Hot Air

Viivi ja Wagner © Juba via Helsingin Sanomat

Did I mention Konna keeps saying (about ten times a day now) that it would be ihana if I bought her an ilmapallon for Vappu? Cue skywards eye roll. 

I wonder if I can get a turtle shaped one...

Mayday! Mayday!

ilmapalloja - ballons

I'm a bit bemused by how excited everyone (i.e. Konna) is getting about Vappu (May Day to the rest of us) - celebrations for which start on Thursday (like all things Finnish they have to start the night before everyone else...) and seem to include 

• a statue having a hat put on it, 
  
• buying ballons, 
  
• ex-students wearing white hats, 
  
• needing to book a month in advance to get a restaurant table,
  
• having a day long picnic on Friday.  
  

Lots of people have asked if I have been here for Vappu before. When they learn I haven't they generally shake their heads and say 'oh well you'll find out' and start talking about picnics. Suspicions aroused by this a bit of lazy googling careful research throws up the enlightening quote:

Vappu without drinking is like Christmas without presents

Now I understand... 'Picnic' is Finnish shorthand for 'reliving your student years by getting steaming drunk on cheap champagne (or shampange as Konna calls it) while sitting in a park with ten thousand other people doing likewise'.  Oh great.

Veteraanipäivä

Tonttu ei pida huodasta, mutta: MISSÄ ON LIPPU?!

Joka aikaa he unohtavat sen... perkelet!

Can you see the wood for the trees?

Näetkö sinä metsän puilta?

As my other half previously proudly reported: 'The training for TdH has begun'... Still for a friend, an aquintance, a family member or to an ex-colleague far far away it can be a somewhat difficult task to understand how exactly has his rigorous training started... Well, as a closely observing supporter - I can enlighten you on this matter:

Sat 25.04.09 at
17:00 Dress up & find lights, pack the bag & fill the water bottle
17:16 Pump up back tyre as it is flat again, unlock bike
17:30 Saddle up and head towards the gravel road behind the house
17:45 Go under 'KEHÄ I' (=ring road I) and turn left at the 'kuplahalli' (=bouble hall... for ice hockey) to realise that the path is cut off by a big bulldozer... Turn back & go around 'kuplahalli' & climbe up 45deg/50m clay slope & realise that the road is cut of there too... Figure out a new route towards 'Viikki'.
18:30 Arrive in the destination via 'R-Kioski' as shops are already closed - buy a cider/beer & sausages
18:40 Sit down, enjoy a cold beer with friends


18:45 Eat a sausage with mustard:


19:00 Have shampagne from a shoe:


19:15 Have an other sausage, a little bit white bread & brie, throw in some crisps... and sweeties
20:30 Realise you have to go before the dark (as you never found the lights)
20:35 Go to toilet & fill up the water bottles & get kissed by a dog
20:40 Saddle up
21:30 Get lost (again)
22:00 Arrive home... just when it's getting properly dark
22:05 Lock up the bike
22:10 Have a shower
22:30 Fall asleep

Sun 26.04.09
- Can't walk as legs ache
- Can't sit... you probably understand why

Mon 27.04.09
- Have to lie down as back aches (at least cannot work...)

Yes - the training has begun. How much time did he have?

Do you like needles?

Marienhamn harbour at midnight, July 2006.

Ahvenamaa or Åland (as the locals prefer to call it, or rather them) is a bit of a historical geo-political oddity.  An archipelago of more than 6000 islands and skerries, although only 35 inhabited, it is inhabited around 26,ooo Swedish speaking people in an autonomous Finnish kunta (Commune). The Swedish Krona freely circulates (although the Euro is the official currency), they have their own flag and the Finnish defence forces are forbidden (it was made a demilitarised zone after the first world war).  Lying between Turku and Stockholm, handily for the locals all the big ferries stop at it's capital Marienhamn (Maarianhamina) albeit in the middle of the night, in order to take advantage of it being outside the EU-customs zone; but in the process adding an annoying couple of extra hours to the Helsinki-Stockholm journey time (unless you're just on the boat for the booze, fags and karaoke, in which case who cares). It has probably the best summer weather in Finland, (but the worst winter weather if you like skiing) and some beautiful archipelagic scenery. And, to get a bit closer to the point of this post, it's also reputed as a great place for cycling and camping holidays.

