089423438, Munich
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 :)
