Helsinki Freezes Over
Snow season in Finland,
which goes on till March, is winter wonderland with hail showers, reindeer
sleds and ice fishing
Jolly Good Snow
As the plane banked and
then rap idly lost altitude, the scenery out side was compelling. It looked
like winter wonderland -houses, buildings and grounds draped in snow but
sticking out enough to make a splash and contribute to a surreal montage of
images. As the plane touched down in Helsinki, the runway was the only dark thing
amidst swirling snow and buffeted by a mild shower of hail.As first impressions
go, Finland had me quite overwhelmed.
It was a feeling that
didn't let up as I headed into the city. Everything was snow-covered; only the
roads were clear. From my hotel near West Harbour, I could see that even the
sea had partly frozen over. But it was a relatively bright day and so I headed
out to see as much as I could considering there's a limited amount of daylight.
Called the daughter of the
Baltic, Helsinki has had a rather tumultuous history, first under the Swedish
and then the Russians till Finland gained independence in 1917. However, it is
the latter whose influence is still seen in the many buildings that dot
Helsinki's skyline. Like the Uspenski Cathedral, which stood on a hillock and
had distinct Russian architecture with red walls and green domes. Dedicated to
Virgin Mary, its interiors and altar were brilliantly gilded and had a plethora
of murals and paintings.
Amid Snow Flakes
The most distinctive
landmark of the city, the cathedral, built in 1852 in neo-classical style,
stood on an elevated ground accessed by a flight of steps. Its impressive green
dome, surrounded by smaller ones, was visible from a distance. It was fronted
by the sprawling Senate Square in which was the statue of the Russian tsar,
Alexander II.
There were other compelling
sights to see in Helsinki, including the Temppeliaukio Church or Rock Church, a
Lutheran church built into a massive rock.Next, I chose to take a short ferry
ride to Suomenlinna, a sea fortress built on six islands. It had tall stone
walls, ramparts, tunnels and scores of structures. Built by the Swedish in the
mid-18th century as a defence against Russian expansionism, the fortress was
now more of a tourist attraction.
Back in the city, I walked
along the Esplanade and headed towards Aleksanterinkatu and Kamppi area, the
main shopping district which also had a profusion of shops, cafes and
restaurants. As night fell, I sat inside a cosy one and watched people hurry
by, swathed in thick jackets, woollen caps and pretty scarves. Lilting music
filled the air. All of a sudden, tiny flakes of snow gently floated by. Like
bringing down the curtains on a perfect day. It seemed rather ephemeral and
abiding at the same time.
Santa Land in Saariselka
The world seemed to have
gone mono chrome. Everywhere I looked there was whiteness -streets, pavements, roofs,
trees, fences, parked vehicles.Even the sky seemed bleached and was pale grey,
almost slipping into whiteness. But in Saariselka, a little village in the
heart of Lapland in northern Finland, this was what almost seven-eight months
of the year looked like. As I groped for words to describe, ethereal came to
mind.
This was also the land of
the Sami, indigenous people and sole caretakers of reindeer. But before I could
set eyes on the animals, I was kitted out in numerous layers of clothing, a
thick snow suit, boots, balaclava and helmet. My Sami guide Timo brought out a
wicked-looking snowmobile and we set off into the wilderness. As we raced
along, bumping and skimming the snow surface, dipping into valleys and scaling
hillocks, Timo said we were close to a national park. But it didn't feel that
way. Even though we wove our way through thickets and trees, everything was
covered in pristine white snow.
Soon we arrived at a little
wooden cottage outside which were a handful of reindeer, with bright red neck
bands, attached to sleds.“You can meet them later in the night,“ Timo said, and
ushered me into the cottage for a hot meal and a soul-warming fire. The wind
outside was pricking and numbing the flesh. I would have loved to sit indoors
and sip hot chocolate but Timo had other plans. We headed into the area near
Urho Kekkonen National Park where an inclined path nearby was ideal for a
raucous session on tobogganing. Leaving the trail, we donned teardrop snowshoes
and stomped around in the forest.
As night fell, exhausted
and a bit numb from the cold, I headed back to my hotel in Saariselka. But my
day was far from over. After a delicious three-course dinner with salmon,
reindeer and cheesecake, Timo drove us to where we had met the reindeer in the
morning.
It was not exactly pitch
dark but a strange dull light hung around, just enough to make out the tall
trees and reindeer eyes. I sat down awkwardly in the wooden sled attached to
them and we gently slid the icy, snowy ground.The rhythmic tinkle of bells around
the reindeer and the scratchy sound of the sled as it moved on the ground were
the only sound and movement that contrasted starkly with the stillness around.
And yet, in my head it felt like I was in Santa's land and Rudolph was just a
touch away.
|
Anita
Rao-Kashi
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ETM 19MAR17
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