So as you might guess we are planning a cycling/camping holiday in Åland (I'm going to use the local names for everything from now on as I am writing in English and to annoy Konna who insists on using the Finnish versions), for a week this summer and as well as the usual logistical issues of transport, equipment, food, routes and accommodation to resolve (as we are not doing a pre-packaged deal) we also need to think about something I associate with visiting exotic destinations like Africa or the far east father than cartographical inksplashes in the Baltic. Vaccinations.

Now to get right up close and personal with the point of the post, Åland also is home to something other than a bunch of people with a long standing identity crisis (Finns, Swedes, Ålanders...). Ixodes ricinus ticks. Yum, look tasty don't they? Unfortunately as well as being as fugly as hell, and liking to latch on to wayfarers and do impressions of blood-filled coffee beans, punkki are tricky to remove.  Then you discover they potentially carry two even more unwanted guests: the bacterium Borrelia burghdor feri, which causes Lyme disease; and even worse, the virus for Tick Borne Encephalitis (TBE) in 1:200 to 1:1000 ticks.  Åland is considered endemic for TBE in Finland (although maybe not according to UK NaTHNaC), which is un-curable after contracting it, and it has a 1-2% fatality rate. For this reason the advice seems to be that at-risks groups (which include cyclists and campers you-know-where) should consider having the vaccination course. 

So that's three shots at €40 a shot; €120 each to add to what was supposed to be a cheap holiday. Money well spent? Well it's hard to judge the risks on this sort of thing (just ask Ben Goldacre if you don't believe me) - trying to put it in perspective even taking the worst case: say 1 in 200 x 2% x say 50% chance of getting bitten/latched onto by a tick in a week (that last is a complete guess by the way) = 1 in 20,000 chance of death.  Which compares to something like a 1 in 94,000 chance of dying cycling in the first place. [A direct comparison of those figures is statistically completely wrong, as different things were being measured in each case - so please don't imagine that means 5x more likely!!!] 

Maybe we will end up going to the punkkibussi after all, too much knowledge is a worrying thing for Konna at least ... or am I being complacent when we can fix it with a needle or three?

Now what have I let myself in for

Well I look the part I suppose, although I'm not actually moving you'll notice...

Following on somewhat tardily from my post last month pondering it, I've finally signed up for the 'Tour de Helsinki' (TdH) - a 140 km (86 miles for the fossils/Yanks) cycle ride in September.  Once-upon-a-time this wouldn't have been such a big deal (as I mentioned before), but since I can probably count the number of times I've cycled more than 10 km in the last year on the fingers of one hand with two fingers cut off I figure I have a bit of training to do.  

We've already been trying to do an hour of sauvakävely (Nordic walking) each day (with about a 30% success rate if truth be told) this month, and we managed a 20 km ride (semi off-road) on Sunday, although it did take about 2 hours, or 10 km/h ... since I want to do the TdH in less than 7 hours (and preferably less than six) I will need to average more than 20 km/h (23.33 for the 6 hour target). I guess I will need to get a bit of training in by then, so pottering around Åland in the summer will help a bit, and work up to 80 km rides by September... 

As it happens 20 km/h is also the slowest of the seven organised groups; the fastest being 35 km/h - a speed I can probably only manage down-hill with a following wind, which unfortunately is a bit tricky to organise on a circular course.

Well it seemed a good idea at the time.  I'll keep you posted on how my saddle sores develop.

I don't think I quite got that...

actually I didn't: from Kiasma swag

If you're going to be late in Finland, it is good to have a good reason as lateness is, to put it mildly, somewhat frowned upon - and as excuses go 'I had to wait for Tarja Halonen to get out of my way' is not bad when being (almost) late for something. That's Finland's President Halonen if you didn't realise.

