Turku Times 2/2022

Mylly is the largest shopping centre in the southwest of Finland hosting more than 150 shops, restaurants and services only a 15-minute drive from the heart of Turku.

Take a busline: and head to Myllynkatu 1, 21280 Raisio. Nice days come to those who take it easy, as they say.

220, 221 or 300

0 € 3 €

www.kauppakeskusmylly.fi

INVEST INNOVATE MAKE GROW LIVE

Welcome to one of Finland’s major innovation clusters and motors of economic growth, which is traditionally well-known for its strong science and manufacturing industries but also offers excellent opportunities for companies operating within the experience industry and tourism. Sustainability and strong focus on R&D activities to tackle climate change are also close to our brave hearts.

Networking with impact

The Turku region warmly welcomes new talents, companies and investments to one of Finland’s most dynamic business and innovation clusters. We are particularly proud of our multidisciplinary approach, boldness and exceptionally strong community spirit between all actors here. www.turkubusinessregion.com

BOOK

THE

Turku Times

Magazine for Visitors

Issue 2/2022

Autumn-Winter-Spring

www.turkutimes.fi

ISSN 2342-2823 (print)

ISSN 2669-8285 (online)

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

Editor in chief Roope Lipasti

Publisher Teemu Jaakonkoski

Sales manager

Raimo Kurki raimo.kurki@mobilekustannus.fi

Tel. +358 45 656 7216

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

Cover photos

Ice skating.

Photo: Joonas Tsokkinen / Visit Turku

Enjoying the view.

Photo: Hanna Oksanen / City of Turku

Christmas celebrations.

Photo: Timo Jakonen / City of Turku

River Aura.

Photo: Antero Lynne / City of Turku

Magdalena Hai. Photo: Juha Törmälä

The inspiration for our work comes from our local surroundings. When we look around us, we see beauty and layers of history, our beloved Turku. Everyday life is what happens around us and we think that the best parts of it is a home filled with gorgeous smells and different happy sounds when loved ones are visiting us – or sometimes the chaos when we haven’t had the time to get anything ready.

We design beautiful and timeless products so that we can make memories together. We hope to create a smile even after years and years when you see a familiar product in the closet or when you’re hanging your laundry.

Kui has grown to be a state of mind that is playful and hopeful and where everyone is welcome – both in our brick-and-mortar shop and on our webshop.

-15%

discount with code: TURKUTIMES

Valid until 31.5.2023 in our shop in central Turku and webshop.

KUI SHOP Kristiinankatu 6, Turku www.kuidesign.fi

The (b)oldest city in Finland!

I am pleased to welcome you to Turku - the oldest and boldest city in Finland.

A historic, yet innovative city

History is ever present in Turku. Yet new things are built in our city all the time. Our brand new, great Market Square is a good example of this. In addition to the market trade and local and fresh products, it also provides a relaxed venue for events and meetings in the heart of the city.

As a city, Turku is also an internationally recognised pioneer in climate matters. Our ambitious goal is to be a carbon-positive city in 2029 when our city will celebrate its 800th anniversary. We will also enhance biodiversity and promote the circular economy with the aim of being a resource-wise and waste-free city by 2040.

Turku – a city of students and excellence

With a total of six universities and universities of applied sciences and their about 40,000 students, our city is guaranteed to be brimming with energy, intelligence, creativity and the ability to renew. All our universities are international. The unique status of Åbo Akademi, the only Swedish-speaking university in Finland, is a significant part of the identity of our bilingual city.

The success of Turku is also guaranteed by the long-term, regional cooperation between higher education institutions, companies and the city. This cooperation provides a strong starting point for business and innovation. We are an internationally renowned centre of expertise in fields such as bioeconomy, circular economy, pharmaceutical development and the maritime industry. As an international city of science and culture, we often serve as the stage for international congresses and encounters of experts in different fields.

Culture for all senses

Those interested in culture can visit plenty of interesting events in our city, such as concerts, theatre, fairs, art exhibitions and festivals all year round. We call our riverbank the Cultural Riverside because you

can find all forms of culture along the river. The city is an experience centre throughout the year.

Turku is also known for its high-quality and versatile food and café culture. A lunch made with local producers’ fresh ingredients or a Michelin-level dinner – our city has much to offer! The milieus in our eating and drinking places are also interesting – in Turku, you can eat on a riverboat, in a former prison or admire the city from a bird's-eye view from one of the city's many roof terraces. You should also visit a traditional market hall to taste local delicacies and specialities, at least the piispanmunkki doughnut!

A city where nature is always present

River Aurajoki is the heart and soul of Turku. That is why you can get to know Turku easily by walking or cycling along the riverbank. The path from the Cathedral to Turku Castle is teeming with history and life. Along the river, you can find beautiful landscapes, museums and art, as well as cosy and high-quality cafés and restaurants where you take a break from walking.

The sea and nature are also an integral part of Turku. You could say that this is the capital city of the world’s most beautiful archipelago. You can sense this maritime atmosphere already a few kilometres away from the city centre on Ruissalo Island. Ruissalo is known for its magnificent villas with wood carvings, oak forests and nature trails. For the bold, it provides the opportunity to swim even in autumn and winter.

As a city, Turku is an attractive combination of history, modern urban culture and maritime experiences. For me, however, Turku is above all a matter of heart. I hope it conquers your heart during your visit and makes you come back to our city again and again.

Arve

Minna

mAyor of turku

Christmas Season

❄ Turku has a special atmosphere for Christmas. Before the season of Advent, the City’s Christmas tree is placed in front of the Cathedral. Its hundreds of lights are lit to bring joy to Turku city dwellers.

Ecumenical Christmas in Turku

❄ This wonderful ceremony with bishops, church leaders and glorious Christmas music will take place on Thursday, 15th Dec 6 pm in Turku Cathedral.

Winter in Turku Cathedral

Turku Cathedral

❄ Finland’s only medieval cathedral and national shrine was consecrated in 1300. When you visit this wonderful shrine, you step into Finland’s long history as a part of Sweden and later of the Russian Empire (1809–1917). The Roman Catholic era ended with a Protestant Reformation in the 16th Century. During Finland’s 105 years of independence the Evangelical Lutheran Church has been a folk church.

❄ Turku Cathedral is the central church of the Lutheran Archdiocese of Turku and the seat of the Lutheran Archbishop of Finland, Tapio Luoma.

❄ Guide booklets and QR code information about chapels and tombs.

❄ Open daily, 9 am.–6 pm.

Services in English

❄ Turku Cathedral International Congregation (TCIC), see Facebook group tcicmembers or www.turunseurakunnat.fi/ international-congregation

Once were strong, silent men

Written by Matti Mäkelä

translated by Christina saarinen

Tony Soprano is frustrated. He complains to his psychiatrist that men like Gary Cooper (or actually, Cooper's character in the film High Noon) don't exist anymore. In his opinion, Cooper was the perfect man: a strong, silent type who got things done and never complained.

The most famous gangster in TV history could just as well be talking about the past giants of Finnish sport. Running legend Paavo Nurmi was the most silent of the silent, the strongest of the strong. The image of a man who tirelessly runs around the track with a stopwatch in his hand, smashing one record after another, has gone down in history. He never complains; he always does what a man has to do. When Nurmi thought the fee offered by a race organizer was unacceptably low, he didn’t bother arguing. Instead, he stopped his 10,000-meter run 2,000 meters before the finish line,

1976 Montreal Olympics – Men's 5,000 m final. Finland's Lasse Virén (301) wins the race with New Zealand's Dick Quax (691) taking silver. West Germany's Klaus-Peter Hildenbrand (falling right) has hurled himself over the line to snatch bronze.

running exactly the distance he thought the fee was worth. When Nurmi was prevented from competing in the Los Angeles Olympics in 1932 due to accusations of professionalism, he remained silent for decades about how much the decision – and the loss of a tenth Olympic gold – had wounded him. He kept quiet and grew bitter.

