Some Serious Blogging On The Way...

I'm not very good at this blogging lark am I? I had loads of things I wanted to write up, but just havent found the time or inspiration. So while waiting for my plate to finish doing its thing at work today I wrote a couple of posts. Unfortunately I forgot to email them to myself, so havent got them to post on here today - but tomorrow I promise.

There was a lot of frost on the ground this morning - winter is coming fast. And look at this picture of how much the sun had risen when I went to get breakfast this morning (about 30mins after I woke up). And its only September! I'm going to be walking to work in the dark before long arent I?

You Are The Fire Within My Heart

Ooo, lookie what I just found. Its an English version of Eldur! I havent stopped listening to/humming this song all weekend. I'm guessing this was on the Euroband album. Anyway, here it is - enjoy.



Think I prefer it in Icelandic, but still...

Hvers vegna ertu farin?

This song came on the mp3 player this morning, and it cheered me up on what is becoming a dreery walk to work. And its was insanely foggy this morning, my hair was wet by the time I got to work!

Anyway, its put me in a bit of a Fridrik mood. I was really rooting for Euroband at esc this year, and shamefully kind of forgot about them afterwards. But since then there seems to have been a good fews songs added to youtube.

For example, this song. Its called Farinn, which as far as I can tell means Gone. Its a big dramatic disney-style ballad. I warn you, some of the pictures are just plain wierd.





Also, I realised that I had never heard the following song before, despite hearing about it. I actually think its brilliant and cant believe I didnt listen to it before now. Its called Eldur.





Also, I just want to point you towards some other links. This video is of him performing a cover of Queens' Somebody to Love in his hometown. And for more songs you should check out his myspace, where you can hear some other lovely ballads, such as Ef þú þiggur það (try typing that on an english keyboard!).

I've Never Had So Much Fun At School

Just to let you all know, that I had a nice cuppa tea and calmed down a bit. Then I went out to get away from this stuffy little flat. At the university here they have set up little language circles to give people studying languages the chance to meet with native speakers. Whether that be in a pub, or bowling, or over dinner - whatever! So I joined last week, and kinda nominated myself as 'chief contact'.

Well tonight was the night we were set to meet again, and so I went along. We went to a famous pub in Turku/Finland called Koulu. In English Koulu means School, and this is an old Swedish-speaking school that has now been turned into a pub and brewry. Apparently one of the only pubs in Finland that brews its own beer. Its absolutly huge, which is good because there is at least 30+ people in the language circle.

Anyway, I spent the whole evening chatting with Chinese/Finnish/German/Americans... etc etc. And was really nice to trade stories about our different cultures and such. Made me forget my troubles, and realise that its not too late to start making friends. We already have plans for bowling a BBQ and a flat party. So things are looking up :)

9 Months Encounting

Warning; very self-absorbed post below. Just me ranting about how rubbish life is at the moment. Please ignore, I'll probably feel totally different by morning...

Today has been yet another bad day, and I'm not even sure why. I think after the fabulous weekend, this week has been a real return to reality. I've been here nearly 2 months now, and I think homesickness is setting in big time. It doesnt help that I still havent made any friends, nobody at work even talks to each other, let alone me, and now I have no money either. Work is actually pretty boring bog-standard stuff that makes me wonder why I spent 2years at university to end up doing something as mundane as my job at tesco. And since the work is so rubbish, it really does make me question why I'm here at all? I mean, great I get to travel and explore, but other than a trip to Stockholm in a couple of weeks, thats pretty much it. And its hard to get excited about trips when you know you'll be going in a big group where people already have friends and your a loner. When I asked if we would have cabins for the overnight ferry to Stockholm, the reply was 'yes, the cabins sleep 4 people and you'll get to choose who you share with'. Well, whoop-dee-doo. I dont have anyone to choose. So that means I'll end up shoved in with a group that has a spare spot. A chance to make friends you would think. Ah perhaps not - I was never very popular at sleep-overs as a kid as I produce the worst snoring known to man. Not a great way to break the ice. Ok, so this has been a rather self-indulgent pity post, but dammit I'm gonna post it anyway.

I feel better now I've got that off my chest.

Finnish Charts

So on the radio at work they play the same songs everyday but I still dont catch the names of most of the Finnish ones, many of which have grown on me. So in an attempt to find out what thay are I've been typing the current top40 in Finland and the listed top20 of the radio station (Radio Nova) into youtube. This is what I have found;

My favourite one is a song called Unta by Katri Ylander. Apparently she came second in the second series of idols over here (the same show that launched Antti Tuisku's career). I'm so glad I've found it, I really do love it. I'm not sure why, but the melody of the vocals just really grows on you, and its definitely one of those songs that sound better in a foreign language. I dont know what Unta means, but I'm not going to translate it. I love it more not knowing. Its sounds so mystical and dramatic to me, but also a little bit sad;



Next up is a more upbeat song that always catches my attention when it comes on. Perhaps becuase its sounds quite modern amonst all the oldies stuff they seem to play on that station. The singer is called Anna Abreu and she was on the same series of idols as Katri Ylander, but didnt get as far. At first I thought she was singing 'you flow/swim through my dreams'. But the song is called Vinegar, and apparently the line is 'You're vinegar in my dreams'. Bit of a difference then...



