Düsseldorf

In Düsseldorf I knew there would be no problems with accomodation. I knew Yu from Japan. She had nice little appartment in the center of Düsseldorf. Unfortunately she had to work both days so we had time only to go eat together.

She recommended a museum partly designed by Tadao Ando. It was not simple to get there so I bought myself sturdy breakfast.

3 euro breakfast

2 hours in trams and busses lead me to the entrance of the museum. After walking though small forest the scene opens and building appear into your path. The museum is separated to many buildings. Each building has different typology but share similar feeling and material.

The path that connects the different buildings together is beautiful park that seems like a forest. There are many ponds, meadows and some areas are covered in moss, which gives the park a feeling of japanese garden.

Shapes of the buildings are formed of squares and circles which is not surprising knowing Andos style.

Outer brick walls and inner white gave the buildings nice feeling. Glass windows with dirt and shadows on top of them were surprisingly beautiful.

Inside the museum there were art from ancient China and Egypt to modern day.

It did not quite open to me what was the idea behind the setting as all styles were mixed.

It was rather interesting to see Rembrants alongside dancing porcelain figures and so on.

In the evening we went to eat in the best korean restaurant i have been to. It was nice having good food and fun with the boss Cho and people of the restaurant.

Yu and Cho

Hamburg

Hitchhiking in Denmark was not easier than in Sweden. Never the less i had interesting conversations with  the drivers and learned what is important in growing cannabis and how to apply to airplane pilot school. It took 12 hours and 7 rides to get from Copenhagen to Hamburg where Jutta and her family was waiting.

My Stuff

I took a photo of all my stuff so if I lose them there will be something to show to the incurancecompany. Also I can show off to you my flawless collection of Björn Borg underwear! The picture is missing the 5 juggling balls I bought from Hamburg: blue, red, yellow, green and white.

Torge

Future Ferrari

It was my first time to couchsurf and was great. I felt really welcomed especially by Torge who impressed me with the original cannon design made out of trousers in LEGO (I made the red one!). They live in an old farmhouse that has been modified a bit to meet the needs of a family.

On the second night I spent 2 hours trying to find "Roggenmeel" from St.Pauli Rehberbahn but the shops there didnt offer what I was searching for and finally I found some from a supermarket in Allertal. Later in the evening we made some karelian pies that were appreciated by others also.

Karjalanpiirakkoja

Couch

They had many animals. Echo the dog was really good dog and the cat tried to follow its example.
There also were some ducks and goats and rabbits and guinea pigs.

Lasse, Emil and Echo

People in Hamburg are fairly irritated with the building being build beside river Elbe. Even though no one seems to have complaints about the appearance of the building every conversation I had about it had something to do with its costs being outrageous!

Hamburg philharmonic Concert hall

While hitchhiking to Düsseldorf I met Alexander who was going to same direction. We got few quite fast rides in autobahn with top speed 195km/h

Wollen Sie nach essen gehen?
Jaa!
Leider wir sind schon gegessen.

Copenhagen

Olafur Eliasson

When I got to Denmark I was not sure where I would sleep the next few night but as I had send few couch requests in http://www.couchsurfing.org . since my friends Jens and Tone will be there at the same time too I Knew I would have no problems with accommodation. I met my friends at the annual art exhibition and we wandered around for few hours. Jens and Tone were going home to Århus for the night so they asked few friends if I could stay over. Unfortunately their friend in Copenhagen was sick and another friend was helping her out so I had to rely on couchsurfing. 

Here below I have collected all the most interesting works for you to see. 

Random art

Jens and Tone (not in the picture) were my only contacts in Denmark

Please            45 000 Kr

Nice lines

Random art

Clothing from hair

Wawes are art

made with charcoal and knife

Random guy

Random art

John Kenn was my favourite in art fair
http://johnkenn.blogspot.com/

After checking the internet I saw that I have become homeless. So I did what obviously was the best alternative. I started drinking like any homeless person would. I met few german girls who told me that in their room is enough space for me also. In the same room was also another german lady who was visiting her relatives for 70th birthday. Later in the evening I paired with her to for a invincible team in billiards. This became my home for few days. Vielen danke Steffi, Jenny und Mutti.

