May 20- The World Premiere of film on Nantucket's Historic Coloured Cemetery

 A busy day at the Maple Leaf and Eagle Conference.

 Today was jam packed.

Chancellor, U of Helsinki

  We arrived at the conference around 9 a.m. to register. That was followed by a two-hour opening ceremony. Speakers included ___, who chairs the conference, Mikko Saikku, and the former chair, ____, both friends of Fran and Al's. In fact, Mikko was a student of Al's.

  The Canadian ambassador and the American chargé d'Affairs also gave brief remarks. The Canadian's was excellent, talking about the challenges facing the world with subtle references to the present American administration. The American's was brief and weak; of course, he is a political appointee. Sales of jets was prominent.

 

Mikko Saikku introducing Charles Postel

The keynote was given by Charles Postel who is teaching in Finland this year. It was excellent, comparing the Age of McKinley to the MAGA era. He talked about the difference between the McKinley tariffs and those of Trump, the latter being more "destablizing."  He traced the resiliency of the far-right from the Klan to John Birch to the Tea Party to MAGA. It was pertinent to the project Barbara has been working on. Overall, it was quite pessimistic noting the inadequacies of the Constitution with its archaic electoral college and rural hold on the Senate and the House due to their oversized role, making a state like Wyoming having their people's vote counting a great deal more than the  people's vote in California.

    Seminars and workshops followed for the rest of the day all on North American Culture with the theme of Crises, past and present

    The three of us met up for lunch at the cafeteria.

Question and Answer Period

    Our film was the last session of the day and was well attended. We had a positive Q and A at the end. We were all very, very pleased.

   

At Allus Restaurant dinner

Sea bass, main dish - mmmm

 The day culminated at Allas Restaurant on the waterfront. The three of us took an Uber there, but walked home. We sat with Nina Ohman, a professor at the University whose Ph.D. is in American music - Jazz, plus American blues specifically women such as Mahalia Jackson. She had played basketball at the U of Maryland and participated in March Madness. 

May 19 - A Day in the Ateneum Art Museum

 

Today we spent most of our day at the Ateneum Art Museum where we spent the morning on the permanent collections floor, mostly featuring Finnish art.

A Van Gogh we had never seen

However, we also saw a Van Gogh that we had never seen before.

We took a lunch break at the City Centre mall and had a very nice Chinese buffet.

Then, we went back to see the exhibit of Eero Nelimarkka, a well-known Finnish artist who was active from around 1910 until his death in 1977.

Shortly after we got up to the third floor to see the exhibit, there was an alarm and we had to evacuate the building. This was not easy with Mark's knee. We were taken to another building to wait. Coincidentally, during that process, we met up with Fran who had also been viewing the Nelimarkka exhibit.

Within a short time, we were given the "all clear" to return to the building and never did find out what the problem had been.

We picked up some food and ate at "home."

May 18, A day in Helsinki- Trip to Suomenlinna Island, Jecca's Birthday

May 18 - A day at Suomenlinna for Mark and Barbara

Indoor Marketplace, built in late 1900s

   After a leisurely start to the day, we walked to the City Market area and caught a ferry to Suomenlinna Island where Fran and Barbara went a few days earlier. There were far fewer people than when they had gone and we got a good seat on the ferry upstairs.

An island en route to Suomamenlinna

    We sauntered to a vantage point overlooking the water and then back to the ferry, stopping at a shop for more postcards and for a blueberry, cardamom bun and coffees.  It took a few hours and was very nice as it was warm and sunny.

Fortress, complete with cannons

    Then we ate some more delicious salmon soup at an outdoor tent at the City Market with some rye bread. 

Salmon soup, rye bread

     Next up - a stroll where we sat by the Cathedral watching the world go by. Then - back home to a little dinner - sausages, potatoes, bread, cheese.

   

May 15, Tram Ride & Trip to Suomenlinna Island

  Today was a lovely day in Helsinki, mostly sunny and in the 50s.

 

Cafe at Train Station, Helsinki

Having "piglets" (like doughnuts) City Market

 Mark finally got out and about - still has a swollen knee and cramp in his back thigh. Fran met us and we walked to a tram that circles the inner city. We got off at the City Market place, walked through the indoor market with its beautiful wood cubicles and onto the square with tents selling food and other items.

