Finnish Finesse

By THOMAS E KING

As production budgets surge and audiences become more demanding Bollywood’s movie moghuls continue their search for even more exotic film locales. As South Asia and the Middle East are passé and even scenes of Australia have been seen on Indian screens it’s time for Finland to take centre stage in an allsinging, all-dancing epic.

Throughout this month a crew from Vishesh Productions will be on location in this hi-tech Nordic nation bordered by Sweden, Norway and Russia. Tentatively entitled Love in Finland, the Mahesh Bhatt production is scheduled to star Emraan Hashmi.

No doubt at least some of the scenes filmed in the Finnish capital of Helsinki will be set in Senate Square, the heart of the historic city and the starting point of a grand tour for many visitors. Senate Square was the epicentre of Helsinki when the 460 year old city founded as a trading centre by Swedish King Gustaf Vasa became capital of Finland in 1812.

Big, classy and out of the ordinary, this seasoned square is the cream on any cinema czar’s cake. Back dropping a sweeping stretch of stone steps is Helsinki Cathedral. With its series of five onion-shaped domes, the 150-year-old glistening white building is a standalone shimmering stunner and the focal point of the 7000 sq m. square.

Stylish trams rumble before the grand Luthern cathedral. In my mind’s eye, I can easily visualise the star struck hero and heroine of the upcoming blockbuster grasping the moving vehicle while a cast of thousands execute a series of syncopated gyrations in the cobblestoned square.

Even after the blitz of the Bollywood circus leaves town the city will still continue to pulsate. Just south of Senate Square is Market Square, a place that’s a hive of activity throughout the day.

If the classy surrounds of Senate Square fail to impress then the bargains of Market Square most certainly will. It’s just a block between squares so walk as I did on one occasion or take the tram as I also did on a repeat visit.

In this colourful area between squares where quaint pastel-painted buildings line narrow streets, dodging trams is a national sport! Cosy little bistros and alfresco cafes beckon the intrepid traveller to pause and ponder a city where the finesse of Eastern and Western influences are seen in architecture, cuisine and culture. Enjoy the break or just keep walking to the market place.

This outdoor bazaar – Helsinki style – is tourist central. I saw people from many lands as I wandered past booths where uniquely Finnish handicrafts like gorgeous glassware, silver and gold jewellery, kitchen items crafted from wood and kitted items being woven as I watched were on sale. Locals on the other hand were on the look out for just-caught salmon as well as the freshest of summer vegetables and delicious berries. Listen carefully and you’ll hear the tongue-twisting and vowel-vaulting Finnish language spoken here. (Most Finns, however, are fluent in English.) A lone accordionist busker added musical accompaniment to a friendly setting that could well find its way into the forthcoming Bollywood offering.

Market Square is at the edge of South Harbour, an animated quarter where commuters arrive for the start of their daily grind in nearby offices and visitors happily depart for summer excursions. The operative word is summer because in this city of 600,000 where the temperature can plummet to – 25° C during the depths of winter, the window of opportunity for short sleeve tourism is rather limited.

With sunshine streaming through an intensely blue sky my wife and I boarded a small ferry from South Harbour this past July for the brief trip to a set of small islands that have strategic significance far beyond their size.

Spread over six diminutive isles within sight of South Harbour, Suomenlinna is one of the world’s largest maritime fortresses. Built by the Swedish in the mid 1700s to protect their interests from Russian attacks, the ‘fortress of Finland’ is one of the best examples of European military architecture of the time.

Ringed by some 6 km of restored defence walls, Suomenlinna oozes with history that’s colourfully retold during guided walking tours. Photographic opportunities abound and not all pictures are of cannons and fortifications. The most popular visitor attraction of Finland is also home to some 850 residents. Many of these are artists who prefer to live and work in history-saturated surrounds that have been the base for the armies of Sweden, Russia and Finland.

Visited throughout the year, Suomenlinna – Fortress of Finland – has been listed as a world treasure since 1991.

The only way to reach this veteran stone sentinel is by ferry or waterbus. If brief encounters with Finnish waters have whetted your appetite for a longer voyage then you’ll enjoy skimming across the calm azure waters of the Finnish Archipelago as you journey to Porvoo.

Finland’s second oldest town is only 50 km from Helsinki which is the northernmost capital city within the European Union. It’s just an hour by bus using the modern motorway – a convenience for daily commuters or time-tight tourists – but there is a relaxing option. During the fleeting months of summer the Royal Line operates a full day cruise.

