Tuesday, April 11, 2006
As promised, there are pictures
If you're interested in pictures of my Scandinavian adventure, I've posted them on my official website under photos: Eureka2006 and Scandinavia.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
I like to think it was Rudolph
Well it's my last night in Finland and Europe, as tomorrow I fly home to non-exciting Toronto. Except for that the thought of my own bed is exciting. And a closet full of clothes that haven't been washed in the sink for the past few weeks. Yes, these are the good things about going home. But I will have to stop doing Scandinavian-type things. Unless I start going to IKEA more. It is on the subway line after all...
I have throughly enjoyed my time here in Finland. The highlights were the reindeer I had for lunch yesterday (tastes like caribou) and the Lenin Museum in Tampere today. According to my guide book, this is the last pro-Lenin museum around, and it was definately pro-Lenin. It was put together in the 1950's by the Soviet-Finnish Alliance (or something to that effect). They had a civil war here after gaining independance from Russia (granted by the Soviets) between socialists and non-socialists. Tampere was the capital of the socialist side. I got the feeling at the museum that the people who run the place were rooting for the other side. I learned that Lenin was, without question, the greatest political influence of the 20th century. And that he cured sick puppies in his spare time. While also healing the lepers. He was truly an amazing person. The museum was awesome, and actually in the building where the first communist conference was held, which also happened to be when Lenin met Stalin. I was hoping for some campy souvenirs to that effect, but I had to settle for campy communist-related merchandise. Oh if only I had a way of getting posters home without ruining them, then my apartment would be Soviet-propaganda central.
And so ends Survivor Ellesmere. I'll probably update when I get home to let you know when pictures go online. Otherwise, thank you for reading of my travels, and I'll see you when I go somewhere else exciting. (Hopefully back to Eureka this summer.)
I have throughly enjoyed my time here in Finland. The highlights were the reindeer I had for lunch yesterday (tastes like caribou) and the Lenin Museum in Tampere today. According to my guide book, this is the last pro-Lenin museum around, and it was definately pro-Lenin. It was put together in the 1950's by the Soviet-Finnish Alliance (or something to that effect). They had a civil war here after gaining independance from Russia (granted by the Soviets) between socialists and non-socialists. Tampere was the capital of the socialist side. I got the feeling at the museum that the people who run the place were rooting for the other side. I learned that Lenin was, without question, the greatest political influence of the 20th century. And that he cured sick puppies in his spare time. While also healing the lepers. He was truly an amazing person. The museum was awesome, and actually in the building where the first communist conference was held, which also happened to be when Lenin met Stalin. I was hoping for some campy souvenirs to that effect, but I had to settle for campy communist-related merchandise. Oh if only I had a way of getting posters home without ruining them, then my apartment would be Soviet-propaganda central.
And so ends Survivor Ellesmere. I'll probably update when I get home to let you know when pictures go online. Otherwise, thank you for reading of my travels, and I'll see you when I go somewhere else exciting. (Hopefully back to Eureka this summer.)
Monday, April 03, 2006
Free internet means Helsinki is the best city ever
I flew here from Stockholm this morning. Waiting to check into my flight I was surrounded by a peewee boys hockey team from outside Chicago (but close enough to have the accent) coming home from a tournament. Memories of Might Ducks aside, their parents yelling across the airport to eachother and their children made them irritating. Also, SO much luggage. I don't understand why you would need so much crap on any trip. (This is not counting their hockey equipment, I can understand that. I = smart.)
The highlight of my last day in Stockholm was surprisingly the Vasa Museum. The Vasa was a ship built for a king in the 1600's, which was actually very badly designed, so that it sank twenty minutes into its first trip. They found it in the harbour in the 70s and spent many years restoring it before opening the museum to display it. It was really cool! And so crazy ornate. Those seventeenth century kings really liked their statues on their boats.
The rest of my day was mostly spent wandering about a couple of parts of Stockholm, looking at the pretty scenery and the pretty buildings. Stockholm really is a beautiful city. You should visit it.
Helsinki so far has a very different feel. It feels much more Eastern Europe post-communist-y, which it isn't. I'm chaulking it up to the fact that it was part of Russia for so long. This shouldn't make it feel post-communist-y, but it's the best explanation I have. Also, free internet in cafés! An unexpected bonus of Wayne's Coffee.
The highlight of my last day in Stockholm was surprisingly the Vasa Museum. The Vasa was a ship built for a king in the 1600's, which was actually very badly designed, so that it sank twenty minutes into its first trip. They found it in the harbour in the 70s and spent many years restoring it before opening the museum to display it. It was really cool! And so crazy ornate. Those seventeenth century kings really liked their statues on their boats.