On Suomenlinna Island

   We all had a delicious salmon soup with sweet rye bread. That was followed up by a Finnish filled doughnut called "piglets" as they have little bumps, rather like the legs of a pig. These were filled with apple jam. Yum!

   After that, Mark walked home, getting more acquainted with our neighborhood. He went to the grocery store and prepared a delicious dinner of chicken, mushrooms and roasted potatoes accompanied by a salad. The three of us gave it nods of approval.

    Meanwhile, Barbara and Fran took a public ferry. (2.2 Euros each way) to Suomenlinna Island, a place dear to Fran and her family from their years here. It is called the Fortress of Finland, a World Heritage Site. 

City Market over 100 years ago, from a painting in Ateneum

     Construction on the fortress began in the 1700s and it continued to be important to Finland for centuries. It is now a tourist attraction for day visitors; there are no hotels or short-term rentals. About 600 people live there.

     It is a short ride (25 minutes?) to get there and many of those who live there commute daily.

     One of the first sites that you come to is a church that began as a Russian Orthodox Church with typical onion-shaped domes. When the Finns became independent, the church became a Lutheran Church and the domes were removed. Interestingly, it may be the only church in the world to double as a lighthouse.

    Note: There are two state religions in Finland - Russian Orthodox and Lutheran. People generally are taxed for one or the other, although exceptions are made for those who belong to other, or. no, denominations.

      Fran and Barbara walked to the end of the fortress and back. It is beautiful. You can see out to "pilot island" which is there big ships have to pick up pilots to navigate them in and out of the harbor.

Cathedral, Central Helsinki, Lutheran

Russian Orthodox Church

     Both picked up some postcards at the museum - the Finns have a lot of whimsical postcards.

     Then, they walked back to our flat and the three of us had dinner together.

May 16, 17 - Trip to Lakeside Cottage

 May 16 - leaving Helsinki for a lake-side cottage

 

Fran & Barbara, Botanical Garden

 Today we met Fran and walked to the Botanical Garden. Fran brought Mark a helpful cane from Hanna, with whom she is staying.  Fran went inside while we looked at flowers and birds. Then, we went to the Viola Cafe and had a light lunch and met Harri, a linguist/scholar that Fran has had contact with, although never in person. The cafe was in a beautiful old building.

Cafe Viola with traditional heating

   Then, we went in Harri's car to a stadium where his son, Otso, 23, was running a half marathon. There were 14,000 runners in the half marathon. We were there in time to see people who'd run the marathon come in, but they were those who took a lot of time.

Otso with medal

    We also saw the medal ceremonies for the half marathon. The winners in order for the men were: a Slovakian, Ukrainian and Estonian. The women, in order were: a Finn, a Ukranian and a Finn.

     Somehow, we missed Otso coming in as he had changed the shirt Harri was looking for.

     Then, we all drove about 140 k together north of Lahti where Harri and Asta have a cottage that has been in Asta's family. They have a main cabin with two bedrooms, sitting area and kitchen. We were in a bunkhouse. Fran was in a room off the lakefront sauna. It was steep with a rocky, rooted path getting down there. There is an outhouse, too.

     Asta is a special education teacher for middle school children.

 

A Finnish feast - 3 fish dishes etc etc.

   Harri prepared a feast of a Finnish traditional meal of a whitefish caught in a nearby lake, gravlax salmon, smoked salmon, curried sardines, rye bread, Karelian pies, cole slaw (probably missing something).

     Then, we prepared for their traditional sauna, heated by wood. Robes were provided to go down and back. The women went first. First, there was water to scoop out in ladles to clean yourself. No clothes, of course. Then, we went in and, Asta, threw water on the stones to create steam, or a breath. After a while, we went outside to sit and cool down. Both Asta and Fran dipped in the lake. Barbara did not. Then, we went back in as Asta says you must do at least two sessions in the sauna and she often spends several hours in and out with lake dips. It is totally relaxing and restorative. Aaahhhh.

     Harri and Mark went in next. I think we all got into bed around 11 p.m. It was light until 10:30!

May 17 - A day at the lake

    Today we eased our way into the day, totally relaxed. It is so quiet and peaceful. You can understand why Finns are so committed to their lakeside cottages and saunas.

   We had another Finnish breakfast with some more Karelian pies, rye bread, cheese and some sweets.

    Fran, Mark and Barbara went birding and saw some interesting birds such as Common Sandpiper, White Wagtail, Common Cuckoo, Euranian linnet, Great Spotted Woodpecker. We heard many chaffinches, but didn's see them or the Willow Warber, Tits and Bohemian Waxwings.

