I'm Still Alive Part Two

How apt was the title of my last post?  My sister in Michigan e-mailed me a week ago to ask if I was still alive at this point in time.  I have indeed been absent from my writting and am again sorry.  I got back two weeks ago from a cruise to the Caribbean with a dear friend and have been re-adjusting and doing laundry ever since.  It sems that laundry is never done...even with just two people in the household.  I can only imagine what a family of six (like my sister's) would generate.  But I digress.

I was away, and now I am settled back in here in Helsinki.  It is odd how where you live becomes home and the norm of your living.  I found that while in the States (for a few days before the cruise) I was shocked by people talking to me in elevators and in lines at the stores.  Finns pretty much keep to themselves and don't talk unless specifically spoken to.  It's not that they are cold, it is just their way, and I have gotten used to it.  I won't say I like it better here, just that it is different.  Anyway, I found myself having to get used to the social differences again, but in reverse.  I found myself excited by the strangest things...like chicken fingers and breakfast food, and people saying "please."

So now I am re-adjusted and back into my routine.  It is mid-summer celebration...I think that's what it is.... here in Finland.  Things will close early tomorrow and be closed on Saturday.  People will celebrate this weekend.  The Finns love to celebrate.  I love to celebrate with the Finns. 

We have been invited over to a friend's summer house this weekend, something I have hoped to experience while we are here.  The Finns really have the work/life balance thing figured out and I am told that most have summer houses that they go to in the summer...especially July when the country goes on vacation.  The city is likely to be a ghost town filled mostly with tourists during this time, and this is the weekend that it starts.  I am excited to celebrate this time with Finnish friends so that we can do it right.  It is an honor to be invited.  I don't know what to expect, but I will surely report on it when we get back.

Well, that's it for now.  I have to go get ready for my weekend....

I'm Still Alive

For those of you who wondered, yes, I'm still alive.  It may not seem like it given the lack of posts lately, but I have been busy and traveling and have not taken the time to write.  So, now I can update you on what's been going on. 

The snow is gone...I think for good this season, but you never know...this is Finland.  The weather has been beautiful and I have been taking walks along the coast.  It is like Helsinki has come alive again.  People are out and active, the cafes and resturants have their tables outside now, and the outdoor market is in full swing.  There are tour busses everywhere...including my neighborhood.  Imagine that;  I live in a tourist area. People pay money to see where I live!  I feel rather special now.

I have also been traveling.  I have been to Italy, Greece, Croatia, and Estonia.  Not bad for a simple housewife.  Everywhere I visited was beautiul.  I saw the Parthanon in Athens and was amazed by its grandure.  I saw the windmills and winding streets of white houses and shops in Mykonos and the old fort of Dubrovnik.  I went to the old town in Tallin and had a meal that was medevil...a little too medevil for my taste, but good none-the-less.  It has been a whirlwind tour and I love it.  In just over a week I am going to the Caribbean with a friend.  Finally my passport is getting a proper workout.

So that has been my life for the past few weeks.  I have been busy and well traveled.  Oh, and I got a delightful compliment while in Mykonos, Greece.  My travel companions and I were at a little bar on the island where it was decided that we should try uzo (not sure of the spelling).  Anyway, I don't like the flavor of anise, so decided to get a shot of Tequilla instead.  The waiter semed suprized by my order, did a double take at me, and asked if I wanted something strong.  I said yes, and he said he would take care of me.  What he brought was indeed strong (it was Raki for those who are interrested) and it was quite good.  But I digress.  The compliment that he gave was in asking if we were all Scandinavian.  He was quite sure that we were from Finland or Sweden.... despite the lack of accent, apparently.  I take that as a compliment.  I like the people of Finland and am proud to be taken for one.  Of course here in Helsinki I am sure that I stick out as an American, but I'll take the compliment just the same.

I will do my best to post more regularly, but will be traveling on and off.  Please be patient and I will try to make it worth your while.  I'm sure there is much more for me to see and do and write about.  Helsinki is an amazing city and I have just begun to explore it. 

