Tampere Times 2/2023

2/ 202 3

MAGAZI NE FOR VISITORS

IN THIS ISSUE The happiest people in the world Page 10

Eating Finland Page 12

exhibition at the Moomin Museum

The magical nursery rhymes of Kirsi Kunnas Page 23

Hero and/or Villain Page 28

A column by Antti Tuomainen

please leave this magazine for the next guest – thank you!

I miss you, Madame

Get inspired

by Tampere!

Here are a few tips to help you get started.

Tampere – the sauna capital of the world

Tampere is famous for its sauna culture and the city region has almost 60 public saunas to choose from.

Here are some of our favorites.

RAJAPORTTI The oldest public sauna in Finland. Here you will experience the traditional sauna atmosphere. Let the locals show you how it’s done!

KUUMA SAUNA & RESTAURANT Enjoy the heat, dip into the Ratina bay and have some food or drinks in the restaurant.

KAUPINOJA AND RAUHANIEMI These lakeside saunas are loved by both locals and visitors. Swimming and sauna all year round!

CHECK OUT MORE AT VISITTAMPERE.COM

Enjoy the views Tampere offers many great places to enjoy the stunning city views.

Head out to Pyynikki ridge to climb up to the observation tower and marvel at the views opening to Pyhäjärvi and Näsijärvi lakes.

While you’re there, don’t forget to test the best doughnuts in the world! Also, check out Näsinneula observation tower and Moro Sky Bar on top of Solo Sokos Hotel Torni.

The great outdoors by the lakes In Tampere, the lakeside starts from the city centre, and so do the forests. Breathe some fresh air in Pyynikki nature reserve. Located a stone’s throw away from Tampere city centre, Kauppi area with a large forest area on the shore of lake Näsijärvi, offers multiple options for outdoor activities. During winter you can skate and ski on the ice of the lake Näsijärvi. By the way, the beautiful nature of Hervanta is super easy to reach – just hop on the tram!

Culture experiences for every taste Tampere is known for its vivid cultural life. The city is famous for its theatres, live music and various festivals. Popular culture venues like Tampere Hall, Tullikamari, Olympia-kortteli and G Livelab offer cultural performances all year around. Tampere is also quite possibly the most interesting city of diverse museums – themed museums from art to police and from spies to history of labor offer exploring for every taste.

Explore with the family Museum Centre Vapriikki has many ongoing exhibitions at the same time and the world’s only Moomin Museum invites you and your family for a magical journey into the fairytale world. Another great place for the whole family is Tallipiha Stable Yards. If you’re lucky, you might experience a horse carriage ride there!

Savor the food Are you Hungry for Tampere? Savor the tastes and atmosphere of this unique city and find your favorite dishes from its vast range of restaurants. Local, organic, vegan, oriental… Tampere has it all. Not to mention the breweries!

Tampere is known as the heart of the events, where people enjoy music, theatre, museums and the unique atmosphere of the city.

Visit Tampere event calendar will help you to find interesting things to do, to see and to experience in the Tampere Region. visittampere.fi/en/events/

Share your favourites on social media with #visittampere @visittampereofficial

2

3* 3

CONTENTS Our evolving, beloved home, city of Tampere 8 The happiest people in the world 10 Eating Finland 12 Tampere in a nutshell 16 Map of Tampere 18 Hotels & hostels providing Tampere Times 20 The magical nursery rhymes of Kirsi Kunnas 23 Hero and/or Villain 28 I miss you, Madame – Column by Antti Tuomainen 32

Tampere Times Magazine for Visitors Issue 2/2023 Autumn-Winter-Spring www.tamperetimes.fi ISSN 2343-3817 (print) ISSN 2669-8293 (online)

Editor in chief Roope Lipasti

Published by Mobile-Kustannus Oy Brahenkatu 14 D 94 FI-20100 Turku, Finland

Sales Pirkko Puurunen pirkko.puurunen@aikalehdet.fi Tel. +358 40 507 1002

Sales manager Raimo Kurki raimo.kurki@aikalehdet.fi Tel. +358 45 656 7216

10

12

23

28

Graphic design & layout Petteri Mero Mainostoimisto Knok Oy

Cover photos Ice swimming .

Photo: Touko Hujanen / Visit Tampere Dine in Tampere.

Photo: Laura Vanzo / Visit Tampere

Printed by Newprint Oy

Happy girl in the snow.

Photo: Laura Vanzo / Visit Tampere Tampere by night.

Photo: Mikko Vares / Visit Tampere Antti Tuomainen.

Photo: Jonne Räsänen / Otava

Publisher Teemu Jaakonkoski

4041 1018

Tampere Times map application for mobile phones and tablets: www.tamperetimes.fi The magazine is available in hotel rooms in the city of Tampere (see page 20). Next issue will be out in April 2024.

6

4

SHOPPING CENTRE RATINA

THE BIGGEST SHOPPING EXPERIENCE IN TAMPERE.

Over 100 shops, the best brands in Tampere!

Over 20 restaurants and cafés!

Food, fashion, beauty, home decor & much more!

Vuolteenkatu 1, TAMPERE Next to the Tampere Bus Station – 5 minutes from the Tampere Railway Station ratina.fi

kauppakeskusratina

kauppakeskus_ratina

photo: Laura Vanzo / Visit Tampere

Our evolving,

beloved home,

Tampere got elected as the most attractive city in Finland, third time in a row. Tampere gained many thanks for its location and economic vitality. Also, reputation of Tampere is excellent. Welcome to our evolving, beloved home, to city of Tampere!

We have nature's paradise. We are located between two lakes, Lake Näsijärvi and Lake Pyhäjärvi – which quarantees that the area and the view is wonderful. One of the Tampere city centre neighbourhoods, Pyynikki, is home to a gorgeous pine tree forest on the top of a ridge. The alleys of Pispala show a different side of Tampere, with its cottages and the unique community of the locals.

We have rich history. The city was established in 1779 by king of Sweden Gustav the Third on the grounds of Tammerkoski rapids. In the 19th century, the small village grew into the largest industrial city in the Nordic countries. In slightly over two centuries that modest village has been expanded into a vibrant city with over 250,000 inhabitants.

Here you can surely sense the atmosphere of our history. Along the banks of the Tammerkoski rapids, there are beautiful red-brick buildings and the flowing water. One of the factories remains in its original use, TAKO, on the banks below the rapids. In Amuri Museum of Historic Housing, you can visit Tampere workers’ homes and learn the life stories of their fictional residents from a period of a century ago.

We have cultural delights. Culture and creativity have positive impact on our wellbeing, economy, and identity of our cities. Our urban culture nowadays is a mix of high-level culture in art institutions and more contemporary cultural concepts. Tampere is the theatre capital of Finland. We have several museums, such as Tampere Art Museum, Sara Hildén Museum and The World’s only Moomin museum for those who crave high quality experiences. In Tampere Cathedral you can admire the frescoes of Hugo Simberg. There is a graffiti wall to paint on and a skate park in Hiedanranta.

We have sauna and culinary experiences. Unique to Tampere, there are a variety of public saunas such as Rajaportti and Rauhaniemi.

For a local delicacy, there are several places that offer black sausage.

The best doughnuts (or “munkki” in Finnish) in Finland are served in Pyynikki Munkkikahvila, on the ground level of Pyynikki Observation Tower. The great restaurant supply of the city guarantees a tasty fulfilment for every taste.

We have events and festivals. The city of Tampere provides also unique venue for other experiences and sports. For example, our

Nokia Arena, a 15,000-seat multifunctional arena, offers a unique event experience that you cannot find elsewhere. Särkänniemi Theme Park offers four attractions: Amusement Park, Doghill Fairytale Farm, Näsinneula Observation Tower, and Aquarium. Tampere is also the Home of Hockey.

We believe in the so-called Tampere phenomenon. Tampere is a city of bold developments. At the same time, we are small enough to maintain relaxed atmosphere. In Tampere we do things together, we strongly believe in the cooperations across different groups and stakeholders. We keep our mindset in the future.

We are known as a city, where words turn into action. We have executed several major city developments – for example construction and expansion of a tramway infrastructure.

Our business and research work well together, constructing new, innovative ideas.

Our city development works in a ground of sustainability. Our state of mind is to take steps to stay ahead. This city, our home, will leave you with lasting memories and a desire to return.

Kalervo Kummola mayor of tampere 8

photo: Studio Torkkeli

city of Tampere

FIRST WISH:

Discovering the best deals in town

FOR FREE!

App Store

Download the app now

Google Play

While in Tampere, make sure to install the Tampere.Finland app on your phone. In it, you’ll find the Tampere Pass – your pass to all the best deals in town. Get discounts and deals for shopping, dining & wining, and cultural events in downtown Tampere.

6

Tampereen Teatteri & Tampere-talo esittävät

J. R. R. Tolkien

THE LORD OF THE RINGS and the characters, items, events, and places therein are trademarks of Middle-earth Enterprises, LLC used under license by Tampere Theatre and Tampere Hall. All rights reserved.

™

Tampere-talossa syksyllä 2024

photo: Laura Vanzo / Visit Tampere

Written by Roope Lipasti Translated by Christina Saarinen

E

Family fun in Tampere.

The happiest people in the world Finland has been named the happiest country in the world six times in a row. How can that be?

very year, the World Happiness Report is released, which asks citizens of different countries to rate their lives on a scale of zero to ten. Respondents are asked things like how many times they laughed or felt joy the previous day. They are also asked whether they experienced negative emotions, such as worry, sadness or anger.

In addition, the report evaluates the countries where people live.

The metrics include standard of living, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity and corruption.

Even Finland has room for improvement, however, falling short of a 10 with its score of 7.8, while Denmark came in second with 7.6.

The other Nordic countries were in the top ten too. Less surprisingly, the unhappiest countries are Afghanistan and Lebanon.

But if you ask Finns what it feels like to live in the happiest country in the world, they will probably laugh and suggest you try

measuring happiness in November, when it’s always dark, and if it isn’t raining, it’s sleeting or hailing.

And yet the study can’t be wrong year after year, can it?

All the basics in order Happiness researcher Ilona Suojanen thinks that the reason Finns laugh when asked about the report is perhaps our self-deprecating sense of humor. Besides, the laughter has died down as the same result has been announced year after year, which has also forced us to reflect on the matter: “Maybe we haven’t always thought of happiness as the foundation of well-being. Perhaps instead it brought to mind big, outwardly visible things, like laughing a lot. But so many things in Finland 10

really are so good that respondents were probably forced to choose the higher end of the scale.”

Suojanen also reminds us that when Swedes joke that Finns do so well in the happiness survey because we’re satisfied with so little, there is a touch of truth in that too. The welfare state and general prosperity are very young phenomena in Finland. Maybe that’s where our modesty comes from.

“Today, in any case, things are pretty good in most people’s everyday lives. People are healthy, have those who are important to them nearby, have a roof over their heads and a steady income.

These basic things are probably precisely what many respondents are thinking about. Of course, you could just as well think that you’ll only be happy when you have three cars and this and that. But in Finland, we don’t usually think like that,” Suojanen says. She tells a story about a Finnish startup company: “It was sold and the owners became very rich. But in their own words, they already had everything, and they didn’t know what to do with the money, so they started a foundation that gives money to all kinds of good causes. It’s a story that somehow captures Finnish happiness.”

Happiness researcher Ilona Suojanen, there is a saying “Each man is the maker of his own happiness.” Is that true?

“No, it isn’t. In a welfare state, we help each other in that work. When we support each other, it also increases our own happiness. Few people are happy alone. I highly recommend taking up the role of helper.”

What about the Finnish expression “Let he who is happy hide his happiness”?

“It probably comes from the old-fashioned idea that happiness is like a cake that gets cut into pieces, and if someone is really happy, he has helped himself to other people’s share.

But happiness is not a zero-sum game. It increases when we share it.”

The World’s Happiest Countries 2023: 1. Finland 2. Denmark 3. Iceland 4. Israel 5. Netherlands

Happiness is other people

6. Sweden 7. Norway 8. Switzerland 9. Luxembourg 10. New Zealand

But even if the basic requirements for happiness are in order – so that, for example, a person wouldn’t move to Afghanistan to escape a bad situation, but rather head to Finland – happiness does not necessarily follow. Happiness is linked to many factors, including genetics: some of us are happier from the get-go. Of course, the cards you are dealt at birth matter too.

“Nevertheless, we know that some things easily lead to unhappiness, like perfectionism and, a lot of times, competitiveness. Similarly, if you want to be happy, it’s worth investing in human relationships.

That isn’t always easy, of course, but that’s where happiness comes from,” Suojanen says.

So, what creates happiness, even if it’s the modest sort? There are very different views and definitions of happiness, and happiness is influenced by so many things that it’s difficult to get a handle on.

In her recent study, Ilona Suojanen allowed people to define their own happiness: “I asked them to take pictures of things and of moments when they were happy. The study in question was related to people’s working lives, but the results were consistent with other happiness studies.

For one, the pictures of happy moments featured other people, something that always comes up in these studies: good and lasting human relationships,” Suojanen says.

Another thing was meaningfulness: “In the context of this study, it was the meaningfulness of one’s work, but meaning can likewise arise from one’s hobbies or volunteer work.”

The third important topic that emerged was nature. (In fact, the happiness researcher herself was at her summer cottage at the time of this very interview.)

“Nature is something that is especially important to Finns. That they can see it from their window or on their way to work. It’s about belonging to the world around you.”

The fourth thing reflected in the pictures of happiness was autonomy, that people were able to affect their own life and work.

In other words, the freedom to realize oneself.

A joint effort Though it’s generally countries with a welfare mindset – that is, where we happily pay taxes so that everyone can be better off – that rise to the top in happiness studies, there are a couple of exceptions, and they demonstrate the importance of human relationships. The Central American countries of Mexico and Costa Rica have fared quite well in happiness surveys, despite the fact that Mexico, for one, is rather unstable, at least according to Finnish newspaper reports.

