Finland

Finland... when it turned in the reality it was awesome experience in Finland. Osssumm experience. I visited Greater Helsinki area, which is Helsinki, Espoo, Kauniainen, but could not visit Vantaa.

I landed on Helsinki Airport. I was noticing difference. What is that makes it a foreign country. Long long trees, green, yellow and orange leaves. Wet climat. Windy atmosphere. no bright sun.

This weather reminded me Phoenix from Twilight Series. Why wont I be romantic and dream of Edward :)

Taxi was heading towards Espoo. 3 ring roads were seen. Highway was like we have service road and highway in PCMC area and Mumbai. Many exit and entry points to highway. Highway was in good condition, street paint, indication marks, signals everything was in good state. It was Sunday, may be that's why highway was empty ! I liked this drive too much. Taxi was in speed, no lane cutting, ho honking, no wrong overtaking. People were following rules themselves. I dream one day our Country also becomes like this.

It took 30 mins to reach Espoo. Our apartment was in Kauniainen. City where most rich people live :)
Bunglows, apartments, parking lot, garden, such a neatly organized area.
Below photo is from our apartment, photo of neighborhood and road near bunglow.

Most enjoyable part of my stay was Snow. Each day I used to check weather forecast, 'It will be a sunny day, rainy and huuuu snowy' ! On 

Wednesday 24th Oct's night it snowed. When I came out of apartment. White layer was laid on ground. A pure white colour. Nature's wonder. Solid rain ! Snow Fall !! I could not resist myself from playing with Snow.

Another funny part was the Sun. October-Nov is pre-autumn period in Europe. Sun used to rise in morning 8-9 o'clock and set around 5. I always traveled in dark to-fro office. In India we see Sun traveling 180 degrees over our head, but there the Sun traveled around 40 degrees. If it was autumn, winter then the Sun would have been in sky only for few hours. There was no warmth in Sunlight. In Finland all apartments were having hot water system and most apartments had Sauna. Continuous hot water was supplied by government.

Finland doesn't have old city. During world war Helsinki was demolished. Now in Helsinki everywhere you would see buildings with glass or buildings which will appear newer. Few skyscraper will pop in between.

Few stills from this city are put below.

Shops, malls are open for more time on week days than weekends. If you have time go to Ikea. Biggest mall !
In Helsinki, near to the cathedral one lane is famous for shopping.
Then there are few Famous building's from Helsinki

1. Rock Church.
This church is built inside rock. From outside appearance you would not understand there is church inside. It is built directly out of rock.

Rock Church From outside

dome structure of church

Church view

Finland's City Museum

2. City Museum:

This museum has entry fee, is worth to go. If you plan to visit this museum, make sure you have 2-3 hours in hand. Same is for case of History Museum. It is 3 floory building and has a lot to see. Just in case if you have time on week day, these museum's have free entry on particular days.



3. Sea Museum:

We had been to Sea life in Leppavara which had 15 Euro entry ! It was not that worth according to me. I had visited many other aquarium and sea museums. So this was okk okk. In Finland there is no vast variety of marine animals. Fishes are collected and exhibited so Finn-children can know them.

Near to Sea-life one Funfair and cinema hall is there. Marry-go-rounds and roller-coaster are there. It would be fun to sit in those in Summer time.

4. Parliament House

Parliament House

Finland Parliament House

5. History Museum:
Another famous museum. This gives tremendous information about Finland, its origin, evolution. I recommend you to visit this one. This is 3 floor building. So plan accordingly. 

History Museum

Wall Painting in H.M.

6. Cathedral

6. Cathedral

7. Upensik Cathedral

7. Upensik cathedral

In south side of Finland, Suomenlinna sea fortress, UNESCO World Heritage site is located. Ferry takes you to this six island fortress.It is nice location to hangout. Scenery and nature are beautiful.

From Helsinki you can go to Tallinn, capital of Helsinki. It is famous for old city, town hall. Pictures and few words about Tallinn in another blog.

Take away

After story there comes the moral of the story.

