In a previous post I explained my somewhat strange reasons for learning Finnish and I thought it would be a good idea to share some of the techniques I’ve found that are helping me learn this difficult and fascinating language. >> I have written an...
“Why?” This has been the blanket response by all when I’ve mentioned that I’m learning Finnish. Why would I learn a difficult language that is only spoken by around 5 million people in a country where English is widespread: it is pointless. They have a...
Runeberg Cakes (Runebergin Torttu) These cute little cakes are absolutely delicious: sweet, moist and lightly spiced with a heart of jam that’s both inside and on top. Runeberg Cakes, or to give you their Finnish name ‘Runebergin Tortut’, are traditionally baked to celebrate the birthday...
Finland to Germany by Ferry 28 hours on a ferry sailing the Baltic Sea from Helsinki, Finland to Travemünde, Germany: does that sound like a fine adventure to you, or a long time to be confined to a ship? I was a little apprehensive but I...
Porvoo Porvoo is only an hour away from Helsinki, yet it feels like a million miles. This pretty town is the second oldest in Finland (just a little younger than Turku) and its Old Town is gorgeously photogenic and packed with cute cafes and quirky...
Suomenlinna Camera in hand, I stepped onto the ferry for a day out exploring the island fortress of Suomenlinna. I’d woken to a clear blue sky, this would be a fine day to head out of the city for some non-urban adventure! Suomenlinna is a...
Helsinki Have you ever travelled somewhere and found that it hurt to leave? Somewhere that you felt so completely at home that your nomadic nature calmed and you wanted to stay for a while. This happens extremely rarely for me, I am always ready to...
Tampere, Finland Tampere resulted in a number of Finnish firsts for me: my first Finnish sauna, my first Finnish snow and my first taste of some of Finland’s distinctive food stuffs (you know, the stuff that graces Huffpost lists because it is quite unlike anything...
Turku Castle Turku Castle (Turun Linna) has seen its fair share of battles and sieges, a sturdy fortification dating from the 14th Century at a time when Finland was part of Sweden. It has played castle, grain store and prison over the centuries, suffering from...
Turku “Don’t speak to strangers. Ever.” That was the top tip given to me by my Finnish friend. “They will think you are either crazy or drunk”. Unfortunately, I found myself confronted with the need to speak to a stranger within minutes of arriving into...
Finding Christmas in Northern Europe Merry Christmas, Hyvää Joulua, God Jul, Glædelig Jul, Frohe Weihnachten! From a spectacular Christmas market in Hamburg to Lego Santa’s in Copenhagen, one of the most wonderful things about travelling Europe in December is the abundant sprinkle of Yule dust...
