97 :: Apartment Building

Jaana: Apartment buildings by a canal in downtown Oulu.

Kia: Built in 1886, the Anchor Mill was originally a cotton spinning mill. Closed in the 1980s, it has now been restored and converted into luxury flats.

83 :: Fountain

Jaana: Those fountains in the Oulujoki river from another angle.

Kia: A putto statue standing on the top of a fountain in Torosay Castle's gardens, with a glimpse of Duart Castle in the distance.

80 :: May Scenery

Jaana: Spring took so long to arrive this year that it hardly had gotten here when summer already stepped in. Today the length of day is 20h 2m, sunrise at 3:03 AM, sunset at 11:06 PM.

Kia: The early-starting but slow-developing spring of this year has provided us with an unusual flower display for the end of May. Today the length of day is 16h 55m, sunrise at 4:47 AM, sunset at 9:42 PM.

A reminder of how our sceneries looked like in April, March, February and January.

Today marks the start of our second year with Finland vs Scotland, so happy 1st anniversary to us! As always, we'd love to see your take on the themes as well, so keep posting your links in the comments to share bits and bobs of your country with us, will you. Your suggestions for future themes are also welcome (scroll down the page for a list of labels to find out what we've already done). If there is something particular you'd like us to show you about Finland and Scotland, do let us know and we'll try to make it happen.

Thank you for stopping by! Happy June ahead, everyone!

74 :: Looking Up (A Building)

Jaana: The sun playing with shadows on the brick wall of the Oulu Museum of Art.

Kia: Fyvie Castle dates back to the 13th century and is the finest example of Scottish Baronial architecture.

73 :: Clock Tower

Jaana: The Oulu Cathedral was built in 1777, but the wood structures burned in the Oulu fire in 1822. The renovated church was completed in 1832, but the 56.5 meters tall bell tower wasn't erected until in 1845. The Cathedral is an example of Neoclassical architecture.

Kia: The turreted steeple clock tower by the Tolbooth Tavern in Canongate, Edinburgh. Erected in 1591, the Tolbooth served as council meeting chamber, courtroom and prison. It was one of three essential features in a Scottish Burgh, along with the mercat cross (market cross) and the kirk (church).

67 :: February Scenery

Jaana: The scenery still looks very wintry overhere, but now you can feel the sunshine again! Today the length of day is 9h 28m, sunrise at 7:48 AM, sunset at 5:16 PM.

Kia: We are still getting the odd flurries, but the delicate awakening of nature is already showing. Today the length of day is 10h 21m, sunrise at 7:20 AM, sunset at 5:41 PM.

A reminder of how our sceneries looked like in January.

66 :: Classic Architecture

Jaana: The building was originally designed in the style of Renaissance Revival by Johan Ludvig Lybeck in 1883, but in the middle of its construction it was redesigned and got a Gothic Revival look with the spires. In the past the building has functioned as a town hall and a police station, among others, but since 2008 it's been the home of the Cultural Centre Valve.

Kia: A classic of Scottish Baronial architecture, Craigievar Castle is a seven-storey pinkish harled castle built by the Forbes family and completed in 1626. The contrast of its massive lower storey structure to the finely sculpted multiple turrets, gargoyles and high corbelling work create a classic fairytale appearance. During World War I it was used as a hospital, and as of 2006 the castle and its estate are owned by the National Trust for Scotland.

47 :: Autumn Reflection

Jaana: Mirror, mirror...

Kia: The beauty of autumn colors is emphasized by its reflection.

43 :: Capital

Jaana: This year Helsinki has been celebrating its 200th year as the capital of Finland, and it's also the World Design Capital 2012.

Kia: Edinburgh has been the capital of Scotland since 1437. It's the seat of the Scottish Parliament and Government, and the second largest city in the country.

36 :: Window

Jaana: Something very traditional Finnish, pelargoniums on a windowsill of an old farmhouse at the Turkansaari Open-air Museum.

Kia: A typical dormer sash window at Castle Fraser.

32 :: Urban Summer

Jaana: Northern Dragonhead (I assume) growing in front of an old pulp mill silo.

Kia: The bright-red flowers of the Crocosmia plant bloom for several weeks in summer. It is commonly known as Montbretia here in the UK.

29 :: Heritage Architecture

Jaana: Suomenlinna is an inhabited maritime fortress located off the coast of Helsinki. It's been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991, listed as a unique monument of military architecture.

Kia: The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh are a harmonious juxtaposition of two highly contrasting historic areas, medieval and neoclassical. They were inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1995.

28 :: Coniferous Tree

Jaana: Scots Pine, the only pine native to northern Europe, is the dominant forest tree in Finland.

Kia: Monkey Puzzle Tree, a.k.a. Chile Pine, is popularly grown as ornamental tree in western Scotland.

From August on we'll be posting twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays.

26 :: Deciduous Tree

Jaana: The national tree of Finland is the Birch, the Silver Birch, to be precise.

Kia: Oak, taken in Linlithgow (birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots), whose coat of arms shows a black greyhound chained to an oak tree.

15 :: Lighthouse

Jaana: Hailuoto
Kia: Fraserburgh

14 :: Small Town

Jaana: Kokkola
Kia: Portree

13 :: Blooming Tree

Jaana: Lilac
Kia: Cherry

12 :: Zebra Crossing

10 :: Bus Stop

8 :: Horse

Jaana: Russian Trotter (?)
Kia: Clydesdale