“He faced down the Miller Gang when none of those assholes in town would lift a finger to help him!” Tony Soprano exclaims in praise of the solitary sheriff of High Noon. The “High Noon” moment of Finnish sport was the men’s 5,000-meter final in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. Lasse Viren, chasing his fourth Olympic gold, started the last lap in the lead, but in a seemingly hopeless situation: “He can’t win – no, that would be completely impossible. Dixon and Quax could run 800 meters five seconds faster than Lasse,” writes journalist Matti Hannus later in his Montréal Olympics book. As they open onto the final straight, “they loom behind Lasse like a tidal wave,” and Dick Quax pulls up next to Viren. As Quax appears to pass, Viren briefly turns his head toward his rival and smiles. In that moment, the duel is over. Quax is left behind and Viren runs on to victory. “Fifty meters before the finish line, I saw out of the corner of my eye how they were grimacing and looked like they were suffering, and that’s when I realized I would win,” Viren said after the race.

In August 2022, Viren was a guest of honor at the European Athletics Championships in Munich, where he had won his first two Olympic golds 50 years earlier. “Why bother reminiscing about that anymore,” he says, turning down media interview requests. Tony Soprano nods his approval.

With his laconic comment, Viren takes Finnish sports heroism from High Noon to Shane. At the end of Shane, the main character rides off into the mountains, toward the setting sun, after having rescued a farming family from the clutches of a gang of thugs. Shane’s stooped figure (whether mortally wounded or merely battle-weary, we will never know) continues to ride away, even as the family’s admiring little boy shouts after him, like reporters pleading with Viren, “Shane, come back!”

THe liveS of strong and quiet men aren’t always an uninterrupted string of wins. Unrequited love leads John Wayne’s hero to destruction in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and Dean Martin’s gunslinger to alcoholism in Rio Bravo. In Finnish sport, ski jumper Matti Nykänen and skier Mika Myllylä play the same kind of “knight of the sad countenance” role. Their destructive lover was the Finnish public, and their downward spirals were accelerated by the shame brought by Myllylä's doping scandal and by Nykänen's many life management problems.

Taking on the role of John Wayne or Gary Cooper is a heavy burden precisely because it is a role, a role you have to constantly embody, and which is nearly impossible to get rid of. Javelin thrower Seppo Räty – the 1987 world champion and a six-time medalist in major competitions – was an extremely uncompromising and conscientious athlete. But when the media asked about his his training methods leading up to the World Championships, his answer matched his manly role: “Drinking beer and playing cards.”

In the words of the newspaperman who discovered the real killer of Liberty Valance and kept it to himself: “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”

WHile tHe erA of men like Gary Cooper is over, it seems that Tony Soprano isn’t the only one who misses them. This year, the Finnish women’s national ice hockey team gave a terrible performance at the World Championships, finishing sixth, the team’s worst ranking of all time. Scapegoats were made of the team’s star player, Susanna Tapani, who missed one of the preliminary-round games to attend a friend’s wedding, and the coach, Juuso Toivola, who gave her permission to go. Although Tapani’s decision was unusual for a top athlete, and nothing hurts team spirit more than giving special treatment to certain players, instead of criticizing team operating models, commenters mostly demanded a return to old-school attitude: You do your job! And you don’t complain!

The same kind of criticism was heard a few years ago, when a snowboarder selected for the Olympics stated that winning a medal would be nice, but the most important thing was taking part in the international community of snowboarders touring the Games. Those who were shocked by the comment wanted the athlete’s selection revoked because in their opinion, this hippie had clearly not internalized the most ancient wisdom of sport: “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing!”

The collision of the old world and the new is also a frequently recurring theme in Westerns. The men of the past world are destroyed because they lack the desire or the ability to adapt. The conversation between Harmonica and Frank in Once Upon a Time in the West sums it up: Harmonica: “So, you found out you’re not a businessman after all.” Frank: “Just a man.”

As the men prepare to duel, Ennio Morricone’s music playing in the background, modern society approaches in the form of a railroad. In Finland, this collision was seen after the 2011 Ice Hockey World Championships. The young players celebrating their championship gave measured and analytical statements to the media, while at the same time, a member of the coaching staff collapsed, utterly drunk, in front of media cameras, and another was sent back to the hotel to sober up.

Tony SoprAno Still sits in a cafe. Suddenly, he’s gone, and the TV screen is filled with snowy white noise. s

The Sopranos (1999–2007), HBO Original Series

Matti Hannus: Montreal: Olympiakirja (1976)

John Ford: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

Howard Hawks: Rio Bravo (1959)

Sergio Leone: Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

George Stevens: Shane (1953)

Fred Zinnemann: High Noon (1952)

Shane's stooped figure continues to ride away, even as the family's admiring little boy shouts after him, like reporters pleading with Viren, “Shane, come back!”

Turku Castle

The stately Turku Castle has guarded the mouth of the Aura River since the late 13th century. The tall granite walls conceal unique moments from history within them. Over the course of its history, the castle has been defended and besieged, its governors changed and during Duke John’s era, the castle became a stage for court life. The medieval rooms of the keep and the ballrooms built by Duke John allow visitors to experience the splendour and bleakness of times past.

Opening Hours Tue–Sun 10am–6pm Linnankatu 80, tel. +358 2262 0300, turunlinna@turku.fi, turku.fi/en/turkucastle

Pharmacy Museum and the Qwensel House

The Qwensel House is the oldest remaining wooden building in Turku, featuring a bourgeois home from the 18th century and a pharmacy from the 19th century under one roof.

the Qwensel House, you can explore the life of the family of the most famous resident of the house, Joseph Pipping, the father of Finnish surgery. The interior is decorated in the Rococo and Gustavian styles of the late 18th century. The Pharmacy Museum’s pharmacy shop houses the oldest remaining pharmacy interior in Finland, dating back to 1858.

Opening Hours Tue–Sun 10am–6pm

Läntinen Rantakatu 13b, tel. +358 2262 0280, luostarinmaki@turku.fi, turku.fi/en/pharmacymuseum

WAM Turku City Art Museum

Moving, 14 Oct – 22 Jan

Luostarinmäki

The Luostarinmäki museum block is the only complete wooden building area that survived the Great Fire of Turku in 1827. The more than 200 year old buildings stand where they originally did, and the alleys, yards, and homes of the block form an unique environment in the middle of the city.

Opening Hours Tue–Sun 9am–5pm

Vartiovuorenkatu 2, tel. +358 2262 0350, luostarinmaki@turku.fi, turku.fi/en/luostarinmaki

The exhibition presents different ways of experiencing visual arts and challenges the traditional idea that visual arts can only be experienced by looking. The exhibition creates opportunities for experiencing art bodily through movement and being in the same space as the work.

Jan Kenneth Weckman Corpus, 10 Feb – 21 May

Jan Kenneth Weckman has been one of the leading artists in the field of Finnish art for five decades. This exhibition is the largest collection of the artist’s production to date, including nearly 100 artworks. The exhibition examines the artist’s career in parallel with events in the Finnish art world from the 1960s to this day.

SALONG 3+ Renaissance, 10 Feb – 21 May

The retrospective exhibition showcases the production of the artist group SALONG 3 +. The group became significant in the Finnish art field when it was active from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. The members of the artist group are the artists Anna-Maija Aarras, Sussi Henrikson and Ann Sundholm.

Opening Hours

Tue–Sun 10am–6pm

Itäinen Rantakatu 38, tel. +358 2262 0850, wam@turku.fi, turku.fi/en/wam

The Biological Museum

Located in a beautiful Art Nouveau building dating back to 1907, the Biological Museum presents Finnish flora and fauna all the way from the Turku archipelago to the fells of Lapland. You can take a peek at the outer archipelago in spring, or wonder at the diversity of species in the Ruissalo grove, for example.

