Filed under: Australia
The best place I’ve ever travelled is probably Australia. It is totally awesome and its hard to explain why but I will try. I visited there when I was just six years old but I still remember every single thing we did there.
We spent a month there and did a lot of things. But the most lasting impression on our journey was when we visited the wildlife park. In there, the animals could wander around freely and tourists can drive around the park with a car. But you HAVE TO stay inside the car since the animals are unpredictable and they still got their predatory instincts. But the feeling when the animals come close and sniff around the car is great. You think you are safe in the car but are you really? What if the five meter snake finds a way inside? Then you’d be screwed. But luckily there were some cute koalas too!
Beside the wonderful wildlife, Australia has its own people, the people who won’t prejudice you and are always kind. Even I was so young and couldn’t really speak english I still loved to explain things to them with simple english words. They barely understood but it was fun for sure.
Overall, Australia is the best country I’ve visited and Im going there again, and thats for sure. I want to see it all again and this time I would probably understand more. 
Filed under: Portugal
I was in Portugal in october 2008. Before it I never been there before but I could go there again.
We arrived at evening and weather was great warm and clear. Water was about 20 degrees warm but portugalians said that it’s too cold to swim so it was fun thing. So if you go there at autumn you will see only forgeiners swimming in sea. There was little triatlon when we was there.
My dad had conservation with one competitor about wet suit and competitor said that in Finland would need two wet suits if want to go to swim because water is so cold in Finland.
The European most western place on land was so awesome so it’s almost impossible to describe. There was very good tranquality. The place name is Cabo da Roca.
This video is from youtube.
But Portugal have bad sides too of course. When went to ocenarion we saw very much poor people and broken houses so there is huge weatlhy differences in one place some have very big and cool houses and some other place people live in broken houses.
A fish in an aquarium.
The ocenarion was very cool place there was much fishes what I have never seen before. Like this.
This photo is taken by me.
-Joonas P.-
Filed under: Finland
This July I was in Lapland at our summer cottage for a bit over a week. (more…)
Filed under: Finland
Kuhmo, near the eastern border of Finland and Russia. I visited Kuhmo for the first time at about 8 years ago. I was amazed by the richness of the nature and the amount of different wildlife I saw.
At winter, Kuhmo is a freezing place, literally. When it’s 40 Centigrades minus, you dont want to go out without a proper clothing. The amount of snow makes it possible to ski, and is (and was) also a useful way to move from a place to other.
Summers in Kuhmo are very relaxing. Lots of places to swim at, and fishing is possible too, although you might need fishing licenses to fish legally there. Beautiful hiking places and routes to travel. I’d suggest taking binoculars for spotting animals, but dont go too close.
Here’s a clip of someone driving around the town of Kuhmo
Visiting Kuhmo is definitely worth it, you’ll see a different site of the urban Finland. Depending at the time of the year you go to Kuhmo, remember to pack your bags according to the weather. If you are a fan, or even like classical music, you should time your visit to the autumn, because thats when the annual chamber music festival is usually organised.
Links: Kuhmonet
Filed under: England
London is the capital of the United Kingdom. London is just so cool place. I have already been there twice and it just made so good impression on me that I want to go there again.
There are lots of great places in London. My favorite places in London were:
Madame Tussaud’s, it’s a wax museum where are wax replicas of famous people. When I was there I stood next to hitler, rode on the ghostrider’s bike and did lots of other things. The only bad thing was that we couldn’t get the photos, because our pictures were lost in the development progress.
The London dungeon, it’s a place full of horror. There are actors, room full of mirrors, rats and it’s main reason is to make you afraid. You also learn about the history of london like Jack the Ripper, the great fire of London and about tools that were used to torture people. I remember when I was there i walked right towards the mirror and hurt my head. The funniest thing in the whole place was that in the mens restroom there were guillotines on the urinals.
And for last but not least the London eye, it’s a huge ferris wheel where you can see the whole city. The ride takes about half hour and normally you have to queue for hours for it, but I still think that its worth of queuing. The city looks great from there and when i was there it was easter and there was a contest where you have to spot the huge eastern egg that was hidden in the city and also there was a marriage in the cart below us.
The London Eye
London in itself is great too. I just love the red , mailboxes and the red doubledeckers where you can jump off when ever you want. Also the way that people speak in London is great and I almost forgot to mention the London breakfast, i know that it isn’t so healthy food for morning but when you wake up it’s just so wonderful to eat sunny side up eggs, bacon, sausages and beans.
So.. if you are wondering that should you go to London I say that you Should! Because it is one of the best places where i have ever been.