This blog is after my Finland visit

People: 

Geographically distributed people

some are like your mom, who take care of you so nicely

strangers ready to help you figure out correct way

people who give you a look when you laugh in public

people with big heart who come and brighten your life

people whom you understand better once you start living with them

people who makes you forget trouble

people who make you fall in trouble

people are shy about whom you were thinking are egoistic

people who are helpful

people who are nicer when they see some benefit

people who are still same to you despite of your distance

people who love you they way you are

Nation:

Where people live happily

where Forest are preserved

where gardens are made after cutting Forest

where policies are now made Environment friendly

where each process is followed

where people don't spit .throw thrash on roads

where people manage to get down on desired station from crowded railway compartment

where people from other Nation pick thrash in your Nation and throw in dustbin

where Trees change colour per season

where the Sun goes above head and your shadow below your feet

where Culture is followed

where you are forced to follow

where Culture is seen in each day, each festival

where neighbours knock your doors for Sugar than complaining about vacuum cleaner's noise

Ohh Sugar. I missed it so much there. I like Indian Sugar more :)

Pune-Solapur NH 9

Pune-Solapur expressway construction started around 3 years before. Once this road is done, it would be really amazing to drive on this highway. Crossing several bridges, farms, dam. It's scheduled completion is in mid 2012. But looking at its state, progress no one will think it will be completed within remaining 30day.

Below photo speaks a lot about this road 

Board adhered in one of ST depo

Few links for this highway

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/in-3-years-zip-from-pune-to-solapur-in-just/466359/

http://72.78.249.187/SakaalTimesBeta/20110207/5135544337901570405.htm

http://www.projectsmonitor.com/ROADWAY/work-on-punesolapur-highway-commences

http://www.tata-realty.com/infrastructure.aspx

http://www.ijmindia.com/Current_Projects.htm

Sketched it

 

Sometimes black and white colours are also sufficient to express your charm :)

More finesse is still needed. m happy cos first step is great leap.

Addiction

Life can't be more beautiful than this.

Reading books was my habit at some point of time. Unfortunately had lost contact with books from 2nd year of my job career. I was hardly reading news paper regularly. Deadlines, project-deliveries, UK time difference, live project. Life was bit monotonous. Catch 9, 9.30's bus and reach by 11 to office and in evening (..well it was night ) go by 8.30 s bus. After reaching home, i had no interest in reading even news paper. I had to endure it for few more months.

Soon I switched project and started 9-6 easy happy life. Office-bus was there for pick n drop. This bus was kinda boring. Only an hour of journey to office but many sleeping faces. Non hectic, better than earlier life.

I started carrying Novel to read. In 2 months or three I finished it and was thinking what next ! When hope is there things fall according to you or to benefit you. Accidentally I came across Eclipse book. I was asked to handover one book to a friend. It was other friend who handed me without unwrapping. So I read book name. Eclipse ! Red ribbon laid from top to bottom in book's cover page. 
'Is it related Eclipse IDE?' I asked innocently.
'Ha ha ha. It is a scary vampire story, love story'.
'Ohh might be, I will hand over without fail'
'Thanks' 
So this is how i came across Twilight Series.

Journey of book from my hand to expected hands took a week. Thanks giving ceremony happened again :) 
Days passed. One of my college friends birthday was approaching. We friends decided to gift together. And looking at my office timings and leisure time, task got delegated to me. On weekend I purchased Eclipse from Crossword and headed for my home. Dialed up friends to let them know gift purchased.. I was so luncatic ! I came to know this is 3rd book in a series. I felt so bad on my ignorance.
Hushh, we went to shop to rectify mistake. 3rd Book is costlier than 1st book, so shop owner refused to exchange book and return remaining money. We had not enough time to sit-talk-sort out. I picked two copies of Twilight(1st book in series) and one of New Moon(2nd book in series). I purchased one copy of Twilight and rest two went for wrapping. Celebrated birthday party with the girl. She had not read any of these books nor seen movies. So we knew she will enjoy reading these books.
Next morning I carried book in bus to read.

Book is really nice to read. I took bit more time to finish. Pages were turning yellow as quality of paper was below average.
News was hitting about Eclipse movie. Release date was declared. I had to finish New moon and Eclipse before watching it. When you know each tiny thing, movie seems very bald. Upon reading book i never screamed, never had nightmare. But movies were exception :)
My mother said you screamed yesterday night. Well that's because of Picture effect.

Breaking dawn - my birthday gift.
Colleagues from office bus used to say, 'Soon you will start drinking human blood, roam around with red eyes !'
I enjoyed lime light and laughed with them.
I am in love with the 'love between Bella and Edward'. Being in love is really a nice experience. Life is beautiful.

When life offers you a dream so far beyond any of your expectations, its not reasonable to grieve when it comes to an end. So true.

Twilight series is written keeping Bella at first position. Jacob have got few chapters but not Edward. Still his care, love is seen time to time. They overcame obstacles and poured love onto each other. Do you really have any idea how important you are to me? Any concept at all of how much I love you? I’ll never forgive myself for leaving you. Not if I live a hundred thousand years. He simply asks her, Do i dazzle you? Bella replies in same tone I feel very safe with you.


Not all addictions are bad, addiction of love is good.

Life can't be more beautiful than this.