You might have read my post last month about me being one of the winners in the Ola Kolehmainen / Kiasma / Nokia Ovi valokuvakilpailu (photography competition).  As their site says, Ola chose 14 photos by 11 people (3 of which were mine - Zinc Slash Tree, Finlandia and Curves) from the 96 entrants.  Well on Friday I got my prize (luckily I wasn't too held up by a certain important person in reception) - a workshop with Ola on our efforts and tour of the show with him, which was also photographed for posterity.

 

Ola explains all... do I look like I get it?

If you look carefully at this picture you can see Ola commenting on some of my photographs. (He was interested in how these pictures went from 'documentary' to 'half documentary/half abstract' (crop out the sky...), to totally abstract; the difficulty on using a culturally, and meaning loaded building like the Berlin Jewish museum as a subject for 'abstract' photography; and also why I had chosen those pictures/subjects).  He also was extremely conversant with the buildings and architects themselves, which was interesting to me (as the only architect in the room) but perhaps over the heads of some of the others.  

Or perhaps not... Unfortunately the ten minutes while we discussed them was the only time spent speaking English for almost three hours - so it was hard to tell.  While what little I followed seemed interesting, you'll understand why I'm looking a bit blank in the photos.  I think he was discussing how naming the pictures changed them (eg. the picture of the reflection of Mies' Barcelona Pavillion 'Less Less Is Is More More' becomes a discourse on minimalism), and also how chance and accidents in the darkroom can totally change a picture even when carefully pre-planned and considered (a white building becomes vivid yellow; a magpie lands on a window ledge; a tiny weed grows unseen from behind a metal disc...), amongst other things, but... He was however kind enough to say he hoped I got something out of it at the end - probably noticing my glazed look!

We did also get a swag-bag from Kiasma (contents pictured below for authentic anal-retentive micro-blogging) - including a very apt t-shirt and pad of post-it notes considering my struggles... but my foolish dreams of shiny Nokia kit or photography books were dashed. Never mind - a fascinating day in any case.

Architecture Corner 04/09 [updated]

Otaneimi Kapeli: From helsinki architecture tour 04/09

We haven't had an Architectural Corner for a while (Konna keeps threatening to write about various things, but...) but we are still (re)discovering new & old buildings around Finland and Helsinki in particular. The other week we combined our new found love of free-loading activities with architecture and took advantage of an architectural tour of Helsinki (and Espoo) organised by Suomen Rakennustaiteen Museo and ??? in conjunction with their lecture series. (See here for a map and album)

Starting at the museum we stowed away joined a coach load of foreign students and miscellaneous hangers-on on what was a glorious (if chilly) spring day. First stop was Puu-Käpylä  - an area of model worker's housing built in the early 20's, constructed from timber - hence the puu - (in this case solid squared-off logs and timber weather boarding with 'classical' details) this is an example of the Garden City approach to sub-urban housing, and one which is now much desired. We then strayed into the adjacent so-called 'other olympic village' (housing built for the abortive 1940 summer games), popped into the local church and back on the bus.

Next was Viikki - an area we have visited before (and I said I would write about... never mind), although this time we skipped JKMM's Viikin Kirkko (see Sept'08) and looked instead at the award winning 90's timber housing area (by Arkkitehtuuritoimisto Mäki-Marttunen KY) and the Infokeskus Korona (which as far as I can work out is the university campus library) which we hadn't seen, and is by ARK-house who also designed the nearby Viikin Normaalikoulu school.

From there we headed to the airport for lunch. No not Vantaa , but Malmi.  Now used for private and light aircraft this was the original Helsinki International airport, (previously flying to Helsinki meant coming by flying-boat or float-plane) built in 1936 but replaced in 1952 by Vantaa in time for the Olympics. The buildings are still evocative of their era and have been recognised by the DoCoMoMo workgroup.

