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.

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New moon over the bay north of Katajanokka.

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Lights and a tiny bit of twilight across the bay.

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You can see the twilight a little bit better here, behind the trees.

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A dim light ensemble from our apartment block.

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Near sunset the next day: the sun getting pretty far into the northwest already.

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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.

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During midday, the sun was getting pretty high up at this point, relatively speaking.

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As see here, over the Lasipalatsi square.

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Looking up Uniooninkatu toward Kallio.

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Seagull sentries.

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On Vappu Eve, with the sun already past west, the crowds were gathering.

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Or rather, gathered. The direct and reflected sunlight on the cathedral is rather sublime here.

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Just a big ol' drank party.

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Drank + fire party, that is.

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A neat Jugend building in or near Eira.