Easter Trip

Courtesy of the incompetents currently running the university, the situation at work is horrible. But some relief was provided by a couple of days in Helsinki.

I had some time on my own so after having visited the bookshop I made my way over to a very windy Suomenlinna. Below a few photos.

The bridge at Tykistölahti Bay with the Visitors' Centre on the right.

View of some houses (looking back from the ramparts of Kustaanmiekka).

View from the ramparts of Kustaanmiekka (looking towards Helsinki).

Suomenlinna fans will find some further photos in the posting of July 2008, and for a fly-by view of the fortress in summer go to the interactive aerial photo here.

I was really spoiled that day as in the evening I managed to see a hockey game, the SM-League bronze medal game Espoo Blues vs KalPa from Kuopio. After a first period when they were comprehensively outplayed, KalPa managed to pull themselves together and win the game 1-2. Unfortunately, SaiPa didn't make it that far; having come last, they were involved in the playouts.

Below a photo of the winning team.

SM-League bronze medal winners 2008-2009.

And Stephen gets extra points if he can spot Sami Kapanen in there!


The next day included a walk at Laajalahti Bay near Otaniemi. Below a few photos.

H-M on the bird-watching tower.

Henry and Tiina taking this bird-watching lark in a more relaxed way.

Thomas with his binoculars.

After spotting a few seagulls, hardly exotic, the healthy members of the group set off on the nature trail towards Villa Elfvik. Henry, who was a little under the weather with 'flu, went by car, chauffered as usual by his private driver, Tiina.

Thomas on the nature trail through the reed beds.

Villa Elfvik is a restored Jugend-style building with a small exhibition and a small café. For a little more information, click here.

Of course, no trip to Tapiola is complete without one festive meal, accompanied by a glass of red wine from oenophile Tiina's exclusive collection.

To finish a photo of one of the cooks in action - Thomas on guard duty, making sure the food doesn't get burnt.

Handicrafts

One of the delights of having school-age children is that at regular intervals you are surprised by home-made artefacts.

Henry's 'technical work' class has moved on from the autumn term's sewing to woodwork this term.

Below two photos of his efforts.

A sailing barge.

A smiling giraffe.

May the giraffes of the world smile on you!

The Pianist 2

Returning from work last Monday afternoon did not go well. I opened the house door to be confronted by a barrage of noise as Henry raced to reach me before Hwei-Ming did. The cause of the kerfuffle? A message from Henry's teacher - in the last 4 weeks he had managed to 'forget' his homework ten (!) times. Not good, and a sign of some serious memory problems - particularly since I'd been regularly told, "no homework today."

Ten was the number of the day as Henry managed to hand me his science exam results, 10, before giving me the note from the teacher, which mysteriously had been written already in the middle of last week and which, as a result of Henry's poor memory, he had forgotten to show me.

The day ended with Henry performing at another concert for the music school.



Decide for yourself a score for this performance. Maybe not ten (I'm still annoyed about the homework) but perhaps 8+.