Rub’ al Khali (The Empty Quarter) desert.
Mia and I relaxing and enjoying the breathtaking view of The Empty Quarter Desert. The Rule of Thirds: This is one of my favorites when it comes to photographic composition. I love to see photos that are off-centered. I believe my hubby did a great job capturing Mia and I as we enjoyed one of those special serene moments in life we will never forget!
This is the amazing view we saw sometime after 1:00 a.m. from the glass igloo before falling asleep on March 29, 2014! The experience of a lifetime!!
My family and I took the adventure of a lifetime this past weekend when we boarded a plane for a short one and a half hour trip up to Northern Lapland, Finland. We stayed at the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort in Saariselkä. We decided to stay in one of the log cabins for the first two nights after reading some reviews and did the last night in the glass igloo (no shower, only a sink and toilet), but overall more spacious than we thought it would be. It ended up being one of the most exciting adventures of our lives!
We flew into the very small Ivalo airport and were picked up by a transfer bus to the resort. We were then dropped off right in front of our cabin and given our key. It was very convenient and the staff was very friendly (the owner who claims to be Santa’s brother even gave Mia a stuffed reindeer). They served us and the rest of the small group on our bus dinner at the restaurant even though we didn’t arrive until sometime close to 11:00 p.m. Breakfast and dinner were included, but I would recommend asking for their á la carte menu for more local choices for the dinner.
We were so determined to see an amazing show from the northern lights before we move in less than two months and we not only had one evening with an amazing show, we were completely shocked when we saw them 2 nights in a row (over one hour each night)!! The first evening was too cloudy, so we waited and waited the next evening and finally saw them sometime after 11:00 p.m. on Friday evening. One couple was so excited about seeing them that they got engaged right in front of us!! We gave up around midnight on Saturday evening after standing in the cold for so long, but then saw this amazing sight in the photo above sometime after 1:00 a.m.! We ran outside in the cold again and watched an even better show than the night before!! Everyone around us was so excited and I even had to email 4 different groups of people photos that we took to those who couldn’t take a clear enough shot from their cameras. It was a very exciting weekend for all of us at the resort!!
This was right after we landed. Transfer bus to the glass igloos! We were so excited!!
This was the cozy 2-bedroom cabin we stayed in the first two nights. It included a kitchen, living area, dining area, fireplace and also a sauna in the master bathroom.
Mia and I in front of the glass igloos. There are only three rows of them (20 in total). A very special serene setting on a hill.
This is Mia and I in front of one of the beautiful glass igloos lit up before dark.
Wow!!! The beautiful Northern Lights! Amazing things happen to those who wait… very patiently! The show of a lifetime!!
One of the happiest moments of my life… standing in front of the northern lights! Amazing!!!
It looks like the northern lights are coming right out of the Snow Chapel! Breathtaking!!
This is the only shot with Mia in it before she fell asleep on a sled at midnight all bundled up in blankets! She said she had her best sleep on that sled under the stars!
Danny in front of the beautiful northern lights. We worked so hard together trying to get the lights to show up in our shots with us in them. Photographing the auroras was extremely challenging while you are freezing!!
This shows one half of the beautiful arch from the northern lights.
This is one of my favorite shots from Saturday evening (March 29, 2014)!
I was so excited to be standing in front of such an amazing show from the northern lights… one of the most exciting moments of my life!
This is a day shot of the area (snow chapel) where we viewed the amazing northern lights! I believe this is the best location at the resort to see them with no trees blocking your view.
Entrance sign at the Igloo Village Kakslauttanen.
There are many beautiful art pieces around the resort. This one was my favorite!
My family and I really enjoyed our weekend trip to the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort and overall had an amazing experience that we will never forget! For more information on the resort, you can visit:
Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort in Saariselkä, Finland 99830.
For more information about Aurora Hunting and photography tips (I stumbled upon an article with Andy Keen and found his tips which were a great help to me although I still have lots to learn). I do hope to experience his “The Great Aurora Hunt” in Norway one day… what a dream that would be! Please visit:
For more information on the best times to see Auroras, please visit these two very helpful sites (I checked these often before our trip and almost every 15 minutes during our trip):
Aurora Forecast (Includes the very important Kp tracker while aurora hunting. We only needed a Kp2 to see the auroras since we were so far north).
My next post will include our first experience ever snow skiing and snowboarding as well as our visit to Santa’s Home at Santa’s Resort. We can now mark another Red Pin Adventure off our Travel Bucket List:
Stay in a glass igloo in Lapland (see an amazing aurora borealis show)!
