Meadow's Food for thought

Time flies by quickly in Finland but our team continues to achieve a lot. Today, we awoke to sunshine and blue skies, not to mention, a tour of the city of Helsinki. Yes, the city streets charmed me again today and I soon found myself having an improbable romance with architecture. I’m sure you have heard of Eliel Saarinen, Onni Tarjanne and Theodore Hoije before? No?! In Finland, they are famous for their ability to create incredible architectural design. I could write this entire entry about all I’ve learned about Finnish architecture but I’ll stop and get to the roots of our project today.

Following our culturally stimulating morning we journeyed to Suomenlinna: a UNESCO World Heritage site and an island of around 800 inhabitants that hosts nearly a quarter of a million visitors each summer. We spoke with permanent residents and picked up some of the history of the island along the way.

Suomenlinna is very similar to the Adirondacks. Though far smaller than the 6 million acres Adirondackers call home, it is similar in that summer is the busiest time of year and acts as fuel for the economy. Suomenlinna is a protected historic area but though it is protected, guests are welcome to visit and live just as they are in the Adirondacks. However, there is a critical difference between Suomenlinna and the Adirondacks because there is an emphasis on sustainable development. While working to preserve their historic surroundings, the citizens of the island do not wish to keep it frozen in time but advance their technology by living in a very sustainable fashion.

The rest of our day involved a trip to the ship yard where large wooden sail boats are traditionally made. It became apparent as we learned of how the ships are built that Finnish carry so much pride in all their country has to offer. The ships they were building were seaworthy, some sleeping up to 25 in their bunks, and they were built using wood from Finland. Builders didn’t buy lumber that would have to travel thousands of miles, requiring gallons of gasoline and taking away from local markets. Instead, they capitalized on the natural resources available to them and it resulted in a quality product. Even our lunch was a traditional meal of fish soup (the best soup I have ever had in my entire life and I’m quite the picky eater) but once again the Finns were supporting their local market, something that Americans really should try to do.

As an importing society it sounds strange to embrace the idea of independence but America has so much to offer. This week, I challenge you: try to support local food and businesses. Do you know how many miles your food travelled before reaching your plate today? Well, that’s enough food for thought, literally.     

Meadow's Post

Where do I begin? Today began after a perfect night of sleep at Kaarnaranta in Labby, located on the countryside of Finland. After an early start, we drove the roads of the countryside with quaint houses painted in traditional colors namely: red, sky blue, and yellow. We headed toward Lahti to see the mass start of a National Cross Country Ski Competition.

After the race, we visited Pro Wood where we learned about wooden products and the movement to encourage the use of wood in Finnish architecture. At lunch, salmon and duck were the meal options and we proceeded to have another delicious Finnish meal at Casseli, with a snow covered view of the lake. Following the meal we had a quick tour of Sibelius Concert Hall which was followed by presentations by Lahti City representatives. Lahti is the leading city in Finland for sustainable technology. Lahti City has taken strides with regards to waste management especially. Lahti City has managed to recycle and compost 95% of their waste.

However, the day didn't end in Lahti City. Our team piled into cars one last time to travel to Helsinki where we will stay for the remainder of our time in Finland. Our last commitment of the day was to attend a group dinner and met with Per-Edvin Persson, director of Heureka Science Center (another incredible meal-we're so spoiled).

After dinner we walked back to Hotel Arthur. From my short time here, I already can see what a beautiful city Helsinki is; with cobblestone streets, a passion for design and sidewalks that are virtually free of any trash. I've realized that I am very lucky to be able to call Helsinki my home for the next week. I can't wait for tomorrow!

Dan Day 1

So what was day one on this trip anyways, well technically if we were to follow a North American time zone it ended sometime  over the Atlantic, I'm not going to say that, in fact the group would get some actual sleep some 35 odd after they first woke in the Adirondacks. The five hour drive to JFK was punctuated with intermittent trips to restrooms, and breakfast breaks. Our experience at JFK could be best described as "trying". Following the 7 hour flight on the Atlantic, the intrepid team proceeded to our next flight in Amsterdam to our final destination, drum roll please , Helsinki International Air. We arrived around 1 o'clock local time. Meeting us at the airport was Mikko Myllykoski, and his family. Our first stop in Finland was at an all year indoor Nordic Ski track, and and overnight Ice palace. We then proceeded over to a Finnish Bed and Breakfast for some authentic cuisine ( see Gail Brill's lovely picture collection on all the food we at on the trip). Later in the night the Americans got their chance to experience the truly authentic Sauna Culture, to decompress from the day.

PS: I would love to thank Janne Lanspuro for helping correct my Finnish blog title.

And all through the house

I would like to say not even a mouse is stirring, but it couldn't be further from the truth. As it is the ultimate night in the US, I'm still busy packing, repacking, and generally having an "eventful" night. Nails are being bitten ( mostly my mothers), but I'm too excited to feel nervous. Do the Finnish even have a word for being nervous, ah here it is hermostunut, I'll try to remember that one. And on an related note I probably should pack some more long sleeve shirts.