“The reason for those countries’ happiness is human networks, communities that give support. There, the individual is not so important. Instead, it’s the surrounding community,” Suojanen says.

Could it be that in Finland, the state plays the role of the supportive community? After all, in Finland, a significant amount of care has been outsourced to the state.

“That’s true, but recently people have started to question the idea that once we’ve paid our taxes, we don’t have to do anything more.

Because it’s the taking care of each other that creates happiness. In Finland, we’re happy to pay money to get ourselves out of working together on various things, but it isn’t worth it, because helping other people increases happiness more than things like money,” Suojanen concludes. s

Security, freedom and trust Ilona Suojanen says that in the bigger picture, an important bedrock of Finnish happiness is trust – in other people, the media, decision-makers and public authorities. This in turn gives rise to another requirement for happiness, a sense of security.

“Security – like trust and freedom – is seen as self-evident in Finland. They are so taken for granted that we rarely even stop to think about how much they affect happiness as well. They also make Finland attractive to people coming from elsewhere.”

11

photo: Aarne Pietinen/ Helsinki City Museum

Helsinki in 1937. Restaurant Savoy's roof terrace.

Eating Finland Finnish restaurant culture is still relatively young.

C

But what’s so Finnish about it?

Written by Roope Lipasti Translated by Christina Saarinen

Salt and pepper

lean water, clean air, the Northern midnight sun – that’s what Finnish food is made of. Or at least that’s what Finns like to think.

Undeniably, Finnish new potatoes in particular are better than those grown further south. But in general, Finland’s short growing season is more of a limitation. Of course, the long summer days also offer opportunities. For example, we have many distinctive forest berries and mushrooms – and, of course, it’s a big country with plenty of game.

Finnish food is often described as simple, clean, fresh, safe and healthy. The same words are also used to describe Finnish design, architecture and engineering expertise. When it comes to food, minimalism has turned a necessity into a virtue: here in the harsh conditions of the North, simple and trendy local food has always been eaten, but mainly for a lack of alternatives.

The flavors of Finnish food owe not only to local ingredients, but also to the methods of preparation: boiling and stewing in the oven have traditionally been favored. The flavors obtained by smoking, cooking over an open fire or using amylase reactions for sweetening are also common here. Finnish food has often been criticized for being tasteless and overcooked, which may not be completely untrue.

Traditionally, the spices used in Finland were limited to two: salt and pepper. And of those, it was best to use a light hand with the pepper.

So it’s no wonder that when new foods and flavors started arriving from around the world, they were often dialed back to suit the Finnish palate. For example, when German sausages, made with seasonings and a high meat content, started to be imported in the early 1990s, no one wanted to buy them at first. Finns were used to 12

Burgers & pizza

eating tasteless sausages made with a lot of fillers. But the world and people’s tastes change.

Even so, when Finns move abroad, they often miss the traditional flavors of their homeland, flavors that hardly anyone else would miss: rye bread, salty licorice, weak Finnish coffee and pea soup.

In a poll that was organized in 2017, rye bread was even chosen as the country’s official food. It won in a landslide. Other popular candidates were Karelian rice pasties and fried vendace, both delicacies from eastern Finland.

These days, a typical Finnish restaurant is pretty much the same as everywhere else. You’ll rarely come across the most traditional Finnish dishes, except in lunch restaurants, where you can still get things like Karelian stew, sausage soup and meatballs.

It’s no wonder that the most recent report on restaurant trends by the Finnish Hospitality Association (MaRa) says that Finns are most apt to choose an internationally popular hamburger, chicken or pizza as their main course in a restaurant.

Burgers in particular can be found on nearly every restaurant’s menu at the moment. The popularity of steaks, meanwhile, experienced a collapse during the COVID pandemic and is still clearly behind 2018 levels.

The number of vegetarian dishes in Finnish restaurants has at the same time risen slightly. It may be related to the general growth in the popularity of vegetarian food, or to the fact that in the study in question, student cafeterias were mentioned more often than in the past as the last place respondents had gone out to eat. Young people are trendsetters in this area, after all.

The study also revealed that while 40 years ago, going to a restaurant was a major event, in 2022, four out of five respondents had eaten restaurant food at least once in the previous two weeks.

Times change, and we change with them!

And of course, a burger isn’t the only option: a Finnish restaurant received a Michelin star for the first time in 1987, and last year, there were already seven one-star and one two-star Michelin restaurants in Finland. Bon appétit! s

Casual dining?

Food culture is one thing, and restaurant culture is another. The latter is a fairly new invention in Finland. In the past, it was more like restaurants carefully chose the people they were willing to serve, but from the 1980s onwards, people were finally free to choose the restaurants they wanted to go to.

Even in the 1970s, a woman who went into a restaurant alone was likely to be looked at askance. There was no such thing as a family night out at a restaurant. Dress codes were carefully regulated. It was common for neckties to be required – if you didn’t have a tie, the doorman might be able to rent you one. For a long time, you were also required to order food in a restaurant if you wanted to be served alcohol, which is why many places had a “common” sandwich that you could order but which was not intended to be eaten. The pretense allowed you to have your beer.

The sandwich was returned to the establishment and sold again to the next customer.

Serving alcohol was such an occult science all the way into the ’90s that it’s hard to comprehend from today’s perspective: alcohol was sold, but you weren’t allowed to get drunk. You couldn’t walk through a restaurant with a glass in your hand. You couldn’t buy two drinks at a time, meaning you couldn’t bring a friend a drink from the bar while getting your own. The status of bouncers was somewhat higher than God.

Five tips about Finnish restaurant culture

1. Do Finns tip?

Generally, no. However, tipping has become more common in Finland, and when paying by card, you may be asked if you want to leave a tip. Of course, it is always okay to do so, in which case the good old 10 % rule is valid. But it’s not frowned upon to not leave a tip.

Learning from lunch restaurants

2. Do Finns buy rounds?

In the 1980s, things began to change. The economy was strong, and people had more money. Lunch vouchers were introduced as a job benefit, which taught the workforce to eat in company cafeterias.

Packed sandwich lunches slowly disappeared, and the step towards eating dinner in restaurants became easier.

Around the same time, hamburger chains became common in Finland (Finland’s first McDonald’s opened in Tampere in 1984), and with that, the strange idea that the whole family could go out to eat together spread.

When new customers showed up in restaurants – women and children, the working class – it also affected what was offered. Instead of the perennial steak, you could order a salad! Wine culture also started to flourish, and little by little, chefs became celebrities.

In the 1990s, Finns had already started going to restaurants without needing a special occasion. At the same time, restaurant menus became international. Of course, you could already get pizza in certain places in the 1970s, but now many other things started to appear: Asian flavors, Mexican food, even sushi, although that wouldn’t become popular with the general public until the 2010s.

In Finland, it isn’t usually customary, even among friends, to buy drinks for the whole group. But in this case too, it’s not a strict rule, especially if you’re out with close friends.

3. How should I dress?

It’s always nice to dress up for dinner, but there are very few places where anyone is paying attention to how other people are dressed.

4. When is last call?

It depends on the place. In pubs, last call, indicated by flashing the lights, is generally at 1:30 a.m., or at the latest at 2:30, after which you have half an hour to finish your drink. In restaurants, the kitchen usually closes around 10 p.m.

5. Who pays on a date?

In Finland, everyone generally pays their own bill. But it’s also okay to ask your companion if you can pay their bill too!

13

7

8

9

10

11

Tampere

1820

in a nutshell

A Scotsman called James Finlayson set up a cotton factory near the Tampere Rapids. It was the first but not last major factory in the remarkable industrial history of Tampere. Finlayson still is a brand every Finn knows. Also from that time on, the use of waterpower from Tampere Rapids became important.

1840

Written by Roope Lipasti Translated by Owen F. Witesman

From the 1840’s Tampere became the most industrialised city in Finland. Soon there were factories that made iron, paper, machinery, clothes, shoes and many other things. Even to this day Tampere is sometimes called “Manse”, which comes from the saying that Tampere is the Manchester of Finland.

8000 BC The connection to ocean from the Tampere region was cut when the ice age was finally over. As the ice melted, the land rose up and the lakes were born – also Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi, and little later the Tampere Rapids. A must see attraction from the ice age is Pyynikki, a 90 hectare ridge area, which is almost in the centre of the city. From here there are marvellous views to lake Pyhäjärvi. It is also a beautiful place for other outdoor activities.

1901 Tampere is also a vibrant theatre city. The first one, Tampereen Työväen Teatteri – The Tampere Workers Theatre – was established 1901. In 2020 there are over 10 professional theatres in the area.

1918

600 Tampere was an ideal place to build a village, because there were good waterways to both north and south. The first signs of permanent living in the area are from the 7th century.

In 1918 Finland was torn by a civil war with two sides: the “reds” and the “whites”. As a working class city, Tampere sided with the reds (who lost). Tampere saw severe battles, thousands died in war efforts and even more in prison camps.

1200

1939–1945

By the 13th century Tampere region had grown, and it was an important market place. It was inhabited by the Pirkka tribe and even today the Tampere province is called Pirkanmaa, “The land of the Pirkka”.

Finland was in war against Russia, and Tampere was an important centre of war industry. For example Tampella made mortars and cannons. Tampere was also bombed, but luckily there was little damage.

1638

1971

Tampere was not yet an actual city, but in 1638 Finland’s governor Per Brahe ordered two yearly fairs to be held at the the Tampere Rapids.

That’s why Turku – the then capital of Finland – and Tampere have got a special connections of fates, for when the whole city of Turku burned in 1827, the damage was so severe partly because all the men from Turku happened to be at the Tampere fair.

Näsinneula, the high tower that Tampere is famous for, was built.

Few years later The Särkänniemi Amusement Park opened its doors.

1990 During the 90’s the heavy industry of Tampere was in trouble. One reason was the collapse of Soviet Union, but all and all the world was changing. The chimneys were no longer active, and the factories shut down. Nowadays they are renovated for apartments, museums and such. Industry in today’s Tampere in mostly high tech.

1779 The King Gustav III of Sweden finally granted Tampere the full township status. And no wonder, because Tampere was huge: 3.2 square kilometres with population of no less than 200!

2023 Tampere is the third biggest city in Finland, with 250,000 inhabitants in the city. It has four universities and a very vivid cultural life.

Tampere is also a city of vision and courage: the brand new tramway is a good example of that! s

1824

photo: Laura Vanzo / Visit Tampere

The beautiful old church of Tampere was built. The architect was Charles Bassi.

16

12

Lifestyle store in Tampere center.

We have many traditional quality brands for men and women.

Come and visit our new shop at Laukontori harbour.

Myymme laadukkaita klassikkomerkkien vaatteita.

Tervetuloa tutustumaan uuteen myymäläämme Laukontorille.

Kapteenska

www.kapteenska.fi 13

Tampere-Helsinki-Turku Laukontori 6 Tre 050-3734595

YOU ARE HERE! Hotels providing Tampere Times are marked on the map with numbered blue dots. The list of hotels can be found on page 20.

Tampere

A MAP IN YOUR POCKET

Download the free Tampere Times Map App

www.tamperetimes.fi

Finland Norway

Sweden Estonia

Russia

Latvia

Denmark

Lithuania

Germany

Poland

17 11 32*

3* 3*

26

12

24

© City of Tampere

18

31 18

36*

23

19

5

2

4 18

35

25 30

33

20 3*

10 21

3 36* 16

13

15

3*

10 15

14 37

38

34

8

22

13

6

9 9

16

8

36*

17

2

3*

27

6

28

12 1 39 3*

11

4 4

14 4 32* 7 7

ADVERTISERS ARE MARKED ON THE MAP WITH GREEN DOTS. 19

PLEASE LEAVE THIS MAGAZINE FOR THE NEXT GUEST – THANK YOU!

Tampere Times is available in these high standard hotels & hostels

01 Courtyard by Marriott Tampere City Hotel Yliopistonkatu 57, 33100 Tampere Tel. +358 29 357 5700 www.marriott.com

02 Dream Hostel Tampere Åkerlundinkatu 2, 33100 Tampere Tel. +358 45 236 0517 www.dreamhostel.fi

03 Holiday Inn Tampere Central Station Rautatienkatu 21, 33100 Tampere Tel. +358 3 2392 2000 www.ihg.com

04 Hotel Homeland Kullervonkatu 19, 33500 Tampere Tel. +358 3 3126 0200 www.homeland.fi

05 Hotel Kauppi Kalevan puistotie 2, 33500 Tampere Tel. +358 3 253 5353 www.hotelli-kauppi.fi

06 Lapland Hotel Tampere

photo: Mikko Vares / Visit Tampere

Yliopistonkatu 44, 33100 Tampere Tel. + 358 3 383 0000 www.laplandhotels.com

07 Lillan Boutique Hotel

13 Scandic Tampere City

Kurjentaival 35, 33100 Tampere Tel. +358 10 200 7305 www.lillan.fi

Hämeenkatu 1, 33100 Tampere Tel. + 358 3 244 6111 www.scandichotels.fi

08 Original Sokos Hotel Ilves

14 Scandic Tampere Hämeenpuisto

Hatanpään valtatie 1, 33100 Tampere Tel. +358 20 123 4631 www.sokoshotels.fi

Hämeenpuisto 47, 33200 Tampere Tel. +358 3 4108 1628 www.scandichotels.fi

09 Original Sokos Hotel Villa

15 Scandic Tampere Koskipuisto

Sumeliuksenkatu 14, 33100, Tampere +358 20 123 4633 www.sokoshotels.fi

Koskikatu 5, 33100 Tampere Tel. +358 3 4108 1626 www.scandichotels.fi

10 Radisson Blu Grand Hotel Tammer

16 Scandic Tampere Station

Satakunnankatu 13, 33100 Tampere Tel. +358 20 123 4632 www.radissonblu.com

11 Scandic Eden Nokia Paratiisikatu 2, 37120 Nokia Tel. +358 3 4108 1627 www.scandichotels.fi

Ratapihankatu 37, 33100 Tampere Tel +358 3 339 8000 www.scandichotels.fi

17 Solo Sokos Hotel Torni Tampere Ratapihankatu 43, 33100, Tampere Tel. +358 20 123 4634 www.sokoshotels.fi

12 Scandic Rosendahl

18 Spa Hotel Holiday Club Tampereen Kylpylä

Pyynikintie 13, 33230 Tampere Tel +358 3 244 1111 www.scandichotels.fi

Lapinniemenranta 12, 33180 Tampere Tel. +358 30 687 0000 www.holidayclub.fi

20

14

Restaurant above the city Pons is strikingly stylish. Our service is relaxed, honest and uncompromising. Our kitchen has courage, a dash of rock’n’roll and a bit of unruliness. Experience our exquisite atmosphere, delicious dishes and unique milieu above the roofs of Tampere.

