Heavy Metal Choir (everyone wears Black and Red colored shirts)
Heavy Metal Pastor (We saw him in both metal clothes and Lutheran pastor clothes)
Heavy Metal Gospel Songs for the Congregation
Heavy Metal crowd and
Metal Candles
Very new and diverse experience.
I wonder what my Baptist friends would think....
Underground church with very dark songs.....
We visited the Temppeliaukio – The Rock church: Another famous tourist attraction is Helsinki's Rock Church, built entirely underground by digging out a hill, with only a dome showing through. A circle of sturdy old buildings, housing apartments and shops, surrounds it like a fairytale city. Tomorrow is the "Heavy-Metal" service. Looking forward to that.
Along our journey, we’ve been making new friends and exchanging emails. But NEVER got a chance to take picture with them. This photo was from Rob’s email. Thank goodness. This is one of the typical nights; we went up the stony hill to enjoy good conversations and local Beer. “Koff” was appreciated by Burmese, Aussie, Irish, Singaporean and Canadian.
We are staying at 1952 Olympic Stadium here in Finland. The city turns
part of the stadium facilities into Int'l youth Hostel. The room we are in is one of the athletes' room in the Olympic time. Pretty Cool Huh? We are learning so much and loving it. Very clean and nice green areas.....
June.24 – 0200hr arrived at Academica Hostel, Helsinki. Got a 3-beds private room at a dorm bed rate. Euro 15/person. Lucky! We slept the whole day and recover from yesterday drinking. Juhannus (mid summer). EVERYTHING in town is closed. So quite no activities at all. Managed to take a short walk to the Hietaniemi Beach at night, people are dancing on the beach and in the water. All drunk. Candles lits on the shore, people drinking, kissing, dancing, partying, mini-Bonfires going on and Polisi are there.
June.25 – Update the website list of Finland, work on one sketch, update my blog and head out to Onele club for some drinks (Again). What a wonderful Holiday! I love it!
June.26 – Try Makkara sausage. Crayfish season in the beginning of August. We are not going to get to the Rovaniemi, Capital of Lapland because we got to head out to Czech Republic before the Soccer Final in Berlin. But cover the Suomenlinna Sea fortress and the underground church.
June.23 – Midsummer Eve, Seurasaari Island, Euro 12/person. Celebrating Juhannus (Midsummer) is an old tradition in Finland. In Finland, there are total of two event for BonFires.
The first is Easter Bonfires on the April.15, originated from the Northwest Finland. According to their tradition The Bonfire was lit because people in the old days believed trolls and witches were our and about in the dark of night. They destroy the livestock and do damages for season crops. “Warf off the evil spirits”.
The second is Midsummer Bonfire on the June.23, originated from the Eastern Finland. Its festive mood celebrated with flowers and leafy twigs. Variety of tells and omens were likewise a strong features of Midsummer. Pre-Christian days: magic to promote growth and Christian day is “John the Baptist Birthday. Walked around the Seurasaari Open-Air Museum. Witness a whole range of Finnish architectures, life-style, house hold equipments, fences, etc…
Juhannus/Midsummer Program:
Roadside Program 18-21 hrs
Log Floaters, craftsmen, folk music, folk dancing for the public, Midsummer in farmstead, swing and playground for children, puppet show and horse driving. What I love the most is “Food”. The small little fishes that goes so well with “Koff” (Finnish Beer). Still haven't try the "Kampella" fish. Cannot find anywhere near here. May be in another country side up north.
Festival Grounds 19-21 hrs
Finnish Folk music, Jari Komulainen et al, the procession of flags, Karelian folk dances, children polonaise and bonfire, Play: from one hill you can see another, Finnish Folk dances and Wedding couple’s waltz.
The Bonfire Shore 21-22 hrs
Words for the songs were given to sing along when the couples are rowing to light the main bonfire. (Karjalaisten Laluu and Jo Karjalan Kunnailla). There are bonfires – not just one, but many which are just spectacular. The whole wonderful atmosphere. I love the processing of lighting of bonfires.