Exhibition Ooh, poo! Turd, dropping, deuce, dung... The exhibition leads visitors on the tracks of poo and provides information on excrement for people of all ages. What does poo tell us, and can it be useful?

Opening Hours Tue–Sun 9am–5pm Neitsytpolku 1, tel. +358 2262 0340, biologinenmuseo@turku.fi, turku.fi/en/biologicalmuseum

Turku City Museums | turku.fi/en/museum

Itäinen Rantakatu 4–6, Turku | www.avan.fi

Finland’s largest collection of MARITIME EXPERIENCES

See and feel real ships, exhibits and stories!

From historic tall ships to intricate scale models

From Children’s Maritime Museum to rugged warships

Turku timeline

1229

The Pope orders the bishopric to be moved from Nousiainen to the new city of Turku. By the river Aura in Koroinen, there is a white memorial cross standing in the place where the Bishop’s little castle once was. It is a nice place to visit, as is the entire riverbank, where one can walk or go jogging.

1300

The Turku cathedral is inaugurated. It is the most beautiful cathedral in Finland. Not least because it is also the only proper cathedral in Finland.

1308

The first documented mention of the Turku Castle, although the construction probably began as early as the 1280s. Builders in Turku were in no hurry, as the castle wasn’t completed until 1588. The most magnificent Renaissance period in the history of Finland was seen in Turku castle during the reign of Catharina Jagiellon and Duke John (later king John III) 1562–1563.

1414

The first bridge over river Aura is built. It was called The Pennybridge.

1500

Turku is not quite a Hanseatic city, but almost. It is one of the major cities in Sweden and its international trade is significant.

1543

Mikael Agricola, the father of written Finnish, publishes his first book. It is also a milestone of Protestantism in Finland.

1634

The first map of Turku is published, and for a good reason, too: there were already 6,000 habitants, so the city was huge!

1640

The University of Turku is established. Nowadays, Turku is still a renowned city of higher education with more than 40,000 students studying at six universities.

1642

Finlands first printing house is established in Turku. It prints books, among them the thesis Aboa Vetus et Nova by Mr Daniel Juslenius (1676–1752), in which he studies the birth of Turku. His conclusion was that the people in Turku are decendants of Jaafet, the third son of Noah.

1812

Sweden loses Finland to Russia in 1809, and in 1812 Helsinki is declared as the new capital – something that still slightly upsets people in Turku.

1827

Turku burns down and almost the whole city must be built again, which is the reason why Turku doesn’t have a medieval centre anymore.

1900

The first Christmas tree illuminated with electric lamps is erected in front of the Cathedral. The tradition became regular in the 1930s.

Written by roope lipasti

1917

Finland declares independence.

1922

The University of Turku is established again, since the original Academy was moved to Helsinki after the great fire in 1827. Åbo Akademi University, the only university in Finland with Swedish as official language, was founded in 1918. (Åbo is the name of Turku in Swedish.)

1939–1945

Finland is at war with Russia. Turku suffers great damage during the bombings, among other buildings the castle is partly burned.

1956, 1976, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2010. TPS, the biggest ice-hockey club in Turku, wins the Finnish championship.

1960–1980

Turku suffers from the so called “Turku sickness” – meaning that many beautiful old buildings were demolished in order to be replaced with modern blockhouses.

2011

Turku is the European Capital of Culture.

2022

Turku is the sixth largest city in Finland with 194,000 inhabitants. It also is one of the nicest cities and most popular holiday destinations in Finland, with its historical attractions and magnificent archipelago. s

Kommunalsjukhusvägen

ARE HERE! Hotels providing Turku Times are marked on the map with numbered blue dots. The number of your hotel can be found from the list on page 18.