Lastly, this song seems to be charting high, so thought I'd include it. Its quite a pretty song I guess. I didnt realise it was modern, it sounds more old-fashioned than the others. Hasnt won my heart quite as much as Unta, but it has a certain charm to it, and it has grown on me a fair amount. Its called Kaksi Puuta (two trees) by Juha Tapio;

Time for a Quick Rant

A cash machine swallowed my card in town today. Not that it was random - I had entered my pin wrong 3 times in a row. I still cant remember what it is now. I must be getting old. Anyway, was the last thing in a long line of things that had gone wrong today, and as I rung my mum to tell her the good news, I was feeling seriously fed up of this living abroad lark, and wanted to go running back home.

I guess there will always be trying times, but learning to get through them will hopefully help me build character. I cant run home everytime something goes wrong. And actually it isnt as big of a disaster as I first thought. I have two bank accounts in england (one set up specifically because the bank doesnt charge for withdrawels abroad), so can still withdraw money with the other card - it'll just charge me for the pleasure.

This has taught me a lesson though. Perhaps I should actually put some money into that Finnish bank account I set up to pay my student union fee. You know, for emergencies, like having my bank card swallowed by a cash machine...

Naantali

My fabulous weekend part 2; Naantali.

Naantali is a popular summer destination for hundreds of Finns every year, possibly due to the fact that its home to Moominworld. However, while off-season, it is still a very pleasant town. The weather was a bit rubbish, but you could tell it would be a very picturesque town to while away the summer hours.

We started with a stroll down a tree-lined street towards the harbour. The trees have started to change colours and 'malt' for lack of a better word (what is the word?), which although happens in the UK too, it is somewhat prettier here. Maybe because of the pure amount of trees in the area, but you just cant avoid seeing all the colours change. So after a pleasant walk we made it to the convent church, which was unfortunately closed so we couldnt look inside, but it seemed quite nice. This is how the town was built. It was originally a catholic town, with the main town being built up around the convent. As Catholicism declined in popularity, the town switched to knitting socks for its main economy. (Yes, I took my lonely planet guide book with me).


After the church, I was keen to look for a good spot to have our picnic. So what better place to look from, than the look out point! From here we could see perfect views of the church and the harbour, but also of the aformentioned Moominworld, sat on a seperate island connected by a short footbridge. We soon climbed down to investigate.


We actually didnt explore the island very much, but instead headed for the beach to have our picnic. Was a lovely spot, and we ate the picnic practically undisturbed (other than by a pesky wasp). After eating, we headed back to the mainland a wondered along the harbour. We then had a quick look in some of the strangest souvenir shops, before heading to a cafe for a warm beverage. Taking a tip for a cafe from my travel guide, we ended up in what I can safely say is one of the strangest cafe's I have ever been in.

Apon walking in, we were met by only a cat. In the main lobby, there was a piano, and an exercise bike, and then to the right was the cafe, if thats what you'd call it. It appeared to be a large living room, with lots of old-fashioned furniture (and the curtain cloth matched the table-cloth as my freind pointed out). We had a look around, and apon still only seeing a cat, were beginning to wonder where everyone was... In the end, I found an old bell on the side, and rung it. Finally someone appeared and spoke in Finnish. Us:"Do you speak English?", Him:"Ei, Sprechen Sie Deutsch?" To which my German friend happily replied Ja! She was very happy to do the translating for us for a change, hehe.


Anyway, we nearly sat on another cat, before choosing another table. The first cat that greeted us clearly took a shine to us and wouldnt leave us alone. I miss my cat back home, so invited it up to my lap. It happily obliged. Much to my other friends distaste. After eating our cake and drinking our tea, we headed back into the cold and decided to head back home.

I can see why Naantali is such a popular summer destination, not just because of Moominworld. The old town is very well kept, and the area is very pretty. For peace, reflection and relaxation I think Ruissalo still tops my list (plus its free on my bus pass), but Naantali makes for a very nice day-trip.

Turku Cathedral

Its only just gone 9, but already i'm thinking about heading to bed! But I will post part one of my great weekend. Hopefully I'll have it all typed up by this weekend because I'm off for a cottage weekend that the ESN (Erasmus student network) have organised for us foreign students. Should be a good chance to get to know a few more people and to get away from the city for a while.

Anyway, the start of our fabulous weekend was perhaps saturday morning. We had packed ourselves a picnic to have in Naantali, but decided to get up early and have a look round the cathedral first. I hadnt been inside since I arrived, but it is quite a striking cathedral and its surprising how you can catch glimpses of it all over the city. Its very old, I think one of the first churches in Finland, but has been rebuilt/repaired a few times due to the fires. Turku is the oldest settlement in Finland, but little of its origins remain due to the surprisingly frequent fires that have ripped through the town.




Anyhoo, as we arrived at the cathedral, we found a sort-of farmers market was taking place. So we had a quick look round, and I bought this little fella... He's just an old wine bottle cork dressed up with some knitted stuff. For only €1 I thought it was cute.






Anyway, we finally made it inside the cathedral, and it was rather lovely. I was surprised by how high the ceiling is. Not sure why, since it is clearly a tall church from the outside. Whenever I look in churches, it is always the organs that I like best. And this cathedral had a beautiful organ. Other than that, there isnt much to say. It was nice is all.


We headed back outside, and bought a pancake from one of the stalls. The jam she offered looked a bit suspect (kinda brown-colour) but we tried it anyway, and it was rather tasty. After that we headed to Naantali... coming in part 2.

Happy Turku Päivä

Apologies for the lack of updates. This working 8-4 is kinda tiring till I get used to it. Plus, during the week there really wasnt anything to write about. But this weekend, two girls that I met in Helsinki came to visit. So, to make there rediculously expensive train tickets worth it, we rushed round and tried to get a million things done. This included, looking round the Catherdral, a trip to Naantali (the home of Moominworld), a trip to the Castle, a look around a boat, and then a spot of shopping in the Kauppatori (market square). Today was 'Turku Day'. I dont quite know what that means other than that we got into the castle half-price, onto the boat for free, there was a special market, the shops were open despite it being sunday, and to top it off in the evening there was what I can safely say was one of the best firework displays I have seen.

I decided to think of it as an early guy-fawks night, as obviously they wont be celebrating that here. I had a bad experience with a firework at a small show, so now only go to large well-organised displays as I get a bit scared. But this was on top of a hill somewhere, and I joined the crowds by the river to watch. It was spectacular. Some of the firworks were just huge, and the bangs echoced round the area, sounding like cannon's being fired. I did get a little scared when I saw some sparks landing on the river, but other than that I felt quite safe and so actually enjoyed it.

I will write up about each of the weekend's activitys seperately soon. Promise. I just wanted to post quick about the fireworks and then I'm off to bed!

Livin' In a World Without You

Most days at work so far we've had the radio on a fairly 'radio2' type channel. And every day they seem to play the same songs; I Kissed a Girl, Your Love is a Lie (Simple Plan), Man Who Cant be Moved, Truly Madly Deeply and horrifically Hello by Lionel Ritchie. However one song that they play a lot is the new track by The Rasmus. Its called Livin' in a World Without You. On the first few listens I recognised it was a song by The Rasmus, but assumed it was an old one. But in fact it was released just this week in Scandinavia and Germany. Its not half-bad, but what on earth has he done to his hair, dear oh dear...

Ruissalo

So today I was invited to join a group heading to the coast at Ruissalo. This is an island off the west of Turku, but closely connected to the land, so we just hopped on a bus from the Kauppatori and went to the other side of the island where there is a lovely bit of coast. I could imagine that in the summer this would be a very popular place to swim. Today, however, it was quite quiet and that made it even better.

We wondered around the beach for a little while before sitting on the dock. It was just so quiet. Just so calming and relaxing to look at the other islands and all the tree and nature, while watching the waves gently ripple. We sat here for quite a while. Long enough for a chap near-by to catch two fish.


After that, we wondered through the woods, only to head back towards a different shore of the island. We climbed over some rocks to find a secluded spot, where we just sat and watched the water again.


All in all we spent about 2 hours there, and this is all we did. But it was a really lovely afternoon. Think I will return again, when the leaves start to change colour, or when the spring arrives.

Pictures of Turku and Tallinn

I've uploaded a couple more photo albums for your pleasure. First up we have a more complete set of photos of the lovely Tallinn And also, we have a selection of photos from an afternoon spent wondering around the town that is my home for the next 10months. Turku;

For some reason, Picasa no longer wants to let me embed photo albums into a post, but you can find a link to the photo albums in my list over on the right ------------>

Tallinn

So its about time I write a little something about my trip to Tallinn. It was a bit impromptu but was definitely a worth-while experience. We set out from Helsinki around 10:30am, making it to Tallinn just before lunch time. We went to the tourist information point where the chap their gave us some good advice. (He then asked where we were from "erm, 2 from Austria, 2 from Germany, one from England, and one from Ireland", bet thats the first time he'd heard that). So then we went to Hessburger for lunch and to discuss what to do with the day. Strange how many of the Finnish companys were also in Estonia, like Hessburger and the R-Kioski's (although only called R-Kiosk in Estonian).