    The day was spent reading and listening to Fran and Harri talk at length about MesoAmerican studies, especially linguistings. Fran and Harri exchanged their own signed books. Harri deciphered some Mayan glyphs. One about a tricker rabbit was especially interesting and humorous.

    Harri made a delicious barbecued Mongolian-inspired meal on the wood-fueled fireplace by the lake and we at in a picnic shelter. It was delicious.

Barbecue at the lake, Mongolian style

    Asta had a lot of work to do to close the cottage for two weeks. Then, Otso drove us to the train station with Mark in the front seat, Fran, Asta, Barbara and two Spaniels in the back set.

Asta, Barbara

They dropped us at the train station and we purchased tickets for Helsinki. Barbara and Mark's combined ticket was only 30 Euros. The train took about an hour and a half; it was so smooth, so pleasant. We arrived back and walked back "home." It was still light around 10 when we settled in.

     The days at the cottage were memorable - a true glimpse of Finnish life. We feel very very lucky to have experienced it.

"Our" cottage

May 14- Barbara and Fran Walk for Miles!

 Today was a bright, but somewhat chilly day. (In the 50s) Mark decided he needed to take a day and rest his knee.

 Fran walked over around 10:30 and she and Barbara walked most of the day. 

  We went to a large, beautiful bookstore where Fran bought several books about the city's architecture.

  The train station was on our tour - it has an impressive exterior and interior with a beautiful cafe inside.

  We visited the Tourist Bureau to get maps and to figure out how to use the transit system. It turns out that the best way is to just use the touchless phone.

   We walked to the open air and enclosed market place on the harbor, wandered there and had some salmon soup at one of the tent stalls.

    From there, we walked a long way along the waterfront looking out at ferries going back and forth and out at several islands. 

    Then, we walked back through a park into the city. 

    We stopped at a grocery store and picked up salad ingredients, some salami and some ice cream. Mark made "egg butter" during the day which are hard boiled eggs, mixed with softened butter. We had a Finnish meal called _______ which were in our freezer. Those were microwaved, then topped with egg butter and a slice of salami. A true Finnish dinner.

     Then, Barbara walked Fran most of the way home. Fran clocked over 9 miles today and Barbara over 6 and has blisters! Fran seemed perfectly fine.

    

May 13 - Paris to Helsinki!

  We had an early start with a taxi arriving to pick us up at 7:20. As Mark's knee is no better, we arranged for a wheelchair at Charles de Gaulle. We also found that we had to check our bags as they are slightly too big for Finn Air's requirement. This all took a bit of time, but a very nice woman at Finn Air gave her a hand in getting the baggage tags printed etc. 

   All went smoothly. We got through security rather easily, although Mark was thoroughly "wanded" across his body, even his feet. 

   The flight was just under 3 hours and very smooth.

   A wheelchair was waiting in Helsinki and we went to pick up our luggage. People do not have to go through any customs/security which was amazing and like the "old days." Get off the plane, get your luggage and go.

    Fran Kartunnen was waiting for us as she'd arrived shortly before us from Boston via Iceland. Two of her friends had taken the time to take the train to meet her which was really nice. Olle and Hilka - two very nice people. 

     We took the fast, comfortable, quiet train from the airport into the central rail station for the price of 4.2 Euros each, so about $5.00 for a 25 minute ride. From there, Fran walked with us about 600 meters to our flat where a young man was waiting to let us in. The walk was hard on Mark and, of course, we were trailing our luggage.

   

 The flat is lovely -spacious with a nice outside balcony room. The only disappointment was that we had expected a washing machine, but we will either avail ourselves of a washer somewhere in the building, or stick to hand wash.

    Then, Barbara walked with Fran to where she is staying with friends. It was about 1.2 kilometers and took us along the waterfront as well as by the two big churches - one is the Lutheran cathedral and the other is the Russian Orthodox one. So, it was a nice taste of the city.

    Barbara met Fran's friends, Dave and Hanna who have a gorgeous flat on a peninsula. It is a building from the Belle Epoque with a famous, fancy elevator which has leather seats!

   Barbara walked back, using her phone to navigate. Then, we both walked to a nearby grocery store down in the Metro and got fixings for some meals, especially as tomorrow is a big holiday here - Ascension Day, and supposedly a lot will be closed.