Word Pictures

Red Leaves
Gusty winds and fleeing wings
Winter is here

The stream seems to be in a hurry
Almost like it has a deep desire to reach the sea
Before winter descends and it can no longer move.

Molly's at 11:00 in the night
Friends, warm Jalo with honey (Jalo Totti?) and Jaegermeister (the Band)
Laughter and bad dancing

8:00 pm Oct, 14, 2009. Helsinki

Finally, the hours are becoming reasonable at work.

I have just returned from an invigorating run.
I have discovered a running track right by the sea near my house.

8:00pm
Oct 14, 2009
Helsinki

(feels like -2.8???)

With weather like this - the least I can say was that the weather was...bracing.

Here's to the onset of the Finnish Winter. And to Change.
Yet Again.
:)

Helsinki Diaries - The Food & Drink series

Posts are back. Finally - I feel a little alive now.

Helsinki Diaries - The Food & Drink series

I have been eating and drinking out so much now - that for a while now, I have been contemplating writing about it. And what a wonderful topic to resume my writing with.

There are so many interesting places in the city, but I will begin with Frambois - a quaint little cafe in Munkkiniemi, by the office.

Frambois I can't quiet decide why I keep going back to Frambois - it could that 'little-cafe-in Paris' feeling with pictures of the Eiffel Tower on the wall, a handwritten menu in French on the blackboard; the unmistakable French accent when they greet you as you enter through the door.

Frambois is quiet a tiny little cafe and sometimes I think it appears tiny only because it always has more people than it probably can accommodate.

There is one main course each day of the week and it always changes every day every week. Duck. Fish. Chicken. And the dessert. It's almost to die for. With strange unpronounceable French names, the dessert comes in all colours and shapes. And one unmistakable characteristic is the bon-homie in the place. As you enter, you can hear that highly French-accented voice welcoming you in. It almost feels a bit like Par-eeh! So, if you ever are in this part of town during the middle of the week, then Frambois comes highly recommended. Take a chance. Try out the day's main course and let me know what you thought of it.

Frambois Laajalahdentie 17 00330 Helsinki Tel: 09499901

Posts on a hold

Posts on a hold.
For a while.

If you don't say anything, do people hear your silence?

Hauskaa Viikonloppuna Helsingissä - A fun weekend in Helsinki

It's been just two weeks away from Helsinki - and it feels like ages. It feels great to be back!

While Frankfurt was about work, rain and hotel rooms, Helsinki is about sunny summers, fun and friends.

I decided to live out the weekend - after what I felt was days of dreariness. So I called my friend J as I landed in Helsinki 11:00 pm...and after having dropped my suitcase at my apartment, was out in the city by 12:30. Spent the rest of the night at Tiger's. (for those who don't know - one of Helsinki's cushiest clubs in downtown) and finally crashed out at J's apartment at 5 am.

Got up at noon, and after a kebab lunch, was looking to get more sleep, when the weather just cried out. It was sunny and warm and there was an abundance of summer dresses and bon-homie all over. J and I bought some coke and red wine... and we ended up drinking home made Sangria in a beautiful sunny park. (try the recipe out -its quiet easy) Soon, P joined us.

And with wonderful wine and better company, the conversation meandered from music and women to the directorial genius of Quentin Tarantino and of course, the answer to 'what do human beings desire out of life?' All in all, between the wine, the cider, the summer and a dash of optimism, that afternoon, I reached a few conclusions:

- that Women, by and large are wonderful creatures and that there's always something beautiful about every woman (J of course was in agreement, while P - a doctor, was quiet sure of the opposite!)

- that question of Life's purpose is too complex for a summer afternoon - but on the whole it is about fulfilling one's passion

- that Quentin Tarantino is the quintessential genius and that he is a class apart.

- and that I over-analyse things (as you can see by now)

It was finally 10 pm by the time I got home - and got a much needed shower and cooked a hot dinner. I was out again at midnight ... to catch up with friends in the city center, but was soon back at 2 am. And finally got to sleep in my own bed after two weeks in frankfurt.

But one thing is for sure - this Viikonloppua (weekend), is going to mark a shift in the way I look at life, helsinki and women. It's now sunday morning, and as I get ready to do my laundry and my company expense reimbursements, I am sure of impending change in my personal life and Life in general.

The Road Less Travelled

Lately,
I have been thinking more and more about being here in Helsinki and Finland.
For longer.
More like thoughts running around in my head, rather than thinking.

And I notice that I am talking to more and more people about being abroad, adjusting into new cultures, reconciling cultural differences between international couples and the question of what is 'home'?

There is just One Road that one can take at any point in time. And the idea is to live it well when you are on that road...and to not plan too much in advance.

'Never limit your future by predicting it'.

Taxis Tales...from Helsinki to Munich

0100700, Helsinki

089423438, Munich

My usage of taxis of late has increased - especially given my official trips to Germany. Conversations in a taxi are always interesting.

Whenever I get back to Helsinki, on my way home from the airport, I usually ask the Taxi drivers, how the weather has been - and most often than not, I hear what I consider a fairly Finnish response - an accurate representation of the truth, overladen with a generous helping of acceptance of the same. "Oh its been about 14 degrees this last week and rained yesterday. Could be better, but its the way it is." :) Another thing I do, is usually engage in conversation. Most of the taxi drivers in Helsinki shy away from conversation...and it's again what I consider a fairly Finnish response - succinct and to the point, with absolutely no interest in being gregarious. There are a few exceptions however ...and it makes quiet an interesting 'telling'. It gives me an insight into how people live and feel in Finland... their attitude to Work and indeed to Life itself.

For eg...on one of my trips, I engaged a Taxi to take me to the airport. It was an afternoon flight and I was quiet early, so I was in no rush and wasn't asking to go faster. The lady driving the taxi already seemed quiet chatty (which by itself was quiet unusual), but I picked up a conversation with her.

The conversation veered around her schedules and work routines, and I found out that this is 'her other job'. It turned out that she runs her own little Graphics Design company...where she does print designs and translations for restaurants - menus and such- speaking Russian, Swedish, English and of course Finnish!

And she worked in this taxi company to help her brother out; her brother runs this little taxi company with one car on the fleet, and two drivers in shift...and when one of them can't make it - she takes his place. "My other job (designing) gets me to think too much, and my mind is always occupied" she said. "And driving is so less complicated - sure you have to be aware - but not the same way when you have to be creative to design". It works out just fine for her - as she said 'I help my brother, I enjoy the break from my work, and make some money and its fine for all of us'. :)

Another interesting person I met was this gentleman with an obviously English accent - a native Englishman. Apparently, he had come to Finland following the woman he loved... and had stayed on for the last 20 years! We talked of fishing and how the old Candle Factory up the River Vantaa had once burned down, with all the wax flowing into the river...killing much of the fish. And how it took a whole 3 years to clean it up and to get the fish to get back to normalcy... :)

And of course, the inimitable conversation about drinking. You can never go wrong with that - a Finnish taxi driver will always have good advice on what to drink, and where...and where all the nice eating spots are!

Germany was quiet interesting as well...and I met few interesting drivers in Munich and Frankfurt. Like for example, the Italian driver in Munich. Apparently an ex devotee of Rajneesh, he mentioned that he had been resident at the Pune ashram many years ago...and that he had long ago given up that kind of life style! Of course, he did try to give me advice about women (considering that my lady-colleague M sitting in the same car) "Never trust a woman - even the Indian woman... her dark eyes are always very dangerous!" He said.

Sage advice from an Italian, ex-resident of Osho's Pune Ashram :)

And the Un-Discovered Musician. After a particularly good dinner.... we were driving back, when I remarked about the music and asked the driver what CD he was playing. Turned out that it was his - he was a composer of sorts...and had been making music for several years now! And yes, he did have some Indian influence as well. Still waiting to be discovered, he drives a taxi to get by in life.

Love, Hope and the Good Life - its all there in a taxi driver's conversation! Here's to more interesting people and conversations! On a whim, I started to search around for similar blogs and stories ...and ran into several. For eg - blogs, photos and sites by taxi drivers! 1.Taxi Tales -Tales of the life and times of a taxi driver - Taxi Drivers Blog - this one was quiet interesting - and even has a link to the www.worldtaximeter.com

2.Taxi Drivers in Italy Say the Darnedest Things A funny article about a woman's experience of the Italian Cab Circle :)

Youtubing for kitsch videos in Helsinki!

There's so much of interest out there - good art, singing and photography and bad art, singing and photography! Well, art can never be bad - but it sure can not have harmony of colour, shape or sound - perhaps some people find that interesting! :) Here are a couple of videos I found and quite liked.

Don't miss the lyrics on Guiding Light!