Links:
By. Matti
Filed under: United States of America
I spent ten days in Houston, Texas last spring. The city was so huge, it took one and a half hour to drive through the city. The soaring highways were so wide, there were six cars driving next to each other.
People in Texas had funny accents, sometimes understanding their own dialect required the ability to concentrate. People used such a variety of words, wich are only used in a small area in north texas. Thats’s a drag when you can’t express something because you don’t know the right words.
The huge shopping malls in America were full of people and barrels of laughter. It wasn’t the right place at all for people who have claustophobia! Sometimes masses of people were like hordes elephants.
The landscape was exposed, early in the mprning, it was so amazing to watch the red sunrise when there was nothing in front of this breath-taking sight. That was something really unique.
Some areas in Houston were decent, abundant and very rich. Sometimes when you were looking out of the car window at those houses, you really had to think about what they were, just huge houses or real castles.
Link: http://www.traveltex.com/Index.aspx
Filed under: England
I was in London in June. I was with my friends and some other people. I thought London would be boring because I’m not so into culture cities, but when my friends showed me London’s nightlife.
I was confused. It was awesome.
You don’t see such wild nightlife in Finland. When I walked down the wet street, I felt so small and middle of everything. I hate rain, but in London especially at night it was so cool and crazy.
We went to Jalouse nightclub and it was amazing, if you don’t want to dance you just have to. That crazy place don’t leave anybody alone. You feel the beat and you slowly start to dance and then you go for it. The smell of peach,coconut and lemon drinks. You can smell energy there, you can feel it in your heart and in your body.The people are so energetic and friendly there. I made lots of friends there and because of that they asked me to come to other clubs such as Movida, Dolce and Chinawhite.Even I m not yet 18 years old, people that I know are working there in the clubs so they let me in. It was glad to visit in London.
Filed under: Spain
I was in Barcelona last summer. It was very hot there and I sunbathed. There was often good food. I walked a lot every day and in the evening my legs were tired. The sun shone every day and on the last day it was about 40c. (more…)
Filed under: Sweden
If you confess yourself as a friend of snowy mountains and breathtaking visions of arctic beauty, you might want to take a better position on your chair and read the following text. (more…)
Filed under: Estonia
At the weekend, i was in Estonia. Actually Estonia is my home country, but because I Have lived in Finland for 15 years, really think that Finland is my home country. Last time I understood that I like Estonia. I really like Estonia people, Estonian sights…I have three countries that are important to me. These are Russian, Finland and Estonia.
In Estonia...Old Town)))
When I walked on Estonian streets, I understood that I know this places. Then my friends asked me advice, it felt great and also when one woman came to talk to me in Estonian. Before my mum never taught me Estonian but I have more Estonian friends who have taught me. Then a woman came and I understood all that she said, however, unfortunately I couldn´t answer her. But luckily she understood me.
When I walked on Estonian streets I was surrounded by graffiti and old streets and old houses. Than we were in Old Town I saw the homeless people and my friends asked me, “How many homeless people are there in Estonia?” In my opinion Estonian people can be divided in to two, the riches and the poor. And because of that many young Estonian have become pickpockets.
There is mine Germany friends...We were in Estonia together))))
Estonian Flag
Translate:
Sights = Nähtävyys
Surround = Ympäröidä
Homeless = Koditon
Pickpockets = Taskuvaras
-Olga-
Filed under: Greece
I was in Greece, Crete, Chania, in summer 2008 and I had had been in Greece before but in different place, that time in Rhodos.
We spent two lovely weeks in Crete with my mom and my three sisters. Crete is very beautiful place, but first when I saw our hotel I didn’t like it ! There was nothing wrong with the hotel but it was surrounded by some weird looking plants which reminded bamboos and the sand of the beach was bad ! But yeah I got used to it. The hotel had just two floors and the buildings were side by side so it reminded a village. Everybody in the hotel was Finnish except from the staff. By the way our hotels name was Silver Beach. It was kind of annoying when on our second week the water gone mad, the waves were huge and we couldn’t swim. But yeah it was fun to watch when somebodies was trying to swim and the waves were rolling them around =D.
Chanias downtown was so beautiful. The hall was special. The little boutiques inside the hall were selling attachments, cute stuffs and food/snack. We visited there a couple of times. The local people were kind of nice, we didn’t speak to them much but when they sometimes came to speak to us, they thought that we were Greek people but no we are half Turkish (=. The stores were cheaper than I thought, there were sales like in every store and I love sales and bargains (:.
In the evenings we always had great food and after the food the waiters always gave us some ouzo or raki and some watermelon or apple bites. Looved the fooood even though I’m a vegetarian, still I had plenty of foods to choose from the menu.