We then swung back west. Stopping off at Myyrmäen Kirkko - and an ideal day to see Leiviskä's church, which could be described as a poem in buff brick about light. Then the Peitilä designed expressive-modernist housing at Suvikumpu, which could easily be from the last decade rather than the 60's. From there we headed into Tapiola - another (more recent) example of Garden City planning and development, were we look briefly at the central ice rink 'reflecting pool', swimming pool, walked past the hotel that Konna's office had been working on, then a quick peek into the a delicate 'brutalist' modernist concrete church by Ruusuruori (who also originally designed the WeeGee-talo building for the Weilin & Göös Print Works

Now we headed towards TKK (Helsinki University of Technology) with it's Aalto masterplan and main buildings, including the well known auditorium complexe.  Again this is somewhere I have seen before (actually I think it was the first Aalto building I ever went inside, back in 2004), but is well worth a second look with the benefit of having visited, studied and even blogged some of his other buildings.

Staying on campus, we finished with a very simple, but rather lovely building. Otaneimi Chapel, by Heikki & Kaija Siren, creating an entrance courtyard from unworked timber screens, and using the backdrop of the forest and an external crucifix to bring nature into the building through it's picture windows. The chapel space is reached through a low vestibule, and to one side where no direct view out is possible, so keeping the effect of light, height and view as a surprise on entry into the timber, mono-pitched volume. An old trick - but one that works. I had to double check that this was really built in 1957, as it still seems very 'modern' and fresh today.

Kevät tulee!

Kevät on tulossa Helsinkiin - Spring is on it's way in Helsinki

Usually Easter marks the start for the spring in my mind. I remember the feeling approaching Helsinki after Easter when coming back seeing my gran in middle Finland (Savo) when I was a kid - not much snow on the ground and much warmer than 5-6h before...

This year we are spending Easter in Helsinki - the snow is going fast and the weather is varied - from sunny spells to foggy wet mornings (similar than at the beginning of the film Silence of the Lambs when Clarise is running in the misty wintry forest - when her breath is clearly visible from mile away and the bare tree branches set against an oppressive grey sky, meeting somewhere between impressionism and expressionism...)... Yes we have started our morning nordic stick walks in 'Mustavuori' (=Black Mountain... a hilly forest area really)...

Lumi sulaa ja linnut muuttaa takaisin... Snow is melting and the birds are returning...

Yes, the morning alarm sound is not like bird song to our ears, but we'll get up and face the nature - less snow and more twiit-twiit-twiit every morning (+weirdly dressed bird watchers in noisy multi-colour shell suits). I guess soon we should lower the boats into the water and so on...

Kunnes jäät sulavat... - Until all the ice melts...
['tämä on vene' (=this is a boat)]

Mämmiä - kiitos!

nam nam...

'Mämmi' is a traditional Finnish Easter time dessert made from rye flour and malt. It has a brown and sticky appearance (yes, it does look like...) and as far as mämmi is concerned there are two types of people: those who love it; and those who hate it. There's no middle ground.

'Mämmi' can be bought ready-made from a shop during Easter in a variety of boxes and sizes. Making mämmi isn't hard either; it just takes quite a lot of time... As you might not get this delicacy elsewhere than in Finland - you might wish to prepare it yourself (we strongly advise against this!): 5 bowls made out of birch bark (?), 3.5 litres of water, 1kg of rye flour, 1/4kg of malt (preferably rye malts), 2 tablespoons of syrup, 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 tablespoons of orange peel. 'Mämmi' is usually eaten with cream or milk & sugar. And apparently it will take you approx. 30mins of nordic stick walking to burn a small bowl of this stuff - so perhaps you don't eat it at all...

Mikael Agrikolan päivä - suomen kielen päivä

Ship's Flag: From Stockholm trip 03/09

Oh-ho.  The flag outside has just been taken down and we haven't said anything about it being Finnish Language day & Michael Agricola's day - expect a tirade from that tonttu thing at any moment... 

Hang on a minute - I'm supposed to write this one in Finnish. Oh-ho...

