Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Helsinki, Finland - Frozen Sea

Helsinki is the capital of Finland. Founded in 1550, the "Daughter of the Baltic" has been the Finnish capital since 1812, when it was rebuilt by the tsars of Russia along the lines of a miniature St. Petersburg, a role it has played in many a Cold War movie.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Tallinn, Estonia - Christmas Tree

The small and enchanting cobbled streets of Tallinn are brought to life during the winter period with a light dusting of snow on rooftops and pavements.

On the north-eastern edge of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe, and as such the old town area is included in Unesco's world heritage list. The aura of the 14th and 15th centuries survives intact in Tallinn's old town, through its jumble of medieval walls and turrets, needling spires and winding cobbled streets. The city can be easily explored on foot, which is the best way to see the historic old town and absorb the atmosphere and bright activity of its bustling squares.

Like other Baltic capitals, Tallinn's main square is the center of celebrations for New Year's Eve. Private parties, concerts, and balls are hosted by restaurants, hotels, clubs, and other venues to ring in the new year. If you plan to stick out the evening in Tallinn's squares, dress warmly - the Estonian capital is cold in December!

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Tallinn, Estonia - Old Street

The small and enchanting cobbled streets of Tallinn are brought to life during the winter period with a light dusting of snow on rooftops and pavements.

On the north-eastern edge of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe, and as such the old town area is included in Unesco's world heritage list. The aura of the 14th and 15th centuries survives intact in Tallinn's old town, through its jumble of medieval walls and turrets, needling spires and winding cobbled streets. The city can be easily explored on foot, which is the best way to see the historic old town and absorb the atmosphere and bright activity of its bustling squares.

Like other Baltic capitals, Tallinn's main square is the center of celebrations for New Year's Eve. Private parties, concerts, and balls are hosted by restaurants, hotels, clubs, and other venues to ring in the new year. If you plan to stick out the evening in Tallinn's squares, dress warmly - the Estonian capital is cold in December!

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a conservation area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated 180 km west of Arusha in the Crater Highlands area of Tanzania. The Ngorongoro Crater, a large volcanic caldera, lies within the area.
A population of approximately 25,000 large animals, largely ungulates along with reputedly the highest density of mammalian predators in Africa, lives in the crater. Large animals in the crater include the black rhinoceros, the local population of which declined from about 108 in 1964-66 to between 11-14 in 1995, and the hippopotamus, which is very uncommon in the area. There also are many other ungulates: the wildebeest (7,000 estimated in 1994), the zebra (4,000), the eland, and Grant's and Thompson's gazelles (3,000).
The crater has the densest known population of lions, numbering 62 in 2001. On the crater rim are leopards, elephants – numbering 42 in 1987 but only 29 in 1992 – mountain reedbuck, and buffalo (4,000 in 1994). In the middle of the crater there is a large lake inhabited by hundreds of flamingoes and from a distance, they appear as a pink border of the lake.
Aside from herds of zebra, gazelle, and wildebeest, the crater is home to the "big five" of rhinoceros, lion, leopard, elephant, and buffalo. The crater plays host to almost every individual species of wildlife in East Africa, with an estimated 25 000 animals within the crater.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Helsinki, Finland - I Wanna Be A Star ;)

Helsinki is the capital of Finland. Founded in 1550, the "Daughter of the Baltic" has been the Finnish capital since 1812, when it was rebuilt by the tsars of Russia along the lines of a miniature St. Petersburg, a role it has played in many a Cold War movie. Today, Helsinki pulls off the trick of being something of an international metropolis while still retaining a small-town feel. The best time to visit is in summer, when Finns peel off their overcoats and flock to outdoor bars and cafes to enjoy the sunshine.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Tallinn, Estonia - Christmas Tree

The small and enchanting cobbled streets of Tallinn are brought to life during the winter period with a light dusting of snow on rooftops and pavements.
On the north-eastern edge of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe, and as such the old town area is included in Unesco's world heritage list. The aura of the 14th and 15th centuries survives intact in Tallinn's old town, through its jumble of medieval walls and turrets, needling spires and winding cobbled streets. The city can be easily explored on foot, which is the best way to see the historic old town and absorb the atmosphere and bright activity of its bustling squares.
Like other Baltic capitals, Tallinn's main square is the center of celebrations for New Year's Eve. Private parties, concerts, and balls are hosted by restaurants, hotels, clubs, and other venues to ring in the new year. If you plan to stick out the evening in Tallinn's squares, dress warmly - the Estonian capital is cold in December!

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Tallinn, Estonia - Fairy Tale

The small and enchanting cobbled streets of Tallinn are brought to life during the winter period with a light dusting of snow on rooftops and pavements.

On the north-eastern edge of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe, and as such the old town area is included in Unesco's world heritage list. The aura of the 14th and 15th centuries survives intact in Tallinn's old town, through its jumble of medieval walls and turrets, needling spires and winding cobbled streets. The city can be easily explored on foot, which is the best way to see the historic old town and absorb the atmosphere and bright activity of its bustling squares.

Like other Baltic capitals, Tallinn's main square is the center of celebrations for New Year's Eve. Private parties, concerts, and balls are hosted by restaurants, hotels, clubs, and other venues to ring in the new year. If you plan to stick out the evening in Tallinn's squares, dress warmly - the Estonian capital is cold in December!

Friday, January 4, 2013

Helsinki, Finland - Christmas Time

Helsinki is the capital of Finland. Founded in 1550, the "Daughter of the Baltic" has been the Finnish capital since 1812, when it was rebuilt by the tsars of Russia along the lines of a miniature St. Petersburg, a role it has played in many a Cold War movie. Today, Helsinki pulls off the trick of being something of an international metropolis while still retaining a small-town feel. The best time to visit is in summer, when Finns peel off their overcoats and flock to outdoor bars and cafes to enjoy the sunshine.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Tallinn, Estonia - Happy New Year

The small and enchanting cobbled streets of Tallinn are brought to life during the winter period with a light dusting of snow on rooftops and pavements.

On the north-eastern edge of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe, and as such the old town area is included in Unesco's world heritage list. The aura of the 14th and 15th centuries survives intact in Tallinn's old town, through its jumble of medieval walls and turrets, needling spires and winding cobbled streets. The city can be easily explored on foot, which is the best way to see the historic old town and absorb the atmosphere and bright activity of its bustling squares.

Like other Baltic capitals, Tallinn's main square is the center of celebrations for New Year's Eve. Private parties, concerts, and balls are hosted by restaurants, hotels, clubs, and other venues to ring in the new year.

If you plan to stick out the evening in Tallinn's squares, dress warmly - the Estonian capital is cold in December!