HÄMEENKATU 13 (7. KERROS), 33100 TAMPERE WWW.RAVINTOLAPONS.FI

15

16

Night club and live music

British pub with a warm heart

H5 is a classy and everything-but-uptight bar.

The Red Lion serves lovers of whiskey, beer

Enjoy our relaxed atmosphere in the heart of

and wine. We have great facilities for watching

Tampere. In our cellar club every night is different.

sports from big screen. Experience e.g. Premier

Live bands and the city’s best DJs guarantee an

League football and Finnish ice hockey league

energetic party atmosphere.

Liiga matches live.

HÄMEENKATU 5, 33100 TAMPERE

TUOMIOKIRKONKATU 34, 33100 TAMPERE

WWW.H5BAR.FI

WWW.REDLIONPUB.FI

17

18

O nce upon a time – a Story of the Origin of Fairy Tales

ONE TICKET

10

28 April 2023–10 March 2024

EXHIBITIONS

MUSEUM CENTRE VAPRIIKKI | ALAVERSTAANRAITTI 5, TAMPERE TEL. +358 3 5656 6966 | 15/7€ | OPEN TUE–SUN 10–18 VAPRIIKKI.FI/EN

19

FAR OUT ART WITH A HISTORIC HEART

ART HISTORY ARCHITECTURE CULINARY PLEASURES SAUNA EXPERIENCES LAKE NATURE Unique

MÄNTTÄ | SERLACHIUS.FI | +358 (0)3 488 6801 | RAVINTOLAGOSTA.FI Jump on the Serlachius Art & Sauna Express from Tampere on Tuesdays.

Check out the timetable on our website.

Helene Schjerfbeck, Self Portrait, sketch, 1915

ART SAUNA Public sauna day every Tuesday.

Book your sauna session online!

The magical nursery rhymes of

T

Kirsi Kunnas Written by MInna Honkasalo

he Moomin Museum’s temporary exhibition Tumpkin’s Time celebrates the classic Finnish children’s author Kirsi Kunnas (1924–2021), whose prolific literary output spans over seven decades. Her magical nursery rhymes are a national treasure cherished by ever-new generations of readers.

Her poetry is laced with brilliant hilarity and frolicking exuberance that delights and comforts the reader or listener. She debuted in children’s literature in 1956 with Tumpkin’s Wonder Tree, and her prolific literary output spans many decades all the way to Tumpkin’s Forest published in 2020.

Kunnas’ poems have been translated into various languages, but her mischievous flair with Finnish loses

much of its nuances in translation. Her poetry is laced with brilliant hilarity and frolicking exuberance that delights and comforts, and in her wondrous world of play and imagination, the invisible becomes visible, and the only thing to expect is the unexpected.

The illustrated Tumpkin tales Kirsi Kunnas’ first book of nursery rhymes, Tumpkin’s Wonder Tree ( Tiitiäisen satupuu) from 1956 is inarguably one of the most famous Finnish children’s books in Finland. Featuring exquisite illustrations by Maija Karma, it continues to delight new readers and listeners.

Christel Rönns: Illustration for the poems Ankkojen aamulaulu and Metsäsianpossuntossu.

Watercolour, scratchboard.

Tiitiäisen runolelu, 2002, WSOY.

23

Tumpkin revisited Another challenge faced by the illustrators of Kunnas’ later books is that readers often tend to regard the original illustrations of picture books as the only ‘right’ ones. Maija Karma’s dearly loved illustrations of Tumpkin’s Wonder Tree have special emotional resonance for many generations of readers.

Classic storybooks are re-illustrated as a way of introducing the legacy of children’s literature to new generations of readers in a fresh, engaging way. New illustrations can enliven an old text and offer refreshing perspectives on its meaning. Especially in the case of poems, fresh images can draw attention to surprising details and suggest new angles of interpretation.

The practice of re-illustrating classic children’s books is by no means new. Countless versions of classics such as H. C. Andersen’s fairy tales and Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland can be found all over the world. In Finland, masterpieces such as the Kalevala and the fairytales of Zacharias Topelius have been re-illustrated by leading artists of their day. Sometimes, however, re-illustration provokes disgruntled reactions from readers, as in the case of Astrid Lindgren’s books.

New illustrations are nevertheless commissioned not only for older literature, but sometimes even for newer books, as in the case of the highly popular Heinähattu and Vilttitossu (Hayflower and Quiltshoe) and Risto Räppääjä (Ricky Rapper) series by Sinikka and Tiina Nopola.

Readers seem to be generally less opposed to the re-illustration of poetry than other genres of fiction. A poem is always open to new interpretations, whether by readers or illustrators. Many artists willingly admit that they illustrate verse from a very personal viewpoint. Ideally, the illustrator can propose new readings while at the same time leaving room for the child or adult reader’s personal interpretation.

BY READING TOGETHER,

Maija Karma: Cover for the book Tiitiäisen satupuu.

Gouache, ink. Tiitiäisen satupuu, 1956, WSOY.

PARENTS AND CHILDREN COULD SHARE A SPECIAL EXPERIENCE

Kunnas followed up her verbally ingenious first book with two exuberant sequels: Tumpkin’s Pepper Mill (Tiitiäisen pippurimylly, 1991), and Tumpkin’s Tinderbox (Tiitiäisen tuluskukkaro, 2000), the former richly illustrated by Julia Vuori, the latter charmingly by Kristiina Louhi. Her later anthologies – which are largely based on the original three books – are illustrated by three different artists. Christel Rönns provided delightful illustrations for three books: Tiitiäisen runolelu (2002), Tiitiäisen runokirja (2018) and the extensive compilation It Happened in Tumpkin Land (Tapahtui Tiitiäisen maassa, 2004). The subtly nuanced cats and dogs that populate the book Tiitiäisen kissa- ja koiraystävät (2014) are by Pia Westerholm, and the atmospheric, forest themed illustrations in the most recent book of verse, Tiitiäisen metsä (2020), are by Silja-Maria Wihersaari.

Kirsi Kunnas was a visual poet, which in itself posed certain challenges for her illustrators. Her poems are visually and typographically evocative. Kunnas was the daughter of a graphic artist and a painter, and she was artistically gifted herself. In her youth, she dreamed of becoming an artist, and even completed one year of studies at the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts. Her artistic background shows in the visuality of her poems and her close involvement in the illustration process.

24

AS EQUALS.

Julia Vuori: Illustration for the poem The Bathing Animal (Kylpyläelämää). Lead pencil, watercolour, gouache, transparent film. Tiitiäisen pippurimylly, 1991, WSOY.

photo: Jyrki Luukkonen

Kirsi Kunnas Honorary Academician Kirsi Kunnas (1924–2021) was a writer, translator and renewer and advocate of Finnish children’s literature. She was also a modernist innovator of Finnish adult poetry. Her extensive lifetime achievements include children’s verse and fairy tales, books of adult poetry, dramatizations, textbooks, and nonfiction titles. She translated a wide range of literature into Finnish, including fairy tales and the books of Tove Jansson, Lewis Carroll and Frederico Garcia Lorca.

The many awards and accolades she received during her career include the Finnish State Award for Literature four times, the Topelius Prize twice, the State Award for Children’s Culture, the Arvid Lydecken Award, the Väinö Linna Prize and the Aleksis Kivi Award. She was also awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Tampere.

Tumpkin’s Wonder Tree was written for adults and children alike, reflecting the author’s belief that inside every adult lives the heart of a child. Kunnas trusted children’s sense of humour and their ability to appreciate her verbal antics and madcap narrative. She believed that by reading together, parents and children could share a special experience as equals. Kunnas’ literary philosophy and style of writing have had a huge formative influence on Finnish children’s literature which, before her, tended to be stiff and didactic, ‘talking down’ to young readers. Kunnas drew inspiration for her verse from the whimsical nonsense style of The Tales of Mother Goose, which she translated into Finnish.

photo: Jari Kuusenaho

Verbal antics and madcap narrative

Exhibition in the Moomin Museum.

KUNNAS TRUSTED CHILDREN’S

TUMPKIN’S TIME – POEMS BY KIRSI KUNNAS

SENSE OF HUMOUR.

29.4.2023 – 31.3.2024

Combining hilarity with elements of satire, Kunnas looks at life from the absurdist perspective of nonsense verse. Between the lines of her playful nursery rhymes, adult readers can pick up a subtext of social commentary and artist-related themes, which also appear in her adult poetry. She tickles the reader’s funny bone with her delightful puns and surprising observations on daily life, and readers can also easily relate to her thoughts on loneliness and life’s complexities.

Language, rhythm and form were extremely important to Kunnas.

She could go on polishing a poem endlessly until she found the perfect form for each verse. Rather than directly emulating English nursery rhymes, Kunnas invented her very own inimitable style, drawing on the richness of the Finnish language and its oral traditions of nursery rhymes and lullabies.

In 1991, after a break of more than 30 years, Kunnas finally published a sequel to Tumpkin’s Wonder Tree. Tumpkin’s Pepper Mill (Tiitiäisen pippurimylly) was more critical and pessimistic than its predecessor – the world had changed, and so had poetry. Tumpkin’s Tinderbox (Tiitiäisen tuluskukkaro) followed in 2000, containing a hundred new poems along with forty old favourites from old editions that were about to be discontinued. The alphabetized anthology is a veritable cavalcade of the author’s enchanting verse.

Kunnas’ poetry is notable for its richness of language and ideas.

The author herself recommended that its rhythmic flow is best enjoyed when read aloud. Reading aloud also brings to life the poet’s vivid presence. s

Merry Tumpkin and his endearing friends created by Kirsi Kunnas are the

Moomin Museum

25

stars of the exhibition which features delightful original illustrations by leading Finnish illustrators. The Moomin Museum presents the exhibition in the author’s hometown.

The Tumpkin’s Time exhibition is an experiential adventure designed around Kunnas’ nursery-rhymes. The centrepiece is a Wonder Tree with poems inscribed on its leaves, surrounded by animations and audiovisual material presenting the main characters from the nursery rhymes. The original illustrations are inseparable from the text, speaking the same language and providing a fluent accompaniment to the poetry. Around the Wonder Tree, Tumpkin’s amazing world springs to life, enfolding museum visitors in a warm embrace of verbal mischief and visual exuberance!

The second part of the exhibition, behind the reeds, features a selection of illustrations from Kunnas’ books. This pick of original illustrations showcases all the past artists who have illustrated the Tumpkin books, including the classic Finnish illustrator Maija Karma and contemporary illustrators Julia Vuori, Kristiina Louhi, Christel Rönns, Pia Westerholm and Silja-Maria Wihersaari.

The world’s only Moomin Museum Tampere Hall, Yliopistonkatu 55, FI-33100 Tampere, Finland muumimuseo.fi SEE

ON MAP (PAGE 19).

20

21 Makeita ja suolaisia vohveleita

TAMPEREEN PIENIMMÄSSÄ KIVITALOSSA JO VUODES TA 1992

Spy Museum presents the ways and means of espionage

The world’s first spy museum in the city center introduces you to the world of real life James Bonds where a single device can change the world more than governments.

World of eavesdropping, hidden cameras and microphones, secret weapons, code breaking, hacking, lock picking...

AITO, ALKUPERÄINEN

TAMPEREEN VOHVELIKAHVILA Ojakatu 2. Puh. (03) 214 4225 www.vohvelikahvila.com

22

Remember to say the code

“We met at the hotel” to get free AgentTest for the kids!!

Translation books in 10 languages!

VAKOILUMUSEO

23

www.telakka.eu Tullikamarinaukio 3. 33100 Tampere

www.vakoilumuseo.fi Satakunnankatu 18, Finlayson

EXPERIENCE. ENJOY. EDUCATE YOURSELF.

24

Kuva: Petri Nuutinen

Museum is open Monday-Sunday 12-18 Admission: 10€ / 5€ Agent Test 5€

THE FINNISH MUSEUM OF CAR AND ROAD HISTORIC AND VINTAGE EXHIBITIONS RALLY MUSEUM TRAFFIC PARK FOR CHILDREN COFFEE SHOP MUSEUM SHOP

...and much more!

EMIL AALTONEN MUSEUM Mariankatu 40, Tampere

Emil Aaltonen museum of industry and art. The permanent collection represents Aaltonen’s life and displays some of his art collection. The exhibited artists are masters of older Finnish painting. Temporary exhibitions.

