Visiting: h o m e

When I take the plane back to Finland, my heart is ripped in two pieces. I take half with me, but other half stays in France in my second home, with my sweethearts R and Léonie. Anyone who has two homes, two countries, knows how it feels. I love visiting both homes. Living in both homes. But I can´t have both at same time, so I needed to choose and it was time to visit Finland.

As I just bought a new phone, I have been snapping photos with it all the time. That much I forgot that I had my Canon with me. I still took some with it, but it was easier to drop the phone to the small bag and just go out. 

I saw few friends of mine too, it has been so long. I feel very disconnected of the world of friends, I don´t have any in France right now. Not close ones at least, with whom I could share things, have a hobby and go out. Of course I have Raphaël but I would like to have a friend. Do you feel the same, that it is really hard to find good friends when you are an adult? Specially in another country.. I do feel alone there still.

We drove to Turku to help my sister to renovate her new home. It is a lovely wooden house in the center of Turku, but a lot of work to do in small time - I got little bit annoyed too to use my holidays (selfish) to paint and rip off the old kitchen.We have our own company for renovating projects so we (whole family) where there. I was the worst, as I have a quick temper in these things and my back and wrists are not made for heavy projects like this. So my dad was working like crazy whole week. No need to hire pro's as we have few in our family.

I did eat way too much chocolate and salmiakki, I went to see Stand Up Turku! -show [what was g r e a t] ate in a really good restaurant [pasta.. I was so sick after] went to the movies and walked out after one hour, it was first time ever I saw a movie full of crap [tree of life..] I ate the biggest muffin ever in my life, it took me whole day to finish it. I laughed. I spoke finnish. I was at home. Tomorrow my plane will leave back to the second home. I will see my sweethearts again. Luckily R has been keeping me up to date and sent me many sweet emails with photos of Léonie. 

And I did color my hair here. I went 9 months without any color and now I saw how weird it did look in sunlight. So now I am brunette again. I like it.

And look who is saying hello!

Is it a cat or an owl?

I hope you have a great week, I will be back in France tomorrow. 

I am living pretty exciting times, on thursday I am having my first day in school!

Wish me luck [M E R D E! in french]

early morning

I discovered the sweet life of Starbucks while visiting Amsterdam, you know we have Starbucks in Paris and Marseille only, but nothing between (I guess). I visited once in Paris but took hot chocolate (duh.. should be coffee) so this time, the two times I had breakfast there I tried different flavoured lattes. Loved the vanilla latte, adored the hazelnut! And the blueberry muffins! (no need to mention that we do not have Starbucks in Finland,at all..)

I had one evening to visit the center of Amsterdam, as it was a worktrip and we were working around the clock (almost!)The center is quite interesting, specially when you get lost in the red light district.

Butter Waffles, eat one and you feel sugar running in your veins. 

So yes, it was a worktrip to the biggest tradeshow for the creation,management and delivery of broadcasting media and entertainment.

Propably the most expencive display there was from Sony, they had one hall for themselves.

pictures from my phone

In 35mins I am supposed to wake up (thanks to Léonie, I woke up at 5am) and then get ready to....

FINLAND!

Yes, indeed, I'm taking my plane this morning!

So I wish everyone a great weekend and see you after the holidays.

news from our area

I came back late last night back to France from my work trip to Amsterdam. This afternoon, I got a phonecall from my sister telling that there has been explosion in the nuclear site near us.

I am more than relieved that it was clearned safe and no leaks and that it didn't happend in the actual nuclear reactors. We are located just 20-30km (13-18miles) from the area.

In the few hours without actual information what has happened, I did actually search information what to do in case of the leak, and was already thinking should we buy iodine. Actually anyone located this near the nuclear sites, should always have iodine at home. We don't have, but maybe for the future I will get some...

For the nicer things, work trip went fine even it was really tiring. I worked 7 full days last week, came home so tired. Still I am, have been just home relaxing. I try to post some photos later. In one week, I will travel to Finland :)

AFP - At least one person was killed and four injured in a blast at a nuclear site in the south of France on Monday as the government sought to play down fears of a radioactive leak.

France's state nuclear regulator had said earlier that there was a risk of a leak after the blast at Codolet in the Rhone Valley near the southern city of Nimes.

Despite killing one person and wounding at least four more, the blast "did not cause any radioactive leak", a spokesman at the energy ministry said.

National electricity provider EDF confirmed the initial death toll following the explosion in an oven at the site.

Read more from France 24 english site

Few days offline..

Dans le port d'Amsterdam

Y a des marins qui chantent

Les rêves qui les hantent

Au large d'Amsterdam

Dans le port d'Amsterdam

Y a des marins qui dorment

Comme des oriflammes

Le long des berges mornes

Dans le port d'Amsterdam

Y a des marins qui meurent

Pleins de bière et de drames

Aux premières lueurs

Mais dans le port d'Amsterdam

Y a des marins qui naissent

Dans la chaleur épaisse

Des langueurs océanes

(Jacques Brel - Amsterdam)

both pictures MondoSport Travel

I'm off for the trip to Amsterdam!

I doubt that I will have time for sight-seeing or anything else from the work schedule I have..
And I just got my hands on the new Samsung Galaxy S 2 (any recommendations for cool apps?)
so this will be my only camera on the trip - limited space, no DSLR.

See you next week , ystävät!

memories

2008.. We drove over 900km and more than 13 hours to reach this beautiful place called Salla in Lapland.

This photo was taken in January,  afternoon sun at winter time.

And when the sun goes down..

Still so beautiful.