Turku Cathedral: Are we near the Pearly Gates..?

For the globetrotter, there are few things that provide a greater rush of exhilaration than the thrill of visiting a land unlike any other previously known to the mind. Mankind at large abhors change, but the nomadic traveller can barely conceal the twinkle in his eyes when faced with an undiscovered realm. While I don’t consider myself fit (yet!) to compose “The Hitchhiker’s guide to the third rock from the sun”, I do believe that I have been struck by wanderlust, prone to traversing the globe at any given point in time. I had heard rave reviews of Finland’s coldsheathed beauty, and could barely conceal my glee at getting a chance to delve deeper first-hand. Rumour has it that a common expression abounds for Finns, and as trite as it sounds, it goes like this; “As talkative as a Finn”. Now if anything were ever a misnomer, this would be up there vying for the grand prize. Finns are at worst reticent and at best prone to short bouts of speech. Not good for someone who’s a regular jabberwocky, and it was with some effort that I enlisted the services of Arttu to help me find my way around. I had half a mind to introduce myself as Deetu just for kicks, but I bet that the joke would be lost on him (or most non Star Wars' buffs), or if it did he wouldn’t crack so much as a crack-jawed grin.

Helsinki was a no-brainer for the first place to visit in my sojourn through Finland’s “Southern triangle” as Arttu lovingly put it (though, like the Black Eyed Peas I felt like shouting “where is the love?”). Having been designed along a set of oddly shaped land masses jutting into the Baltic coast, you’d be forgiven to believe that the seascape is the most eye-catching feature of this cosmopolitan city, but the architectural marvels all around me have a tale of their own. “The olden neoclassical structures with gargoyles and the 20th century facades make Helsinki a very distinct Scandinavian capital indeed.” Well, what do you know… Arttu speaks too! First up on my itinerary is a visit to the Mannerheim Museum. Located in a hauntingly beautiful area called Kaivopuisto, Arttu was my ready reckoner to this fascinating sight. “This was originally a villa, home to the Marshal of Finland, Baron C.G. Mannerheim.” As I wind my way through the villa-cum-museum, I come to learn of how the artifacts were put together piece by piece as Mannerheim’s travels unfolded and his curios found a resting place in this place of interest. My mind’s eye cannot help but glance askance at the islands dotting Helsinki’s periphery, and Suomenlinna is one of them. Arttu read my intentions like a book and a quick 15 minute ride later, I was standing on its quay.

“The islands can easily be explored by foot,” offers Arttu. From a distance, I could make out a church, one that actually doubles as a lighthouse! A solitary bridge away lies the largest of the islands, and a (slightly muted) view of the remnants of what was once a fortress, now only holding out against the onslaught of time… Much to my surprise, Arttu had quite a few surprises to pull out of his hat. One of them was called Hämeenlinna, and reaching there involved a journey past meadows and sprawling countryside, all of it interspersed with languid lakes. Hämeenlinna is the oldest town that Finland has to offer, and is caught at the captivating crossroads of nature and culture. As if bearing testament to the blast from the past that this township is, there is a medieval castle on the shores of Lake Vanajavesi dating back to the 13th century. While the fortress served as a prison until 1972, it was thrown open to tourists soon after and has never looked back since… At this point, I was starting to warm up to not just the cooler climes, but also Arttu’s seemingly-icy bearing. In fact, I could swear that at times, I saw the slightest vestiges of a smirk on occasion when I passed a wayward comment or two. As the wonders of Finland unraveled before me endlessly, I was shepherded along to Aulanko Park, unremarkable in every other way except for the settings that seem to be plucked straight from the lap oh history, starkly reminiscent of an English-style park.

“Aulanko Park is more of a natural reserve nowadays, a bit of a haven for nature-lovers,” was the delightfully blithe interjection from Arttu. Which is when I realised… Finns might be beset by a brooding melancholy (a trait known locally as Sisu), but given time they too shun their taciturn shell. Onward we headed for the oddly named city of Turku, which at one time bore the distinction of being the most important city in Finland until the early 19th century when the Russians crashed the party and instead nominated Helsinki as the capital city. That tilt in the balance of power was never upset, but Turku is now renowned as much for its historical significance, the calming beauty of the nearby archipelago and the number of festivals it plays host to, a sumptuous feast that includes rock festivals and various other music festivals and a renaissance faire to boot. So who cares if they’re no longer the figurative kings of Finland, these Finns sure live life king-size. For all its beauty, the one thing that outshines all others is the archipelago off Turku's coast. As your boat cuts a swathe across the waters and moves past neverbefore-seen wooden houses and saunas (“a popular Finnish hang-out joint”, according to my Finnish amigo), make sure you don't miss the woods for the trees though, (literally!)… the forest is a sight to behold. This scenic beauty, coupled with the yachts bobbing along, cannot fail to transport you to a pleasant place, be it so in your mind or otherwise… Time does fly when you’re either busy or too enamoured to notice that it has flown by, and before it could dawn upon me, Helsinki beckoned my return, the marker of a (in my mind) swift end to my sojourn. Some countries you visit only to leave it, whilst some you visit never to have it leave you. Finland, I have come to know, falls in the latter category…

Colourville!

Afire with raging colours, Huntsville in Alabama provides the most picturesque sights in fall. As the scorching summer yields to autumn, and the greens give in to the glittering yellows, crimson, orange and golden hues, Alabama unfurls in a melange of colour. Sheer divine breeze scented with the sweet smell of ripened fruits and that peculiar fragrance of the atmosphere, having recently seen off rains, intoxicate all senses. Rainbow trails mark the entirety of Huntsville, even as every nook becomes vantage point to Nature's colourful job, though Maple Hill Cemetery, Monte Sano Mountain and the Smoky Mountains would just take your breath away! Dress up flamboyantly, lest nature beats in you in the competition!

In the Prefecture of the pristine

You must've visited Japan for anything but autumn! When the hot and humid summers give way to cool and pleasant days, the whole of Japan looks like a scene from a colourful painting. Especially the Fukushima Prefecture, known for its parks, which is set ablaze with the fiery hues of autumn that inundate this region of Honshu Island. One such is the Ryozen Park which houses Mount Ryozen that looks over the Pacific Ocean and observes the Zao and Azuma-Adatara Mountain Ranges from a distance. Particularly popular in the fall season, when the multicoloured autumn flora waxes in a crescendo of vibrant colours... Just follow the sun!