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Baltic Sea, Finland - 22nd January 2010
By: Delenna
I'm waaalking on the Sea/ I'm waaaaalking on the Seeaaa/ what a freeezing cold day we're haaaaaviiiinng...
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Posted Jan 22, 2010, 10:17 am
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Helsinki, Finland - 25th January 2010
By: Delenna
My mentor attended yet another Postcrossing meetup in Helsinki. She said it's her last in a longer while because she has to cut expenses... But that's what she said on the meetup before this one
This was probably the most awesome meetup for me! The Post had issued stamps if old Finnish rock (& pop)stars and most of them were there to give autographs My mentor is too young to be a fan but she got some autographs for me
There were lead singers from Popeda, Yö and Mamba! Plus one woman: Maarit.
In the group photo (taken by Huppu68 as my mentor missed that) are also the designers of the new stamps: Minni Havas, Klaus Welp and Inge Löök (also famous for her granny postcards). Klaus Welp is the one who designed the rock stamps.
Group photo from left to right: Mamba-singer (Tero Vaara), Minni Havas, Yö-singer (Olli Lindholm), Klaus Welp, Maarit, Popeda-singer (Pate Mustajärvi, he was really nice to my mentor) and Inge Löök.
In the first photo are me and Tero Vaara (Mamba) and Olli Lindholm (Yö). They were talking like they were really upset so my mentor didn't dare interrupt them again to get better photos...
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Posted Jan 26, 2010, 9:44 am Last edited Jan 26, 2010, 9:53 am by Delenna
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Porvoo, Finland - 6th March 2010
By: Delenna
The winter continues here We had 2 days with + temperature and made a snowslide and this snow Totoro with the kids - cool huh! The hole in his stomach is for a candle
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Posted Mar 6, 2010, 12:28 pm
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Stockholm, Sweden - 28th March 2010
By: Delenna
My mentor claims to have imagination. How do you explain the fact that we're on a cruise (again) to Stockholm, Swden (again)?
At least this time we took the subway and went straight to the old town. We hadn't been there for the last times we visited Stockholm. Well, the Royal Palace area is in there too but we had missed most of the Old Town. The old town is the original Stockholm. The town was built during the 13th century but most buildings are from 17th and 18th century. There are about 3000 people living in the old city today. We left 2 more as we released 2 wild Toy Voyagers there
There are lots of souvenirs with crown princess Victoria & Daniel on them and they've even made special \"dalahästar\" (Dala Horse). They're usually red (although on the link you can see more variety) but now there are special white, pink and light blue ones too - with a different decoration. This is to honor the royal wedding that will take place in June! That would be interesting to see, I wouldn't even nag to my mentor about going to Stockholm again
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Posted Mar 31, 2010, 8:39 am
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Helsinki Fair Center, Finland - 25th April 2010
By: Delenna
My mentor had got a free ticket to the Child Fair which included also Pet Expo and Model Expo. Therefore we went there
We just wandered around watching until my mentor found a place that gave away Moomin postcards for free! She did buy some stuff too, for her daughter's birthday. At the Pet Expo we just admired the cute pets and at the Model Expo we... well, there were the Star Wars people! And a grandma doing yarn the old way
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Posted Apr 29, 2010, 8:24 pm
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Moomin exhibition, Finland - 25th April 2010
By: Delenna
After the "triple Fair" we went to see a Moomin exhibition "The Great Adventure" at Päivälehti Museum. It was smaller than my mentor had expected but nice anyway - and she got more free Moomin postcards!
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Posted Apr 29, 2010, 8:28 pm
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Recycling Factory, Finland - 25th April 2010
By: Delenna
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Posted Apr 29, 2010, 8:33 pm Last edited Apr 29, 2010, 8:35 pm by Delenna
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Porvoo, Finland - 30th April 2010
By: Delenna
Today we threw a Suprise Belated Birthday Party for Leonard, our australian "exchange student" Belated because my dear mentor forgot the real date Leonard has been with us for a year now and it's also time for him to fly back home. We gave him some gifts so that he wouldn't forget us
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Posted Apr 30, 2010, 6:33 pm
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Porvoo, Finland - 13th May 2010
By: Delenna
It was ridiculously hot for a spring day, +22'C so we decided to go for a bicycle trip On our way we stopped to watch firemen practising. When we finally arrived at our destination we had Carelian pastries and juice. There was a bird watching tower so we climbed on top of it to see millions of swans! My mentor said she hadn't seen so many in one place before, only a few couples. Now there were 40+ couples!