The weather were allways good, never rained but it was always a little windy. In the evenings it was kind of cold. Ooh and I won’t forgot the awful bugs which were buzzing 24/7 ! The buzzing did never stop ! And there were always some dog which were following us 
So Chania is the place to be
Surround = Ympäröidä
Bargain = Edullinen ostos
Remind = Muistuttaa
Store = Kauppa
Side by side = Vierekkäin
Local = Paikallinen
Huge = Valtava
Cute = Soma, sievä
Downtown = Keskusta
Buzz = Surina, pörinä
By : Emine
Filed under: Ukraine
My hometown is Odessa. I love Odessa because it has just about everything a person could want.
I was there with my parents last summer. It was one of my favourite summers and I’m desperate to return. As I stepped off the plane after a flight and my feet touched the arid ground I knew this was what I’d been waiting for a long time.
I and my little brother Daniel
Odessa is a port town, so you can find almost everything you want here. It’s famous for its boutiques, where you can buy all sorts of exclusive stuff, from yellow boots to multi-coloured rocking-chairs. I think Odessa is even more fashion-forward than Kiev is, and I always bring a lot of stuff back from any visits there. The jewelry is also wonderful, and the art will satisfy the most demanding tastes.
Odessa is a sea of emotions, laughter, interesting people, adventure, sun, music, and talents. You can look at it from different angles and see different moods and different styles. Some of the most famous people from Ukraine have Odessan origins, and I’m proud of that. Being from Odessa means I have twice as much responsibility on my shoulders as most people do, because I want to maintain the city’s image as a place that produces gifted people.
People born in Odessa are a little different from other people – it’s like the city gives you a positive attitude about life.
It’s no accident that the Yumorina festival was born in Odessa – there’s something special in the air here that made that happen. Everybody’s eager to have a good time, so more and more comedy festivals are popping up every year. These sorts of things don’t make money, but they do make people happy and let them relax. As the saying goes, ‘A laughing person lives longer’. When I come back to my hometown I always try to make time to catch events like that – they give me the energy to keep on going. I believe that when a person thinks in a positive way, he or she attracts positive people, and life gets better and more interesting. The positive attitude Odessans are famous for, however, can have a dark side – it can hide a certain amount of cunning. But I just accept that as part of Odessa’s local colour.
One of the charms of the Ukraine is that they have a large amount of sculptures. And my favorit monument is the monument Orange. According to the legends, Orange saved Odessa. The monument symbolizes the event that took place in the end of 18th century, when Pavel I agreed not to cancel Ekaterina’ rescript about Black sea port and city foundation on the place of Turkish fortress captured by Russian troops. It is said to have happened because the citizens of Odessa sent him the cart of oranges.
It’s a great city with lots to do and you notice something new everytime. If you ever get the chance to visit, it will be worth the trip.
My grandmother
By: Amelia
Filed under: Somaliland
I moved to Somaliland with my family in the summer of 2006 . We lived there for nearly two years.I saw little difference between things that I heard before. The whole country has a bit improved within three years that I was gone from there. Not everything has changed but still I saw some changes, when I landed at the airport in the capital city called Hargeisa. The airport was quite roomy and the area was surrounded by white gates.
While I was going to my new home, the taxi passed by the downtown. There were booths along the streets and nice buildings that caught first my mind like lightning which were built like classy mosques where their windows were shimmering through my eyes. I gladly wanted to live there, but it was surprise to me what my own home was going to look like. 
A view of the downtown - west side from the top of Barwaqo Hotel
Apart from the buildings, people seem normal, courteous and their standard of living was enough good, but they still needed more improvement.There were also the homeless, whom I gave my spare changes, when I sometimes see them begging for money twenty-four seven.
During about two years of life in there, I realized that Hargeisa is much more besides for comparing it to other developing countries. Education was not that low and they keep strong hold for their Islam religion and schools were public and private. Also economy has improved well. And exactly when looking at the population, I’ve seen that the city is growing very fast and unfortunately too bad that there’s no functioning government to control the urban planning. People seem to build houses wherever they please and it’s done with on some paved roads too. 
I think that my biggest thought from Hargeisa before and compared to now didn’t really match each others. By the way my life in Hargeisa was awesome in many different ways, I never felt homesick, but I really missed The Solero ice cream in those hot sunny days. And the gorgeous memory was my new friends that I still keep in touch with on the internet. 
By Hibo Mumin
TRANSLATIONS:
- surround = ympäröidä
- area = alue
- booth = koju
- building = rakennus
- standard of living = elintaso
- the homeless = kodittomat
- twenty-four seven = 24 tuntia joka päivä
- much more besides = on paljon muutakin
- education = koulutus
- population = väestö
Filed under: Greece
The image is of a bar wich not located near our hotel.
Leisurely=rauhallinen, kiireetön Sidewalk=jalkakäytävä Curb=kadunvarsi Helpful=avulias Homeless=koditon Describe=kuvailla Opportunity=tilaisuus Entertaining=huvittava, hauska Pickpocket=taskuvaras Money belt=rahavyö
By:Pauliina Kääriäinen 09D
Filed under: Sweden
I was in Stockholm last summer. It was my fifth time there. At first this town was alike than Helsinki. The capital of Sweden was very beautiful then. There was gorgeous weather every day. The sun was shining all the time and there was very warm and birds sang all the time. People were friendly and they liked speaking very much. It was easy to cope with swedish people and they gave me many advice. This town is very buzzing because there is lot of traffic.
There was lots of very beautiful buildings in Stockholm. There was olds and highs blocks of flats in the town. There was also gorgeous Royal castle which was huge. You can see these awesome views from hotels windows and balcon. There were many beautiful parks in Stockholm.
In Stockholm you can visit on the many attract places for example Gröna Lund. Gröna Lund is an huge amusement park which is popular among the tourist. The atmosphere was very happy and friendly in the Gröna Lund. I have been there many times.
There was much fantastic shopping malls and I bought many clothes and shoes. I did many bargains there. There was also a wonderful jewellery shop where I bought many fantastic jewelleries. There was also lots of tiny stores for tourists.
There was many beautiful and fancy cafes in Stockholm. I spent lot of my time there. Cakes and other delicacies smelt heavenly and tasted yummy.
I hope that I can go to that amazing and friendly town as soon as possible. Generally Stockholm is very laid-back place.
- Karoliina Lehtonen
Translations:
alike = samanlainen
cope with = tulla toimeen jonkun kanssa
buzzing = vilkas
block of flats = kerrostalo
attract = viehättävä
fancy = hienostunut
bargain = edullinen ostos
advice = neuvo
generally = yleisesti
laid-back = rento, huoleton
Filed under: Bulgaria
Sky was blue, sea was blue, temperature was 30-35!
I love motorcikling so I bought an motorbyke and I ride it all the time I was there. Everything was very good, i saw my old friends and we swimed in the black-sea. Everything was very cheep, so I bought meny things, restaurants was cheep too! Bulgaria is very cool place, everyone should visit Bulgaria!
Nobody of my old friends hadn't forget me!
Everything was very beautiful. So summer went!
Filed under: Spain
About two years ago I was on holiday with my family in Gran Canaria, Ingles, and that was the best trip ever ! Ingles was a small, there were lots of small beautiful hotels all around and it didn’t take much time to get to the shops or to the beach because everything was close-by. The shopping was amazing ! Shops were open all night long and there were masses of people. It was mind-blowning. Sometimes there were people so many that I almost felt dizzy. You could almost smell all new clothes, bags and all the stuff that people were selling. Some shopkeepers were almost agressive and they just catched you and pulled you with them and started to show you all kind of tuff that they were selling. That was really uncomfortable. Where ever you go in Gran Canaria there is beach everywhere. People layghed and screamed excitedly in the water, all the sunchairs were taken and people had dark sunburns. Sand was snow white and the ocean was bright blue. Everyday I went to a mall called Yumbo, which was the largest mall in Ingles. There were all kinds of activities; bungee jumping, circus, horse riding, movies.. everything you can ever imagine. Ingles is a popular place for tourists. You could here people speaking finish everywhere but also some swedish and danish. Local people were very friendly and they spoke good english so you didn’t have to scare language barrier. Some of them could say couple things in finish too. What an amazing place ! Here is couple pictures which I took myself =)
-fiipeli-
my feet !
our hotels yard
Filed under: Finland
Last ski holiday I was in Levi and Ruka. Levi is in Lapland and Ruka is in Kuusamo.
It was very cold that time of year and the land was covered with snow. I’ve never been to Lapland so it was a pretty big shock when I saw how much snow there was for the first time. I was so happy because I love snow.
When we got to Levi’s slopes for the first time it was pretty scary. The weather was freezing cold and the wind was blowing very hard. It’s my first time in the fjords.
Up on those slopes it was beautiful. Every tree was covered with snow and the view was awesome. If the day was cloudless, you could see very far.
My holiday wasn’t just skiing. When i wasnät on the slopes I was in the sauna. It was so relaxing. Every singe worry was forgotten and the feeling was laid-back. From the sauna we ran into the snow. It was freshing but very cold. It felt like the snow was litle bit tingling my body.
The nights were unforgettable. They were so beautiful especially when there weren’t any clauds in the sky. The sky was full of stars and sometimes northern lights.
-Pyry Tamminen
Ruka's slope
Filed under: England
Big Ben in London from freedigitalphotos
I was for the first time in England about a year ago with my family. We stayed in Nottingham which is nearby England’s capital London. The hotel where we stayed was just built so it was really fancy and elegant I liked it.
English breakfasts were the only thing which I didn’t like very much. Every single morning it was the same – tasteless white toast bread, greasy bacon with fried eggs, disgusting beans in tomato sauce or unspiced yoghourt with yam or muesli with a cup of coffee, hot chocolate, tea or some juice. Best thing in breakfast was croissants they smelt so good and also tasted delicious.
Moving from place to place in England is very easy by public transport. Just take a underground or bus to the place you are going to. Many are scared to use public transport because they look complicated but they aren’t. Just try avoid public transport in the rush hour because commuters pour then into the undergrounds and busses.
England is country of opposites. Cars drive on the “wrong” side of the road, safety belts comes also from the “wrong” side of the car seat and driver also drives the car from the other side of the car.
English people are little bit shy they don’t strike up a conversation but if you need help or you don’t have the foggiest idea where you are going just don’t be scared to ask help, they will be very helpful. Shop assistants might call you darlin’ or honey or love but don’t panic they are just being friendly. The English are known from their politeness, words sir and please are really popular among the english.
England is cultural destination which have interesting, beautiful and historical sights like Big Ben, Time square and Kensington Gardens also the red two-floor busses are exceptionals views . These sights is the must for every traveller. All kinds of shops and boutiques are full of nice souvenirs for friends and crowded streets full of ticket touts and tourist traps. These things are part of England.
-Kristiina Matikainen
TRANSLATIONS
fancy = hienostunut
rush hour = ruuhka-aika
commuters = työmatkailijat
strike up = aloittaa
have the foggiest idea = harmainta aavistustakaan
among = joukossa
exceptionals = poikkeuksellisia
crowded = täpötäydet
ticket touts = lipunmyyjät
tourist traps = turistirysät
Filed under: Thailand
The beach next to our bungalow.
The first thing I noticed in Koh Samui was that the air was warm and humid, it felt like you could almost grab it. I could smell the plants and the flowers and sweaty tourists around me while we were sitting on the airport bus. The bus was not really a bus; it was more like a train with wheels. Because of the hot climate, it didn’t have any windowpanes.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the airport. It was made of bamboo with only few walls and a roof. I had never seen anything like that. It was so beautiful and unique with its gorgeous natural surroundings and exotic location. Because there were no walls, I could feel the wind, which was refreshing in the heat.
(more…)
Filed under: Czech Republic
I was in Prague in the summer of 2004.
I had been to Prague Airport many times before when going to other places, but I had never left the airport and gone to the city.
Now was the time for that.
Filed under: England
the London Eye
When I was eleven years old my granny desided to took me with her to London. I was really excited about this.
We arrived to London at Heathrow airport. On the airport I saw right away that I had came in really big city. Me and my granny took underground to our hotel. When we had put our luggages to hotel room we went to breakfast. After breakfast we started to go around the city and I can tell that London is really great. In the city I could smell how big the city really was. We decided that first day we would spend on sights.
On the second day we first went of course to breakfast which was again really good. On the table we discussed about what we could do and finally we made a compromise that we would first go shopping and after that to the London eye. Shopping was boring. There was too much people on the shopping streets and I started to sweat and finally after three hours of shopping I said to my granny that now we are going to London eye!
London eye was something that I can’t even describe how amazing it was. When we were on the top of the London eye we did see almost all of the London. The scenery was absolutely fantastic.
On third day we decided to take everything just easy. We ate a tasty breakfast and after taht we took a long and leisurely walk in park. We walked in park for almost four hours and we noticed that both of us were starving so we went to nearest restaurant.
From restaurant we went back to our hotel and took our luggages. It had came time to leave the great London. On the airport we badly dissapointed when we heard that our flight would be late for three to four hours. Time on the airport was something that I don’t want to suffer again. We really couldn’t do nothing but sit and hear how all the busy people shouted to their cellphones that flight was late.
Finally our flight left and we arrived to Finland. The trip to London was really exciting and fun.
By Joel Hellevuo
Filed under: France
I HATE FRANCE
I wasted one week of my life on a holiday in Saint-Malo in summer 2009.
