Experience the Earth

American Car Show 2012 in Helsinki

2012-04-10T20:54:34Z

Ouch, I forgot my camera home... photos from my mobile phone... :(

Hehe, furry mobile!

Enough noise I think (Mini)

No, it's not Ferrari - it's Datsun

A classic hot rod

One of the widest smiles

Jeep

Auburn replica (1980)

Rolls Royce and Chevy

Cool!

Red Baron's plane... where's Snoopy?

Chrome!

The lowest rod

An overdose of chrome...

Too skinny chick!

Pick-up truck

A flame painted coffin!

...and finally something that I could afford :)

Ranua Zoo

2012-03-10T21:49:08Z

Here are some more photos from Ranua Zoo...

The Polar Bear cub

2012-03-03T22:21:18Z

I visited Ranua Zoo a week ago. There is a newly born Polar Bear cub. I happened to be quite close when I saw the news that the cub had been out for the first time in his/her life! Two days later, I was there too with my camera and video!

I think I was lucky, I waited for the cub about three hours and it was freezing cold! But I saw the cub and thanks to my 20x zoom video lens, I have some proof! It didn't stay out for long, it was very far and shy. At first, there's a clip of the father bear living in the next cage, then the suspicious mom bear and for some seconds - the cub.

A still photo taken from the video...

I will post more zoo photos when I have recovered from the 11 hours drive back home from Ranua...

Baby elephants

2012-02-13T16:39:42Z

The Elephant Orphanage in Pinnawela Sri Lanka

Whale watching in Sri Lanka

2012-02-10T19:16:16Z

I spent one holiday week in Sri Lanka. As you probably already know, I ♥ whales. I did know that there is a possibility to go for a whale watching tour but because of the limited time I had I didn't think to go this time. The safaris were on the other side of the island - too far for me. I also thought they might have Sperm Whales - they are so seen...

Instead, I did a two-days tour to Kandy. There I heard that there is one whale safari place quite close and there are BLUE WHALES! I had only two days left and one of them was the independence day of Sri Lanka. Our tour guide managed to arrange the safari for me and two other Finns.

At 5 am we started the drive from the hotel to Mirissa. Two hours later we arrived to the harbour and went straight to the boat after writing names and passport numbers in a check-in book. The whale centre was very small and modest and the whole trip had kinda amateurish style especially when compared to those great safaris they arrange in Norway!

The whale centre

The harbour

A fishing boat

More fishing boats in the harbour

The cruise lasted about five hours. The boat was tiny and light, although the waves were not so high the boat floated like a cork... I saw many seasick people - poor sailors! After one hour cruise we saw some dolphins (Spinner Dolphins). Dolphins were really fast and swimming quite far, I didn't get any good photos of them.

After two hours we arrived to the area where Blue Whales hang around! We saw maybe 3-5 whales about 15 times in one hour. They dived close to the surface, took some air and dived again. They seemed somewhat shy and we didn't get too close but thanks to my photo gears, I got some decent shots. I also shot some video clips.

They are so awesome majestic creatures! I was so lucky and happy to see them :)

Here's a short movie from the safari...

www.mirissawatersports.com

Orchids of Sri Lanka

2012-02-09T18:23:51Z

Snowy landscapes

2012-01-15T20:45:52Z

Ok, some poor people can not see my amazing winter movie in the USA so I edited the movie and made a director's censored US cut... I do hope this works after removing naked chicks...

America try this!

P.S. I don't understand why the original version is not working, even people in Malaysia can see it :(

Happened 2011

2012-01-02T00:04:16Z

korpun @ 2011-12-12T05:54:00

2011-12-12T03:54:05Z

It was time to make the photo book number two about my adventures on the island cottage. I ordered two copies for the ladies who own the place and one for me as a memory. I made the first book in 2008 and I'm really happy to see one of those books still in daily use! Waiting for the next summer and new adventures...

The 94th Independence Day

2011-12-06T21:17:34Z

Seitseminen

2011-11-20T21:31:14Z

I haven't posted anything for a while... been busy I think. Mostly, I have wasted my time walking around neighbourhood trying to lose some weight again. Well, I've lost 15 kg so far and I'm pretty close to the weight I was 3 years ago.

Today was my rest day, I walked only about 10 kilometres in the forest looking for the beaver. I had the video camera... this is what I saw - no beavers though.

The first really cold (and sunny) autumn day allowed using the camera. It has been unusually warm weather but at the same time it has been really dark, foggy and rainy. Today, it was -7 degrees of Celsius. Lakes started to freeze which can be seen on my short movie too.

Montenegro

2011-10-20T22:33:20Z

A day trip to Montenegro by minibus - nice views, the sea and mountains, old cities...

