Birdsong

Pendolino took me home from the capital. Just after the main railway station, the train passes an area called Birdsong. 

The expanding train track have eaten up the area and some of the villas are pretty close to the trains. I took few hasty shots through the window of fast moving Pendolino to mark the end of my Helsinki holiday.

So long Helsinki. Hello home.

Signals Seen Through a Tram's Window

Medicine sold here.

Beautiful homes for all.

Secondhand books.

Sale.

Art exhibition.

Underground.

Karaoke.

Chinese food and more secondhand books.

Don't you dare to drive on this lane.

Visiting the Bygone Times

I am no longer in Helsinki, but I still have many things from there to share. I finally visited the hidden treasure, which has been on my shall-do list forever. It turned out be a rare jewel.

It was build by a Sailor's widow and eventually sold to a Burgher. The Burgher's Dancer granddaughter and her companion were its last occupants. They lived in it until 1974, when she sold it to the city of Helsinki.

Today it is a super charming mini museum with free entrance. It is almost too nice to be real.

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present the Burgher's House.

Heart Park, Coffee And Nepali Food

I had coffee in Sinebrykoff park. First I was alone. Then I got company.

I ate Nepalese food. It has been a long lasting love affair in my life.

Life Paths

There is one intersection in downtown Helsinki, where I have started to stumble this summer. The reason for my wobbly walk is an installation called Life Paths by a Sculptor Kaarina Kaikkonen up in the air. I cannot take my eyes off it when ever I am around. Remarkably, it was set up by a private enterprise Gallerie Forsblom as opposed to the usual suspect of public art displays - the city of Helsinki. It will be taken down in September and I know I will miss it. Lucky I have the pictures.

I thank Gallerie Forsblom for the installation it has provided for the public this summer. This kind of acts of kindness make me like this city and country even more than what I already do.

Window Shopping

After midsummer I craved for a coffee house coffee. Went out and found long ques in every place open in southern Helsinki. I love coffee, but I am not a person to que for a cup for too long and instead I went for a walk. This time it was the window displays, which caught my attention.

Helsinki Looking Good

I do like the look of the buildings in Helsinki. Most of them, I mean.

Balloon Like And Like Me Not

My lonely midsummer continues in empty Helsinki. Morning started with rain and that put me off going for a walk. I stayed in and started to crochet a rug. It was so nice, that I did not do  much else today except too much eating. I had an uncontrollable amount of sweets, four meals and snacks of all sorts in between. I feel like a balloon and I really do not like a balloon as myself. However, the balloon like little mobile home I pictured yesterday is cute.

PS: In my case lonely is not bad. It is actually quite nice, but overeating is bad. Very much so.

Empty

This midsummer I traveled against the stream and came to the city. Most of Finland escaped it and went to the country side. While people enjoyed the lakeside wonders of Finnish midsummer, I walked around empty Helsinki.

Midsummer

Midsummer is the only pagan festival still celebrated in Finland. Although, we know about the ancient ways, only few traditional celebration practices are applied today. Bonfires are still burning, but strictly according to the restrictions of the fire department. Alcohol is still consumed, saunas heated and people wander in masses to waters like in olden days. Few years back the festival date was changed from the actual summer solace to the first following Saturday for economic reasons and it kind of took the point of the magic. Earlier this week I talked to a farmer friend on the phone and reminded her to swim naked in a rye field at midnight of summer solace in order to dream of a man she will marry. "Sweety", she responded, "I grow my rye for market and do nothing to harm it. My boyfriend is enough. I have no rush to marry". Times have really changed in 100 years or so.

See, Helsinki is in the South

Compared to Oulu, summer is so much ahead here in Helsinki. I arrived in my trench coat and felt a bit funny wearing it when passing by a park where people were sunbathing in their swim wear.

Helsinki

I am in Helsinki. Visiting a very dear friend. One of the bestest. The sun shines, we talk, laugh and eat well. I shall help her with few errands and together we will work on a slide show. Nothing much, but so valuable. She has been a great support in my low. A real life Prozac and an angel in disguise.