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Posted May 15, 2010, 5:47 pm
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Porvoo, Finland - 29th May 2010
By: Delenna
Yep, someone's turning years... It ain't me although I did have my share of the ladybug cupcales, cake and fun
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Posted Jun 3, 2010, 7:18 pm
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Fallkulla, Helsinki, Finland - 8th June 2010
By: Delenna
It was a lovely day and we had a field trip planned We visited a Domestic Animal Farm called Fallkulla in Helsinki.
Their website gives the following information
At Fallkulla you can get a taste of rural life in the middle of the city. You can see traditional farm animals: sheep, goats, pigs, cattle, hens, ducks, rabbits, cats and horses and help take care of them. Fallkulla Domestic Animal Farm is the only municipally owned youth centre in Finland where young people can take part in practical work with livestock.
Fallkulla is a popular destination for excursions. In addition to families, groups from day care centres, schools and homes for the elderly are among the many people who visit the farm each day. Sundays are reserved for families to see the animals. All in all, Fallkulla attracts over 40,000 visitors each year.
We did see many Finnish domestic animals, had a picnic and saw a "maitolaituri" (the last 3 photos). That's translated as "milk platforms". My mentor explained to the others that in the old days (1920- 1970) milk was left in big metallic "bottles" on a "maitolaituri" and dairy farms picked them up from there. The places were also popular places for youth to get together. Also mailboxes were ofteen situated on the side of the platform. There's even a museum for the milk platforms, Velaatta in Tampere!
PS. those are not real storks on the roof!
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Posted Jun 11, 2010, 9:44 pm
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Porvoo, Finland - 24th June 2010
By: Delenna
We went to the city to play in a park that is bigger than the ones near home. The park personnel had organized a small festival. We got to put flowers on a "pole" (this has something to do with the swedish speaking Finns, they call it a "maypole"). There were different games to play. Fire trucks came and an ambulance and we got to see inside them (so there was no fire or other emergency). Then there was a chance to barbecue and all sorts of food! It was fun
The visiting voyagers kept asking me what Midsummer was really all about and I had to check Wikipedia:
Before 1316, the summer solstice was called Ukon juhla, after the Finnish god Ukko. In Karelian tradition, many bonfires were burned side by side, the biggest of which was called Ukko-kokko (the "bonfire of Ukko"). After the celebrations were Christianized, the holiday is known as juhannus after John the Baptist (Finnish: Johannes Kastaja).
Since 1955, the holiday is always on a Saturday (between June 20 and June 26). Earlier it was always on June 24. A lot of the celebration of midsummer takes place on midsummer eve, when many workplaces are closed and shops have to close their doors at noon.
In the Finnish midsummer celebration, bonfires (Finnish kokko) are very common and are burnt at lakesides and by the sea. Often two young birch trees (koivu) are placed on either side of the front door to welcome visitors. Swedish-speaking Finns often celebrate by erecting a midsummer or maypole (Swedish midsommarstång, majstång).
In folk magic, midsummer was a very potent night and the time for many small rituals, mostly for young maidens seeking suitors and fertility. Will o wisps were believed to be seen at midsummer night, particularly to finders of the mythical "fern in bloom" and possessors of the "fern seed", marking a treasure. An important feature of the midsummer in Finland is the white night and the midnight sun. Because of Finland's location spanning around the Arctic Circle the nights near the midsummer day are short or non-existent. This gives a great contrast to the darkness of the winter time.
Many Finns leave the cities for Midsummer and spend their holiday in the countryside. Rituals include bonfires, sauna and spending time together. Heavy drinking is also associated with the Finnish midsummer.
Many music festivals of all sizes are organized on the Midsummer weekend. It's also common to start summer holidays on Midsummer day. For many families the Midsummer is the time when they move to the countryside to their summer cottage by the lake. Midsummerday is also the Day of the Finnish Flag. The flag is hoisted at 6 pm on Midsummer eve and flown all night till 9 pm the following evening.
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Posted Jun 27, 2010, 7:06 pm
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