Le Tasting

As some Elk's Street followers may know, Tiina, after spending years in places like Australia and France, has become something of an eonophile. (OK, a wine connoisseur to you and me.) A couple of times a year, she organises a wine-tasting evening complete with her famous Experimental Kitchen. This April was the 10th anniversary of Tiina's Wine Club and your correspondent, although by no means a wine buff, was invited along.

As the event was being held in Tiina's flat, I was, exceptionally, housed in the Tapiola Garden Hotel.
 

View across to the Espoo Cultural Centre.



 The evening was organised such that first there was the welcoming speech; then the wine-tasting, which involved: a) ranking the wine, b) guessing the origin (country) and vintage of the wines, c) counting the points each contestant gained, where the number of points went down depending on how  many clues were needed; then a short lecture; and finally, the meal.

A good time was had by all, although your correspondent managed to get the perfect Eurovision Song Contest score of 'nul points' (zero points).

 The glasses lined up for the blind-tasting.

 The three wines in question - an Amarone, a Barolo, and a Sassicaia.

For those interested in these things, my order of preference was:

1. Sassicaia
2. Barolo
3. Amarone

But, of course, I am no expert.

The next day, on my way back home, I dropped by the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, which is conveniently located near Helsinki Railway Station.

The Kiasma building is architecturally interesting and there are nice views across to the Finnish parliament building.

 Finnish parliament building in the early spring sunshine.

Finnish parliament building with a crow on the roof.

Culture

One weekend in March, H-M decided that we all needed a dose of culture so off we went to South-Karelia Art Museum to see some modern art, in this case the travelling exhibition "War or Peace." (To find out what other exhibitions are on in 2012, click here.)


Modern art is more interesting for some members of Elk's Street than for others, as the photo below shows:

The boys playing on their mobile phones and ignoring the moderen art.

Following the visit to the gallery, we had a breath of fresh air while looking around the fortress, which was in winter grey.

The orthodox church, Finland's oldest.

In front of the snow chapel.

The altar of the snow chapel.

After wandering around for a while, there was what for some was the best bit of the outing - a snack at the Majurska café.

H-M in front of the café (with Thomas in the background).

Full of chocolate cake, the boys' strength gradually returned after the arduous task of appraising modern art.

Thomas improving the accuracy of his snowball throwing.

To end this post, below are a couple more photos of our trip.

A view from the fortress across the harbour area, the Casino restaurant is in the centre and the water tower in the background.

Not so modern art - a statue of a dragoon guard on his horse

Moscow Trip - Part 2

The next morning, after a hearty breakfast, we set off for some more sight-seeing.

Henry at breakfast.

The idea was to pick up a bus tour at the Karl Marx monument in Teatralnaya Square. Well, we got there on time, and so did a thousand or so internal security police, but of the tour bus, no sign.

  Karl Marx, looking a little chilly in the winter snow.

Old Karl wasn't lacking company, as the photos below show.

 Police to the left of him...

 ... and police to the right of him...

... and as the video below shows, police on all the other sides of him, too.

So, what was going on? It was the week before the Russian presidential elections and the authorities were getting nervous that there might be political demonstrations. 

Eventually, our tour guide showed up, and off we went, regaled with tales of historical buildings, and the odd politically-tinged comment. It wasn't really the best of weather for sight-seeing but I took a few photos anyway. 

 Thomas on Sparrow Hills, with a few relaxed soldier boys in the background.

Luzhniki Stadium looking like a space-ship.

A monastery, the name of which I've forgotten.

At the end of the tour, we were dropped off back in the centre of Moscow, which was still flooded with soldiers.

 Soldiers at the entrance to the Teatralnaya metro station. And I don't think they are all queueing for the toilets.

Next on the agenda was a meeting with Yelena and friends before heading off for another highlight of our trip, a KHL game, Dinamo Moscow vs Lev.

The whole gang at the Il Patio restaurant.

The Dinamo Moscow team enter the ice through a mock police van, a reference to earlier days when it was sponsored by the KGB.

 The national anthems.

 

  Face-off in the Dinamo defensive zone.

The home team won 5:3 but as it was the final game of the regular season and there was nothing really to play for, the game was not very intense and the crowd quite small. Followers of hockey will, of course, know that Dinamo Moscow went on to win the Gagarin Cup, beating Avantgard Omsk in the final.


Tiina took the opportunity to get a fan shirt of one of her idols, #11 Aleksandr Maltsev.

Tiina modelling her new gear.

The next day was a quiet day. We went to the Moscow Metro Museum, but it was closed, so then returned downtown to stroll along the Arbat.

Thomas on the Arbat.

 Sesse having a coffee break.

The boys doing likewise.

Then our trip was all but over. We had a few hours to taste the air of the metropolis before heading for the night train back to Finland.

The boys larking about in the hotel foyer.

Oh, and where was H-M when we were having such fun? She was having fun of her own at a Butoh dance workshop. You can find out more here.

Moscow Trip - Part 1

As part of Elk Street's promotion of Henry's Russian studies, the usual suspects set off on a trip to Moscow, capital city of Russia. This was planned as a major adventure for the boys with the journey being on the overnight train, Lev Tolstoi.

The 'girls' were in first class 2-berth compartments and the 'boys' in second class 4-berth compartments, although in fact only three seats were taken, so it was not as cramped as it might have been. Your correspondent sleeps very well on trains, so he, at least, had a comfortable night.

A cup of tea brought by the wagon attendant.

Thomas fast asleep in his bunk.


Henry and his bedtime reading.

Bright and early, and pretty much on time, we arrived in Moscow Lenningradsky station and with Sesse in the lead headed off to the hotel.

Outside Lenningradsky station with one of Stalin's "Seven Sisters" in the background. (Now the not very socialist Hilton Hotel.)

Having negotiated the Moscow metro and made it to our hotel, it was time for a shower and short rest before heading out on our tourist trail. Our hotel was the Marriot Hotel on Tverskaya, and we've still no idea how Sesse managed to get such a reasonable price - it is not the kind of place that Elk's Street can normally afford.

Our first foray was to search for breakfast, although with the slow service and time difference to Finland, our breakfast at the Pyramid restaurant turned into lunch. Suitably fortified, we continued our stroll towards the Kremlin and Red Square.

Marshal Zhukov on his horse.

Tourists on Red Square.

Henry, Tiina, Thomas and Sesse by the Resurrection Gate and Iberian Chapel.

The GUM department store, where our paths crossed with that of Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear fame. (Spotted by Tiina.)


St. Basil's Cathedral.


Henry reviewing the menu, although he only wanted ice-cream.


Thomas by the memorial to the unknown soldier.

After a hard day's sight-seeing, people were a little tired, so we went back to the hotel, where the little boys enjoyed a long bath, with plenty of bubbles, and a good night's rest.

Thomas, fast asleep again.