Foreign Ministers Jogging

(Look for the blond dude in the white 'Finland' top and blue bottoms)
Word on the (foreign policy analysis) street (of downtown Helsinki), is that Finland's newish foreign minister is good sort; very sharp, friendly and unpretentious, hard working and ambitious. But he is not camera shy! So when one of my colleagues said today "oh! look out the window! The foreign minister is going for a jog", of course he wasn't just going for a jog, oh no. First, interviews with three film crews, then smiles for numerous photographers, and then what looks like the relatively-fit half of the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs jogging as well. I bet he's great fun at a party too!

"This is my church": two Sundays in the forest

Two Sundays, two great days of climbing. Some pictures from this and last weekend. Last week on the Saturday evening, Dave and I went up to Valkeala, and camped over night. It was a beautiful starry night but cold - at least -15 oC. Drinking beer before camping when it's that cold is never a great idea as you always end up having to get up to go out a pee. I really must remember that, but then beer under a canopy of stars is great too.

Dave tarping. He claims he was snuggly and slept great.

My little Hubba. It seems to shed snow with ease.

Dave climbing at Lintojanvuori.

Dave seconding.

The end of a good day.

A frozen lake. Finland has a lot of those.

Today we went over to Kisko and despite temperatures hovering around freezing, had a good session with the ice feeling plastic and comforting in comparison to the scary brittleness that has typified the ice of this very cold winter. I even stopped in at Kauhala on the way home and soloed another 4 lines in about twenty minutes, jogging back down to the bottom of the cliff between routes. The hero-ice was just that good.

Dave climbing 'Bon Voyage', WI3+ at Kisko.

Me looking vaguely terrified whilst leading 'Tappisolu', WI3+, Kisko.

Dave thinking light thoughts whilst styling up the very skinny and steep dagger of 'Nilkkapilarit', WI4+.

Christmas Day jogging!

So in an effort not to be too slothful me and the missus went out for a run before stuffing ourselves at the traditional family huge Christmas dinner. I still feel stuffed now but at least we can feel smug that we ran five miles this morning unlike the rest of the family. The run is great as it follows a ridge of one of the highest hills around for a couple of miles giving good views in winter when the trees are not in leaf. But best of all there is a little lane that goes nearly to the top of the hill so my dad dropped us off by car at the highest point on the road and then you just need to jog uphill for a few hundred metres to the top of the hill! After than most of the routes is a long the flat or downhill. Despite misty conditions I took my camera, and for the first time ever tried uploading a clip onto YouTube. It's so easy! Why have I never bothered polluting the internet with pointless 30 second clips of film before? So it's not going to win any awards, but here is thirty seconds of running along a hill in Worcestershire for your amusement.

And here are a couple of pics: