Last year was the centenary anniversary of Finland. It was a year full of events celebrating independent Finland and also a personal milestone year, because I finally defended my PhD thesis! Time flew by and it’s already 2019, when I found this post un-published!
As 2017 was packed of events and I took loads of pictures, I will split this blog post in seasons and then some bonus sections: Balcony gardening, field work, baking, 100 years of Finland celebrations, Christmas.
Winter
Last winter we didn’t have that much snow in Helsinki as in other years, but still it was enough to have some pretty stunning views and loads of fun, particularly on Shrove Tuesday watching the students sliding down Kaivopuisto in some very original cars (including one portable sauna!).
A remarkable thing of last winter, was to walk on the frozen sea! The weather was perfect for that, a day in February. With a clear sky and frozen sea, what more can you ask for? salmon soup to warm up your tummy, a beautiful kite exhibition and a colorful sunset, all in one day! We don’t have that many sunny days in Helsinki, but when they happen they are simply delightful.
You can read more about the traditional Finnish Shrove Tuesday here: Laskiainen
Spring
Spring was a lot shorter than Winter, in Finland winter feels as if it lasts 6 months. That’s why people welcome spring and the good weather with Vappu.
Vappu celebrations begin on the 30th of April which is Walpurgis night (what a name!) and then go on until next day 1st of May, where a huge picnic takes place in ‘Kaivopuisto’ (one of the biggest parks in Helsinki. In ‘Vappu’ people celebrate that the good weather is finally around the corner. Those who have finished high-school wear a white cap and those who are in university wear colored overalls. Most people gather to drink sima, sparkling wine and ‘tippaleipä’ (funnel bun) which is often substituted for a tastier ‘munkki’ (sugar doughnut). Let’s see if some year I write a post on all those quirky and tasty Finnish buns, yum!
In May I had the opportunity to volunteer for the first time in Finland. I joined a group of gardeners and University researchers to sow some shrubs and trees in order to restore a wetland in Nummela (small town in Southern Finland). It was very nice to spend some time outdoors even if the sky was grey, being in contact with the plants and other volunteers was very inspiring. I didn’t know it then, but it turns out the volunteering habit came for staying, and in autumn I kept on volunteering; as I write this post my next volunteering will be next week during DocPoint the local documentary film festival.
Also in May I made a visit to the ‘Kaisaniemi’ botanic garden, where I saw for the first time how a leaf from a water lily is originally a bulky roll before becoming a flat waterproof leaf, such a cutie! I usually go to this botanic garden to see the blooms in the water lily room, and this time was no different as I was lucky enough to spot the flowers of the blue Egyptian water lily.
Later in June (yeah, I classified June in spring as it isn’t so warm here) I visited for the first time the rhododendron parks in Helsinki: one is the rhododendron garden at ‘Meilahden arboretum’ and the second and most amazing one, is the rhododendron and azaleas garden in Haaga which is known as ‘Alppiruusupuisto’. If you ever visit Helsinki in June, ‘Alppiruusupuisto’ is definitely the place to go, you will be embraced by a ton of rhododendrons growing nicely below tall Scott pines, quite amazing views! The rhododendrons have been cultivated since 1975! originally part of a breeding research of the University of Helsinki, when the research ended the place was set as an idyllic city park. For more information about the second park click here Alppiruusupuisto.
Summer
Summer days in Finland are stunning as we have “polar days” meaning that the sun hardly sets. Ok, summer may also be rainy and cloudy, but there are plenty of days with a clear sky, such days are perfect for a visit to the nearest lake or to go and pick strawberries both of which I did. Finnish strawberries are the sweetest and tastiest!
During midsummer if the weather is good, there is the chance to witness the midnight sun. This year I was lucky enough to be in the Turku archipelago with perfect weather for spotting it. Coming from the tropics for me the midnight sun seems like a wonder! During midsummer locally known as ‘Juhannus’, it is traditional to put up maypoles which are adorned with flowers. In midsummer eve some women make crowns using nine different flowers and put them under their pillow with the hope of meeting their husband in dreams. I like this tradition quite a lot, not for the dreaming part, but because picking up the flowers and making the crown is quite fun! but unfortunately it seems this tradition is not being put to practice in Finland as much as it is practiced in Latvia or Sweden. Another advantage of this tradition, is that you can collect flowers of invasive species, such as the large leaved lupin (Lupinus polyphyllus) to make the crown and at the same time help the environment.
At the end of summer I went for the first time to FLOW festival, which is one of the most popular music festivals in Helsinki. There was a huge thunderstorm exactly on the day when I had my ticket, brrr! But despite the challenging weather it was super fun and I had the chance to see The XX, Jon Hopkins and Goldfrapp.
Other spots included in the slideshow: vuosaari beach which is a great spot to enjoy the sea side and a good ice-cream; and the Aleksi Gallen Kallela museum in Espoo.
Balcony gardening and field work
I had fun during summer coming home and checking how my balcony garden plants developed day by day. I grew lettuce, carrots and last but most fun an ornamental pumpkin! It grew very tall and I needed to fertilize the flowers by hand, which was challenging as male flowers and female flowers did not always open at the same time. In the slideshow there are also some shots from viikki research farm.
Autumn
Lots of pumpkins, mushrooms and movies! that’s autumn in a nutshell. In the slideshow there are several pictures from walks in kaivopuisto, viikki, Sipoonkorpi and Rakkauta ja anarkiaa movie film festival.
Baking
Living in Finland I happened to watch the Great British Bake-Off and it did inspire me to bake more! Ah and also that I got for Christmas the book “What to bake and how to bake it” by Jane Horby, highly recommended! Nowadays whenever there is a birthday or some other celebration, I take it as a chance to bake. In the slideshow: carrot cake, strawberry cheesecake cake, jaffa marble loaf, sticky pear and pecan toffee cake.
100 years of Finland! Suomi 100!
It is wonderful to have leaved in Finland all these years and so it was very exciting to participate in the celebrations of its 100th birthday! Paljon onnea Suomi! As part of the celebrations there was free pulla and coffee in several public places, such as in musiikkitalo, one of my favorite places in the city, so of course I went there. Another fantastic outcome of the 100 year old Finland is the new library Oodi a must visit place and winner of the best new library in 2019. As you see I am editing this post, before publishing it two years later!
Christmas
Lots of postcards to be written that is how my Christmas season began. Then I felt inspired and put my hands into several handicrafts: a stocking for presents, a glass jar with wintery bits and most fun of all: a home made porridge as a gift for friends. As a reward for an active year, Christmas season is the time to enjoy a fluffy panettone and several cups of glöggi with friends.
Bonus Points for 2017: +100 points to match the 100 years of Finland 🙂
Bonus Points for finishing writing the post: +25 better late than never!
Bonus Points for publishing the post two years later: -2500 points!
Bonus Points 