XL ki kudiyan Again - the lyrics - goes out to all the girls I know from XL; Actually just a couple; But I can tell you this -the song is quiet accurate :D

Classic Mississippi Blues: Listening to the Blues in Helsinki

Its a glorious Sunday Morning in Helsinki. And I have had my 8 hours and here I was - YouTubing for Blues Music. Soon, I was bouncing around links listening to Mississippi John Hurt , Sonny Terry and Lightnin' Slim and of course, the inimitable Howlin Wolf.

Here are a few classics...Louisiana meets Helsinki? :)

Mississippi John Hurt Listening to John Hurt makes you feel good - and thats a great thing about his kind of blues! His deep voice and nonchalant smile makes you feel that 'wellll....this is life, all's well and i kinda feel good' Here's a song called 'Satisfied' which embodies this spirit

Robert Pete Williams And just on the other side - Pete Williams - dark and angst filled. He was discovered in the Louisiana State Penitentiary where he was serving a life sentence for shooting a man dead in a local club in 1956, an act which he claimed was in self-defense. His music is much about the time spent in prison - which he always claimed was unjustified.

Howlin Wolf And then there's the Holwin Wolf - the blues is about no money, but i dont care a damn! "when you ain't got no money , you got the Blues,when you cant pay your rent, you got the blues"

By River Vantaa, Helsinki

2 km run 1 km walk 1 river 1 beautiful sunset 1 McBurger 1 thoughtful head and 8 hours of sleep and rest (hopefully)

A Frankfurt hotel room on a Saturday morning

Its' 7 in the morning on the 17th floor of a hotel in Frankfurt. I leave for the airport in an hour.

Here I am

watching video's of Susan Boyle and Davy Graham

whimsically thinking about my crushes

mentally making a list of errands - like that pile of travel-laundry that needs to get done

visualising that run by the stream in this new spring weather

Sigh

The coming of Spring, Helsinki Apr '09

The Winter has all but gone away. Spring is starting to make Her way through. And I am just discovering the beauty of Vanhakaupunki ! After days of lethargy I found myself singing 'Life is a Highway, I wanna ride it all night long' hoarsely, loudly and completely out of tune. And I knew it was time to invite Spring and say bye to Winter.

I decided to get out and fetch my cycle Dhano Rani from Ruoholahti.

And on my way back - decided to take some pictures. :)

The River Vantaa has been frozen since the time I got here >> This picture was taken in Feb '09. >>

So, it was extremely cool to watch the transformation over the last few days - and now - its almost in spate! And if I now open the window or stand in my balcony - I can hear the roar of the river! And the woodland near the mouth of the river - (Vanhankaupunginlahti) constitutes a natural conservation zone. The area is largely marsh like and has large tracts of grassy marsh area - with patches of wooded land.

However, for purposes of walking amidst the reeds, the City of Helsinki has graciously constructed small wooden duckboards.

Apparently, there are at least 280 species of birds in the vicinity. (Though I spotted only about 5 or 6 including the obvious duck and swan.) Unlike other 'non-protected areas', visitors are not allowed to move or fish within the marshy foliage. Even the inimitable cycle or the dog is prohibited.

And did I mention that it literally is my backyard! :D All these photos are of locations not more than 5-8 mins by walk from my apartment.

(More pictures on my Picasaweb location) Here's to Spring!! life is a highway I wanna ride it all night long...

Go Skating!

4 Weeks
5 vertically challenged sessions
2 hours each
More body contact with ice than ever in my life
Finally,
the 6th one - I actually managed to slip in a few moments of actual skating
Exhilarating and a sense of liberation - almost like gliding!
(And a hint of 'Finally!')

Time to breathe and take it in

The days are longer during the winter - just as much as the lethargy and resistance to participate in Life is! When I got back from India, I was too busy 'settling into my new place'; then there was the hectic schedule at work. And then I told myself - even the Finns hibernate during winter. And embodify more of the quiet reticence that personify them. But truth be told that I was just not willing to participate in Life. Not that that was bad :) And how many of us have felt that way - and then found a zillion things outside of us to make the reason for this non-participation. :) But I have discovered how the Finns continue to participate in Life despite the winter cold - between the warm gloggi with friends, and the winter sports - there is always a Life to be led. Like this morning. When my friend Antti visited me; he actually skated on the frozen sea for a couple of kilometers to come visit me! After a warm chai (battling the Finnish winter with India spiced tea!), we set out and I tried his skates on the sea and have been inspired enough to try the new skates that I have bought - which I shall do tomorrow. And this evening. When some other friends and I dropped by at Tiina's for a Valentine's party. And had a most wonderful time, with friends that I am beginning to value as close ones. Enough said - here's to taking another bite. And finishing what Life has on my plate.