Autumn in Finland has truly arrived.

Three weeks ago, when we went to Porvoo, it was still a scene of summer,

but now the colors of the woods have started to change.

Some places are golden, while others still have a hint of green.

When the wind blows, the leaves swirl on the road,

as if reminding you — summer is completely over.

Last weekend, our family decided to go to Tampere.

There were three adults and two children.

As soon as we got on the highway, the eldest sat in the front seat, looking out the window,

while the youngest was sound asleep in the car seat.

Mom and grandma were in the back, playing with her.

Outside the window, there were vast woods, changing colors all the way.

Tampere is Finland's third-largest city, also known as the "City of Lakes."

We had been here before, but this time we didn't go to the places we had already visited.

Because it is situated between two large lakes — Näsijärvi to the north and Pyhäjärvi to the south,

with a rapid stream connecting them.

It used to be an industrial center, but now it has more artistic shops and museums.

The wind in the city always carries a bit of moisture.

We first went to the Näsinneula Tower.

This is the most prominent landmark in Tampere, standing at 168 meters,

built in 1970 for the Tampere Exhibition, and was the tallest building in Finland at that time.

At the top of the tower, there is a rotating restaurant that turns every 45 minutes, allowing you to slowly see the entire city from the window.

From the top of the tower, you can see the whole city.

The weather that day was great, with particularly high visibility.

The city was divided into several colors:

the blue of the lake, the golden woods, and the red rooftops.

I held the youngest while standing by the window, looking at the lake water at the edge of the city, thinking that I finally brought them here.

After coming down from the tower, we went to Hatanpää Arboretum.

It is a lakeside botanical garden, originally part of an 18th-century estate,

which the city later converted into a public park.

Every autumn, this place is almost the most colorful in Tampere.

The leaves are interspersed with yellow, orange, and red,

and when the wind blows, the entire path is covered with leaves.

As soon as the eldest got out of the car, she ran to step on the leaves,

grandma was filming beside her,

and I was taking pictures with my camera.

The old red-brick building was right next to us,

its walls covered with vines, the colors deep as if painted on.

The sunlight shone down, making everything look very clean.

Although the sky was overcast, the lake surface still shimmered.

We didn't linger by the lake.

We just took a few photos on the benches by the lake.

The wind was shaking the camera, and the child would run a few steps and then come back.

The sunlight reflected off the lake, making the sky particularly blue.

Finnish autumn is very short, probably just these few weeks.

After another gust of wind, when the leaves fall completely, only winter will remain.

As the sky gradually darkened, the car drove along the forest road.

The car passed through the woods, and the road was quiet.

The eldest leaned against the window, while the youngest slept in her car seat.

We joked that when all the leaves fall, winter will be here.

The wind picked up outside again,

the shadows of the trees swayed under the streetlights,

and autumn was on this back-and-forth road, a bit cold, but just right.