Turku Times is available in these high standard Hotels & Hostels

01 centro Hotel

Yliopistonkatu 12, 20100 Turku

Tel. +358 2 211 8100 www.centrohotel.com

02 forenom ApArtHotel turku

Kristiinankatu 9, 20100 Turku

Tel. +358 20 198 3420 www.forenom.com

03 forenom premium ApArtmentS turku kAkolAnmäki

Michailowinkatu 1, 20100 Turku

Tel. 020 198 3420 www.forenom.com

04 HolidAy club cAribiA

Kongressikuja 1, 20540 Turku

Tel. +358 30 087 0900 www.holidayclubresorts.com

05 HoStel S/S bore

Linnankatu 72, 20100 Turku

Tel. +358 40 843 6611 www.hostelbore.fi

06 Hotel AmAndiS

Nunnakatu 6, 21100 Naantali

Tel. +358 50 538 1956 www.amandis.fi

07 Hotel Helmi

Tuureporinkatu 11, 20100 Turku

Tel. +358 20 786 2770 www.hotellihelmi.fi

08 Hotel kAkolA

Kakolankatu 14, 20100 Turku

Tel +358 2 515 0555 www.hotelkakola.fi

09 Hotel kivitASku

Aittakatu 1, 20780 Kaarina

Tel. +358 2 242 4920 www.hotellikivitasku.fi

10 Hotel mArtinHovi

Martinkatu 6, 21200 Raisio

Tel. +358 2 438 2333 www.martinhovi.fi

11 Hotel pAlo

Luostarinkatu 12, 21100 Naantali

Tel. +358 2 4384 017 www.palo.fi

12 Hotel SeAport

Toinen poikkikatu 2, 20100 Turku

Tel. +358 2 283 3000 www.hotelseaport.fi

13 originAl SokoS Hotel Wiklund

Eerikinkatu 11, 20100 Turku

Tel. +358 10 786 5000

www.sokoshotels.fi

14 pArk Hotel turku

Rauhankatu 1, 20100 Turku

Tel. +358 2 273 2555

www.parkhotelturku.fi

15 rAdiSSon blu mArinA pAlAce Hotel

Linnankatu 32, 20100 Turku

Tel. +358 20 123 4710

www.radissonblu.fi

16 ScAndic Atrium

Eerikinkatu 28-30, 20100 Turku

Tel +358 30 030 8422

www.scandichotels.fi

17 ScAndic HAmburger börS

Kauppiaskatu 6, 20100 Turku

Tel. +358 30 030 8420

www.scandichotels.fi

18 ScAndic JuliA

Eerikinkatu 4, 20100 Turku

Tel. +358 30 030 8423

www.scandichotels.fi

19 ScAndic plAZA turku

Yliopistonkatu 29, 20100 Turku

Tel. +358 30 030 8421

www.scandichotels.fi

20 Solo SokoS Hotel turun SeurAHuone

Eerikinkatu 23, 20100 Turku

Tel. +358 10 786 4000

www.sokoshotels.fi

21 tuure bed And breAkfASt

Tuureporinkatu 17, 20100 Turku

Tel. +358 2 233 0230

www.tuure.fi

Very Finnish Problems

Written by roope lipasti translated by Christina saarinen

Joel Willans presents Finnishness in such a funny way that even Finns take note.

It WAS tHe usual story: Joel Willans was sitting in a bar in London when a blonde Finnish woman tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to buy her a drink. Then they got married.

Actually, it isn’t a very typical story, but that’s how it happened anyway. For the first five years, the couple lived in London, both of them working in advertising. Eventually, they felt they had at least gotten a glimpse of all there was to see around there, so they set off to travel the world for a year.

“When we eventually landed back at Heathrow and everything was foggy, rainy, and dreary, I suggested we go to Finland after all,” Willans says. “That summer happened to be especially warm and sunny, so I wanted to stay here longer, though my wife of course reminded me that autumn and winter were on the way.”