Hauskaa Pääsiäistä!

Tipuja rairuohossa

'Rairuoho' (= Easter grass) is growing fast and is ready for the Easter and some local chicks have already found it as their home... Hmmm... How is your rairuoho doing - esp. peops I sent the seeds to? Is it as green and dense as the one above? Let us know! Any wildlife there yet (yes - the chock eggs are counted as wildlife in this case). Happy Easter time to everyone!

Red tape & Perunoita

Perunoita

Potato planting has begun: I had to smile when I saw this headline featured on YLE's english news web page. Maybe it was a slow news day, but at least it suggests that (along with the fact that the ground is no longer obscured with a thick layer of white stuff) that spring has finally sprung in Finland. Those of you who think it is almost summer where they are (in toasty northern Britain for example) for can sod off and read another blog. Anyway maybe people pay more attention to seasonal food in Finland than in UK?

I also thought my brain was turning into mashed potato at one point today (well actually I didn't but I'm trying to stretch a link between two unrelated pseudo-news items).  This was because we have had several brushes with Finnish 'red tape' (punaisen nauha?) this week as we needed to get copies of our passport certified (€30+ at British Consulate; €6 from Notary Public at the Maistratti - although I'm glad to say the consulate did tell me when I was enquiring), and have been trying to figure out how to get the payments for 'workforce training'. This 'training' (studying Finnish in my case) support payment is €8 per day as long as you do less than 20hrs a week (otherwise it is considered a full-time course in which case you can't be unemployed) which the EURES Työvoimatoimisto (employment office) adviser said I could get when I signed on. With me so far?  I knew two more things: Kela pays; the course has to be approved by them before it is booked or paid for.  Except it turns out neither of those things is strictly true. 

First we hunted through the Kela and Mol.fi websites without much success.  I did work out that time spent on the course had to be logged on the same form as used for unemployment benefit claims - but there didn't seem to be a form for applying for permission to take a course. After a brief argument dicussion with Konna we decided to go to the local Kela office and ask (luckily realising that Kontula doesn't have one before we went there so head off to Itäkeskus). Arrive. Take ticket - oh look, 25 people in queue for 5 desks... 

Wait. Time passes (and if you know Konna you can imagine how much she enjoyed that).

One hour later... Get as far as introducing myself suomeksi before handing over to Konna to explain. Discover Kela needs instruction from työvoimatoimisto to make payments, but usually it is for their own courses... oh and have I got my E301 from UK yet? (Luckily yes!)

Okay so now we need to go to Hakaniemi.  Arrive and marvel at lack of security or clear signs,but  eventually find 'immigration' section. Take ticket - ooh only 12 people in this queue, but only 2 desks. 

Time passes... bing-bong 749 flashes up - our turn.

Hei, olen Emmdee.  Tämä on minun kela-kortti; ja passi jos tarvitset. Olen rekisteröidänyt työtön, ja haluisin mennä suomen kielen kurssi...

[They don't have any courses, I have to find one first...]* 

*in Finnish - hey, someone spoke to me in Finnish! 

That's okay I already have found one - and have the details. How do I get permission to take it and get the payments?

[Okay, I've noted you have asked on the system.  Now you need to get a certificate from the course organiser to say you are enrolled. Then we will tell the Kela they can make the payments when you do the course]

So no forms?! And do we have to come back here again! No - luckily it can be posted, but now a trip to the Helsingin Seudun Kesäyliopiston toimisto (luckily only 10mins away) is needed... trudge to the Open Summer University office; enroll; pay; get certificate. Phew. Saga over.

Elvis spotted in Helsinki

Elvis is in the building...

While I'm waiting to set up the new Guardian Twitter feed by doing this quiz, I thought I would post this picture proving Elvis is alive and well and partying in Helsinki.  

It's also a little known fact that today is the only day that it is actually illegal to fly the Finnish flag - as they say here (very quickly) "Aprillia, aprillia, syö silliä ja juo kuravettä päälle!"