Helsinki - a pleasant surprise

Yes, Helsinki was a pleasant surprise..

I think Finland will catch on as time goes by and more and more people will go there and experience the beauty of the people and the gorgeous landscape. We took a boat to the island of Suomenlinna one day (only 15 minutes away)It was fortified with rock walls and gun ports for a Russian invasion that never happened.  We also  visited the beautiful 14th century town called Porvoo. The bus ride and the town gave us a glimpse of the Finnish countryside and a different perspective of Finnish culture. Our last day we took a traditional Finnish sauna which was so relaxing and invigorating. The Cultural sauna had  separate steam rooms for men and women with windows inside so one can see the boats in the ocean. After the steam became too hot, one would put on a bathing suit and jump in the sea. ahhh!  

Here are a few fun pieces from an invitational show at the Contemporary Museum of Art in Helsinki

These are both made with pencils

 This chandelier was made with chicken bones!

This sculpture a little smaller than life size was made from colored plaster- artist working from a blurry photo 

self-portrait by Tove Janssen

And at the Ateneum Museum a retrospective show of Tove Janssen, the most beloved famous Finnish painter and illustrator. The city is celebrating what would have been her 100th birthday, the three things she always had to have were cigarettes, vodka and crispy crackers..huge show!

Tove's family, she is in the center

In the old town of Porvoo we saw this young boy and girl playing music for tips, needless to say their tip jar was getting full- who can  resist that?

 I visited a papier maché shop and met Harri and Lena who have been artist's together for 30 years very much in love and make their own papier maché , they gave us their secret recipe can't wait to try it!

we discovered a special restaurant on the water called Notta- sat outside for hours, dining and watching the boats

yesterday morning we got up at 4am to make our flight to Copenhagen, it sprinkled on and off , feels good to be back here, so familiar and colorful, leaving tomorrow for Istanbul

sending much love and the best of July

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