Saint-Malo is a little north-western port city in France. I went there with my parents. It left a great impression on me, but not in a positive way … As our plane landed at CDG, I immediatly got really bad vibes. The atmosphere was ominous, & I hadn’t even left the airport yet. We had decided to drive to Saint-Malo & rented a car. The driving was about 4 hours, but it felt like forever. On our way we stopped for eating. The air of France smelled very different from Finland, but it might have derived from the motorway next to the beanery, where we ate.
When we had finally arrived at our hotel I was just exhausted. The hotel room was actually pretty comfy, it was more like an apartment, just in a slightly smaller scale. The day of arriving was spent on unpacking & planning the next day’s program. We also went to take a look around the city in the evening. I guess there were more tourists than locals. We also went to a café where there were only French people & nobody understood English. Anyway, they seemed pretty friendly & I finally got my cup of coffee.
We visited many places such as Rennes & Cherbourg, but the only ones that appealed to me were the island of Jersey & the beach where the Normandy landings happened & the Omaha Beach cemetery. I also enjoyed the beach that was right next to our hotel. I used to hang out there after the horrible driving trips. The weather was very mellow all the time, very warm & very sunny, which forced me to wear sunglasses all the time.
I got to know lots of people, but all of them were tourists. The French people seemed very arrogant & they made very clear that they hated tourists. If you went to buy something or asked about something & they didn’t understand you, they’d look at you as if you were a complete idiot & smirked in a very offensive manner. You could also recognize whether people were French or if they were tourists. The French people looked so pissed off that I got mad just by seeing their sour faces. When we went to the island of Jersey it was like another world. Most of the people were British there & they were just lovely ! Everyone was laid-back & chatty, it was really nice to communicate with people who understood what you were saying. Too bad we didn’t stay there for the rest of the holiday.
So, I was very angry most of the time & the week seemed like 400 years long, I was just waiting for it to end. I was so happy when I got back home.
ALL THE PHOTOS © NEEA AHOLA
the white crosses of Omaha Beach Cemetery
Napoleon statue in Cherbourg
our hotel
- the beach next to our hotel
& here’s a nice video from youtube with pictures taken around the city.
THE BLOG by: NEEA AHOLA
Translations:
derive from = johtua jostk.
beanery = [halpa] ruokapaikka
arrogant = ylimielinen
ominous = pahaenteinen
mellow = lempeä
chatty = puhelias
Filed under: Finland
I was at Koli last summer. It’s pretty located pretty east, near lake Pielinen. It took hours to drive there from Joensuu. Trees everywhere, it makes you feel like you’re in nowhere or in wilderness. No people, no cities, just trees. We arrived there pretty early in morning. We saw only a few cars so it was good timing. Standing in parking lot and watching around..*trees trees and more trees* We took a ski lift or something to take us to the top. It was pretty scary to look down. Things looked tiny and I could almost feel like I was flying! At the top we stood on a big rock and watched the view *wow* trees..water..it looked so beautiful, never imagined it would look like that! We climbed stairs up and walked along a road, trees on both sides. It smelled like in a forest, a fresh smell of a forest! Finally we reached the highest point and watched the view again..More trees and water, still so beautiful. It didnt feel like it was high above the ground, trees in horizon. Taking the lift down was even more scary. Watching almost directly down..I didn’t like it. By Joakim
Filed under: Australia
I was one year old when i first came to Australia, i dont remember anything and neither the second time. But
The picture is taken at a wildlife park at Phillipisland
when i was there my third time it was amazing! I loved the people over there they are so polite and helpful. Example when i was at the store people just start talk to me, i think its nice to have small-talk with random people. It made me feel welcome to Australia.
Filed under: Switzerland
A few years ago I travelled to the Jura Mountains with my family. We lived in a little village very high on the mountains and we had rented a traditional chalet for two weeks (only two weeks because the real reason for our trip was to visit our cousins in Switzerland).
A view from the mountains. We had a long, long stroll…
The village was very high on the mountains and the travel was so thrilling for a acrophobic person like me with its bidirectional thin routs. But when we got there I fell in love with the place! There was lots of fields and forests and the little villages dot the view here and there. The air was really fresh, of course because we were so high and the climate was ok for me: Not too hot but not really cold either. A bit like in Finland. But without mosquitos. The village was really cute and small and it was built in an old fashioned style. There lived only about hundred people and there weren’t any shops unless little kiosks ” Tabac ” where you bought your magazine or something little and bread shops. The village even smelled like fresh bread, when you walked around. Only thing that I didn’t like was cows. Everywhere you looked you saw a cow. Or two. Or a whole herd. You heard them all the time, because all of them had a huge bell hanging on their necks and making a very loud noise. I hated it so much it still makes my head ache when I think about it.