The Second day for some reason I was not feeling too well and slept a lot. There was WM competition starting in Copenhagen and we saw some girls doing time-trials.

In the evening I tried to find a place to buy juggling balls from Christiania but it seems that they mostly sell weed there. So I am relying on Hamburg with those. Wandering around Christiania was really interesting. All the houses look self-made and the general atmosphere is really relaxed. If you go further past the dealing area you will find normal people living happily in this place that seems kind of happy utopia.

Time-Trial

Christiania

Christiania

Kristianstad (hitchhiking in Sweden)

Leaving Stockholm wasn´t as easy as I had thought. After the car of Johannes almost boiled we thought it is better for me to get to the best place to hitchhike by train. In the train i was thinking that travelling is too easy. I need challenge! After waiting my first ride for 2 hours I did not feel the same anymore!

Nalle Stolmannen was my first ride

Magnus offered me lunch even though i had some problems in my swedish

I had thought of taking a picture of all drivers with whom i get to have a ride. I have only 2 pictures so far with camera always in trunk or so.. Thanks to all who took me along.

It was suprisingly hard to get a ride in Sweden and Denmark. It took me 10 hours to get from Stockholm to Kristianstad with three rides and From Copenhagen to Hamburg I spent almost 12h with 7 different rides!

When I arrived to Germany I got ride to Hamburg in 10 minutes and some pasta mit pilzen.

It seems that people in the rich north are afraid that I might steal the car or something even though I don't concider myself to look too scary. Many pretend not to see me. I noticed that all the people who took me along were quite confident and happy and very nice company. 

Although there was one ride in Sweden that made me rather wary. He stopped at Mjölby where I was waiting and we drove all the way to Kristianstad. He was russian but looked a bit like south american. He wore a black pinstripe suit and smoked in chain. He told me many kinds of stories and it was quite hard to recognize which were true. When it seemed like it will be really late that we get to south of sweden he offered me a place to sleep. At first I was a bit reluctant but still I thought that it was better option than to hitchhike in the middle of the night. He had 8 children and strange style in the house also. His wife made really good rice and we watched a bit Transformers 2. In the morning i said farewells and headed to Copenhagen by train. In the end he was really kind to me and helped me a lot and it proves that people are always what they appear to be.

Chinese style stereoset in Kristianstad

Morning in Kristianstad

In the Centerof Kristianstad I was a bit shocked with the construction project of a department store. I don´t know if the demolished buildings were nice and what will come in place but from what I saw it looks like the swedish constructors do not appreciate the past too much.  

Nice artwork in Malmö trainstation

Stockholm

Happy arrival to Stockholm

Karim accepted to take a photo of me in front of the city.
He spoke many languages and gave me good advise in morocco

Class reunion continues. Anniina had to leave to Amsterdam

we had pizza and nice chat and then she left in the next morning. Then I was together with her fiance Johannes. Now as I am writing this he is calculating the coordinates for opposite point of earth for Turku 22.224E 60.359N  (the city I started the trip). The point locates at 157.776W -60.359S

I wish fireregulations in Finland were the same as in Stockholm
few hundred years ago

What does this mean?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSNhk5ICTI

So long Finland!

Rearview from Silja Galaxy

Seeing my home slowly fading to horizon i feel exited about the upcoming adventures. At the same time i feel a bit tired and will take soon small nap.

Confrontation with another ship!

When I entered onboard i surely was not prepared for such an exiting trip.

I must say breakfast with bacon and fruits, confrontation with another ship, tax free shopping, beautiful scenery and finally a grand show with magician and exotic dancers, I say!

Surely a worthy beginning for trip to remember!

Soon the ship will embark and I will meet Anniina and Johannes,

But that is yet an another adventure!