April 28–30: Vappu Eve
Vappu is a big May Day celebration, the beginning of traditional summer (that is, the quarter of the year with the most sunlight, with the summer solstice halfway through). It starts on the eve of May 1 and lasts throughout the day itself.
9764
New moon over the bay north of Katajanokka.
9765
Lights and a tiny bit of twilight across the bay.
9776
You can see the twilight a little bit better here, behind the trees.
9781
A dim light ensemble from our apartment block.
9783
Near sunset the next day: the sun getting pretty far into the northwest already.
9785
A lucky double sun reflection. I suppose the apparent position of the sun in the mirror was actually pretty much the sun's actual position if one had been able to see it through the wall, since the two reflections were off parallel surfaces.
9788
During midday, the sun was getting pretty high up at this point, relatively speaking.
9790
As see here, over the Lasipalatsi square.
9793
Looking up Uniooninkatu toward Kallio.
9801
Seagull sentries.
9804
On Vappu Eve, with the sun already past west, the crowds were gathering.
9806
Or rather, gathered. The direct and reflected sunlight on the cathedral is rather sublime here.
9811
Just a big ol' drank party.
9815
Drank + fire party, that is.
9829
A neat Jugend building in or near Eira.