I Get Around...

I'm gettin' bugged driving up and down the same old strip,
I gotta find a new place where the kids are hip.
My buddies and me are getting real well known,
Yeah, the bad guys know us and they leave us alone.

I get around,
From town to town,
I'm a real cool head,
I'm makin' real good bread,
I get around.

-The Beach Boys

SUNDAY

Oulu.

It snowed all day. Not a heavy snow, but still a thick slow-falling blanket. Some of us met at Never Grow Old, a local pub, before heading to the train station where we would meet our midnight train.

We got on the train and slept all night.

MONDAY

Helsinki, capital of Finland.

Here were are. Up around 8am. We first toured the city, led by Petri Vuojala, our architecture professor. Our trip supervisor/mother was Sanna Heikkinen, a representative from International Relations. We saw the railway station, the University main hall, the University library, the Senate Square, and the House of Parliament. We were unable to see the Cathedral, as it is (unexpectedly) closed in October.

After lunch, we were to ferry to Suomenlinna, a naval fortress of the coast. It was raining quite a bit, however, so we went to our lodging (The EuroHostel) to relax. Michael, Lee and I went to Grecia for some Greek food.

I went to bed around midnight. Around 1am, Reid stumbled in, fairly tipsy, and we talked about life, love, and other such matters for a couple of hours before completely passing out.

TUESDAY

Helsinki.

Breakfast at the EuroHostel. A bus tour leads us to Halosenniemie, the home of the famous Finnish architect/artist Pekka Halonen. The house is entirely wood and very 19th-century. He lived in this house with is wife and their 8 children. I was allowed to play the 19th-century Steinway piano that was kept in the living room/art studio. We wear booties on our feet to protect the wood.

Next to Hvittrask, the home and workplace of three famous Finnish architects: Herman Gesellius, Armas Lindgren, and Eliel Saarinen. A beautiful property with elaborate architectural bonuses.

Next the Atenum Museum of Finnish Art. This is the national gallery and one of the most important in all of Europe. We saw many famous Finnish pieces, many which we had discussed in our previous fine arts course.

We board the Silja, the boat which would take us to Stockholm. It was very nice, much like a cruise. Bars, restaurants, a cinema, vegas acts, etc. We attend a very wonderful buffet filling several rooms with food and wine.

Sleep.

WEDNESDAY

Stockholm, Sweden.

The City Hall. Beautiful. We toured the building, where they hold the banquet/reception for the Nobel Prize each December. Then we went to Gamla Stan, the old town of Stockholm. Small cobblestone alleyways wind around tall, orange, yellow, and red toned buildings with 18th-century workings.

Then the National Gallery of Fine Arts. Amazing pieces of art. We tour a special collection of Natural landscape art from around Scandinavia.

Julie, Val, Michelle, Hunter, and I went to a bar in old town and had a very nice dinner.

Staying at the Crystal Plaza, a very nice hotel in downtown. Some of the girls got a room with a balcony and bathtub. Others had tubs, minibars, and widescreen TVs. We watched the Simpsons and slept well.

THURSDAY

Stockholm.

Drottingholm Palace, the once, present, and future Baroque royal residence of the King and Queen of Sweden. Beautiful architecture. We also visit the Drottingholm Court Theatre (my favorite place on the entire trip), which is an 18th-century theatre that is still in operation in an almost entirely traditional fashion, with old mechanics and woodwork from the original period of the theatre's existence when built by King Gustav.

Skipping the Chinese Pavilion and Drottingholm Parks due to excessive rain. Free time in Stockholm, so we go get some Mexican food and have a drink in the hotel bar before taking the metro (subway) to the harbor to board another boat.

A smaller, older boat than the first Silja, but still very nice. We have drinks in the bar and sleep well.

FRIDAY

Turku, Finland.

A guided bus tour through historic Turku, the original capital of Finland (Turku is the Philadelphia of Finland). We visit the Cathedral and the medieval royal castle.

A brief stop for purchasing some snacks to take with us on the train and then off to the station.

The train. Practicing lots of French with Laura. Eat my pre-purchased dinner. Change trains in Tampere. Then to Oulu. The train ride seems short and is quite pleasant, as well all eat, play games, and visit.

The snow when we return is marvelous and extreme. It has been storming all day. We taxi back to campus and sleep very very well.

See tons and tons of pictures at:

Dustin's PhotoBucket!

(Never worry, for I have hundreds of pictures that you don't see online that I will bel showing you when I get home)

all for now. peace and love.


d