Vappu (May Day)

So we went out last night to see what this Vappu Eve thing is all about.  For those who aren't familiar with the word "Vappu," it is the Finnish word for May Day, the first day of May.  It is a big thing here;  most places are closed and people have the day off.  Good thing too, because people surely know how to celebrate Vappu Eve and would probably be loathe to go to work the next morning.

Vappu Eve is basically a celebration of graduation and the coming/start of spring.  Graduates of the current year wear colorful jumpsuits with patches on them all day (and in some cases all week).  The colors and patches indicate where they have graduated from and with what degree. Masters degrees wear large tassles, like the size you'd find on curtain tie-backs.  The patches are also to show "sponsorship" and are used to raise funds for something (didn't catch that detail).  All graduates wear hats that look pretty much like a ship captain's cap.  This includes past graduates, and we could see some very old, yellowing caps on a few of the older population.

They sell all sorts of colorful things to wear on your head as well as candy, food and balloons.  Also available, we were told, were dirty joke books sold by the graduates.  One of my husband's co-workers asked us to pick one up for him...too bad it is in Finnish.

So the big event on Vappu Eve is the washing and capping of the "naked lady statue" in Helsinki.  It has a proper name, but I can never remember it, and if you google "naked lady statue Helsinki" it will come up.  Anyway, a good number of graduate students are dangled over the statue by a crane and are lowered down to give her a good scrub and to place a cap on her head.  The cap reportedly does not stay on long before it is stolen.  Well, we live about two to three blocks from the statue and went to see the festivities and fight the crowds.  There were hoards of people and we were all keen to see the tradition play out.  It seemed to us, though that they only capped the statue and forewent the scrubbing.  The cap stayed on as long as we were there, which was quite a while.  A bit confused, but not dissapointed, we headed off to finish our champaign and get some dinner.

Did I mention there was champaign?  Yes, this is an integral part of the tradition.  Everybody brings champaign and drinks it there on the street as they celebrate.  It is illegal to drink alcohol on the streets of Helsinki, but it is pretty much tolerated by the police on Vappu Eve the same way that public nudity is tolerated in the streets of New Orleans during Mardi Gras ( females lifting their shirts to earn beads).  As long as you don't cause any trouble, the pollisi look the other way.

Well, Vappu Eve is over now and we are having a quiet Vappu day today.  We could have gone to a certain park with a picnic this morning, but decided to sleep in after our late night.  We had a great time and are quite blessed to live where we do.  Helsinki rocks!

Oh, and by the way, the coffee house accross the street finally put out its tables and is open for business.

Ice Swimming Update

Just a quick update on the ice swimming.  I noticed last week that there were fewer and fewer swimmers to be seen, and then finally none.  I waited to see if they were done for the season and found that they weren't returning. 

And now some of the boats have returned to the docks that the swimmers were swimming off of.  Clearly they would not want to swim if there is a boat moored right at the site of the ladder.  But I was not totally convinced until they took the ladder away two days ago.  

So now I am going to have to find something else to watch out my window.  For now it is the coffee house that is directly accross the street (it is also the marina club house).  The coffee house has been closed for the season and I am now watching intently for the tell tale tables and chairs to be put outside so that I will know that it is open again.  How great is it to have a coffee house with a picturesque view just accross the street ?  Once again I say "Life is Good".

Ice Swimming?

OK, so here's the question: how much longer will people here be ice swimming?  Or as I like to call it now "fridgid water swimming" since there is no more ice.  Now it just seems silly.  When there was ice, it looked insane and therefore impressive.  Now it just looks like a bunch of people who don't know better than to stay out of the cold water.

I know, I know, it is good for your health;  so I am told.  Still, I'm not sure I would swim in this particular water even if it were warm.  I'm sure there is nothing wrong with it, but it is at a boat launch/marina and it looks rather murky and not at all the color that I am used to for swimming.  And for those that are wondering: I went swimming in the Baltic at a site that was not designed for boats.

So I will keep a watchful eye and let you know when the swimming ends...I'm guessing May 1st?  Which is May day, by the way, and a big deal here.  I will learn all I can and let you know what I find out and experience.  Until later...