After slowly sailing through the idyllic archipelago visitors have a few hours to

Finland’s second oldest town and an important trading centre in the Middle Ages, Porvoo is a popular day trip from Helsinki.

(Photos explore the old town centre of Porvoo. A modern city prospers beyond the dozen or so winding streets and constricted lanes that were laid out in the 14th and 15th centuries when Porvoo was gaining importance as a trading centre. Many of the now restored buildings and homes, however, are from the 18th century as they were rebuilt after a devastating fire.

Situated on Church Hill the stately Porvoo Cathedral towers over an old town where vendors – some dressed in period costume – sell their wares from push carts. It’s a romantic setting that could well conclude a film. Hopefully this little Finnish gem won’t be overlooked because Bollywood audiences like nothing better than a fairy tale ending.

Travel Notebook Finland

Flights

Thai Airways International has three flights a day from Sydney to Bangkok and a daily service linking Bangkok and Stockholm. From late October, THAI will reintroduce Royal First Class on two of the Sydney flights served by 3-class Airbus A340-600 aircraft. For information and bookings contact THAI Reservations on 1300-651960 or www. thaiairways.com.au

Travel

While there are frequent flights between Stockholm and Helsinki, I found that the leisurely overnight Viking Line cruise between the two capitals to be an exceptionally pleasant way to travel. Celebrating 50 years of service in 2009, the state-of-the-art liner offers comfortable accommodation and sumptuous buffet meals. See www. vikingline.fi/index.asp?lang=en

Packages

For booking any travel arrangements in Helsinki or Finland contact Nordic travel specialist MyPlanet, tel 1800 1800 221 712. Visit www.myplanetaustralia.com.

au

TIP

Available from numerous outlets including hotels and the info-packed Helsinki City Tourist Office, the Helsinki Card provides substantial discounts on purchases, a free audio city tour and admissions to some museum as well as unlimited use of public transport and a free guide. See www.helsinkcard.com

INFORMATION

For specifics on Helsinki visit www. visithelsinki.fi or www.visitfinland.com/ au

India won a gold medal in field hockey and a bronze in wrestling during the summer Olympic Games held in this stadium in 1952.

By Devna and Manan Luthra

SOMETHING ELSE FOR DINNER, MUM?

Dal

Avocado

Spinach

Yoghurt

Olives

Dal

Milk

Sweet chilli sauce

Peaches

Custard apples

Dal

Kheer

Oysters

Clams

And I nearly forgot to mention, Dal.

Meat (how cruel can you be?)

Paneer (too mushy)

Fizzy drinks (too fizzy)

Fizzy lollies (too fizzy)

Cauliflower (bleached out version of broccoli)

Broccoli (who painted the cauliflower green?)

Dates (horrible aftertaste)

Plain warm milk (God never intended milk to be warm) Orange in chocolate (how can these two be friends?)

Vadas (they taste of the oil in which they’ve been fried!)

Foto Corner

I love turtles

My favourite sea creature is the turtle. Its hard shell helps it protect itself from predators. It has four flat flippers and a triangular shaped tail. Its head is oval shaped like a soccer field. It swims as gracefully as a swan in the deep blue water. When it comes on shore it lies on the bright yellow sand, all wet and shiny! It lies there on the sand and smiles at me, the widest smile ever. It looks as cute as a teddy. I wish I could have a turtle as a pet.

Sneha Arora

I Learnt A New Word

Pacifism Opposition to war or violence DL Onomatopoeia The formation of words that imitate the sounds associated with what they mean, example cuckoo, boom, rustle, buzz.

POEM

SEASONS By Sneha Arora

Winter window through the glass I see White frost on the grass, cold around meeeeee.

Spring time window through the glass I see Tiny flowers in the grass, joy around meeeeee. Summer window through the glass I see, Brown paddocks, brown grass, thirst around meeeee.

Autumn window through the glass I see Gold leaves on the grass, peace around meeeeee.

DID YOU KNOW...

Perspiration is odourless. The smell comes from the bacteria on the skin.

In Pacific Grove, California, it is illegal to kill butterflies.

The first novel ever written on a typewriter was Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain.

Coca Cola was originally green.

Smartest dogs: 1) Scottish border collie; 2) Poodle; 3) Golden retriever. Dumbest: Afghan hound.

The shortest complete sentence in the English language is “I am”.