Sounds and sensations

During my cosmopolitan years, I forgot many of the sounds, odours, and other sensations familiar to Finland. What a great feeling to rediscover them again and the reminiscences they bring to my mind.

In the autumn, it was the wonderful scent of fallen leaves. Wading through the piles of colourful leaves and kicking them in the air, feeling like a child again. All the memories of the starting of the school year came to my mind, something new and exciting. I couldn't stop breathing in the autumnal parfum with long inhales.

In the beginning of the winter, it was the sight from the window of everything being covered in white one morning. The snow made the sounds softer and the city life seemed to decelerate. I had forgotten the ability to balance my walk on the icy street but the skill of guiding a sled downhill hadn't disappeared anywhere.

Now, as the winter is discreetly turning into spring (at least, in my hopes), I'm rediscovering the sound of drops as melting snow is running down the rain pipes. Tip, tip, tip! Every day is longer than the previous one. The forgotten brightness of the sun getting more strength from the icy sea and the snow-coated fields dazzles the eyes.

The snow piles in the shadowy sides of the streets look like everlasting, they will be there for another month probably. They are dirty; the exhaust fumes, city's pollution and sand have been accumulating there for the past two months. The melting snow is creating brown channels in the streets.

Soon, the snow will give way to the spring, to the smell of decomposing organic life. The lovely feeling of first unzipping the winter coat, getting rid off the thick gloves, and the gradual undressing until the Midsummer, a process unfamiliar to the Southern countries where the change is faster and less striking.

No wonder, the Finns are among the happiest people in Europe (after the Danish). Only after the dark, long and cold winter can one appreciate life as we do. The Finnish winter offers us an opportunity for a collective survival. The affordable winter holidays in Thailand must be hampering the social cohesion in Finland...

P.S. The two bears in the Helsinki zoo woke up after their 4 months of winter sleep. Lucky bastards - but oh so cute!

Severe weather warning from Florence

I need to add here this warning I received in my Florentine email account. It fits so well with my previous entries about my problems with the slippery streets in Helsinki. Why didn't anybody warn me about these things in Finland???

SEVERE WEATHER WARNING

Weather forecasts for the next 24 hours report heavy snow falling all over the region of Tuscany, including Florence, and very low temperatures (as low as -10° C), so we recommend:

your utmost attention when walking on slippery and/or icy ground;

driving your car only if equipped with winter tyres or snow chains (as requested by the local authorities);

using the telephone number set up by the Comune di Firenze (Public Safety Service) in case of emergency

The Institute will salt all access roads (both for vehicles and pedestrians) and pavements.

In general, we recommend the utmost caution when driving or walking.

Snow or La donna è mobile

Today, perfect weather for a Sunday walk and yesterday I even went running (exclamation point). Hah, just a day before I had written here about the impossibility of running in the snowy streets. But guess what, it was pretty great and I finally signed up for the half marathon as well. So, at least temporarily, I've won my snow and winter angst (maybe because in three days I'll be in the sun!). This is positive as my current running capacity seems to be 9 km...

Above: My neighbourhood, Eira.

Above: Uunisaari, just off the seaside boulevard, and connected by a little bridge during the winter.

The sea was amazingly beautiful in the pale winter light, so I decided to put here some photos of the snow and ice. (Again acting for the Finnish tourism industry...)

Snow angst gone for the moment but I'm note here yet:

On winter - by B. Jones

Remember when, about four weeks ago, I declared my aim to practice for a half marathon? Well, the snow remains on the ground and it's too cold and dark to run voluntarily if not for a bus. I have tried to minimise my time on the snowy ground in general. And still, I've fallen twice (Italian shoes + lack of practice).

The first time in front of a male friend. He didn't gallop to help me. This lack of gentlemanly behaviour should have signalled me already something more that I grasped at the moment when I tried to get up with my knee hurt. Indeed, this leads me to the conclusion I've reached during the last five months (and my adult life in Finland at large): the Finnish guys just lack all the balanced passion and attention, playful devotion and courage that can inspire me in some guys I've met abroad. Oh yes, on a weekend trip in Paris and a work trip in Brussels I noticed so clearly what I was missing in Finland besides sun. God dammit, how can the French guys be so bloody cute?

