Nature – Blue Moment

Day 24: Natural History

March 1, 2026March 1, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Africa, Nature, Travelling, WildlifeTagged 365 Project, History, Nature, South Africa, TravelLeave a comment

When I was a kid, I remember visiting the Helsinki Natural History Museum. The exhibit that impressed me most was a calf with two heads (still there today). Otherwise, I remember it being quite ‘dusty’ and stiff. It was very different from today’s museums.

Entering the Iziko South African Museum felt like a return to the late 80s, with glass cases filled with rather poor examples of taxidermy… until we wandered into the new side with the dinosaur and shark exhibits. They were cool! Very cool!

The main picture today is a giant fig tree in the Company’s Garden just outside the museum. It is approx 150–175 years old, so you can quite fairly classify it as well within Natural History.

Day 23: Cape Winelands and impossible-to-spell Franschhoek

February 28, 2026March 1, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Africa, Family, Nature, Outdoors, Travelling, WildlifeTagged 365 Project, Activities, Alanna, family, Kiara, Nature, Outdoors, Scenery, South Africa, TravelLeave a comment

I love proper breakfast. Whenever I find the time, I cook different dishes even just for myself. I adore eggs in all forms, sauces, mushrooms, avo, bacon, salmon, yogurt, jams… you name it. Funnily enough, breakfast is the only meal Stuart does not cook. And rarely eats.

But there was no need to twist his arm to get him to enjoy a great breakfast in Franschhoek. The market was even on, so we spent a good few hours around town before taking a scenic drive to Vredenheim Wine Estate to meet the whole wider family for lunch.

A day of beauty and decadence.

And yes, despite visiting Franschhoek at least 15 times over the years, I still need to check the spelling every time…

Vredenheim has a park for big cats. These white tigers were not getting along…

Day 20: The best of the ocean

February 22, 2026February 28, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Africa, Alanna, Kiara, Nature, Travelling, Water, WildlifeTagged 365 Project, Alanna, Kiara, Nature, South AfricaLeave a comment

We are not beach people. I like swimming in a salty water only slightly more than Stuart likes getting sand on his Kindle. The girls like the idea of the beach, but are not keen on the waves or the heat – so always choose the pool when given a choice. None of this means we don’t want to GO to the beach. Alanna plays with sand, Kiara hunts for shells and I take photos. We just don’t want to stay there.

So, we enjoyed the Atlantic ocean in the Cape Town Aquarium. And why not? Even I find it magnificent!

Day 19: Petting Zoo with a View

February 21, 2026February 28, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Africa, Alanna, Kiara, Nature, Outdoors, TravellingTagged 365 Project, Activities, Alanna, Kiara, Nature, Outdoors, Scenery, South Africa, TravelLeave a comment

Alanna loves everything that is alive. Dogs, cats, cows and raindeers are obviously cuddly, but she also thinks that snakes are cute and spends evenings thinking how she could catch and release a mosquito without killing it.

Fantasy animals are even better. She started with unicorns and magical cats, but currently we are in a lenghty werewolf phase. Her howl is becoming pretty realistic.

Imhoff Farm with its petting zoo is Alanna’s happy place. Kiara agrees, as she thrives with the active interaction with the animals – and on all the playgrouds and climbing trees.

For parents, a good view, good food and a glass of wine are all that’s needed.

On the way back we also stopped in Hout Bay for ice cream.

Day 18: Meet the Penguins

February 19, 2026February 28, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Africa, Nature, Outdoors, TravellingTagged 365 Project, Nature, Outdoors, South Africa, TravelLeave a comment

Boulders beach, and its colony of African penguins, is one of my favourite spots in the world. On my first visit in 2006, I stayed in the hotel there and spent the night listening to a couple… fighting(?) under my window. Despite the poorly slept night, in the morning I had the beach all to myself and I spent a glorious few hours taking pictures.

With increasing tourism and reducing penguin numbers, the city is trying to protect the colony by enforcing stricter separation between penguins and people. So you rarely see them wondering along the streets anymore. But the charm is still there.

A walking penguin always looks like it is going somewhere with great purpose. Or at least it thinks it is on a Very Important Business.

Day 17: Heat and Wine

February 18, 2026February 28, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Africa, Family, Nature, Outdoors, TravellingTagged 365 Project, Children, family, Outdoors, Scenery, South Africa, Travel2 Comments

It was hot today… 35C at highest. I am not sure if I have just forgotten what it normally feels like, or if I have lost my heat survival mode after living four years in Finland.

We battled the heat with excessive time in the pool and relaxed walk in the (shady) forest. In the evening, when it started to cool down slightly, we headed out to a nearby winery with a quirky restaurant. Cold white wine and a frozed daiquiri improve any night.

Day 15: Wild Ocean

February 15, 2026February 28, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Africa, Alanna, Kiara, Nature, Outdoors, Travelling, WaterTagged 365 Project, Alanna, Children, Kiara, Nature, Outdoors, Scenery, South Africa, TravelLeave a comment

Hermanus was windy today and the waves were majestic – and loud! It is almost hypnotic to watch them crash againsg the shore and seabirds fighting the wind (or hiding from it).

The waves carry shells, pieces of coral and other interesting bits and pieces onto the shore. We had to limit both girls to four treasures per beach to ensure our clothes will still fit into the suitcases for the journey home.

A good day to get out of the hospital.

Day 8: Ice crystals

February 7, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Finland, Makro, Nature, OutdoorsTagged 365 Project, Finland, Makro, Nature, Outdoors, WinterLeave a comment

We have a big glassed-in terrace in our back garden. When the temperature stays below zero for several days in a row, the glass gets covered in ice crystals. It looks like it belongs in the ice palace from Narnia (or Frozen, for the girls’ generation). Trying to take pictures of it is impossible, though. A photo never compares.

Day 3: Winter Wonderland

February 2, 2026February 2, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Espoo, Finland, Nature, OutdoorsTagged 365 Project, Espoo, Finland, Nature, Outdoors, Scenery, WinterLeave a comment

The first time Stuart visited Finland was for Christmas 2010. It was an exceptional December. Over one metre of snow blanketed Helsinki, and the city was running out of places to plough it. Parking lots and walkways disappeared under snow mountains in an attempt to keep the streets clear. The temperature dropped below –27°C the day before Christmas Eve in Asikkala, where we were spending the holidays.

Everyone kept saying how rare that winter was, but I don’t think Stuart truly understood it until we moved here. The past four winters have shown how much muddier a typical coastal winter is. Because of the sea, day temperatures rise above 0°C on more than half (sometimes two-thirds) of days in January and February. Snow melts, turns slushy and heavy, mixes with sand and dirt, and becomes cold mud. Not exactly postcard-perfect winter scenery – at least not before the next snowfall briefly covers it all again.

Therefore, even with numb fingers, a frozen-solid car, and limited time outdoors, I love these crisp, sunny, beautiful winter days. You can see the cold in the air and the way light reflects.

–10°C would be perfectly fine, though. –20°C is pushing it.

Day 161 – Narrow depth of field

August 29, 2017September 25, 2017Posted in 365 Project, Johannesburg, Makro, Nature, OutdoorsLeave a comment

I like shooting with very wide depth of field and push the boundaries on ‘almost HDR’ (with a single image, tho). But it is early summer and the little details are so much more beautiful than the whole.