So we decided to be typical tourists and do a couple of bus tours of the greater Tallinn area. However we started by exploring the old town a little. This was all fairly pedestrianised and had a wonderful charm. Reminded me a lot of Bratislava actually. We saw the old main square with the town hall before heading back to do the first bus tour.


After that we decided to split up for an hour before the next bus tour. Me and Hilary headed for St. Olav's Church, where we were told you could climb to the top and get some great views of the harbour and old town. They werent wrong. It was quite a climb (not too high, but the steps were of old brick and steep with just a rope for a handrail), but once at the top you could indeed see out over the ocean and get to appreciate the beautiful old town with its old outer wall, and all the different churches.

Then it was back on the bus for a tour in the other direction of the town. Whereas the first tour had taken us round some of the forested areas with some interesting houses, the second tour took us to the side of town where most of the people seemed to live, with its huge soviet-style apartment blocks. Although the tours didnt show many 'sight-seeing hotspots' as such, the commentary was good, giving interesting facts and storys that helped me understand a bit more about Estonia's culture and history. Without these tours the day would have simply been about looking at pretty buildings.


After the final tour, we split again, and this time me and Hilary headed east to look at the old russian-orthodox church, which was rather spectacular. We then found our way to some of the viewing platforms on that side of town, which also gave very pleasant views. After this, however, it was time to head back for the ferry. On the return to Helsinki, we had the pleasure of witnessing one of the beautiful sunsets, which I've come to love about Finland.

Will I Ever Be By Your Side?

So while I was out of the loop, there have been a couple of new videos added to the hard2beat website, home of Basshunter, September and Sash!. It appears that Mr Basshunter has a new video out. And he actually features in it alot! The girl is back, but the boyfriend has been ditched, which means Mr B can make his move - oh er. The latest single will be Angel in the Night (a brand new track, not a remix of a Swedish original as far as I can tell). First impressions were of a remix of a busted song, but after a few listens it becomes quite catchy.

To see it on the hard2beat website, click here. If you have a look around the site you can also find a rather cool competition to meet Basshunter at a gig in Austria.

Also on the website though is the new video for Sash!'s latest single, Raindrops. Me and Rach had the pleasure of seeing Sash! back in February (unfortunately no interview though), and he was very good with a strong back-catalogue of music. Bit disappointing then to find that the new single samples Encore En Fois rather than being a completely new track, but perhaps this is just to remind people who he is?.. Anyway, its quite a good track, and the video is very... wet, shall we say.

Y'a pas d'amour au hasard

So, been a good day at work. Had its low points (finished all my work by 2, but couldnt leave till 4 - note to self, drag work out more) but actually got to get involved in some immunoassays, which was cool. Apparently i'll be doing a lot of them from now on. I'm sure the novelty will wear off quickly.

In more musical news, I've been in a kind of French mood today. Lots of Jonatan Cerrada on the ipod to lift my spirits on the bus journeys. But I want to share a song by a chap called Quentin Mosimann. Europecrazy has mentioned him in a couple of posts lately, due to the release of his album, so I had a quick search on youtube, and fell in love with this duet. Its called Donne Moi Le Temps.

Hurrah, we have internet!

At last! I have an internet connection in my room and life can return to normal. Apologies for the lack of posts, but that internet cafe wasnt the most cosy of places, and to be honest there really hasnt been anything positive to blog about.

Last week was a very difficult week for me. My cold turned out to be more of a flu (fever and infection of the lungs = flu), that I have just started to get over. Then because I was sick, dragging myself out of bed to get mundane stuff done, like applying for internet, required twice the effort. All this when I've arrived in a foreign town where I dont know many people. Needless to say by friday night I was feeling very very sorry for myself.

But! With the new week brought a new job, more about that another time perhaps. And also went along to an impromptu dinner last night at another students flat one building over. Was really nice social evening and such a pleasure to talk to people. Also, the chef made a fabulous carbonara.

Other things I will be blogging about before long; film review of Babel, album review of New York and Rovaniemi, a proper post about Tallin, and one about the town that is Turku (I have pictures).

For now, I'll just leave you with the results of trying to open a tin of beans without a tin opener. I was actually quite proud of the achievement.

Sniff Sniff

The summer is officially over. Today I woke up to find I have an absolute stinker of a cold, to find that autumn has arived and brought frost(!) with it, and that also today was my first day of work, which due to having a cold was the last thing I wanted to deal with.

But after I dragged myself out of bed and onto the bus, I felt a little better. I met lots of different people in different departments at work and basically I get to choose where to work. Awesome. So I get the night to think about it, and then tomorrow I will email with my decision. Gives me an extra day to get over my cold, so I'm very happy.

I'll let you know my decision once its made.