People Watching and Other Thoughts

So the other week I was waiting for my friend to go to a club meeting and decided to have a cup of coffee while I waited.  The weather has been getting nicer, the snow has melted, and although it does still snow, it doesn't realy stick.  I mention this because some of the cafes, resturants and coffee houses have set up their tables outdoors again for the season.  I chose to get coffee at a local chain store that had tables outdoors right next to where I was meeting my friend.  It was 40 degrees out or so and beautiful, so I waited at one of their tables.

While I was waiting, many things occured to me as I looked around.  First, the architecture in Helsinki is amazing.  I don't know when the buildings were constructd, but they have beautiful carvings nd statues built into them.  And here am I in the middle of a European capital city, where I live, sitting at a cafe table, sipping my coffee while I wait for a good friend to participte in a club activity with women from all over the world.  When did I become so wordly and cosmopolitan?

Anyway, people were going past on their bikes, walking, and on the trams.  So I people watched while I waited and a few things occured to me.  First, there are some seriously good looking male Finns here in Helsinki...I'm just saying.  The woman are also quite attractive, but being a woman myself, I took more interest in the men.  Next, it seems that there are no obese people here, and very few seriously overweight ones.  Sure, there are people (like myself) who could stand to lose a few pounds, but nothing like in the States.  I suspect that this is due not only to the amazingly healthy, fresh food here, but also to the Finns incessant need to be outdoors doing pysical activity.  In the winter it is skiing, walking, biking, swimming, etc... and in the summer, many of the same activities minus the skiing.  They love the outdoors, especially during the summer months which are beautiful.  I am told that we get July off here and the Finns all go to their summer cabins. 

Yes, you read right..they take July off of work and only the essentials are open.  I imagine that the resturants and retail stores stay open, but I'm not even sure of that.  I do love this place and these people...they have definately got the work/life balance thing right!

What About Easter?

Many of my friends back home have asked me repeatedly to post things about the traditions of Finland on the holidays.  Easter is upon us now, and I wanted to share what little I do know about this holiday with my readers. 

For the most part, the traditions here in Finland seem to be the same as in the States.  It is a religious holiday afterall, and so most (if not all) of the religious observances apply.  I don't rightly know if there are differences in the religious traditions as we have not yet found/selected a church.  Beyond that I have discovered a few points of interest surrounding the holiday.

Today, for example, is Palm Sunday (the Sunday before Easter Sunday).  In the States I would expect to be handed a palm frond or cross made out of palm fronds at church.  This may be the case here as well (see above disclaimer).  What I am hoping for here is a knock on my door tonight.  Apparently, children aged 6mos to 13yrs or so will go door to door and wave a colorful stick at you while reciting a little poem.  The stick is generally something they have made with colorful feathers and do dads, although I think I found some in a store already made up.  Anyway, after this "ritual" is performed the recipient of this blessing is expected to give each child candy and/or money.  It is kind of like Halloween except the children perform for what they receive, and you as the home owner are left with good luck in your home.  I don't know if there ar any children in our building, but I am prepared, and just a little bit excited.

Now for something that my husband and I are both happy about:  the Finns celebrate Easter by having a four day weekend...both Friday and Monday off.  The only downside:  the stores are all closed on Friday, Sunday and Monday, meaning I have to actually be organized with my grocery shopping and not have the luxury of running to the store for those oft forgotten items.  Ah well, a small price to pay.

Finally, there are a number of Finnish food traditions, and while I know I have been told about more than just this one, it seems to be the only one that stuck in my brain (which is teflon, remember?)  So here it is:  I give you the Mignon Egg.  It is an actual egg that has been blown out and filled with chocholate, then the hole resealed with a white sugar mixture.  You place the egg in the rerigerator for 15 to 30 minutes, and then peel the shell off and eat the chocolate.  What a fun concept...and yummy desert (I have done a dry run to be certain it is worthwhile, and I assure you it is).

So this is what I know of Easter here in Finland.  I am sorry that it is not more, but I feel it is worth sharing.  I'm not sure exactly what we will be doing for the weekend, but I am sure it will be a wonderful time.  Have a wonderful holiday everybody!