Midsummer Dances on the Festival Ground 22.15-01 (Finnish Folk Music) and we drink-drink-drink-prictures-prictures-prictures…
Midsummer Weddings: in Finland, it was quite popular to get married at Midsummer. In Seurasaari you can see the wedding couple in old style. The couple walked to the festival ground under a colorful, traditionally made canopy, followed by folk dancers. The couple is rowed in a traditional rowing boat to a nearby island, where they have the honorable duty of lighting up the main bonfire. There is the over three-centuries-old Karuna Wooden Church for the weddings.
Midsummer Spells: In Finnish tradition, the Midsummer Eve has always believed to have magical qualities. People do all kind of spells and charms. Most of them are in some way or another, linked to ones love life.
La Reverie du Nord – The Nordic Day dreaming
June.17 - Kiasma – Museum of contemporary art ARS6, Helsinki contemporary art exhibits where 60 of the world artist rotates their work in the exhibits. kiasma.fi
June.18 – We went to buy the concert ticket for LORDI at Hakunila Place, Myotatuulirock, which is near Airport, Euro 24.00, Forum shopping Center (info counter) or online ticket - Ticketti.fi. No avail. Too late.
June.19 – Moved back to Satakuntatalo Hostel, FREE breakfast and spent the rest of the day at the beach - “Hietaniemi”. Watched “Anti-Drug” live bands and dances at Kamppi Square. Very relaxing day.
June.20 – We worked at Biz Com center at Kampi Shopping Center for FREE WIFI access. Work day.
June.21 – We worked at the Librabry, peace and quite. FREE WIFI as well.
June.22 – Had a good conversation with a girl from Hongkong who is an exchange student in Finalnd for two months. She said the city is located right at the Russian border. Bought 36 bottles of beers for tomorrow count-down. Bought cold cuts and snacks to go with Beers. Pack for tomorrow Island trip. We are leaving from Satakuntatalo Hostel to Seurasaari Island.
This is taken at midnight on the hill of Olympic Stadium (1952), Helsinki.
June.15 Visited the Helsinki City Museum, fishermen market, wet-market, old market (mostly Italian food) and eat traditional fishes. In the evening there are many air-balloons going up in the air but we were too tired to go out.
June.16 – bought “Koff” and head out to Senate Square (drink, took pictures) and head out to Esplanade strip and met up with visitors from Germany and some locals Finns. We shared our Koff with them and had nice conversations. Finns invited us for Vodka drinking at their place, we say no. Because during the conversation we knew they only had one bottle to share amongst 7 people. As usual, exchange emails Two German (couple) from the Esplanade.
The finns suggested us to check out Molly Malone, Tavastia (Rock Club) near Kamppi Central, on the map is E15-20, right turn and you can see smaller clubs. But we end up at the “humongous club”. Onele, different halls for diff music. Hard rock area was really cool, I liked it. Had to buy “membership Card” if you want cheap drinks. So we got one. Its good for a month.
Helsinki Day started heading out Downtown since 7:00am and got back at night around 10pm. Started with FREE coffee at Helsinki Cathedral (a Russia want-to-be “St.Petersburg”). Withness the opening ceremony of Hlsinki day by its mayor, accompanied with brass band. WE went to the Esplanade Park to listen to some Jazz, Finnish rappers and local folk singers. We watched the folk dancing at the Central train station square.Very eventful day. Ice-cream in the afternoon while watching the children show at Senate Square. Watched another Rock concert in the park, behind the “Finlandia Hall”. Drink again…..
June.09 – Moved to another Hostel, Stadion Hostel. FREE internet as well. Change of environment. Watched women soccer, visit the 1952 Olympic Stadium and near by “Oopera Club”. Cheap drinks.
