231/2011 culture by the riverside, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
Another great evening of art and culture by the riverside in our European capital of culture. Acrobatics inside glowing bubbles gliding on the water. Reminded me of the old British cult series – the Prisoner. “I am not a number, I am a free man!”
222/2011 august nights, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
It’s definitely in the air – the end of summer. Darkening nights bring out the gaudy colours of the riverside bars and restaurants on the surface of the river. And the evening chill, can’t ignore it any more. Melancholy time of the year.
152/2011 welcome june!, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
Taking a walk along the riverside revealed another environmental art installation of our culture capital. Giant glass-fibre eiders, by artist Reima Nurmikko, have been set free to float in the river. According to the artist, they symbolize freedom, but even more importantly, the artist wants to draw attention to the urgency of protecting the Baltic Sea, the habitat of the real eiders that come to build their nests in our waters.
One local comprehensive school also acquired a few of these bird statues some years back, and they have become favourite climbing and playing frames for the students, while reminding them of environmental issues at the same time.
June started with a sudden heatwave – +28 degrees Celcius today! Lots of people flocked to the riverbanks in the afternoon.
052/2011 sunset colours, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
Beautiful warm colours by the riverside as the sun was starting to set, especially on the reddish brown masts of the sailing boat. This scene managed to make me forget the cold for a while. The best thing about this picture, though, is that it was taken at 5pm. We already have 9 hrs 40 mins of daylight!
329/365 almost frozen, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
Arctic weather has hit us suddenly. Quite early this year. The river already has a thin film of sleet on it, and no doubt will be frozen very soon.
A quietness has landed over us with the snow and ice. Warmly bundled up people hurry strictly from A to B, without much looking around. Life has turned inwards, inside the warmth of our homes.
288/365 waiting, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
I was waiting for my friend by the riverside, to go for a chat and drink in the evening. It struck me that the whole scenery was waiting – the benches for somebody to sit on them again, the leaves, either to be blown away or covered by snow, the water for the winter cover of ice or the summer life of boats and birds. Time stood still for a moment.
217/365 enjoying the riverside, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
I am making the most of my last few precious summer holiday days. Today it was lunch with a good friend at one of the riverside terraces. As the weather was gorgeous again, I cycled there a bit earlier, and took a short walk along the river with my camera.
I love this view! After a few year’s absence, the flaming red canna irises have been planted there again. I am so happy they are there again, as for me, they really create the summer feeling on the river banks.
079/365 the big thaw is here, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
Today’s Daily Shoot assignment got me out to look for liquids.
Liquids can be still and reflective or in motion and chaotic. Make a photograph of something liquid today.
It is also officially the first day of spring today with the vernal equinox, so I celebrated it by taking an evening walk to the riverside. The temperature has been above zero for two days, so I could enjoy seeing the fast disappearing snow and ice, and in the warm colours of the setting sun, too.
Water in its 3 forms is present in this picture – liquid, snow and ice. It seems that the the river is finally getting free from its frozen winter prison. I don’t think it will be safe much longer to walk across the ice – hence the warning barriers. But the thawing ice does provide huge liquid mirrors, which beautifully reflect the surroundings. No motion or chaos here, but very still and calm water everywhere. All the boats are motionless, too, waiting like sleeping beauties to be woken up in spring for their busy summer season.
I took a whole set of pictures during my evening walk.
047/365 digging into the Middle Ages, originally uploaded by rosipaw.
Passed this bit of colour by the riverside today, on another totally frosted over white day. Even the pedestrian seems to blend right into the surroundings with her outdoor clothes.
The colourful huts and signs are for archeologists,who have got a rare chance to do valuable city excavations as a long abandoned historical restaurant will be restored and reopened close by. They are looking into medieval structures underground, in the hope of locating some houses and jetties, among other things. Who knows what ‘skeletons’ they will find hidden away.
