Arto's Blog

For the last couple of weeks there has been enough snow for skiing also in southern Finland, including Helsinki where I live. Last winter there was never snow for more than a few days which makes it feel even more special now. The sea has received a beautiful ice cover which is thick enough to safely ski, skate or walk on. On Saturday I went out for a small cross country ski trip and saw dozens of ice skaters and a few kitesurfers on the Laajalahti bay. One place was kept open for swimmers but the only person next to it was another skier.

On Monday I commuted to work on skis, across the same bay. When coming back, the sun had already set and stars were covered by clouds. I had a headlamp, but the clouds reflected surrounding city lights down to the snow so that there was no need to use it. Gliding on the smooth white surface with lots of open space around gave a joyful feeling of escaping the city while being all the time less than 10 km away from the center.

Snow and ice are essential elements of winter for me. It's just so much more beautiful and enjoyable than +5°C and rain. If there wouldn't be snow, I might as well move somewhere close to the equator and wear t-shirt and shorts every day. The change of seasons, from green and warm summer days to the cool shades of ice and snow in the winter and back again, is a miracle of nature to be celebrated.