I have three photos to share for this weeks photo challenge. The first one is one of my favorite shots from our trip this past year to Paris. The guy in the background with the black jacket and his eyes closed was so peaceful and was handing out bird seed to people in the street to feed the birds. When we tried to pay him for it, he refused our money and just filled our hands with the seeds. He was one of those people who seemed so peaceful and fulfilled in life. As soon as I got over the surprise of the birds landing in my hands, I could feel the peacefulness that he must feel while feeding the birds, which I assume is often. I will be forever grateful for this wonderful experience on the streets in Paris!
This is me feeling free as a bird at the Notre Dame Cathedral.
This second photo is of a couple that I feel was just as peaceful in life and didn’t care what anyone thought in the beautiful streets of Tallinn, Estonia. They were just happy to be relaxing and soaking up the sun!
One of the cutest older couples I have ever seen!
My last photo from the streets is of the Naked Invisible Man in Tallinn, Estonia. It’s truly amazing what you can find just walking around the streets of a new place you are exploring!
We enjoyed saying hello to the Naked Invisible Man at the Viru Gates. 😉
I thought this turned out to be an interesting shot from Gatorland in Florida. I had lived in Florida for 25 years and never made it to this popular attraction until right before we moved to Finland. My family and I had a lot of fun!
Four scary prehistoric looking gators piled on top of each other with this beautiful white crane just taking a nice leisurely stroll in the water right behind them…
A beautiful white crane taking a leisurely stroll behind four scary gators!
2013 is coming to an end and this is what is coming to my mind, “Oh my, what a year it has been!” For my family and I, it will always be a year that we will never forget. It was filled with excitement, laughter, ups and downs, and even some “what the heck were we thinking” moments! This was the year that our family decided to donate 3/4 of our belongings, remove toxic people and things from our lives, move to Finland with only suitcases, and basically simplify our lives in so many ways. We also spent a lot of time focusing on our travel bucket list, and as we reflect on this past year, we have so much to be grateful for.
A few weeks before we moved to Finland, I received this email on Facebook from one of my high school classmates who I hadn’t seen in many years:
The email that started “Travel Rocks for Jaedyn.”
My friend lost her baby girl, Jaedyn, at only 16 months old after a tragic accident. Jaedyn would have been 10 years old this year. Since I can remember, my daughter Mia has always picked up rocks wherever we went. She has probably picked up a thousand by now! I would find them everywhere… at the bottom of my purse, in my pockets, her pockets, and her daddy’s pockets. She even has a very nice collection of them on her window sill in her room in Finland. So, after receiving this email from my friend, I knew this was a perfect job for my family and we started to pick up rocks for Jaedyn on our trips that we went on. Here is a photo of precious Jaedyn which was taken only three weeks before the accident:
The little angel who has been traveling with us this past year: Jaedyn
Here are photos of the jar we made for her travel rocks and also photos from her gravesite where her mommy joined us to give the rocks to her a few days ago:
We put the rocks we collected for Jaedyn in little bags and wrote where they are each from and put them in this purple jar.
Jaedyn’s beautiful gravesite where we placed her jar of travel rocks a few days ago.
The jar of Travel Rocks for Jaedyn along with some other rocks that people have collected for her. She’s traveling the world!
I will end 2013 with this photo of my daughter Mia with one of her rocks she has collected and a quote that I love about when a child gives you a rock. I would also love to hear any of my fellow bloggers’ stories about their children and rocks as well as any special things that you do for those who have passed. Thank you all for following along. I wish you a very Happy 2014 and a new year of peace and many exciting adventures!
Mia and one of her many rocks she collects with one of my favorite quotes. Happy New Year from Red Pin Adventures! ~Christine
Mia and I in front of two classic London Icons (a black cab & a red double-decker bus). I love that one of the cab drivers has an Old Guys Rule shirts on!
This is part three of a three-part series of our London, England Adventure. This post will include some of the remaining photos that we took while touring London. I hope that you have enjoyed my posts from England!
Here are a few photos of London Icons:
Mia sitting on one of the green & white relaxing chairs at St. James’s Park. It was so nice to just stop and relax for about 20 minutes to take a break from exploring.
The London Bridge Sign.
A classic red telephone booth close to St. Paul’s Cathedral.
“Hahn/Cock” sculpture by Katharina Fritsch at Trafalgar Square.
