After another restful sleep, we woke up and were full of excitement to celebrate Halloween in HELLsinki. Ha ha! Technically, it was the day before Halloween (a.k.a.: All Hallow's Eve). Interestingly, in 2016, we experienced Halloween on the other side of Russia: in Japan! In another year, we spent Halloween in Chicago... which you can read about here:
https://halfwindsorfullthrottle.blogspot.com/2017/11/chicago-sightseeing.html
Due to global marketing from the USA, Halloween recently gained popularity in Finland. Finns do not have the door-to-door Trick-or-Treat ritual, and we didn't see many Jack-O-Lanterns. But we did see plenty of pumpkins used as decorations. Most people enjoy wearing costumes to parties, bars, "escape rooms", and spooky events.
Since pagan times, Finland celebrates an autumn harvest festival named Kekri, which appropriately means "cycle". Kekri involves mythology, feasts, bonfires, and people's invitations to their dead loved ones to join the party. Traditionally, an effigy of a goat is created, and celebrants wrote their fears/worries on paper and "fed" them to the goat. Then, the goat was burned to make those woes disappear and for happiness to remain. The ritual seems to work, since Finland remains the Happiest Place in the World.
In the 1800s, it was designated to overlap with a Christian holiday named All Saint's Day in November.
We intended to witness those festivities in Helsinki, but the daytime was allocated to visiting the city's museums. We wanted to learn about the local culture, creativity, and history. Similar to the Iamsteram Card, we bought Helsinki Cards. But unlike Amsterdam that has stores/kiosks to buy the cards, the Finnish ones are sold at hotels. Thankfully, ours was one of the hotels that dispensed the cards. Cards come in time-allotments of one day, two days, or three. They provide unlimited access to public transportation, free access to museums/attractions, and occasional discounts at certain venues. We each bought a one-day card, priced at €52 each. They activate upon usage. *Warning: if you activate it at 11pm, it counts that as an entire day. That resembles NYC's stinginess, instead of Amsterdam, where the cards are based on hours--so a 24 hour card that is activated at 11pm gives its full value until 11pm on the next day.
We were glad to be helped by the older gentleman at our hotel's Front Desk. He was very sweet and endearing. He always waved to us--despite how busy he was--and he regularly ensured that our visit was pleasant.
We breakfasted at a cafe in the Food Hall near our hotel. It was attractively situated in the curved part of the building, so plenty of light streamed through the two-level wall of windows. They also offered a buffet...
...but we didn't see the sign until after we ordered our a la carte items. We were content with our choices: two different slices of handmade quiche, chia pudding, and a berry tart.
Wearing my new flannel shirt from Dressman, I paused at Robert's Coffee to sit and sip from a cup/saucer of perfect latte.
From there, we ambled happily to the Sinebrychoff Art Museum. It is within the trendy Design District in the Punavuori neighborhood, and it was our favorite museum.
It is housed in a yellow 1842 mansion, where the original owner--a brewer named Paul Sinebryukhov--amassed an art collection. Its 900 items were assembled during the 1800s, as a result of Sinebryukhov's global travels. Artwork and intricately-carved furniture from the 1300s to the 1860s is there. We recognized paintings and sketches by Rembrandt. We admired creations by Alexander Roslin. We were awed by Renaissance portraits, such as Lucas Cranach the Elder of 1525. Some of the original furnishings and painted ceilings are there. Alas, the family committed an unnamed sin against Finland's government and they were banished in the 1910s. In 1921, they donated the collection to the government with the proviso that it be a museum.
The next four pieces represent a theme of bare breasts.
*To see the art-filled mansions of Italy that we toured, please click this link...
https://halfwindsorfullthrottle.blogspot.com/2022/03/our-trip-to-italy-part-1-of-7-milan.html
We hopped onto the tram, made a transfer, and exited that tram in the Ullanlinna (Ulla's Castle) District at the Museum of Design. Please enjoy this quick video...
The traditional redbrick building with ornamental masonry belied a wondrous assortment of avant-garde fashion, Art Nouveau furniture from 1910, and streamlined Nordic homeware: cups, teapots, tables, scissors, chairs, chaise-lounges, and appliances.
From there, we rode a tram to Ateneum: the city's portrait gallery museum at Rautatientori Square.
We attempted to enter the first set of doors that we encountered, but they were locked. (NYC's Metropolitan Museum permits entry from the doorways on the side of its main entrance). We correctly figured that the central doors would be open. The grand 1887 building contains a wide variety of artwork--from experimental designs of the 1950s to the rococo styles of the 1700s. The Coat Check included lockers, but most people simply used the coat racks--which indicates a trustworthy society.
In 1903, it was the first museum to display a painting by Vincent van Gogh. Halls are lined with portraiture and statuary.
The sculptor who chiseled these next two statues truly admired the male physique... with intimacy.
We went to this cozy place.
We lunched at Mei Lin Sichuan Restaurant, which was Lewis' smart choice. (Sichuan is one of China's five great cuisines). It's a sizable place with two rooms. We were seated at a Table for Two in the cozier room.
Lewis detected that the staff was Vietnamese, and they were very polite and attentive. They were happier and nicer than servers in Manhattan's downtrodden Chinatown. We ate a large bowl of spicy tripe, pork tongue, and beef. It was delectable, and the portions were plenteous. We also had a platter of sautéed kidney with veggies and roasted peanuts. A piquant casserole of mussels, shrimp, and fish was the finale. They served Japanese rice, which was light and fluffy.
The cost of our meal was €76.60: fairly-priced for its quality.
Just like in London and Amsterdam, we were impressed that the local population mixed with Asians at the restaurant. In America, the only people who seek Chinese restaurants are Asians and people wanting cheap food (because America's Chinese restaurants are compelled to be low-priced/low-quality). We happily watched trendy youths, mothers and daughters, and colorfully-attired men (American men avoid color because their masculinity is challenged) enjoy the ethnic food with big smiles. :-)
From there, we boarded a westbound tram and exited at the National Museum of Finland. It is in the Töölö neighborhood.
Its artifacts encompass humanity from the Stone Age to modern-day. You can thank Finland's Ministry of Culture & Education for how beautiful it is. The castle-like structure was erected in 1905, and it was illuminated in spooky ways for Halloween. It was apropos timing that we arrived at sundown to admire it.
Its layout is a rambling mix of levels and circular paths. The stained glass windows reminded us designs by Frank Lloyd Wright.
We saw medieval weaponry, ancient jewelry, churchly artifacts, Bronze Age coins, and 12th-century art. It highlighted Finland's independence from Sweden and Russia, and its industrialization after eons of agrarian commerce. It also has the largest collection of Native American relics outside the USA.
One exhibit features the Russian imperial throne that the czars used when they were in Finland.
*To see when we visited inside England's Buckingham Palace and saw its Throne Room, please use this link:
https://halfwindsorfullthrottle.blogspot.com/2022/09/our-return-to-london-uk-part-4-of-6.html
The museum showcases the porcelain patterns used by each previous president. Finland employs a President (as Head of State, Defense, and Foreign Policy)...
and a Prime Minister (as Head of Parliament)... who is a currently a woman.
Here is Lewis' video of an antique jeweled brooch.
We returned to the tram stop, waited a mere two minutes until it came, and rode it to the City Center. We got off, and I suggested visiting a popular Bubble Tea shop, that was three streets away. The staff wore Halloween costumes. The barista who helped us was dressed as Cinderella.
The place has two adjoining rooms, sleek Nordic seating, plush pillows, brightly painted walls, and a "Wish Board" where patrons publicized their wishes to make them occur. The chef is from Hong Kong, and he cooks buns (bao) filled with tempura prawns, fish cakes, roasted duck, panko-crusted chicken, Canton-style pork, and a vegan vegetable version.
As we imbibed our sweet tapioca tea with puréed taro, we realized that many buildings in Helsinki might look imposing from the outside (long, similar-shaped), but the spaces within them are colorfully individualistic and comfortable.
Hungry for a meal, Lewis had the notion to try one of the city's many popular Japanese restaurants. With fresh seafood from unadulterated waters, Finns love Japanese restaurants and Sushi bars. Half of them seemed to be operated by Finnish owners. So, we dined at Domo, which is run by a family from Japan.
It is charmingly decorated with paper-pane doors, trinkets made of Legos, and blonde wood furniture that possessed a trademark Nordic sleekness. In the background, a stereo played opera (sung in German). After perusing the menu, we ordered a bento box of roasted chicken, salad, and two platters of sashimi and sushi. Our server was impressed with Lewis' perfect pronunciation of the Japanese cuisine.
However, he didn't really need it. Despite being the end of October, the weather was moderate. Even at 11 o'clock at night, the temperate was 50-degrees. It was wonderful! A perfect night for partying.
We saw hundreds of Helsinkians--and many Finns who came to the capital--who were outfitted in ghoulish costumes, fanciful outfits, and creepy makeup. The festivities occur on the Eve of Halloween, instead of on the Day of Halloween (as in America). It's similar to how Italians celebrate Christmas Eve more than Christmas Day. Therefore, lines of patient--but festive--revelers formed outside of numerous bars. No, people do not use costumes as ploys to sell sex because prostitution is legal in Finland. (Soliciting in public is not).
They exuded all of the fun and none of the mayhem. Unlike in the USA, nobody pushed or shoved one another, and guys did not make leering comments to girls. There were no confrontations.
For comparison, NYC had another murder on Halloween, involving multiple gunshots within a radius of 14 streets.
We were happy that we were in Helsinki, instead. We never saw drunkards vomiting, thugs fighting, miscreants harassing girls, or criminals doing pickpocketing. There was no vandalism. We only noticed one broken bottle on the pavement. Additional police constables were deployed throughout the city, but they merely maintained order. They looked exactly like this, with a nifty "sword" emblem on their uniforms.