June.10 There is a bike stand where by you can deposit Euro2 and rented for the whole day. Parked it back at the same city-park area and you got your deposit back. So we took one-each and went around the Toolonlahti lagoon. See the entire-city with one cheap bike.
June.11 attended the open-air concert at the “TahtiTorninvuori” Park. Everyone, old young, children, grandma-pa all drinking and yet no single fight. Impressive.! Boy….Finnish girls rocks!
Arrived Helsinki, Finland. Satakuntatalo Hostel has FREE internet in the lobby as well as in the room, including breakfast (wet-oatmeal, small sausages, cucumber, prunet, tomatoes, fresh buns and cereals, coffee..etc..). Sauna is open for female and male in separate periods. Helsinki – Have not been able to sleep, so bright at night. The sun just touches the Horizon and went back up, so strange for me. Beijing Flight and travelers comes together at this Hostel from all over the world. Australians are everywhere as well. The most diverse group of travelers, I would say. Stadion Hostel is located right in the Olympic Stadium.
We went back to the old city to cover the remaining part such as Kungliga Slottet palace and witness the changing of the guards. Some guards are women. Sweden House – Stockholm largest tourist agency.
At night, took the Silja Line – Cruise ship to Helsinki, Finland. It was a party-cruise Ship, young adults in disco, on-foot drunken fools…including me. Got a cabin to sleep in. Wonderful experience.
Look at this statue, so much confidence. "THIS IS MY BODY AND DAM! I AM BEAUTIFUL". I so like its spirits. Love it. Thought I share it with ya'll..
Today is Sweden High School graduation day, all the kids on the utility trucks, decorated with branches drinking, yelling, singing, music blaring, police everywhere, jammed-up city. Cool atmosphere for Stockholm, like it or not they are lifting up the city-spirit for the weekend. Grona Lund – is on the other side, the amusement park. Gustav Adolf Square, with the Royal Opera. Mynttorget opposite the parliament building and the Royal Palace. This is where Vasterlanggatan starts, a very popular pedestrian st in Gmala Stan. Drottninholm palace.
Note: We are not going to make it to up-north of Sweden, Kiruna where the ice hotel is at. Because its only exist from October to March. Then melt.
Walked down the old city shopping street “Stortorget” and bought lots of Beer. In the supermarket or any groceries store, all the Beers are 2.8% max. We were very confused because the same packaging the same brand but yet smaller % of the Alc. Then we learnt that only at the designated liquor stores you can get REAL beers and Spirits. Again, we learnt that all the brands of Beers have a max content of 10%. So we really had to watch what we are getting into, because the same color, packaging of a brand made it confusing. We selected a variety of Swedish beers. We drank and shared it with some Canadian who also was very confused like us about the Beers here…. The % and all, etc etc… Good conversation though. Shared many wonderful experiences of their journey. In the late evening…we headed to a bar (BlueRain) or something…. By walking through Sveavagen street. Went to the Hotel and checked out the Ice-Bar. But it closes at midnight, so we missed it.
June.01. Stockholm, Sweden. 0600hr. We stayed at Eriksgatan Hostel, I slept and recover from the bus Ride while Raymond was working. Hostel has neatlaunches with colorful leather seats, spacious kitchen, plenty of pots and pans, no breakfast, but FREE internet in the room and in the lobby. One can buy combination ticket for both Stockholm and Helsinki, Bus combine 2 cities SEK 340.
Walked down the river “Riddarfjarden”. Take pictures even though it’s a cloudy day. Visited Stadshuset (the city Hall), walked across the Vasabron Bridge and end up at the old city. Walked across Norrbro Bridge where the shopping strip went passed Kungstrad garden (Kungstradgarden – old and new part of Stockholm, the Park) and rushed to Skasen “theme park” by bus. Vasa Museum, Nordic museum, Junibacken story book museum, Skasen open air museum, containing historic buildings, a zoo, terrarium, folk dance performances etc. What a long walking day. Very tired but very happy.