Mia and I in front of classic red telephone booths. Mia asked, “What’s a telephone booth?!” Boy, did that make us feel old! This was the first time she has ever seen one. 🙂
The Ghost Bus Tours
London Tip #7: Check closing times for all attractions as many close earlier than you might expect. After living in Central Florida for the past 25 years, we have been used to places staying open pretty late for tourists especially in the summer. However, it seems that places in Europe close much earlier. Therefore, you must plan accordingly to make sure that you fit as much in as possible especially if you only have a few days in London.
London has to have some of the most beautifully designed architecture in the world. Many of the buildings have such detail that you cannot help wanting to stop and just look around and enjoy all of it. St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower Bridge really stood out to me and were truly breathtaking. Here are a few more photos from our adventure:
St. Paul’s Cathedral.
The amazing detail of St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Columns at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
The beautiful St. Paul’s Cathedral.
The beautiful Tower Bridge taken from the London Bridge.
Tower Bridge taken from the top of a double-decker bus.
Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge.
Mia and Danny at Trafalgar Square.
Mia and I at Trafalgar Square.
Nelson’s Column at Trafalgar Square.
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square.
One of the many lion statues in London.
Clock on Fleet Street.
Statue of Queen Elizabeth on Fleet Street.
Sunday Post building on Fleet Street.
The Royal Courts of Justice.
Banners along Regent St. to celebrate 60 years since the coronation of The Queen.
Saying goodbye to London! We hope to visit again one day!
Our next planned adventure in Europe will be our first trip to Paris! It is already time for me to start researching where and what we should explore there. Please let me know if anyone has any tips or suggestions on must sees there!
One of my favorite photos from our trip: Big Ben and a red double-decker bus which I took while riding on the top of a double-decker bus. A must-see at least once in your lifetime!
I am finally continuing with my London posts. It has been a very busy time for us as we were moving to a little bigger place the last couple of days. Mia has her own bedroom now, so she was very happy to unpack her toys that have been in storage. She also started her first day of 1st grade today and had a great day which was a big relief for us! I couldn’t sleep last night and was so nervous for her, but it all turned out fine and we are very happy with her new teacher!
This is post number two in a three-part series from our recent adventure in London, England. In this post, I will feature Big Ben, the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, & the London Eye. All but Westminster Abbey have an amazing view along the Thames River and were a short walk from our hotel.
Continuing from my last post, this is London Tip #5: The Golden Jubilee Bridge that is right next to Big Ben and the one you cross over to get to the London Eye gets unbelievably crowded! However, you can get some of the best photos in this area, so you may want to visit it earlier in the day or right before sunset to avoid a million people in your photos with you!
Big Ben has to be one of the most recognizable structures in the world. It was so impressive to see in person and reminded me of one of my favorite movies, Hook. It is one of those places when you see it for the first time in real life, you just say “Wow, that is amazing!” Here are a few photos of Big Ben & The Palace of Westminster (click on photos for a larger image):
For more information about touring the Houses of Parliament, please visit: Houses of Parliament Please note: Only permanent UK residents are allowed to tour Elizabeth Tower and Big Ben.
Westminster Abbey was my favorite place that we toured while in London. This is certainly worth the price of admission and has many surprises inside! It is not just an old gothic church, but a place filled with rich history (founded in 960) and also has an impressive collection of artwork. It is the coronation church and also the final resting place and memorial site of many significant people. King Edward’s Chair, the throne which is used for coronations is also housed here.
London Tip #6: Do not pass up touring the inside of Westminster Abbey! If you only have one day, I would suggest taking the time to tour this church. Also, do not be intimidated by the line to get it. It moved very quickly for us and was worth the 20-30 minutes we waited in line. I would also recommend the Cellarium Cafe which is perfect for a nice break with afternoon tea and light snacks.
Here are a few photos from Westminster Abbey (please note: photography and filming are not allowed while you are touring the inside of the Abbey):
The beautiful entrance to Westminster Abbey.
For more information about touring Westminster Abbey, please visit: Westminster Abbey
The London Eye was within walking distance to where we stayed and was of course one of those things in London that you just have to do! It is located in the South Bank right along the Thames River. We were able to see so much of London from the top and you get to see out for a distance of about 25 miles from the top. The views from the London Eye are absolutely breathtaking and was definitely something that we are glad that we were able to experience. I would love to experience it at night the next time we visit as I am sure it would be very beautiful with all of the city lights on.
Here are a few photos from our experience on the London Eye:
The London Eye and the Thames River.
Mia and I having fun on the London Eye!
The amazing view from the London Eye!
Mia enjoying the London Eye!
