Jagged green

Jagged green. Those were the first two words that came to me as I craned for a glimpse of Finnish soil, smashed indelicately between two business travelers in my lower class seat. Row upon row of coniferous plant life rolled by, punctuated by an undulating landscape. We landed and found ourselves wandering through a calm, almost strangely hushed airport. The cosmopolitan atmosphere that pervades so many a European city was present. The blonde quotient was not noticeably stronger. A smile-less taxi coordinator was followed by a subdued but efficient taxi driver, and soon we found ourselves at our destination. The hotel room was a pleasant surprise: a converted cheese factory turned contemporary lodge, complete with (rarely open) guest sauna and (unfairly pricey) internet access.

Day two. The intriguing stillness of the capital is punctuating by the strange tilt of the sun, always in an eye-squinting position, but always providing spectacular shadowing effects, for its brief hours of appearance. A city bus tour (I swore I would never do it, but I’m with the parents) provided recorded information in many European languages, and boasted itself as the first to offer a tour in Latin. (Latin! They were actually speaking Latin!).

I still haven’t put my finger on the source of the tranquil nature of the city, perhaps it’s just a vibe from the Finnish culture. My cultural observations that may possibly contribute to an eventual explanation: Direct eye contact and a smile is a common gesture from anyone in the service industry, and sometimes from others as well. It’s a gazing connection that I don’t often feel with the Dutch. Those in the service industry also habitually wear name tags, punctuated by country flag stickers, identifying their language skills. It reminds me of a type of girl/boy scout badge…he speaks Finnish, Swedish and English, but she speaks Finnish, Swedish, English and French…I’m going in her line. And who could forget…in every toilet stall, there is always a hook to hang your coat. What a nice touch.