An old hotel, probably from the Yugoslavian era.

In front of Perast city there are two small islands... for churches.

closer...

and closer.

Cool sailboat!

Kotor city walls.

Churches...

The main gate into the old Kotor city.

The bell tower.

and churches...

Inside one of the smallest churches. The priest was very keen on showing his chapel (and selling souveniers)

Nice balcony!

Cruiser in the harbour.

The market street outside of the city walls.

Fish from the market street.

An old castle built to give cover to the city.

Leaving Kotor behind.

Crossing Kotor Bay by ferry.

Perast city

Cheap taxfree alcohol!!!

Souveniers from Montenegro :)

...but they didn't last for long :(

Dubrovnik by night

2011-10-20T21:06:26Z

Butterflies!

2011-10-12T20:38:34Z

Butterflies from Balkan...

Dubrovnik Hrvatska (Croatia)

2011-10-11T18:09:43Z

SRD, the mountain peak (408 metres) right next to the city of Dubrovnik is easy to reach using Zicara Cable Car. Of course I would have climbed up there but my travel buddies were too lazy even think about climbing so I decided to follow the group.

Up they go...

The lower station is close to the old city walls...

400 metres feels quite steep!

Nice view!

The views from the top!

On the summit inside these broken walls there is an exhibition. It tells the story of the war - it happened only 16 years ago!

Dubrovnik Hrvatska (Croatia)

2011-10-10T20:59:30Z

A one-week-holiday to Balkan started from Dubrovnik. The group (11 people) stayed at this old historic city for three nights. Later we would stay two nights in Korcula and one in Split. During the first day we visited the old town...

When we entered Pile Gate into the old town, the view was straight from the medieval time! People were making some HBO series (Game of Thrones or something...not sure). We walked through the scene, maybe I'm in there somewhere! :)

Nice paintings and wood works, didn't buy any souveniers from here though.

Cruel marks of the recent history, bullet holes on the wall. The whole city was more or less destroyed during the "homeland war". Some signs could be seen here and there but mostly the old town is rebuilt.

St Vlaho Church

The jail

St Ignacije Church...

...looks like this inside

The Jazz Bar (visited there later in the evening)

The harbour

to be continued...

No dogs!

2011-10-09T21:48:54Z

Kissoja, kissoja, kissoja...
Cats, cats, cats...

Balkan Tour 2011

2011-10-09T10:43:30Z

Tässäpä aluksi muutamia henkilökuvia matkan varrelta...

Some pics of my travel buddies from Croatia-Montenegro-Bosnia-Herzegovina tour...

Catacombs of Paris, France

2011-09-20T19:29:29Z

One of the places I wanted to visit in Paris, was the Catacombs. The place is amazing - at first you have to stay outside queuing before you can go down 130 steps. Two kilometres of gloomy tunnels full of bones and skulls! The real Empire of Death!

When you finally see the daylight again, bags and backpacks will be checked again... no souvenirs allowed!

"Arrête! C'est ici l'empire de la mort" ("Stop! Here lies the empire of death")

The Eiffel Tower

2011-09-19T22:49:07Z

324 metres tall iron lady is not that scary unless you are afraid of hights - what I'm not. In fact, the old tower (built in 1889) feels quite steady.

I knew there would be a long queue although it was kinda off season. It took about two hours to reach the top using lifts. I would have loved to climb up the stairs but my travel buddy was such a lazy ass that I simply couldn't leave him alone! I'm not sure if it was even possible to use the stairs - maybe next time...

Gustave Eiffel's statue

Views from the second floor

To the top...

...it's windy on the top! And the view - perfect!

River Seine

Ivan and me :)

Brave guys working!

The stairs downwards! Who needs lifts after all...

It's a long way to Tipperary and down, it started to become dark.

Lots of lights everywhere.

People waiting for the lift upwards.

The hydraulics of lifts

The lift shaft.

Double cabins coming down - did you notice the guy under the cabin???

Back on the ground!

Random tractors 10

2011-09-19T21:13:54Z

Père Lachaise, Paris France

2011-09-16T21:42:20Z

The dark side of me wandered around cemeteries again. I had heard that there is one especially beautiful place in France so I had to visit the place...

More...

Whale watching at Stø Norway

2011-09-12T22:45:17Z

A short movie about the whale watching cruise the 22nd of August 2011...

By the way, there are Sperm Whales, Harbour Seals, Kittywakes, White-tailed Eagles, Gannet, Shags, Fulmars... and one cookie monster :)

The super teddy

2011-08-13T21:06:50Z

Today, I found my painting gears and did this after a long unproductive period!

Bikers

2011-08-04T21:55:09Z