MOBILIA – FINNISH MUSEUM OF CAR AND ROAD Kustaa Kolmannen tie 75 • 36270 Kangasala

mobilia.fi

Admission 3€ / 2€ 1.6.–31.8. wed 12am–6pm, thu, sat, sun 12am–4pm 1.9.–31.5. wed 12am–4pm, sat, sun 12am–4pm www.pyynikinlinna.fi Tel. +358 3 212 4551

26

25

plore e to ex d Welcom lt and share u c Russia! d iffi nd an the d la in F of history

FREE N ADMISSIO THE FINNISH LABOUR MUSEUM WERSTAS Väinö Linnan aukio 8, Finlayson area Open Tue–Sun 11 am–6 pm

27

www.tyovaenmuseo.fi

LENIN MUSEUM Hämeenpuisto 28

1.9.– 31.5. Tue–Sun 11 am–5 pm 1.6.–31.8. daily 11 am–6 pm

www.lenin.fi

Tickets 8/6 €, children under 18 years free of charge

photo: lehtikuva

Hero and/orVillain Written by Matti Mäkelä Translated by Christina Saarinen

Matti Nykanen celebrates winning Olympic gold in the 90 m ski jump in Sarajevo 1984.

According to Alfred Hitchcock, the villain

Ski jumper and Mr. Hyde

the hero. In real life, too, people are

In Robert Louis Stevenson’s story, Dr. Jekyll develops a serum that allows him to separate the good and evil sides of his personality. The violent, uninhibited Mr. Hyde is his evil side, which Dr. Jekyll, in his arrogance, imagines he can control. Things go badly, of course.

For Matti Nykänen, that serum was alcohol. In his Jekyll form, he won four Olympic golds and six world championships, as well as 46 World Cup competitions. During his active career, he was able to keep his Mr. Hyde under control, and his misdeeds were either minor (breaking into a kiosk at night while drunk) or even endearing (the decision to go party in Spain for two weeks after an argument with team management, returning in time to win medals at the world championships). After Nykänen’s career in sports, he was unable to keep his Mr. Hyde in check. The sad, alcohol-soaked story of the

is much more important to a story than fascinated by contradictory characters, whom we find more interesting than

flawless, one-dimensional lone rangers.

Here are a few examples of such figures from the history of Finnish sports.

28

photo: Alexander Savialoff / Finnish Heritage Agency

ski-jumping legend, who died at the age of 55, included a short career as a stripper, as well as domestic violence and a prison sentence for attempted manslaughter.

The Talented Mr. Myyrä Tom Ripley, the famous character from Patricia Highsmith’s crime novels and numerous films, is an extremely talented criminal who, by use of his wits – and sometimes luck – finds his way out of nearly hopeless situations.

Jonni Myyrä won the Olympic gold in the javelin throw in 1920 and 1924. In addition to sports, Myyrä was active in business, but his success in that field didn’t soar to the same heights as his javelin. For example, a sawmill Myyrä owned went bankrupt without ever sawing a log. To solve his financial difficulties, Myyrä embezzled a large sum from the small municipality of Savitaipale, in South Karelia. After he was caught, he managed to pay back the amount he had embezzled by taking a bank loan, buying himself more time. Myyrä knew he was on thin ice, however, and after the 1924 Olympics in Paris, he fled directly to the United States. He was never seen again in Finland.

Sympathy for the Devil According to medieval myth, Dr. Faust sold his soul to the devil in exchange for infinite knowledge and supernatural abilities. As you might expect, Faust quickly began to suspect that the deal wasn’t such a good idea.

Finnish sport experienced its Faustian moment at the 2001 Nordic World Ski Championships in Lahti, where six Finnish skiers were caught doping. It quickly became clear that the cheating was systemic, and had been condoned and coordinated by the coaching leadership and team doctors. Worst of all, Mika Myllylä and Harri Kirvesniemi had also made the deal with the devil. They were the biggest and purest heroes of Finnish skiing, who were supposed to be above such things. The shock was the same as that felt by American moviegoers when they saw Henry Fonda, in his first villainous role, shoot a small child at the beginning of Once Upon a Time in the West (Sergio Leone, 1968).

The Untouchable Algoth Niska was a big name at the dawn of Finnish football and was part of the Unitas team that won the first-ever Finnish championship in 1908. The high point of his career was the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, where the Finnish national team finished fourth (still the best result for Finnish football, by far). Niska himself scored Finland’s second goal in the quarterfinal match against Italy, which ended in a 3–2 overtime victory for Finland. Niska’s football career ended with a gold medal at the 1916 Finnish championship.

Niska’s legendary reputation doesn’t rest on football, however, but rather on his career as a smuggler during Prohibition, which lasted from 1919 to 1932. Niska got most of his alcohol from Sweden and Estonia, and with his fast boats, he became the most famous of the rumrunners and the hero of a thirsty nation.

Niska’s reputation was buoyed not only by the lack of popular support for Prohibition, but by the fact that he never shot at the police or used violence in any way, at least according to his own accounts.

Javelin thrower Jonni Myyrä returning from the 1920 Antwerpen Olympic games after winning gold.

Rather than Al Capone, Niska of folk tales is perhaps closer to Jesse James of Western films: a righteous hero who falls into a life of crime because of the corruption of the powerful, not through any fault of his own. (Of course, the real Jesse James was an illiterate mass murderer.)

There is a nasty twist also in Niska's story: during the Second World War, he helped Jews escape from German-controlled areas, but his motive was greed instead of doing the right thing. Niska is estimated to have earned 2.5 million Finnish marks from fake passports, about €800,000 in today’s money.

The Call of the Dark Side Jari Kurri, Finland’s Mr. Hockey, gained the attention of the Finnish public after scoring the winning goal against the Soviet Union in overtime at the 1978 European Junior Championships. Kurri spent the best years of his career in the NHL, winning the Stanley Cup five times and scoring more than 600 regular season goals. NHL players selected him as one of the hundred best players in the history of the sport, and he was chosen as the best player in Finland nine times in a row, from 1982 to 1990. In addition to his success, Finns loved Kurri for his modesty, humility and desire to play for the team. For example, at the age of 37, he went to the Nagano Olympics to support the team and accepted without complaint the role of a defensive fourth-line player.

Then the pull of the dark side became too strong, and Kurri went down the same road as Anakin Skywalker. After a career as a coach and commentator, he took over as the general manager of his formative club, Helsinki’s Jokerit, who were playing in the KHL – Putin’s league.

In 2019, Kurri, who had served on the board of the KHL, bought the Jokerit team, saying he wanted to get the team back under Finnish ownership. This was generally thought to be a lie from the beginning, and Kurri was seen as a front for and puppet of Russian oligarchs.

The situation was made worse by the fact that Kurri seemed to forget that even if he wasn’t personally interested in the civil rights of Belarusians, the general manager of a professional Western team planning to play in Minsk should at least pretend to be interested (which is easily done by being “strongly concerned,” “following the situation closely,” and “hoping for more dialogue”).

Kurri and Jokerit left the KHL after the start of the war in Ukraine.

At the moment, Jokerit is striving to return to the light, which is to say the Liiga, Finland’s top league. To that end, the team has had to cut all ties, financial and otherwise, to their former icon. s

29

28

Sorsapuisto Sports Park is an inviting skating venue for all age groups with a public artificial ice rink and a separate ice hockey rink!

