So it happened again. Quick 2 nights escape to one of my favorite place in the world…
Now in it’s fourth edition, Oktoberfest at Tommi’s place keeps on growing. My grand Tommi takes the matters seriously: he picks the beers with pleasure, invites and coordinates the event and usually dies of stress in the hours preceding the event. We then rate the beers and give some comments. This year, the avid guests picked the Theresianer Strong Ale (IT) as their favorite. It was indeed a great brew, which I strongly recommend.
I woke up in Helsinki with a huge smile on my face. This is no coincidence with the fact that I spent a wonderful time among warm and truly amazing people. Next visit: in a 4 weeks!
What a deep contrast to be back in Finland. Warm friends, delicious food, crazy late nights. And the mandatory bike on the ferry was also a big plus. Gosh I loved it.
Many months had gone by since my kast visit in Fine-land. Again, it was absolutely perfect. Tove and Mariane hopped in the ferry with me on Friday night, rushing through the Stockholmers already heading home for the sunny week-end. Mariane could not spend a week in Sweden without having a taste of the ferry, this no-mans-land of Nordic culture. What happens on the ferry stays on the ferry.
My excitement got high when I saw Tommi and Maiju next to Kaupatorri, recognizing those smiles I have seen hundreds of times. We slowly wandered through the city, sneaking in antique and second stores. The highlight was without question our hangout at the Kallio public sauna, Kotiharjun Sauna, built in 1928 with barely no change since. I, understandably, don’t have any pictures of that place. More than 30 men fitted in our section, piled between wooden lockers with hand-written numbers on them. One first takes a shower in that room next to the lockers, with high ceiling and incongruous walls shapes. A blonde lady, in her early thirties, stands in the corner of the showers and offers, like in the old days, to bath the old men. She is large and short, with her polite smile, she watches hundreds of men a day shower. I wondered if she is still attracted to men after seeing so many. Next to the showers, you have this high stands, with steps of about half a meter. If you make it to the top, the temperature reaches close to 95 degrees. This wooden oven roars in the corner, the naked men enjoy the heat in silence. It is somehow a travel in time and a picture of the finnish society. For centuries, Finns have been washing themselves in that kind of establishment, from a time where running water at home was a luxury. You have half-hoboes and businessmen sitting next to each-other, regardless of their social standing. Such a shame that those places are ever more difficult to find in Finland.
We then came back to Tommi’s place to watch a movie about… sauna. Finns usually restrain from speaking about their personal feelings, although they are very honest. The movie « Miesten Vuoro » (Men’s turn) depicts Finland through saunas from North to South, from poverty and crime to everyday’s life of sisu-full Finns. It is a great piece of finnish cinematography, to be placed in my shelf right next to Aki Kaurismäki’s classics.
I also bought a fantastic book about Helsinki, that beloved city of mine.
Here are some pictures of that fantastic week-end:
Terrible me. Falling into old patterns of electronic silence… Somehow, the daily routine of life lacks of its glamour, making pictures and frivolous thoughts ever more seldom.
So, it has all started now. A big 4 years to go, with the one ahead being particularly harsh. This PhD thing is hell of a project. Not that I don’t see it as an achievement, but to me it is as getting my life-guard license or some other cool paper. It won’t change my life much, at least that’s what I believe/hope. I made it, so far, through corporatist business school and other similar mindcrushing machines, without loosing too much of my dreams. I just hope that those years that are supposed to make me a scientist (?!) will feed the flame rather than blow it. At least, I’ve got a starting point.
About things that feed the flame. Helsinki, my beloved. It had been too many months since I was there. My second home, really. Practically (the streets and the corners are familiar as Montréal’s), and emotionally (I feel so god damn exalted) speaking.The honesty, the true friendship, the no-fluff talk, the creativity, I discover a new side of this city, and its people, every time I am there. And my Finnish friends think I exaggerate.
