It's all relative

One more blog post even after it has been all over for some time now.

It has been intriguing to realise how quickly one acclimatises back to cold weather. Now that we are finally entering spring, it's nothing short of awesome to bask in the +5 C temperatures with sun caressing the pale skin (still wrapped in layers of clothing) after long, dark winter. It actually feels nice and for a lack of a better description: warm!

It's all relative -part comes from the fact that my colleagues back in Singapore reacted to my spring happiness by notifying that it has been particularly cold week over there this week with only +25 degrees.

Furthermore another absolutely cool (not cool as cold but as truly wonderful) aspect of spring time is the days that start to extend from both ends. Sun rises already at 6.38 AM and sets at 6.21 PM here in Helsinki. We are getting about 5 minutes extension each day now. It's funny how one does not get used to this even after living for decades in Finland. It feels always such a surprise to have more and more hours of sunlight in a day. It's only such a short while ago when I went to work while it was dark and returned home when it was dark again.

First plants surfacing in Kamppi

One among many

I raised an observation regarding the lack of people on the streets when I visited US briefly last year. That really would not be the case in the most densely populated country in the world. Here you are never alone.

Take a look at a short video clip I put together from various places like Clarke Quay, Vivo City and Expo MRT station:

The music on the video is by Amerigo Gazaway and his excellent Otis Redding flavoured remix of Big Boi's Shutterbug (aptly titled for a purpose of amateur video clips). Song is available from bandcamp.

Pedestrian free zone

On a certain previous episode of fun and games of international relocation, I made comparisons with Ireland and Singapore. Last week I returned from a trip to Washington D.C. and while still fresh in my memory I need to document one quick observation of how different things are between South East Asia and the New World.

It is actually amazing that I have lived in Singapore for not much more than a year, yet I was completely stunned by the lack of people. Especially pedestrians. In the nation's capital, which has been awarded as the most pedestrian friendly city in United States. The stretch of land between the iconic landmarks is a park, yet there was only a handful of people seen walking around on a beautiful, yet chilly (everyplace is chilly after SG) Saturday. Furthermore there was really no hotdog stands or anything which would feed the hungry masses of people. Where is everybody?! Granted there were few cars driving around the strikingly wide roads.

Flag on the Capitol building is at half mast due to Nelson Mandela passing away. Not due to Finnish independence day.

PS1. I left on Monday morning, arrived on Monday afternoon. After 24 hours of grueling daytime traveling. On my way back, I left on Sunday morning and was back home only on Tuesday. Crossing the International Date Line can make your head hurt.

PS2. I had a short layover at Japan. Even though Singapore is an island, but they don't really serve as good of a sushi as you get in Japan over here. Unfortunately.

PS3. On the topic of food, I did enjoy much better steaks in US than I have been able to get here.

The old continent with familiar nightly scents

Work has taken me into lively Dublin, Ireland for a week. As is already the tradition in this blog: couple of inevitable reflections between Europe and SG.

People don't really respect pedestrian lights over here. They are there only for generic guidance, but the decision to cross a street is driven by number of passing vehicles. Obviously you do see jaywalking in Singapore as well, but as you probably have learned it by now, that's yet another punishable offense.

Speaking of which, I only now realize that I haven't really seen any police patrolling the streets in Singapore. Very, very seldom I might have spotted one or two officers in one of the MRT stations. From what I have heard, police are mostly in their civilian clothes blended in the crowds. Plenty of police over here in Dublin though -- with occasional Guinnessy Irish bloke giving them hard time. But seemingly the officers have heard those comments before and not really paying too much attention to the verbal abuse. I really can't imagine seeing that happening in Singapore. That would be one fast track to receive quick corrective caning.

Neither can I imagine smelling the poignant scent of Friday and Saturday night in every other street corner. It is truly amazing how Singaporeans can behave so well even when royally drunk at Clarke Quay in the wee hours of the night. Surely you have the occasional few who are tad bit too tired to walk or might not generally feel so well, but the thing is that there is absolutely no one behaving aggressively or even overly loud.

Something that I am a little bit concerned is how can a Finn of all nationalities be spoilt with little bit of a warm weather and spicy cuisine so fast. I have been truly freezing in the damp yet sunny Irish summer with three layers of clothing, while the locals are welcoming June with nothing but T-shirts and shorts. Also I didn't remember Fish and Chips tasting so very bland before.

Majestic scenery of Cliffs of Moher -- or so I was told. Couldn't see a damn thing through the fog.