To think that a friend can become like your family…is kind of mind blowing. Since I met Annika in 2005, she has truly become my sister. In fact, I always smile when we go places and people ask if we are. π It almost makes me feel…proud! Like, I’d love to have her as my “for real sister”.
Really, I’d say within the past 3 or so years, we’ve joked about my going to Finland. Annika was born and raised in the city of Kuopio, Finland and her Finnish culture and background has always intrigued me. There’s something very unique about Annika, and I’ve always wanted to learn more about her by visiting her country! So, in April, I decided that I’d do it! I booked the ticket and didn’t look back.
I saw this trip as a huge opportunity. Not only could I visit Finland and learn about Annika and her family, but I also saw this as a chance to learn about the Finnish culture…and Finnish Weddings! While I was there, I did lots of shooting, even photographed a family session in Kuopio!
So, below…is a preview into my travels…..
The minute I walked into the Helsinki airport, I understood:
A) Why helsinki was voted the design capital of the world 2012
B)Why Annika is SO darn creative – she’s been SURROUNDED by good design the majority of her life.
Please forgive me because this post is slightly scattered… in terms of the order in which we did things!
IPHONE PHOTOS BELOW:
TOP LEFT: Annika and I went with her family to the NICEST restaurant I’ve been to: EVER. It’s called The Tower. It’s located, DUh… in a tower…at the top of Kuopio. Our dinner was incredible and in the hour or so that we spent there, the floor rotated 360 degrees giving us the full view of the city!
TOP RIGHT: This is Annika’s dad, Martti…hanging on the patio of a family friend’s home in Helsinki. He really made me feel so welcome, and DEFINITELY fed me well during my travels!
BOTTOM RIGHT: Like I said, out of order..but this was actually my last photo taken in Finland with Annika. BRIGHT and early (sooo not my cup of tea) as I left to head back to Louisiana from the Kuopio airport.
IPHONE PHOTOS BELOW:
TOP LEFT: This is me….looking so contemplative. LOL. During my first weekend in Kuopio, Annika’s family took me (by boat, mind you) to their cottage on a separate island. It was truly one of the most peaceful places I’ve visited…and one of my favorites.
TOP RIGHT: Annika, Inka (Annika’s sister/Helmi’s mom) and I went to the park where I grabbed this iphone shot of them! π So cute. As a side note, we were not allowed to use the Finnish word for park around Helmi. LOL
BOTTOM LEFT: Annika and I walked everywhere!!…And in the city of Kuopio, there’s a small strip of shops where I stumbled upon this ADORABLE samoyed. I’ve always said that if I could choose ANY dog in the world, it’d be either a huskey or a samoyed. But this was the FIRST time I’d ever seen a samoyed in real life. It was like a giant teddy bear!
BOTTOM RIGHT: So, aside from the cottage and it’s peaceful rock area, my other favorite place in the city of Kuopio was this dock. Annika and I would walk there and drag our feet in the water, visiting..and dreaming about life. I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to share in these small moments with her there.
I took this photo of Annika on our way to the cottage. This was the boat that we used to travel back and forth!
The weather was amazing there…perfect for a light jacket…or even shorts if you were brave enough!
Martti…the captain of our ship!
And here’s me! I was so excited to visit the cottage…and in this shot, enjoying my new jacket fromΒ SeppΓ€lΓ€.
This is Martti and Anne’s sauna. If you don’t know, a HUGE … HUGE part of the Finnish culture is the sauna. It’s said that 1 in 5 families have a sauna in their household, and even Annika’s family felt that this was an underestimated statistic. The saunas belong to the individual families and are a part of their weekly and for some, even their daily lives!
I had the pleasure of experiencing firsthand a real, Finnish sauna…and yes, I did jump in the 55 degree lake after soaking in the 186 degree sauna heat!
My heart didn’t know WHAT happened for a moment there!
While at the cottage…Annika and I spent much time exploring. Here, she was picking a strawberry for me to eat! SOOOO good……
The ONLY complaint I have about the cottage and really just the woods in general were TICKS. YUCK. I found one on my hand, one on my jacket, and one on the dinner table. Egh.
