Strolling the World EC: Finland

Showing posts with label Finland. Show all posts

2011-07-03

June 30th Dinner

Salmon and pea pasta

Carrot salad

Ingredients

Salmon and pea pasta

1 piece salted salmon

40g green peas (dried)

2 scallions (S)

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt

Carrot salad

2 carrots

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

salt

Instant foods: none

Lessons learned: We added scallions because they were going bad, but it actually gave the dish a nice touch.

2011-06-30

Yesterday, we couch surfed at Satu and Jarno's apartment in Helsinki. They were so welcoming. Satu cooked us a delicious Finnish macaroni dish and we talked about traveling and music. They are interested in Middle Eastern cultures and are planning a Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan trip next year.

Yoshi, Satu, and Jarno

I'm really amazed by CS hosts. They welcome strangers into their homes and make us feel so at home. They obviously have their own lives and usually work the next morning, but they host because they love people. It's an incredibly selfless attitude that I admire. I hope we've been able to give back just as much as they have given us.

bicycle swimming!?

the sky

I love looking up at the sky

It feels like everything has been erased

But at one point, I don't know when the transition happens

It feels like I'm looking down at the sky

As if I'm falling into the clouds

Squeaky Cheese

Have you ever heard of Finnish squeaky cheese?

It squeaks every time you chew! It's the weirdest thing! I still can't get over it.

Squeaky cheese with cloudberry sauce

A family of reindeer herders

Monday was a day I'll never forget. We were staying with our friend Jessica in a remote cabin in Lapland. Jessica is there filming a documentary about a family of reindeer herders who own the last group of wild reindeer in Finland.

I met Jessica four years ago through my brother. She was making a film about Japanese insect culture, and Yoshi and I helped translate a few things. The film has won awards and is doing really well, so if you haven't yet, make sure you check it out. Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo My brother co-produced the film and Yoshi's nephew stars in it!

Monday night at around 7pm, we drove to the camp where the herders are stationed. The men were still out on their rounds, so we ate our reindeer sandwiches and waited. Two hours later, we heard the rumbling of ATVs through the trees. The men were back. Their heavy leather outfits covered in dirt, their knives dangling from their waist. These were men you don't find in the city.

We had the chance to join Jessica and the herders on one of their calf marking rounds. Reindeer roam freely in the woods and are not domesticated. So, the herders have to gather them into these fences to mark the calves. Each reindeer owner has his own mark, which is sliced into the reindeer's ears. The reindeer didn't cry when their ears were cut, so maybe they don't feel any pain? Once they are marked, they are released into the woods again.

This was an experience I will never forget. Thank you, Jessica! For more information on Jessica and her work, visit her website Myriapod Productions.

Yoshi's new hat

This is Yoshi's new hat. Haha! Just kidding. It's our cloth frisbee.

We also carry around a mini soccer ball with us!

Midsummer Festival

The Midsummer Festival in Finland is celebrated on the summer solstice. Bonfires are very common and people dance and sing with friends and family. We were in Rovaniemi -- Santa's hometown -- for the festival. Seeing a bonfire under the midnight sun was a very strange experience.

Yoshi meets Santa

2011-06-29

June 22nd Dinner

Menu

Zucchini and pepperoni hors-d'oeurve
Garlic rice

Scallion egg stir fry

Smoked salmon and peas dressed with tartar sauce

Soy sauce flavored sardines

Ingredients

Zucchini and pepperoni hors-d'oeurve

1/2 zucchini (L)

8 slices pepperoni

Garlic rice

1.5 cups white rice

4 cloves garlic

2 10g packs butter

Scallion egg stir fry

3 scallions (S)

3 eggs

salt and pepper

Smoked salmon and peas dressed with tartar sauce

40g smoked salmon

50g green peas (dried)

60g tartar sauce (free from cafeteria)

Soy sauce flavored sardines

2 pieces sardine-like fish

1 packet soy sauce

Instant foods: none

Lessons learned: We made the mistake of not tasting the fish before cooking it in soy sauce. It turned out to be salted sardines! And after being marinated in soy sauce, it was too salty to eat. I broke Rule #3: Don't leave anything on your plate, even it tastes bad. =(

2011-06-25

Reindeer Reindeer Reindeer

We made it to the Arctic Circle!

Inari Village is located in northern Finland at 68.4 degrees north. It's the center for Sami culture. Sami people are the indigenous people of the arctic and have inhabited northern Scandinavia and Russia for over 5,000 years.

We met Tuomas, a friendly fisherman, at our guesthouse in Inari. He took us on a tour around the village and even drove us up to Norway! Thank you, Tuomas, for such a memorable day!

Boat ride on Lake Inari

Tuomas's motorboat

Me wearing an over-sized life jacket

Tuomas treated us to Lapish lunch -- reindeer meat!

Finland, Norway border crossing. We were in Norway for about 90 secs!

Reindeer on the highway

Helsinki → Rovaniemi Overnight Train

The nicest sleeper train I've ever been on!

Kamome Shokudo

We went to Ruokala Lokki, the cafe where Japanese film, "Kamome Shokudo" was filmed. Kamome Shokudo means 'seagull diner' and the film is about a Japanese woman who runs a Japanese diner in Helsinki. There were so many Japanese tourists there, it was embarrassing! Oh yeah, I guess we were one of them...


The movie poster on the wall.


The guy on the left is doing the Japanese V sign!


I ordered the salmon dish.

And Yoshi had Finnish meatballs.

Angelika and Saamu

Angelika's livingroom

We couch surfed again in Helsinki. Angelika and her 3-year-old son, Saamu, live in a nice cozy apartment just outside of central Helsinki. Saamu, believe it or not, is 3'8"! He's the biggest 3-year-old I've ever seen! Angelika said he was 4,600g when he was born. Now that's a big baby!
We've couch surfed twice now, but we actually haven't slept on a couch yet. Daniele had an air mattress and Angelika had a mattress, sheets, and comforters for us. I guess we've been mattress surfing.

Nina, Tammy, Sahe, Saamu, & Angelika

We spent two nights with Angelika and Saamu. Two of her friends came over the second night and we chatted over tea and chocolate. I wonder what it's like for Saamu to have strangers come stay at his house. Angelika has been hosting for quite some time now, so I guess it's just normal for him. I asked Angelika why she started to host and she said, "Well, it's just me and Saamu and so I wanted to make our home more lively." She's an unbelieveably strong woman with a beautiful little (or should I say 'big') boy!

This is Saamu trying to blow up a balloon: