Spring equinox is a good week past now and the weather widget reports that backwinter's lost its grip. It was too little too late anyway.

Time to go down the memory lane until March 2005 and dust off the photographs from a grownups' winter party. Converted to a photoset on Flickr, naturally.

Simo Järvinens plats, Esbo / Hansaplatz, Berlin.

The finest pub in Espoo must be The Gallows Bird in the unlikely location in Merituulentie just west of Tapiola - between Lidl and fire station.

I've had the habit of going there at least on St Thomas' Day, which in Lutheran calendar takes place on 21 December, i.e. winter solstice.

Choice of beers is excellent. For example Okell's Mac Lir from the Isle of Man isn't just enjoyable (actually summery, if you like) wheat beer, but has a curious story as well. Manannán mac Lir was a hero and the sea god of the Celtic mythology. He's famous for good sense of humour and trickiness.

After the Christianisation of his home islands, according to a cheeky folklore, he made the best out of the situation and established an elderly home for the ousted gods of the Celts.