The chalet where we lived was just too cute inside. There were cute little windows with beautiful curtains, pastel colored decor and very old furnitures which whined when you used them. My little brother liked to squeal the closets and he made us crazy with that voice. :’D It was a little scary too.
Food, well, it was regular. Apart from deserts, pies and pastries, these Swisses really know how to make sweet and tasty food. Lots of chocolate, berries, fruits, honey and jam was eaten in these two weeks and I like everything sweet so I was in heaven. But once we almost bought snails, cause my parents wanted to taste it. I can’t describe the fright. It was like in a horror film when you just wait the ending: do you have to eat snails for dinner or does the hero come to save you before it’s too late.
The hero came. Luckily.
Filed under: Finland
My summer cottage is in Haapasaari nearby Kotka.
Landscape from Haapasaari By Soili Hahkala
Filed under: Italy
I visited Rome last March and I can tell you that it was just amazing!!! I totally fell in love with the city. And it was a classtrip so at least I had some company. There were two teachers and five moms with us. We had been planning the trip for three years. Visiting Rome is a tradition in my junior high. But only if you take Latin.
I was so thrilled when we took off. And when we arrived in Rome it was so great. At first sight I knew, that I would love it. Everything was just so wonderful! The warmth, the climate, the people and everything. I was on cloud nine the rest of the day. And our hotel was so beautiful. It was this old building with really cute rooms. Only bad thing was, that the room where I slept with my friend smelled like an old cigarette. Luckily it was warm so we kept our window open. And to be honest I missed the smell, when we came home=)
We visited all the most famous sights, such as Colosseum, Fontana di Trevi and many others. We also went in town called Tivoli, which was on the mountains. That was a really funny trip. And honestly we saw like hundreds of churches!!! At first I thought that they were really beautiful, but after few days they all started to look the same. Always the same colorful windows and paintings. But still, it was fun! And all this time our teachers warned us about pick-pockets. But luckily no one got robbed (I guess…)
The Romans were really friendly and polite most of the time. If you were lost they would tell you which way to go. It was really fun to watch them when they talked with their hands. I’ve heard that Italians could be arrogant and rude but I didn’t think so. Or well, maybe sometimes… Anyway one exception was the traffic. That was just crazy!!! Specially when it was rush-hour. Everyone just walked and drove around the place and didn’t follow the signs at all! I almost got hit by a car in there. And the public transport was also quite interesting. The busses were really full! But I got used to that craziness after a while.
And the food! Oh my god!!! It was so good. Italian cuisine is fantastic. The restaurants were wonderful. I could swear that I ate pizza almost every day. I just ate and ate and ate… Either pizza or spaghetti. And of course I ate ice cream more than I will ever eat again. Around every corner there was a “Gelateria”. The ice cream was so delicious! So I was in heaven.=)
And there was a one night which I will remember the rest of my life. There were my three friends, my mom and two other moms, one of our teachers and I. We were eating this great, really good food on a restaurant terrace. I even remember that I ate spaghetti and tomato-sauce. It was so delicious! Suddenly someone started to play an accordion and all the people on the terrace started to sing. It was an old Italian song. I don’t remember the name, but it’s a really beautiful song. I have heard it before. Anyway that night seemed, and still seems, too good to be true. It was one of the greatest nights of my life!!!
When I think about my trip now I have to say that it really was perfect! Well of course there were moments when I was really annoyed or grumpy. And the mornings were little difficult for me. Every morning I had to wake up early. I don’t remember the exact time, but it was depressing! But it was easier to get up, when you knew that a new beautiful day in Rome was waiting for you!
Fontana di Trevi
One of those many church-windows
Our hotel lobby
Romans love their scooters..
I have to say that this video is quite true!
Words:
At first = aluksi
Pick-pockets = taskuvarkaat
Polite = kohtelias
Rush-hour = ruuhka-aika
Public transport = julkinen liikenne
Cuisine = keittotaito
Accordion = harmonikka
Text and photos by Enja Sarvarinne;)
Filed under: Belgium
I spent a week in Belgium last June. I lived in Brussels, near the city centre. My little, but classy flat was located in a nice suburb. It was just a 10 minute ride on the bus to get to the colossal EU Parliament buildings, streets full of businessmen and women and the rich mix of immigrants, tourists and multicultural natives.
Brussels is a lovely city to live in. It’s not as huge as London but it’s bigger than Copenhagen. People aren’t as over-friendly as people in Paris, but not rude either. Of course, people may seem rude if you don’t speak fluent French, because native French speakers have a… quite odd English accent.