Friday was the Helsinki night of Arts. There are few night in the year where Helsinki puts his dancing shoes, party hats and beer bong. Vappu (1st of May), New Year’s Eve… and Taiteiden yö (Helsinki Night of Arts)… Drunken teenagers in streets, lost German tourists, and festive hipsters fill the normally calm Helsinki streets. Open museums, design, art galleries, it’s an all you can eat of culture. Plus, I got to meet up with Karina, old roommate from Russia. 8maya lestniza represents!
My fantastic friend Tommi and its Caravaners played at Gloria. It was great to listen to them live, after having heard their recording many times and have know most of the band members. They had a fine stage presence, Henna (singer) showed the strength of her voice and her personality, adding on with her languorous dances.
Here is a bad footage I grabbed. Next time, I need my microphone and tripod. I sucked.
On Saturday, it was time for some serious ballroom dancing on the Isle of Sheep. A good 30 minutes walk through the floodable swamps separating Arabia from Isle of Sheep, we got to this tiny island, usually occupied by an Adventist church. The setting was perfect. The mood was joyful, and most important, respectful. Everybody went there to have fun, real fun. Not the one of 100euros champagne bottles or other fancy crap(no alcohol was sold, thanks to the Adventists (but we could bring our own… come on, it’s still Finland!)). The building was fully made of wood, with complete tree trunks holding the roof structure from inside. There was a complete big band, singing Finnish Tangos until late in the night. We got to dance, old school. Ladies around, in their modern shyness, guys nicely asking for a polite dance. Gosh I love those things.
And yes, I have to leave back to my adoptive country. For short though. Whenever I can, I’ll be back…
What about a blog post, dans la langue de Shakespeare? Just to make it more simple for my non-francophone friends and not to rely on the (unreliable) translation provided by Google… Anyhow.
The best part of Sweden is back: the sun. In every country where I have lived, I could feel the sun differently. I remember the damp and smoky Russian sun, the momentarily warm Peruvian sun or the simply amazing Montréal sun. It might be related to the air, alitutude or pollution, but I feel that every country has it’s own sun. The Swedish winter is endless and cold, even compared to Canada. Last winter, I knew it was coming, but it hit me almost just as hard. Lack of motivation, heavy steps towards work, insane reliance on (bad) coffee from that machine from which I have been abusing. I mean, it’s my only social benefit, free coffee. But those days are over, the sun is back. From my late nights spent cheering for my unbelievable team (Go Habs Go!) forcing me to bed at about 4AM, I am now brought to sleep by the cheerful singing of birds. The sun leaves us late in the evening, messing up my whole biological clock, giving more energy a little bit more everyday. It’s definitely great. But not warm yet. I had a cynical laugh when I saw that 20cm of snow fell on Québec last week, but it’s not any better here. It froze last week as well, and the days are not any warmer than 10 degrees. I rode by bike a couple of times, but as soon as the sun goes, it becomes really brrrrrrrrrr.
A short little month before being back in Montréal with Ira. Canoe, camping, biking and trekking: it’ll be a true outdoors summer. Some work too, but I am not expecting too much in that regard. I am dreaming of bike rides, good beers at Le Dieu du Ciel and some good times with the loved one. It’ll be just great. Yay!
And yeah, the master’s in economics is pretty much done now. How great. When will be the day that I’ll get excited about graduating? Didn’t give a rats ass for High School, College nor Bachelor. If ever I manage to finish this PhD, I might treat myself with a lättöl or so…
So I was lat week in Helsinki for the very traditional Vappu. Heavy celebration for the spring, costumes, sparkling wine and general outgoingness. You gotta be there. I really liked it, especially because of the spontaneous character of the whole event, the happy nature of those moments and the general joy of being able to hang out outside without being completely frozen. And my Ira got to wear her nice hat that had been sleeping in her closet for years… The overalls are quite typical in the Nordic countries, part of the student tradition. As for the hats, you get one when you graduate from High School. I want one, darn.