The second time in front of an 8 o'clock tram stop busy with people. Left me with a mark on my thigh but less visions about the people in Finland.

Of course, it's pretty outside. But in the back of my mind I hope that the snow will melt during my trip to the Philippines. And yes, this blog is turning into a Bridget Jones Diary...

Let it snow!

First of all, happy New Year 2012! Let us face it with tolerance and adventurous mind and without prejudices.
Secondly, let's start complaining...

So far it has been a very grey winter and it hasn't snowed at all in Helsinki. People were unhappy. I, on the other hand, considered the +4 °C temperature perfect, especially because I could still use my autumn coat (of the style that, I only now discovered, was basically the symbol of bourgeoisie in France).

It started snowing today. Big white flakes outside of my office window, but I didn't feel at all excited. Immediately, there were responses on Facebook: "Snow :)" or "S-N-O-W" and maybe three exclamation points.

I expected that my Italian leather shoes would be destroyed and I would need to walk in a weird position in order to avoid slipping or to veer around the melted snow. When outside, I didn't dare to use the umbrella. First, because it didn't seem to snow that much or that wet. And second, because I didn't know the appropriate umbrella convention any more: was it OK to use umbrella in the snow or would I look like someone who doesn't enjoy the first snow and spoils other people's excitement? Normally, I don't care that much about what strangers think of me but somehow umbrella use is one of my weak points. The social custom in the streets seemed divided but I made my own decision, the next time I'll be using an umbrella!

I went to buy new running shoes. I doubt now that I will use them soon if the weather continues like this. However, I was inspired by my sister's decision to run a half marathon in May. Even though the lower early bird fee didn't apply any longer (of course I had missed it by a day), I was also considering of finally doing it. I should mention that this has been my plan ever since the summer 2006 when I started practising in Paris under the dictation of my professor. I bought my Asics then...

God dammit, someone wrote on Facebook about going to run in the snow with the Arctic jogging shoes. I had seen those in the sport shop just before. They have iron spikes! It can't be normal to want to run that much that you start wearing iron spikes in your shoes. Haven't these people heard of port wine, candle light and a good book??

Anyway, I got my new pair of Asics (not the Arctic ones, obviously) and went to Musiikkitalo, the new Music house of Helsinki, to get the free tickets they distribute in the beginning of the month to a chamber music concert (it's not that I don't want to pay, but this is the only occasion they play chamber music). Through the wet snow and wind. And god dammit, there were no more tickets even if this was the first day of the distribution and I had thought this would be a nice thing to do with a guy I like. They had run out of tickets already at noon. Little old ladies being pretty active, huh? Yes, the girl replied.

I went to Ruohonjuuri, the eco-fair trade shop, to get some comfort food. Mascara running down on my cheeks, I was offered a free bite of hemp tofu. I was at the same time trying to blow my nose (another annoying side-effect of this weather, though: "Boogers are a sign that your nose is working the way it should". Great!) and listening how to use tofu in a dessert (I completely missed the recipe as I was trying to look civilized with my combined mascara, sweat and booger problem, but it should be on www.soya.fi). I bought some hemp tofu and run for the bus in this stupid "oh, falling down, oups, missing the bus" -way. I got it and wondered if I looked cute like I would be looking in a Hollywood film under the same circumstances (at home I discovered that I had seen better days and mascara definitely looked better on my eye lashes).

I got home and was a bit disappointed that there were no more Facebook status updates on snow, it would have been useful for this blog entry. The snow does seem like a minor thing now that I'm inside and drinking the leftovers of the New Year's Eve prosecco (you see the excellent flow in the writing; it's the prosecchino!).

Anyway, a third point should be made. Even though I hate to disappoint my family who laugh of the idea that I regard myself as a quite positive person, I understood a couple of days ago that year 2011 had been pretty excellent and there's no way I can complain about my life in Helsinki. Most things in my life had fallen in right spots after all; the magic was to not yield to the temptation of existentialist analysis and the allure of cynicism (hey, maybe we all have something to learn from the presidential candidate Paavo Väyrynen!). So, I think I'll just lay on the sofa now, have some port wine, put on some candles and read a good book (alternatively watch an episode of the West Wing with my pet (soft toy) rat laying on my chest).