I’ve visited Brussels multiple times before, so I didn’t use my time touring the sights. I concentrated on feeling the city swarm around me. I was a little Finnish spot in the middle of miniature-sized Europe. I felt especially small when I was standing in front of Berlaymont, the headquarter of the Parliament of EU. The building seemed to reach up to the skies, forever and ever and ever… Inside, the building was nothing special. Just big.
Brussels is the Perfect City to enjoy without doing anything at all. The city centre is a fabulous mix of old and new, foreign and Belgian, modern and old-fashioned… and so on. When strolling around the main streets, you can easily spot Nokia stores, Turkish diners and Leonidas boutiques, that sell traditional Belgian chocolate.
Universality offers endless opportunities of shopping, and I totally used this chance. For me, these opportunities meant professional comic shops and French music. Belgium is the Promised Land of comic addicts, mostly because it’s long tradition in comic art. Tintin had gained a status of national epic, but there’s more to it. Unlike in Finland, French and Belgian comics can be found in every book store and most important of all – in reasonable prices.
Everyday when I had spent a nice day shopping, I took the metro to the nearest park from my flat. Oh, how the smell of green just cheers the air in the middle of a big city! The parks in Brussels are very tidy and in a good condition. It’s nice to sit down for a while and try to spot some parrots – they are quite common in Brussels and like to fly from tree to tree screaming. Spotting a parrot is easy when you follow the noise – Belgian parrots are not so colourful but they sure are very loud!
One of the most thrilling experiences in Brussels must be the food. Belgians love their food, but only Belgian food they seem to have around is french fries! It’s the best to take a chance and try out the ethnic cuisines that can be found everywhere. Chinese, Indian, Turkish, Spanish, Greek and Mexican – every meal is an adventure. The food was spicy and mild, sweet and sour, cheap and expensive and everything in between! Cooking at home is also different because you can find fresh mackerel and Brussels sprout in every grocery.
Now a brief lesson in geography. Belgium is a bilingual country, and the language barrier is really like the Berlin Wall. In the south people speak only French and in the north people speak only Flemish. This is a useful piece of information when you plan to travel outside Brussels, which is bilingual.
I travelled to Antwerp, the second biggest city in Belgium and the capitol of Flemish-speaking Belgium. My main interest was Antwerp Zoo, one of the oldest and biggest zoos in the world. Antwerp Zoo was crowded when I arrived, because everyone wanted to see the new attraction – Europe’s first baby elephant. I have to admit, it was cute. I spent eight hours in the zoo taking a look at over 950 different species of animals. Everywhere around I heard universal names of animals shouted by children – like ‘bambi’ or ‘pingu’ or ‘dumbo’.
It was already dark when I left the zoo and I decided to walk around the city now that I was there. A lovely city to visit, if you have a couple of millions to spare – Antwerp is the central of European jewelery market and you can really tell it by the shops: gold, diamonds, clocks, jewels… Another interesting detail: all the old buildings in the city centre had statues of saints in their corners. This really reminded that Belgium is a catholic country.
Catholicism really showed up in Brussels too. At the first day of my trip I made a critical mistake: I did my hair normally. Catholic Belgians are very conservative, and my red mohawk was too much. Mostly people just stared at me, some called names, and other tourists wanted to take pictures with me. I got thrown out of shops and called a shoplifter. This is one of the few negative things in Brussels.
A rainy afternoon in Ixelles, Brussels
- A small view from a local comic boutique
Me being a local tourist attraction - Grand Place, Brussels
The baby elephant Kai-Mook and the mother, Antwerp Zoo
TRANSLATIONS:
native French speaker = syntyperäinen ranskanpuhuja
headquarter = päämaja
Tintin = Tintti
national epic = kansalliseepos
mackerel = makrilli
Brussels spout = ruusukaali
brief = nopea
bilingual = kaksikielinen
Flemish = flaaminkieli
shoplifter = myymälävaras
text and all pictures by Kristiina ‘Krisu’ Raatikainen
Filed under: Egypt
Egypt, Sharm El Sheikh, 2009, February
My first time in Egypt. Everything looked just like I assumed, hot and sunny, sand everywhere and mountains in the background. The airport we arrived to, looked really cool and modern, but the rest of the area looked kinda poor. I mean like, sand everywhere, the airport was surrounded by regular iron fences and a couple of outposts, with sleeping guards. The weather? It was really hot, about 28°C and I of course had a hoodie and jeans, because I just came from Finland where it had been about 10°C and wet.
