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July 18: further delights of Helsinki

Got up early in order to Do Many Things. We started with an appreciative stroll around the main market, then hired rollerblades in order to make use of Helsinki's excellent cycle path network. While rollerblading, we managed to bump into my brother again.²⁹ After lunch in a Russian restaurant³⁰we proceeded to Kiasma, Helsinki's museum of modern art. Much impressive stuff, as well as sizeable quantities of what we all agreed to be rubbish. There was a strangely compelling film depicting, in slow motion and extreme closeup, a herd of cows.

We then went out to the Olympic Stadium, built for the 1952 Olympics, and took in the impressive view from the top of the tower. Returned on Helsinki's most enjoyable mode of transport, the pub tram, thoughtfully fitted out with tables and a bar. Since it was now evening the traditional rain began, and soon after we had found shelter in a pizza restaurant, it developed into a dirty great thunderstorm, providing good entertainment over dinner.

In the evening, we went to the Corona Bar. This had been recommended by the girl in the tourist office when she heard I liked the films of the Kaurismäki brothers³¹, on account of the fact that it's owned by them. In this way we combined pleasure with cultural significance.

Footnotes

...again.²⁹

This was the last strange coincidental meeting of the summer, but four in two weeks in a country of five million people isn't bad.

... restaurant³⁰

It has been claimed that Russia's best restaurants are in Helsinki.

... brothers³¹

Probably Finland's most famous film directors. Aki Kaurismäki is responsible for such classics as The Leningrad Cowboys Go America.