Picture: Alvar Aalto
The first few days upon returning ‘home’ from Tallinn and Helsinki were all about settling back in and getting the kids set up with some kind of physical activity (preferably one where they can also meet some of the local kids, too). Robyn had done a lot of research for different activities and we settled on a local swim team for Liam and dance classes for Meggie. We took Meg out to view the two different options and she liked the one through the local Gradia (vocational high school). Liam tried the swim class and even though it was initially very hard due to the long training periods and mileage (up to 3 miles per session) he decided that he enjoyed it. There was even a boy his age who had spent almost a year in the states, so his English is pretty good!
The first time we visited the pool and recreation center, I was stopped by the lifeguard soon after entering the pool area due to my swim shorts. Apparently, even my European style small shorts were not acceptable for Finland as all males have to wear either racing speedos or tight trunks that are a little smaller than boxer briefs, but thankfully a tad bigger than the infamous (at least at my age) speedos. I thought that I was going to have to leave the pool due to being inappropriately attired. Thankfully, they have loaners (yikes) that they keep for just such occasions. I suspect that every non-Finnish male who enters the pool needs such help. Then it was simply a matter of trying to decipher all the signs on doors, walls, and even swimming lanes of which there were many and none in English. We soon understood that such places even though they don’t have many rules, are highly organized and it is very easy to cause problems by not following along. For example, there are no bathing suits to be worn in the sauna, although bringing in a towel is okay as I eventually found out. I was the only one who brought something in to sit on it should be noted. That being said the rec. center here is extremely clean, modern, multi-faceted, and enjoyed by all.
I started to teach myself how to cross-country ski around the park across the street this week. I bought an entire set of second hand skis, poles, and boots for 30 euros (just over $30). Let me say that I was very surprised that I could pretzel myself into some remarkable positions while thrusting my head into a snow drift up to my shoulders. This usually occurred only when locals were nearby to witness my achievements. I was amazed at how many dog walkers there suddenly were late in the evening. Perhaps it was a bad T.V. night. I persevered, however, and am making some real gains. My favorite place to work on technique (other than snow banks) is the lake which has now had about a 2 mile track groomed on its snow covered icy surface. It’s amazing how big the lake is and the wonderful views it offers of the town, especially at night when everything is lit up. It’s also possible to ski across town on surface streets as there’s been so much snow. This is not so good for me at this point as I can’t really steer that well going downhill.
The weekend saw us visiting the local ski resort as well as the Alvar Aalto museum. The ski resort was hosting the Redbull Crashed Ice competition which tours many different countries and is, I believe, part of the X-games circuit. The racers look like hockey players in their pads and hurtle down ice shutes similar to bob sledding runs, but are wider and have gnarly jumps and drop-offs. It is a lot of fun to watch the athletes fly past and the event is very popular. It was brutally cold that day and we all made it home mildly hypothermic and in need of some high calorie comfort food to revive us. Well, that and something for the adults to spike the hot chocolate with 😉 Friends stopped by on their way home and I was relieved to see that we weren’t the only ones who were tinged a little blue around the edges. In fact, one of Robyn’s Fulbright colleagues reported that her son had PTSD the next day and wouldn’t leave the house! All good fun and character building.
Sunday was the anniversary of Alvar Aalto’s birthday. This beloved Finnish architect and designer from Jyväskylä made huge contributions worldwide to how living spaces were conceptualized, built, and used in the 20th Century. He even designed glassware and other household items that would be very familiar to you if you’ve spent any time in Europe. I’m sure many furniture items in Ikea give more than a nod to Alvar’s genius. The museum here which bears his name had a few design workshops as well as birthday cake and refreshments for visitors who braved the driving snow. It is a lovely place full of original illustrations, models, and household items designed by Alvar as well as other architects and designers inspired by him. While we were making our own art, Robyn took the opportunity to talk to the education leader about the school groups that visit, and what the learning opportunities look like there. Being Finland, there is apparently much discussion how architects use space and items to help people’s wellbeing while including nature. This is followed by hands-on projects and presentations. Good stuff. Happy Birthday Alvar!
Lastly, today (February 5th) is Runebergin Päivää, or Runeberg Day. Johan Ludvig Runeberg was a Finno-Sweddish poet whose first poem in his very first publication became the popular Finnish National Anthem. Born in 1804, Runeberg went on to write many poems that are often sung rather than spoken. People celebrate by eating a special delicious Runebergin Torttu that replicates his favorite that his wife used to prepare for him. Available in shops only for a limited time, the torttu tastes mildly of almonds and resemble a 3 inch tall honey cake with a dollop of icing and jam on top. Sounds like a good excuse to read some poetry and eat some treats to me.
