July 17, 2010
Saturday morning we rushed to get ready, and ran through the train station to catch the 11:00 a.m. train to Turku, the cultural capital of Finland, and the oldest city in the country. A had been somewhat reluctant to go there a few days before, but I successfully convinced her to go. About six months ago I had an amazing dream about going there. Turku was a ton of fun, but nothing like the dream.
The train ride introduced me to Finnish landscape: trees, trees, more trees, purple flowers, rivers and lakes.
Turku itself was a very pleasant day trip:
1. A stop at Stockman's department store for an external speaker (we lost the first one on Suomenlinna).
2. Lunch. Delicious hamburger, but for some reason I felt strangely lightheaded for a while (despite good blood sugar numbers) and without appetite. Spent some time afterward sitting by the river clearing my head.
3. Walked to the old stone church and attended a wedding ceremony. I couldn't understand a word, but still got a little bit sentimental.
4. Licorice flavored ice cream by the church.
5. Along the river that runs through Turku are boat bars, where people sit and drink and listen to music while enjoying the summer weather. A wanted a Corona, but we couldn't find one. All the same, we had a very pleasant several hours sitting by the water. The boat we chose had a particularly good DJ, who played a song off the new Groove Armada album that I was really enjoying.
6. Pizza and a glass of wine at Ristaurante Dennis, a pizzeria famously once attended by David and Victoria Beckham. Had a delicious pizza with jalapenos and garlic on it. Guy behind us had a face sunburned beyond all recognition and it required all self control to refrain from laughing at him.
7. Train ride back to Helsinki, listened to girly music off my iPod.
8. Daqueria and Corona at a Cuban bar in Helsinki, DJ playing great music, Cuban, Calypso, etc.
**Fiery Furnaces -- Up in the North
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