

Latino power with Livonet, Ellie and Lucy!

Midnight champagne with Oyvind

Ellie at midnight

Martin seeing love all around

Ricard, Lucy, me and Ellie

Ellie working as bartender

Vibeke and me working in the bar

Me and Brie. This is how I look if I let the hair grow?

Me working nightshift at the bar

Ellie doing the Martini man commercial

Ever-shinging Marianne and me

Out to eat at Sahara with Lucy and Ricard

Love glasses again! Narsi in the background

Before Christmas we went for a walk in Nuuksio with Mikie, Ria and the dogs. It is one of the best times to see the national park with quite a few people out walking and the wonders of the arriving winter.

Mikie, Ria and Me in Nuuksio

Ellie crossing some water

First ice on the lakes

Me and Mikie through the night photo program

Winter beauty

Ice building up

Luthor and Lexi

Christmas sunset in Herttoniemi

In the beginning of December, we had a great Nordic CS Ambassadors meeting in Helsinki, with awesome guests from around Europe. Here’s some moments from the parties and happenings.

We were happy to host our dear friends Ricard and Lucy, what a happy time it was to meet again!

Ricard, Martin and Sacha

Lucy, Ricard and Ellie

Lucy, Ricard, Birgit, Christine, Martin, Vince and Felix

Ellie, Lucy, Mikie and Ria

Martin and Ellie

Lucy and Birgit

Janna and Marc-Olivier arranged a great Christmas party, with lots of the regular CouchSurfing crowd in Helsinki. The party was continued at the rather “local” Pub 21 at Helsinginkatu, where our favorite star Duke had a gig.

A gallon of vodka was available to make the glögi stronger

Serkan and a tonttu filling in the guest book (which I in the end failed to do, sorry!)

Jenni, Janna and Dave with only one posing

Janna tells the guests that Santa might be coming

Mikie gets so excited about Santa that he gathers 100% evidence for the next X-files season

The child (Duke) screaming out his excitement

High spirits with Santa in town

Girls and guys trying to look kind for Santa

Me, Ellie, Serkan, Janna and Marc-Olivier

Ellie and Ria

At the tramstop waiting for transport

Duke’s gig before most went dancing

Duke at work

So okay, I’ve been a bit lazy updating the blog lately. Or rather busy, actually.

These are, in my view, the hardest months of the year, when the days go shorter and shorter and the weather generally is lousyish in wait for the real winter to fall in. Anyways, this is usually one of the most partyfilled and social seasons too, and that gives the spark to just push through until the snow comes and the days begin to be longer.

Here’s a little album of photos from the previous months.

Dinner with Cornelius and Asna

Cycling at Pitkäkoski with Ali, Serkan and Maria

The great snow blizzard in mid-November

Mikie cutting the turkey at his and Rias great Thanksgiving party

Philippe entertaining a happy Lexi

Mikie, Janna, Claudio, Marc-Olivier, Philippe and Ellie at Thanksgiving

Arho and Mikie

Luthor and Lexi having goodie-time

Ellie, Me, Ali, Maria and Serkan at Ali’s and Maria’s housewarming party

Serkan doing some juggling

The crowd at Ali’s and Maria’s party

Serkan and Ellie go Arty