We arrived in Helsinki harbour after a pleasant night on the Viking Line ferry and after an excellent morning breakfast buffet. The kids were eager to try riisipiirakka (Karelian rice pies) after having tried some a few years ago from the Burnaby Finnish Retirement Home Christmas Bazaar. They thoroughly enjoyed them – especially with egg butter spread on top – and they became a breakfast staple during our time in Finland.
Our arrival was marked by sleet (!) and an unusual traffic jam resulting from a royal visit from the royal families of Denmark, Sweden and Norway, and the President of Iceland. They were heading to the Presidential Palace while we were trying to get around the other side. We didn’t mind it, though, as it gave us the chance to look around at what had changed since our last (brief) visit four years ago.
We were able to stay in an apartment that our friend R. helped us find and the location was perfect – a short walk to Kamppi and just beside our old neighbourhood. We originally thought the apartment would be a typical student bachelor pad (how it was described to us) but it turned out to be much better than expected. The apartment was in an old (100+ years) building with many preserved architectural details that reminded us of our old apartment in Töölö. It was well equipped and very comfortable.
The only downside to the apartment was discovering within the first few minutes that a dog normally lived there and A. started to have trouble breathing. We rolled up all the carpets and spent an hour vacuuming. The extra cleaning helped but it meant the kids slept in the master bed where the dog obviously also spent a lot of time. D. and A. were relegated to the couch and floor in the living room.
We always knew that our time in Finland would prioritize visiting people and strengthening old friendships. We started right away with having our friend M. over for dinner. We first met her at our church in Finland 17 years ago and then were able to reconnect with her when she moved to the west coast of the US, near Portland. We spoke on the phone last fall when she told us she had moved to Michigan but mentioned she would be in Finland the same time we were planning to be there. We made a plan to meet up once we arrived. She was the second of our North American friends we would meet in Europe. A visit to Michigan wasn’t likely so it was extra special for us to see her in Finland. After a lovely meal together, M. invited the kids to ride with her on the Skywheel the following week and they readily agreed. She also asked our daughter A. to help with a fundraising bake sale.
The next day we rented a car and drove out to Karjaa/Karis to spend the weekend with our friend R. He and his partner recently moved out of Helsinki into a spacious home on a quiet street. He kindly let us invade his peaceful home for two days. We enjoyed re-exploring the area, visiting Tammisaari and Fiskars, digging around various flea markets, checking out artists’ studios and small boutiques.
We all enjoyed Finnish pulla (except A. who looked on enviously) at a famous cafe in Tammisaari. The kids were thrilled to learn “fika” had a Finnish equivalent. We continued on to R’s summer house where we had our first family sauna. R’s summer house had a separate sauna building with a wood-fired heater. The only thing missing was a cold lake to jump into!
R’s summer house is magazine perfect (in fact, it’s been featured in one!) and we enjoyed being their with his partner and exploring the incredible garden area. Miraculously, the kids happily entertained themselves rolling around the lush grass while we caught up over gin and tonics. The setting is what many people dream of when talking about spending time at a Finnish cottage.
On Sunday, we drove back into Helsinki to attend the service at our old Anglican church, St. Nicholas. It was great to worship with many familiar faces who were pleasantly surprised to see us all. We also got to meet some new people, including some other families with girls with whom A. could play. Our daughter also helped our friend M. sell pulla to raise funds for church work in Africa. We spent an hour and a half after church outside in the large playground next door letting the kids blow off steam while we socialized with other parents.
A few days later, we met up with J. a friend (and former colleague of A’s) at his new apartment in Ruohlahti. The neighbourhood has radically expanded since we left in 2006 with a gigantic planned neighbourhood taking over the old shipping container yards and on reclaimed land. It was incredible to see how much had changed.
It was enjoyable catching up with J. since our previous visit four years ago. We were excited to hear that he would be taking a year-long sabbatical starting in August. In Finland, after 20 years of employment, workers are eligible for a partially funded sabbatical (it sounds like how parental leave works in Canada). We discussed his plans and shared some of our own experiences. We wish him a wonderful time!
Next: Finland – part two (reconnecting with friends outside Helsinki)
So glad you are having the time of your lives… hope you had a great visit with ma & Pa… all is good here. Take care hugs ❤️ R & B