Easy holiday moods

Every holiday has it's highlights and less nice moments. We prefer to take pictures of those easy and happy moments. When obstacles come on our way we often focus on solving the problems and not making any documentation. The story of our two and a half weeks time in Finland would be different if I would have taken pictures of our little arguments or when the wheel of our car got flat on a sandy road, when it was raining days and days, when we were tired of just driving to get to the next location, when everything is just so expensive and when I had to wear woolen socks in July :). Now we can laugh again to those typical grumpy moments.

Today I was watching all the nice pictures from our trip and missed already so many things and most of all the different colors, friendliness of people, our family and friends and all sensations and views. I could live again in Finland one day! I felt comfortable, I felt the power of the language and the environment making it easier to find out things and laugh about things. 

After living so many years away from my home country, I'm always surprised how easy I seem to fit in the system  as a visitor. Reality might be different and the flexibility that you develop after trying to adapt to new places during the years abroad made me a more adventurous mind than I used to be. The nordic way of living is more connected to Nature, but I'm afraid it's more conservative and less flexible than I remember. I love staying in Finland every summer, it's clearing my mind and giving me a boost of confidence, more clarity of mind. I'm planning to make a tour alone next year to see some people and friends that I lost a contact a bit. 

       

Back to this summer and back to energy giving moments. We were in many places: Kajaani, Sotkamo, Kuopio, Tammisaari and Helsinki. I have only pictures from Sotkamo and Tammisaari and I regret not taking more pictures. Maybe I was tired and we were just enjoying the flow of our vacation. Just a way it is supposed to be. There is no must and rush. 

Idyllic Tammisaari

  

We made a nice apple crumble with my friend

Silly pose dear, but the colors are nice!

Loving the softness of summer evenings

Maitohorsma- underrated beauty

The best holiday moments are sometimes just small sudden changes of light, wind, sounds and flying thoughts during the morning coffee. Experiencing the Nature and the details are giving a calm feeling and teaching bigger things about life and the existence. 

Warming up the Sauna

Petanque

Lake "Oulujärvi" and the Island "Ärjänsaari"on the background. 

We want to enjoy the last weeks of summer in Holland.It's quite hot compared to Finland right now, but it will change next week. I'm airing our house during the night and stay in the shadows during the days. Many people in our neighborhood stay hours and hours in the direct sun on a grass field by the canal. I do not see any fun in there. The most beautiful moments for me are the darker evenings of August when it's still possible to be outside. 

Then I breath in the air 

and sure remember  the fresh forest smell from Finland again.

And the laugh and the rhythm of the language

those sounds are staying in my head

making me smile

Rowing in  lake "Sapsojärvi" in Sotkamo

Bella primavera - Dreamy Italian spring

The sun and the hills at the Italian Riviera lightened my mind and gave us some time to enjoy the moment as a family. We were thankful for the invitation of our friends, to come and visit their holiday home this spring time. After an early flight to Nice, we drove along the coastline motorway to find this sleepy little village in Italy. One of those places where the time seems to have no big meaning and the historical walls of the houses are standing so wise, having seen so many secrets. 

It was not very hot yet, somewhere around +20 celsius! Our brave children were swimming so much at the pool and we had some great evenings by the barbecue, celebrating the friendship and even one birthday. The neighbors from the top of the hill came for a visit and it was nice to listen one more story of a Dutch family who found a piece of their dream from Italy. Earlier that day our men were helping them to build over 100 meter long fence to keep the wild pigs away from their yard. The physical work was rewarding. I think many people miss a bit this sort of challenge of using the body and mind to create something practical. Doing tasks outdoors can be like finding our inner child again and give different boost to our self confidence. The human beings are made for moving and staying healthy means challenging yourself every day a little bit.

I was walking the narrow, serpentine road down to the village a couple of times with my friend to get some fresh bread from the bakery early in the morning. The locals were bringing their kids from high hills to the bus stop in the valley with their small cars and waving for us. When we first time drove up the hill with our car, it felt a bit scary and we hoped not to face another car coming down, but you fast get used to the hight and the locals know how to give some space when passing.

Dolceacqua

We spent a quiet afternoon in a little village of Dolceacqua in the province of Imperia. Such a postcard view of historical houses by the river and between the hills. It was wonderful to walk in the small alleys surrounded by the richness of details and history. A little bit sleepy, filtered light of spring and awakening new season. For us the best time to visit Italy: not too hot and without too much tourists.

It is possible to visit the Castle of Doria on top of the hill. You walk a beautiful route in the shadows of the high stone houses, towards to sky and the nicely located ruins. We forgot the siesta time and could not enter the castle. We will do that next time. 

Hardly anybody walking, just our little family wondering. It must be quite a place in the dark hours, just little light sparkling from wall to wall and the sound of your shoes balancing on the ancient stones.

Bordighera

The coastline of Italian Riviera is full of interesting locations to visit. We spent our week near Ventimiglia between Monaco and San Remo. One day we drove to the stony beach in Bordighera and had a great lunch, the best during our holiday, at the restaurant Ristorante Romolo Amarea

Sandy beaches have their own charm, but I am fascinated of the round stones, created by the forces of waves. At every beach I visit, I'll walk around and choose a couple of treasures to take with me to home. 

  

We stayed quite near the French border in the area of Liguria on our holiday, but as you can see from the map, the Italian Riviera is quite long, there is so much to see. 

We had our last dinner with our friends with this pretty view (photo below)at the restaurant La Rampa in Dolceacqua. We had a simple, very Italian dinner with crispy pizza's and delicate pasta. Not the best during our stay, but in a very authentic atmosphere. The streetlights were on and the last sunlight just before the sunset created some extra magic.

Arrivederci bella Italia! 

Thank you for the inspiration and the possibility to enjoy the moment and forget everything just for one week.

It's a long time from my last post. Our thoughts have been focusing so much on these crisis we are facing at the moment. First all the worries caused by the covid-19 worldwide and now the horrible war situation in Ukraine. 

To be able to function and take care of ourselves, we also need something else to focus on. I've been practising yoga & pilates and trying to get my Dutch language certificate (Netherlands as second language). I've runned a lot this winter. My oldest child might soon move abroad, that's also a mental challenge for our family. Learning how to let go or "hold differently", like our wise friend said.