The rest of my day was mostly spent wandering about a couple of parts of Stockholm, looking at the pretty scenery and the pretty buildings. Stockholm really is a beautiful city. You should visit it.
Helsinki so far has a very different feel. It feels much more Eastern Europe post-communist-y, which it isn't. I'm chaulking it up to the fact that it was part of Russia for so long. This shouldn't make it feel post-communist-y, but it's the best explanation I have. Also, free internet in cafés! An unexpected bonus of Wayne's Coffee.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Insert witty Sweden-related title here
I had a bit of a bonus day in Oslo yesterday, allowing me to visit the dissapointing Sami Exhibit at the University's Museum. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised, as anything billed as an "Ethnographic" Museum is sure to be trouble, but the guidebook I have said it was a well done exhibit. It turned out to be a display on all of the Arctic peoples, but instead of learning much about any of them, all they had was a few pictures and a traditional outfit from each nation. Although the raincoats made of salmon skin were cool and resourceful, it didn't really give me any information on the people, and it left me wanting to know more. Also, they kept using the word Eskimo. There was only a security guard there, who didn't know anything about the exhibit, but knew he didn't want me to break the glass and steal things, so I couldn't even complain to anyone. Sigh. I did learn that over half of the Inuit live in Greenland, with just over a quarter living in Canada and the rest in Alaska. I had always thought Canada had the greatest population. Clearly, I have made an ass out of you and me. (And Yumi for that matter.)
My train to Stockholm was uneventful. Long, but the scenery was pretty. I arrived here in Sweden and found my hostel quickly. It's on a boat. Which I was afraid would be cold, but it's actually a bit too warm. And my 4-bedded room is full! My first full room since my last night in Copenhagen. (I had a night to myself in my 6-bedded room in Oslo. That was nice.)
This morning I had my routine wandering around the city getting my bearings time, and quickly discovered that Stockholm is quite pretty. Definitely the prettiest city so far. It's made up of several islands, so there are lots of pretty bridges and water ways all over the place. And people fishing in them! I don't know if I would trust the fish, but apparently they do. I also made it to the museum of modern art, which was surprisingly free. I love the free museum.
After the museum I resumed my wanderings and eventually ended up in the Bloor Street-esque district of the city. Which had more H&Ms than you could shake a stick at. (Question: how many H&Ms can YOU shake a stick at? Could you shake more sticks at other retailers? What if you had two sticks? I invite you to comment on this ridiculous expression.) I of course visited my second favourite retailer of fine swedish goods, and even though I'm sure all of these products are available at home, I felt all avant guard shopping there. I haven't been shopping in forever. It was very difficult to not try on everything in the store. In the end I realised that anything I bought I'd have to fit in my suitcase, so I limited myself to one very cute yellow dress. Which didn't fit. I consoled myslef by buying sunglasses. Now I feel all Euro-cool.
Because my train was so late getting in yesterday, I only have one more day in Stockholm, which is sad, because this is my second favourite city of the trip. Stupid trains, not leaving Oslo earlier.
My train to Stockholm was uneventful. Long, but the scenery was pretty. I arrived here in Sweden and found my hostel quickly. It's on a boat. Which I was afraid would be cold, but it's actually a bit too warm. And my 4-bedded room is full! My first full room since my last night in Copenhagen. (I had a night to myself in my 6-bedded room in Oslo. That was nice.)
This morning I had my routine wandering around the city getting my bearings time, and quickly discovered that Stockholm is quite pretty. Definitely the prettiest city so far. It's made up of several islands, so there are lots of pretty bridges and water ways all over the place. And people fishing in them! I don't know if I would trust the fish, but apparently they do. I also made it to the museum of modern art, which was surprisingly free. I love the free museum.
After the museum I resumed my wanderings and eventually ended up in the Bloor Street-esque district of the city. Which had more H&Ms than you could shake a stick at. (Question: how many H&Ms can YOU shake a stick at? Could you shake more sticks at other retailers? What if you had two sticks? I invite you to comment on this ridiculous expression.) I of course visited my second favourite retailer of fine swedish goods, and even though I'm sure all of these products are available at home, I felt all avant guard shopping there. I haven't been shopping in forever. It was very difficult to not try on everything in the store. In the end I realised that anything I bought I'd have to fit in my suitcase, so I limited myself to one very cute yellow dress. Which didn't fit. I consoled myslef by buying sunglasses. Now I feel all Euro-cool.
Because my train was so late getting in yesterday, I only have one more day in Stockholm, which is sad, because this is my second favourite city of the trip. Stupid trains, not leaving Oslo earlier.