For more information about the London Eye, please visit: London Eye
You can read part 1 of this series at the following link: London Part 1
Above photo: My favorite photo I took from the event, the breathtaking Mexican Tall Ship, Cuauhtemoc!
What an exciting time to arrive in Finland! We were very excited to be able to experience The Tall Ships Races right here in the neighborhood that we just moved to!
Over 100 vessels were here this weekend for the races which began on July 17th and continued until July 20th. The event ended with the Parade of Sails, when the ships go onto the next Tall Ships Races location, the Port of Riga, Latvia. The races will later end in Szczecin, Poland the first week of August, 2013.
We enjoyed viewing all of the beautiful ships on Thursday, July 17th after they were all docked:
The highlight of the event was watching the departure of all of the beautiful ships during the Parade of Sails event on Saturday, July 20th:
We were a little sad to have to say goodbye to all of the ships. What an amazing experience it was to see so many beautiful vessels in one weekend/location:
For more information on this event, please visit:
http://www.tallshipsraceshelsinki.fi/
Mia and I were finally able to see where her daddy has been working since November. We had a great time visiting the office on Friday and meeting some of his co-workers. Many were on their summer holiday, so we will try to visit again after the summer is over. Mia thought that her daddy’s office was a very cool place to work!!
Mia and I at the entrance to the office.
A cool display in the lobby.
Mia and I sitting on one of the chairs in the store.
One of the cool work spaces!
Mia and her daddy at the cool slingshot display.
A fun work/play area.
Mia and I having fun at one of the little break areas.
One of the cool meeting rooms. Mia loved this room!
Mia had a lot of fun writing on one of the creative boards.
Mia and I in the Mighty Eagle room! These two girls are ready for business! 😉
One of the drink coolers at the office.
Mia was checking out the beautiful view at the office!
We decided to take our first journey on the train today and made it downtown. We celebrated the 4th of July at the Hard Rock Cafe Helsinki. They were giving 20% off to anyone from the U.S.A. today!
We also went across the street to check out their big department store called Stockmann. It was really nice and we ran into a reindeer!
They were celebrating the 4th of July at the Hard Rock Cafe today!
Made it to the Stockmann Dept. Store downtown today and found a reindeer!
We arrived safely in Helsinki late Saturday afternoon, and have been busy unpacking and exploring all of the different areas around us. After the first day, we knew we needed to find Mia something to help her get around. We have been doing so much walking, so we found her a cute little scooter to easily keep up with us. She is really getting around great now and having a lot of fun with it!
The time zone difference (7 hours ahead of Orlando) has really been tough on us these first couple of days. It is also daylight out most of the time. The sun set on our first night around 11:00 p.m. and then sunrise was at 3:58 a.m.!!! We have to wear sleep masks just to try to keep some of the light out to sleep (we have blackout shades on some of the windows too). On our second night, we were wide awake from 2 a.m. to around 6 a.m. We went out for a walk/scooter ride at 3 a.m. and made it over to Mia’s school so she could see it. Not one soul was out! I was a little surprised since this is the capital city of Finland! We have been here for almost 4 days now, and I have yet to see a police car or officer and have not heard any sirens from ambulance or police. Seems very strange for a big city. I heard at least two or three a day in Central Florida! It is certainly a nice peaceful change. It is also refreshing to see so many people out with their families, walking their dogs, bike riding, and just simply enjoying this beautiful weather!
Danny was back to work Monday morning and we start to look at new places tomorrow. However, we are really enjoying the simplicity of going from a 4 bedroom home to a cute little studio apartment with a view of the beautiful canal…. Not sure if we really need a little bigger place anymore! We’ll see how tomorrow goes. 🙂
Photo of Mia and her amazing dog, Audrey before we left. She was originally my parent’s dog, but quickly grew attached to Mia after she was born. Grateful that my parents are watching our two dogs while we are away. Not a day goes by that Mia is not talking about her dog. They are like two peas in a pod! 😥
Made it to the Airport with all 15 of our bags! A big thanks to my brother, Richard for getting us there. Whew!!
In Orlando, getting ready to board our flight to Manchester.
On the plane, ready to go!! Not sure why Mia wanted to show off her toothbrush they gave her! Lol Total travel time was about 14 hours from Orlando to Finland.
First part of our flight was from Orlando to Manchester. 2 hour layover, then to Helsinki! Whew… it was a long journey!
Ready to explore! We hit the ground running (and scootering)! Mia on one of our journeys out to explore the area!
Our cute little studio apartment. Love it!
View from our apartment! So peaceful!
Mia having fun on her new scooter at 3 a.m. We were wide awake (it was only 8 p.m. Florida time)!