(In NYC, overpaid policemen unnecessarily wear Riot Gear and assault rifles during Halloween). Lewis and I spoke with a constable, who was extremely friendly--despite it being 11:30pm and so close to Halloween's "bewitching hour". Pleasantly, he gave us tips about the city, and tips about how to return to the airport efficiently after our trip. We were startled to learn that the city's Central Train Station was locked at midnight, instead of remaining open overnight (which happens in NYC).
Days ago, we asked our waiter at Gron about the coolest cocktail bars in the city. He recommended Liberty or Death. It's one of the edgiest places in Helsinki. So, Lewis and I decided to go there. On the way, we passed the St. George's Hotel and walked through a graveyard (which seemed apropos to do during Halloween). Victims of the 1710 plague are buried nearby, but the graveyard dates from the 1780s. Since it is a square in the middle of the city, it is now used as a park. (We noticed the same dual-purposes in Denmark's capital).
It is behind the Vanha Kirkko (Old Church), circa 1826, which is the oldest church in Helsinki and replaced a 1727 church. (The exterior was wrapped in restorative scaffolding, but here is the inside)...
In the graveyard, we saw people standing near gravestones and honoring the dead with candles and flowers. Happily, we didn't see any undead! The Finnish ritual is similar to Mexico's Day of the Dead. Respectfully, we didn't photograph the occurrence, but this image portrays what we saw...
On the night before All Saints Day, the city's cemeteries usually look like this...
Liberty or Death is located in the Design District, behind an inconspicuous entrance of a historic building that faces Kolmikulma Park. The park features a statue of Tellervo, the forest goddess, which looks like this in daylight...
The bar is famous for its well-crafted, potent cocktails. The place was packed, and a line extended outside... overseen by an employee wearing a Halloween costume of the Grim Reaper (apropos for Death). Luckily, the line evaporated quickly, and we got inside. (Most Finns have a drink or two and then move to the next place on their agenda). The bar is smaller than we anticipated and sparsely decorated. It exudes a vibe of an "industrial warehouse" reclaimed as a "loft apartment". Tall brick walls are lined with bookcases; shelves illumined with candlesticks. Candle votives adorned each table, and flickering candles lit up every corner. The bar itself is above a few stairs, where more seating is located. American rap music thudded--full of curses, profanity, and explicit rhymes.
A server greeted us; the young man's face was covered with make-up (like a gruesome skeleton), and his blonde hair was gelled. He reminded me of Macaulay Culkin's character in Party Monster.
Dutifully, he checked our negative COVID statuses before letting us enter. A couple departed from a communal table, so we got their empty seats. Happily, our server described the menu. Despite his young age, he behaved professionally, attentively, and engagingly. We soon realized that--despite its Gothic appearance--the bar was actually not menacing at all. Bar-goers merely think its fun to be immersed in an "American scene". Our server explained that it was named for a quote by Patrick Henry in 1775 that symbolized America's original intention of freedom from overtaxation (that failed). He said that the interior was intended to resemble a Brooklyn hipster bar. He was delighted when we told him that we were from New York City and could vouch for its accurate resemblance (but without the crime-rate, vandalism, and vomit). The young man was fascinated that Brooklyn is officially named Kings County, in honor of England's King Charles II in the 1680s.
We selected drinks from their tequila/mezcal menu, which was modestly priced at €10 each. Our "skeleton" server explained that the bar wanted to provide excellent drinks at affordable/accessible prices. That epitomized Finland! The concoctions were made swiftly, and they tasted great. We sipped them and happily watched customers get complimentary face-painting. Yes, the bar employed a makeup artist to stencil or paint anyone's face for Halloween. We politely declined the offer, but it was fun to watch the bar's clientele metamorphose into ghouls, kittens, sprites, or creepy deities.
*To see more eye-opening Halloween costumes, use this link:
https://halfwindsorfullthrottle.blogspot.com/2017/11/slutty-halloween-costumes.html
After an hour, we tipsily departed. We decided to saunter along the pedestrian-only walkways, lined with nifty shops and cozily-lit restaurants. Helsinki is beautiful at night. These are some of the sites we saw (including a building named for our current home-neighborhood of Astoria)...
We admired how the citizens added artwork to cover the utility boxes on each street. So cute.
Eventually, we meandered circuitously back to our hotel. We overheard a large French group arrive. By that time, the bar was closed (the bartender maintains a Life/Work balance), so they could only drink tea or coffee. To give them space, we sat by the fireplace.
The elevator zoomed us upward, and we snuggled under the blankets. We watched a documentary of A-ha, a 1980s Rock Band that Lewis likes. They were Norwegian expatriates who emigrated to the USA for more money/publicity.
We enjoyed seeing Morten Harket's outfits!
*To see how we spent another Halloween at a Jack-O-Lantern Festival, please click this link:
https://halfwindsorfullthrottle.blogspot.com/2015/11/autumn-getaway-day-1.html
Join us for the last segment of this Nordic prettiness.
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