Despite the fact that there was hardly ever a dull moment while on the trip, we did find time to sit back, enjoy the view, and sip on a little bit of pear cider.
Here’s a shot of the cottage! Isn’t it beautiful? Martti, Anne, and their family/friends have put a LOT of work into the cottage, restoring it, and making it liveable.
When I asked Anne in a random conversation what she would do if she ever won the lottery, without a thought, her first response was that she’d TOTALLY renovate/decorate the cottage and live there.
Here’s a peak of the inside of the sauna. Isn’t it ABSOLUTELY beautiful? It’s truly so peaceful in there, and you just feel so connected to nature through the wood, textures, and natural light.
When they purchased the property, the sauna was completely in ruins. After many years of hard work and renovation, the sauna is now…well, you can see for yourself! Immaculate.
Another super cool thing about their sauna, is the fact that it’s the ONLY sauna on the island which was grandfathered into its location: on the water.
All other saunas are on land and do not reach into the lakes. So, needless to their, there’s is the best.
Here we are….don’t mind our fancy clothes. π
I’m not EXACTLY sure what I was doing here…but Annika grabbed this shot of me during our wooded exploration.
Minus Annika’s dad, here’s the crew!!! I love this picture so much. lol….
IPHONE PHOTOS BELOW:
TOP LEFT: Annika and I took this in a beautiful spot in Kuopio. It’s actually a cemetary park but it’s landscaped so beautifully and really makes for a nice hangout in the city.
TOP RIGHT: OF COURSE…I somehow found time to hop into the local camera shop for a print. And in the meantime, I came across this GIANT lens!!! I think the reach goes up to 4,000mm if I can remember correctly, the price is right around $15000. Seriously?! I can’t even carry it!!! Much less shoot with it.
BOTTOM LEFT: This is Helmi and I…again, speaking the few words I know to each other. I flipped my iphone around so that she could see herself and I was cracking up as she waved and exclaimed “MOI!” or “Hello” in Finnish to the camera. π
BOTTOM RIGHT: My last day in Kuopio, we spent it at the Harbor hangout drinking my #1 Finnish drink: Strawberry cider. π Boy…do I miss that!
IPHONE PHOTOS BELOW:
These photos are all DEFINITELY out of order! lol…These were the first four shots taken on the trip!
TOP LEFT: Annika and I in the Kuopio market.
TOP RIGHT: Annika stuck it out on a Kuopio train tour…just so I could wrap my head around the important architecture and size of the city.
BOTTOM LEFT: ANNIKA!
BOTTOM RIGHT: My first night after landing in Kuopio, we walked to meet Junior (Annika’s brother) and a few of his friends at the Ale Pupi…or cheap pup.
When we got back from Helsinki (more on this tomorrow) after the second weekend in Finland, Annika, Martti, Anne, and I walked down to the harbor for some ice cream. I love this view of the city here.
This was another of my most treasured views in Kuopio, taken from the dock I mentioned earlier.
When scouting for locations for the family shoot, Annika’s friend Riikka came to meet us. We stopped along the way to grab this shot. And it still makes me laugh.
We found the location here on the water…so we hung out just a bit here before heading back!
Yea………I dont know.
Oh Kuopio, you’re a beautiful city!
The weather in Finland is EXTREMELY cold. Like in their winter time, the temperatures fall WELL below zero.
So, it’s not out of the norm on this one sunshiny summer day to see women in swimsuits while I’m wearing a jacket! I’m such a southerner.
And this is the swimming pier. There weren’t TOO many people out on this day where the water was around 60 degrees…but a few brave souls fared the waters.
I realize that this post was a bit scattered, so thanks for bearing with me. It was really fun to go back through the images and remember the way I felt while I was there. The finnish culture and the city are both so beautiful. The people….oh man, SO polite and kind, and I just thrive in a city where I can walk the streets while wearing a scarf!!!
But more than anything, it was really special for me to see Annika in her hometown and to share in the experience with her! I hope you’ve enjoyed your Kuopian tour. π Tomorrow….Helsinki!
Happy a wonderful Tuesday!
Catherine