A cool sculpture on one of our many walks. Hope someone can tell me the name of this beautiful sculpture!
I will end with a glimpse of the perfect weather and the sunrise/sunset times!
Here we go!!!! We are finally all packed and ready to go! Moving to Finland in less than 20 hours!!!! Our master bedroom turned into packing central this past week. Only moving with suitcases and donated about 3/4 of all of our belongings to various charities and friends in need. Whew…. It feels great to simplify our lives and we are now ready for our adventure in Europe!! We will miss you all!! ♥
The beginning of all the packing! Moving with only suitcases!
A bunch of our furniture went to the Salvation Army today. This was the 2nd truck to visit our home for the move. Feeling great! 🙂
Finally all packed and ready to go!!
The big day is almost here… We will be flying to Finland tomorrow!!! It has been a very busy week getting everything packed, but we are looking forward to starting our new adventure! I am finally posting the photos from our trip back to my homeland. It was an amazing experience and also a very emotional one. It was so nice to see all of our family in Japan after so many years and also to meet many of them who were not born until after we moved away. I had forgotten how beautiful it was… It felt like we were in paradise!!
First evening in Okinawa. Dinner with some of our family!
June 5, 2013. — at Okinawa｜沖縄.
Our first evening together with our family!
What an amazing view! at Itoman-Shi, Okinawa.
Such a peaceful place! — in Itoman-shi, Okinawa.
My mom at the WWII memorial site. She is pointing out her uncle and great grandfather.
The Cornerstone of Peace Memorial.
Mia and her daddy enjoying some beach time at sunset. — at Araha Beach Okinawa Japan.
So cool… meeting my Aunt for the first time at the airport and her purse matched my wallet! I gave it to her as a gift before we left! 🙂
Mia and her cousin feeding Koi fish.
This is a cave that I visited 30 years ago on a school field trip! It was amazing! — at Gyokusendou Caves.
Mia and I with our cousin — at Gyokusendou Caves.
At Gyokusendou Caves.
A beautiful waterfall in the cave. — at Gyokusendou Caves.
Being brave at the Habu Snake show! — at Habu Museum Park, Okinawa.
Having fun on our last full day in Okinawa! — at Okinawa world.
Mia and I having fun in front of the beautiful Shisa dogs. — at Okinawa world.
At my Aunt’s home for an amazing family dinner!
Our family butsudan at my Aunt’s house.
Mia and her cousin having fun!
Danny enjoying some good food and drink!
Mia and I on the balcony where we stayed in Okinawa… very close to where I was born! June 9, 2013. — at Okinawa｜沖縄.
Danny and I at the beach where we stayed. We are very happy to be back together again! ♥
Mia having fun at the playground close to where we stayed… June 9, 2013. — at Pirate Ship Park, Araha Beach.
Our family at my Aunt’s house.
Mia and her cousin enjoying the yummy dinner my family prepared for us. It was amazing!!
Mia playing with all of her cousins! They had a blast together!
Mia and her cousin. They are the same age and only one day apart! March 15th and March 16th. 🙂
Mia trying on her cousin’s cool school backpack.
At Camp Lester… where I was born!
Where it all began… My mom and I in front of the hospital where my older brother and I were born in the same room, by the same doctor, and exactly two years apart! We were told that this hospital would be torn down later this year. So glad that we made it back when we did!
We had a lot of fun on a glass bottom boat tour to see all of the beautiful coral and fish. It was unbelievable!
Having fun on the glass bottom boat ride!
Mia and I on the beach. Mia and her daddy made a note in the sand for me. 🙂
My family enjoying an afternoon together at the beautiful aquarium…. — at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium.
Entrance to the Churaumi Aquarium.
Mia and I enjoying the beautiful view… — at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium.
An amazing tank at the Aquarium!
Mia posing with a cool fish at the aquarium.
At my family gravesite. Reunited with my mom’s Uncle and his wife. We had to cut through the jungle behind us to get to it…. Luckily, there were about 12 of us to hike through it together. Yikes!!!
We made it through the jungle to my family’s gravesite.
Danny introduced my Great Aunt to Angry Birds! Now all of my family in Okinawa are playing the game!
This was on the drive to Motobu to visit my family’s gravesite.
Grocery shopping… Holy Daikon! — at Okinawa｜沖縄.
Our last dinner in Okinawa. We miss all of the yummy food!
I will end with one of my favorite photos from our trip. Mia couldn’t stop laughing from these Doctor Fish! 😉
Red Pin Adventures 