YOUR LOCAL TAXI SERVICE Kaleva Sports Park

Salhojankatu 35 • 33540 Tampere tampere.fi/sorsapuistonkentta

30

Entertainment for all ages

taksitampere.fi facebook.com/taksitampere Tampere • Pirkkala • Kangasala • Lempäälä • Nokia • Ylöjärvi

ARCADE Games

Bar tampere@zbase.fi

+358 50 345 2810

FINLAYSON AREA - NORTH SIDE OF KESKUSTORI

zbase.fi

Photos: Markku Lähdesmäki

31

RAUHANIEMI FOLK SPA Loved by the people of Tampere since 1929

Rauhaniemi folk spa offers its visitors the most atmospheric sauna experience and stunning views across the lake Näsijärvi. Rauhaniemi is a popular tourist spot offering traditional Finnish experiences to people from all over the world. The saunas are open every day of the year and in the winter you can go ice swimming.

For more information go to www.rauhaniemi.net

32*

WE LCO M E TO TAM PE RE CL I M BI NG CE NT E R! You can come and climb without an appointment or previous climbing experience.

The staff will guide you to climb safely.

If you come with children under the age of 18, the guardian signs the terms on their behalf. Children under the age of 14 are not allowed to climb without the presence of an adult.

At TK Nekala and TK Lielahti you can boulder (climbing on 5-meter walls without rope belaying).

More info on our website: tampereenkiipeilykeskus.fi TK Nekala 010 420 4422 Mäntyhaantie 2, 33800 Tampere Mon–Fri 13–20 Sat 12–18 Sun 10–18

TK Lielahti 010 420 4421 Harjuntausta 6, 33400 Tampere Mon–Fri 13–20 Sat–Sun 12–17

Photographer Rami Valonen

At TK Nekala you can also rope climb (climbing on 10-meter walls with belaying) and climb the self-belaying walls.

COLUMN

I miss you, Madame

O

ur first meeting feels like a combination of a job interview and being given orders by a superior officer. I’m standing in a lobby, which isn’t really a lobby, more of a corridor, and I’m receiving instructions for my stay. My instructor, Madame, is the owner and hostess of the two-star hotel and speaks French, which is to be expected as we are in Le Havre, on the Normandy coast. I have only a passable knowledge of the language, so most of the instructions I’m being given disappear into the winds blowing in from the Atlantic. It’s fair to say that the check-in process and detailed instructions, down to the strict key policy, bear little resemblance to anything I have ever experienced.

I have arrived in Le Havre at the invitation of the local literary festival. Shortly before my arrival, the festival announced that its main funder had withdrawn at the last minute and that the festival had been forced to resort to “slightly lower-cost solutions.” It certainly appears that the festival has succeeded in its objective.

Just when I start to doubt whether the trip was a good idea, from having gotten up in the middle of the night in Helsinki to arriving in this bleak hallway in northern France, Madame concludes her briefing. She hands me my key, gives a few more strict orders, and points the way. I don’t dare argue. Nor is there anything I can do about the memories that come to mind of other trips, other hotels.

For 20 years, I have had an international career as a writer, and I have gotten to travel with my books from Hong Kong to Mexico, Bucharest to Madrid. I have stayed in dozens, maybe hundreds of hotels.

When I attended the Edinburgh literary festival, my hotel room’s ceiling was as high as the room was vast. I had no need for the crystal chandeliers that dangled from a height of 7 meters, nor for the square footage of a tennis court, but the experience was certainly memorable.

In Hong Kong, I stayed on the 39th floor, which offered an unmatched view of the city, especially since one of the walls was entirely windows.

I suffer from a fear of heights, so the visit was unforgettable. In Paris, one particular room, and especially its bed, was so luxurious that it took me half the evening to prepare it for sleeping: there were pillows for a battalion and blankets and bedclothes enough for 10 normal beds. And luckily, the accommodation, which was booked by my publisher, included breakfast: I noted that the cheapest food item on the menu, a single boiled egg, would have cost €12. And I will

Written by Antti Tuomainen Translated by Christina Saarinen

never forget the night I spent in a 15th-century English inn. The low ceilings, creaking plank floors, thick stone walls and heavy silence had a significant impact on my feelings about ghosts.

And what do I find in Le Havre?

A bright room on the second floor, with everything I need. The furniture is sparse, to put it nicely, but the unoccupied space shows how clean the room is. The bed is comfortable, the bathroom shines.

I go out for a meeting. Madame stops me at the front door, asks what I have forgotten. I think for a moment, then take the large room key from my pocket. Madame looks at me, then smiles. Eventually, I dare to smile too.

By breakfast, it’s clear how wrong I have been with my preconceptions. In the breakfast room, Madame maintains the same discipline as elsewhere. But the atmosphere is – perhaps precisely because of it – as sunny as the day dawning outside the windows.

This is clearly Madame’s hotel, and we are here on her terms. She moves between the kitchen and the tables, pouring coffee, bringing bread and other necessities. It feels safe, homey. As the days go by, Madame still scolds me when I forget— encore! – to leave my key or when I try to open the front door the wrong way, but little by little we start to understand each other better.

When my last morning in Le Havre arrives, I thank Madame for a one-of-a-kind visit, and I mean it. Sometimes a two-star hotel offers a six-star experience. When I later hear that, since my departure, the hotel has closed due to the owner’s retirement, I feel a certain wistfulness.

Madame, I find myself thinking, I miss you. s

32

Antti Tuomainen is one of Finland’s most internationally successful contemporary writers.

His works have been published in more than 30 countries. The Times, one of Britain’s most respected newspapers, has named Tuomainen the funniest writer in Europe.

Photo: Jonne Räsänen / Otava

photo: Envato

TAMPERE TIMES

33

Suomen ensimmäisessä kissakahvilassa sinua odottaa lauma rapsutustasi odottavia kissoja, herkullista suuhun pantavaa sekä ihana, kehräävä tunnelma.

Tervetuloa meille herkutteluhetkelle tai viettämään kokonaisen yön kissojen seuraan!

Cat cafe Purnauskis is the Finland's first cat cafe. We have adorrable fluffy cats, delicious food and sweets and you can also spend a night withs our purring friends. Wellcome to the Kingdom of Cats!

www.purnauskis.fi www.nightwithcats.com

Aaltosenkatu 31-33 TAMPERE

Muista myös kissakahvilat Helsingissä ja Kuopiossa!

34

35

24

Enjoy the good food and Greek atmosphere Open: Tuesday–Friday 11.00–22.00 Saturday 13.00–22.00

TAPS BEERHOUSE

VERKATEHTAANKATU 5, TAMPERE

Tel 03 2141 282

www.antika.fi

Väinölänkatu 1,33100 TAMPERE 36*

zarillo.fi/english

N O O L A S R U O O T WELCOMETex Mex dishes in real Western style nd Burgers, Steaks a ntre of Tampere ce e th in ce ri p le b at a reasona

Zarillo Tex Mex & Western Tampere Otavalankatu 9 | Puutarhakatu 8 | Hervanta

37

BREWERY

DISTILLERY

BAR

THE BEST BREWERY AND DISTILLERY RESTAURANT IN TOWN

TEERENPELI TAMPERE - HAMEENKATU 25 - WWW.TEERENPELI.COM

38

39