~ Vappu 2006 ~

29.4.

It was a good thing that Max and Martina from Austria had arrived two days earlier to make sure there would be some action...

30.4. Vappu-Day

...well, I couldn't take part in all of it because I was working on my thesis. When i stepped out of the bedroom this day (where I was usually writing) to join Martina, Päivi and Max I happly realised that they had been busy making potato pizza for the Vappu picnic and were about to make the Pulla. Good thing.

It was fine to enter into the pulla-making confederation and I had the chance to give prove of my ability to handle dough, mustikka from the north, flour and butter to create pastry worthy the special occasion. It took a while until all the Pulla were baked, possibly Max fell asleep on a sunny spot in the garden in the meanwhile ;)

Around three o'clock we started our trip to town. It was a *wonderful* day when we walked through the Esplanadipuisto (central park) wich was jam-packed with people. There was a concern going on and we listened to Suburban Tribe (Revolt now! ;), who would have thought that they are Finnish?!?

Good time to have a Karhu and to find a good place to see the "Capping of Havis Amanda"

At the nearby harbor was a Vappu-fair to buy ballons, party trumpets, Papierschlangen (<-if you know the English word for this please shoot me an email;), firecracker, soap bubbles, funny T-shirts, food, sunglasses and more...

I left the others because this day I had the true pleasure to be invited for a bithday-dinner by my friend and extraordinary well cooking Frenchman Jean-Baptiste and his enchanting (and also exceptional culinary skilled) girlfriend Salla. *yum!*

Most of the dinner guests were musicians and I simply wanna say that they were such a nice company to have!!!

JB and Salla had prepared marvelous dishes and offered many things that they had brought from France. First there were two kinds of Salami as appetizers. We helped to crack open a large package of nuts and.. then JB served up a delicious french salat, including a fine dressing, croutons and a just-in-time fried piece of Mozarella on top of it. Next there was several kinds of tasty cheese, French Comt� among others.. but there was coming more..they served tasty filled crisp Crepe..

Finally we were given a mouthwatering cake made by Salla. It had many layers and came with wipped cream like heaven (but better;)

...when it comes to drinks there was *home-made* Finnish Sima, real French Cidre - a strong one ("Brut") *and* a softer one ("Doux"?) - and a stomach-invigorating Green Chartreuse; this liqueur is flavored with extracts from 130 herbs and has 55% (!) ABV, yis!

What could be better for digestion as dancing Salsa? Right, nothing. And so we were dancing. I danced with Lucia who is studying the drums and she was really patient with me :)

Later I catched a bus to the center with Antti and Johanna, it was nice to talk about photography, Antti's bands and Johannas profession in energy healing.

Päivi had called me and told me where to go, and also asked me to bring three pairs of earplugs ;) The place to meet was the Eatz which is a multi-cuisine restaurant as well as a rock bar, and there was a long queue. They were already in and Päivi had bought me a ticket, it was surprisingly easy to get past the waiting line.

It's a big place with several floors, Mari and Päivi were vappuing to the Reggae band, Max' whereabouts were unkown (but I was given his jacked and bag :) and Martina was sitting near one dancefloor. I met Max on the big stair. During our talk I saw a Euro lying on the floor next to an attractive woman. I tried to ask her gesticulating if she had lost it but she just smiled at my efforts. I don't know what she thougt about my money signs...

I sat down with Martina at a table in a corner and we talked there fore a while, I liked that conversation.

Later I also felt like dancing and I also saw Max shaking a leg. When I returned to Päivi and Mari I could just catch a sentence from a guy from "central Asia" who tried to hit on her: "..and it was like a beam of light going into the universe...!" ;) He felt like Mari was his reincarnation from a different time(?). She even met him next day ;)

Well, somewhen we got out of there and to the bus, but to take it was not so easy. A lot of people wanted to get in - too many for the limited space.. Suddenly everbody was running, there was another bus! After some serious pushing-around we were in and on our way home.

: making pulla...

: ...for the May Day BBQ

: Päivi wears Max' glasses

: Martina wears Max' glasses

: I wear Max glasses (rock;)

: Max wears Päivi's glasses

: Esplanadipuisto (central park)

: hanging around

: Amanda's new cap

: new glasses

: Max, Päivi, Martina, Anna

: Lucia & Ismael

: Antti, Johanna, Erno and Margit

1.5. May Day

we were hell-bent to go out on the streets on this Labour Day and march and protest for our convictions, which were
1) Penguins
2) Finland.

well, we were a bit late when we met Anna at Hakaniemi. Next we tried to catch up with the march. It was like a mirage, whenever we came close it disappeared. Damn they were marching fast!!

We hunted them for a long time (during which I met Ilpo, the nice guy from the Taik Library) and finally, at the Rautatientori (Central Railway Station) we reached them. Now we were marching in some groupage that we never saw before and we didn't had the faintest idea of the claims they were marching for. But it seems Päivi and Anna liked it. I have to say I also found it somehow exciting how the spectators were looking at us. They probably thought we had some serious objectives.

The march arrived at the park next to the Kasvitieteellinen puutarha (Botanical Gardens) close to the Rautatientori. It wasn't hard to tell (e.g. by a Lenin-flag) that we were in the Communist event. Well, we sat down on a blanket and enjoyed the show, including singing, political speeches and rapping. Max had an interesting talk about the EU with Mari. She was translating what the speaker on stage was saying: "...why doesn't Finnland step out and bring peace to the world...?" Now _that's_ a good question!! I also want to say that Mari was wearing jazzy shoes that she got from mexico.

Max had to pee. I mention that because when he went to do what he got to do he met a special person, it was THE PRESITENT OF FINNLAND TARJA HALONEN!!! What a lucky boy.

Next stop was the traditional Vappu picnic. The most traditional place to do it is the Kaivopuisto but we happend to walk through the Tähtitorninmäki puisto (Tähti = Stars, Torni=Tower, Mäki=Hill, Puisto=Park) close to the sea and stayed there, many people were picnicing there.

Like the day before there were many nice things to eat. The self-made pizza and the Pulla, Anna had brought Sima and there was Strawberry Juice, little sausages and some Nachos to mumble.

We were lying in the sun, dozing of a little. A small black puppy threw Päivi seriously off the track because it was so cute and Päivi would really like to have a dog.

What was the name of the bar that we went to in the evening..?

Anyhow, next day we had special guests that could only be served right with Fritatten Soup and Wiener Schnitzel.

And the day after that my neighbours Tomek and Maria came to visit for the first time, and they also brought Boruta, their Polish Sighthound.