Keskuspuisto, Espoo - 5 Sep

On Sunday 5 September I walked from Espoon Keskus to Tapiola - about 11km in the centre of Espoo. Most of this was across a park - Keskuspuisto).

A lake called Vehkalampi
A walker using nordic poles.
Most of the path across the path was wide like this. Lights are used in winter.

A track leading to a small lake.

The lake.

... apparently these are poisonous

the mushroom again.

a red squirrel

Another part of the track.

an old style haystack

small market gardens

a rose hedges - these are very common

a bird

more mushrooms

the end of the walk - the sign for the EMMA - the Espoon Museum of Modern Art

Helsinki University of Technology - where I am working

I am working at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Helsinki University of Technology, for three months from end of August until the beginning of December. The campus is in Otaniemi, Espoo.

The Computer Science and Engineering building

Just nearby on campus is this building designed by the famous Finnish architect, Alvar Aalto.

Taina, Otto and Petri in the tearoom.

The cafeteria in the centre of he building - the trees are real.

Hundreds of lemmings to welcome the new students - these were crocheted by some of the staff.

... some more lemmings

and another lemming

Soili Adolfsson - one of the secretaries.

Lauri Malmi wearing the special hat worn by PhD graduates.

Taina at the end of a half marathon held in Espoo.

A student dinner in the cafeteria ... the technology students wear special hats.

Many of the students were wearing these suits at the start of semester - the colour denotes the Faculty

Some of the students at a music concert on the first week of term.

my office.

Lauttasaari, Helsinki - where I am living

I arrived in Helsinki on 26 August. For the first five weeks I am staying in Lauttasaari, an island to the west of Helsinki. This is halfway between Helsinki and Helsinki University of Technology, where I am working. It is 10 minutes by bus to Helsinki and 10 minutes to work - longer if I walk.

My apartment is on the 3rd floor of this building.

Trees outside the apartment block.
Park opposite the apartment.

... and the beach is about 200 meters away.

A bird I met on the way to work.

A marina on the east of Lauttasaari.

Some huts near the sea on the south of Lauttasaari

The south of Lauttasaari

"Flying Carpet" - artwork beside one of the walking tracks.

A ferry on the way to Tallin, Estonia.

Typical apartment block on Lauttasaari.

Hmm ... in bad need of a trim.

Some birch trees just starting to change colour.

Nuuksio National Park - 10 Sep

On Thursday afternoon on 10 September the Department of Computer Science and Engineering went on an outing to Nuuksio National Park - about a half hour drive from the University.

We had a walk in the forest, then some team games, a barbeque and then sauna.

Waiting for the bus

Walking in the forest

Some mushrooms - there were mushrooms everywhere.

... more of the forest

walking by a lake.

Kerttu by another lake

... another view of the lake

walking back

sheet volleyball

memory game

darts

the Head of Department - Heikki Saikkonen

Petri with some mushrooms he gathered from the forest

A view from the barbeque ... and the sauna