How to drive a car

Being junior in family I never came across driving bike. Brother, father, cousins were there to pick me up or to drop. Neither I was crazy for driving nor need came across.
I had rough and tough Hero's Ladies cycle in school days. It last till my graduation.

Frequency of rickshaw's to go my school, college was good but one downside was to it. They used to take 4 passengers.  It was too clumsy, 4 passengers have to adjust a lot to sit in a rikshaw. I always preferred my cycle.

After my post graduation, ..  my better half was always there :)

It was a rainy season. We were on a long drive. Mumbai Pune highway is simply the best option for such drives. Panvel bypass passed and he turned car towards Karjat.
When only both of us go on long drives, FM/Audio systems are off. We talk a lot, listen to each other or simply listen the silence.

'Raje see those birds flying up in the air', to broke the anxiety I spoke something. Birds were returning there home. Rain had just stopped. Sun was yet not set, twilight made the sky more beautiful. Sky seemed to be made of Gold. 

'Hmmm' he spoke with his throat.

I kept looking out of window and sinking in the silence. Almost hour had passed from the time we started from home. For each of my sentence he was replying hmm, arggggggg, achhaa or okay.  I knew he was not going to talk.

'Ok, we will buy Piranha' I gave up. There was a chance that our fish tank will become empty because of this fish. So none of us, mom-dad and I wanted to buy it.
'hmm'
'when to go for buying it?'
'hmm'

I was more worried now. From two days we were discussing on "Piranha", he wanted to buy and i was against. Now though i agreed, he was still upset.

'Why are you not talking? We will buy that fish, when to go?'
'What!!!!' 

That was his usual style. He demands more attention :)

'Arre I did not hear you, I was thinking about those birds' 

While speaking this his face was glowed. He smiled and raised shoulders. I captured his happiness, he was happy now. 

'Ohh my sweeti, we will buy new tank for him so he doesn't eat our fishes in old tank. Dont ya worry'

He turned to give me hi5 and..

He got cramp in his back. He was unable to move in seat. Car was running with speed of 60+ and he did not had good control on car now. This was not a highway. It was road in city, which did not have dividers. So many overtakers and fast running vehicles were there. We saw one car was approaching us from front. 
Raje yelled at me, 'switch gear, turn car left, i will release clutch'.

I was stunned. I did not understand what he meant. He was asking me to drive. I replied with high pitch  "how do I switch and on which gear.. should I pull hand break "

We were looking at each other.  Car was only few meters away now..
And before he can instruct me .... 

Whuuuuuuuuuuuuushhhhhh.... 

Car passed with a hair distance.

We were so frightened, I pulled gear and moved car to left. Car went few meters ahead and slowed down. Then it stopped. I came out and helped Raje to come out of car.
Mean time one Police jeep overtook us and stopped ahead. Two policemen walked towards us.
Police helped him to get out of car. Fortunately first aid kit was with them. With Spray his ache stopped.

Police started in there typical style, 'aap ko kuch samajhta nahi , accident ho jata toh? aap aaram se upar jate par hume case, investigation, papers kitna kuch jhanjhat hota..... License dikhaoo, documents, PUC,.. abhi chaloo agle police station, aapka license wahi se le lena ... .. .... ... '

He talked with Police Inspector, there discussion could not catch my attention, I was still shocked. They talked a while. We were fined since all documents were not with us. After receipt and procedure, police went.

He came near car and rested on bonnet. I approached him. He seemed to be very upset. His hands were shivering. I put my palm on his hand. 
"How stupid i am, how can i drive car like this. if something would had happened to you, what would i had told at home? how can I be so irresponsible ? We were arguing on Pirhana, i lost control on car, that too for a fish? Fish !!
Year passed and I never taught you driving ? We never thought of you learning driving"

"From tomorrow morning before i go to office, each day for an hour I will teach you how to drive a car.
Will you learn from me ?"
I smiled and nodded.
He kept his other hand on my palm.

Post office couriered my driving license today. His worries were valid that time. Even I never thought of driving a car. He was on driver seat. He was more susceptible. What would had I done if something wrong.. I can not imagine now also. He skipped his Gym for two months or so for car driving. 

There are so many other fishes in our tank but not Piranha. 

Bhubaneshwar

This week been to Bhubaneshwar, capital of  Orissa. A calm, green city. City having historical, spiritual touch, loaded with temples.

Few pictures of City from my camera

Biju Pattnaik Airport

Khandagiri Caves

Udaigiri Caves

Zebra in Nandankanan Zoo

A temple in Bhubaneshwar

Chandrabagha Beach

On d way to Konark

Konark Sun temple

Konark Sun temple

Paddy Crop

Raja Rani Temple

Raja Rani Temple

Raja Rani Temple