The couple still had time to live in Peru for a little while before having children, which cemented their future in Finland. Around that time, Willans made a bet with himself. He would create a Facebook page that talked about Finland through the eyes of a foreigner and gain 10,000 followers.

And he did it. The satire page Very Finnish Problems now has more than a million followers – not on Facebook alone, but still.

Weather, language, food

“More than half of my followers are Finnish,” Willans explains. “The next biggest group is from the United States, followed by Sweden, Great Britain, and Germany. Finns probably find it interesting to see their country from an outsider’s perspective. On the other hand, in the United States, there are a lot of descendants of Finns who moved there long ago and have never even been to Finland, let alone speak the language, and have some sort of romantic idea about Finnishness. Very Finnish Problems is a chance for them to get a glimpse at things over here. It’s probably the same with the Swedes – there’s also a large Finnish minority there.”

He’s been at it for more than five years now, so there seems to be no shortage of odd things about Finland.

“There are the basic strange things like the weather, language, food, and customs. The prime minister, Sanna Marin, has also been fantastic material – she has a certain kind of social media stardust. When the video came out during the summer of her dancing with her friends at the prime minister’s official residence in Kesäranta, I wrote about it for The Sunday Times and shared the video on Twitter. It was viewed over five million times. That post blew up and Marin received support from all over the world.”

Naked with the family

Very Finnish Problems is humor and, above all, satire. The idea is to highlight all kinds of strange things a foreigner might come across in Finland. Willans has also written two books on the subject; the subtitle of the first is descriptive: “The Foreigner’s Guide to Surviving in Finland.”

So what kinds of strange things are we talking about?

“When I first came to Finland, the sauna, for example, was a shock. I wasn’t at all prepared for being naked with the whole family. I myself come from a very liberal family, but that sort of thing would not have been heard of in Britain. I remember when my mother, who is a very open-minded woman, went to a swimming pool (and sauna) in Helsinki. She was stunned because she had never seen so many naked people before.”

But since getting over his culture shock, Willans has warmed up to the sauna. And more than that: “Saunas would be great to export to the world precisely because in saunas you see different kinds of

bodies and realize that few of them look like what the magazines have on offer. It’s healthy.”

Another thing to marvel at was the winter.

“The cold is so different here than in England. It gets into your bones and your core. On the other hand, it’s fascinating to go outside at 25 degrees below zero, when your eyelashes frost and your beard starts to crunch – and this goes on for three months! On the rare cases in Britain when you saw snow in the morning, it meant you wouldn’t have to go to school, or anywhere else, for that matter, for several days, because the whole country stopped.”

Mämmi on my mind

Of course, there are many other strange things in Finland besides sauna. For example, things like salted licorice or ice-hole swimming, both of which can be difficult for a foreigner to comprehend. Or mämmi, an Easter dish made of rye that looks as though it was fished out of a toilet bowl. Many people think it tastes like that too.

“No, I haven’t gotten used to mämmi. My wife’s family always makes it for me at Easter, even though they know very well that I don’t eat it. Another thing that makes no sense is the autumn ritual of eating crayfish: so much trouble and so little to eat. So my integration hasn’t been perfect. I’m also ashamed of how badly I speak Finnish.”

Though Finns deserve part of the blame for that.

“They speak such good English that whenever I try to speak Finnish, they immediately switch to English. At some point I had the idea that the children would help. That somehow, I would learn the language through them, but they’re actually my worst critics and say right away, ‘Dad, don’t speak Finnish. It’s so embarrassing!’”

Distance gives perspective

Having lived in Finland for twenty years now, there are of course some things a citizen of two cultures misses from his old home country.

“The bath is one example. And now, when I look at things from a bit of a distance, I’ve noticed how lovely British small towns are. My childhood village of Sudbury in southeast England is 1,300 years old. We lived in a 200-year-old house, for example, and my school was from the 18th century. They’re things I used to take for granted.”

Another is football, of course.

“I’ve been a supporter of Ipswich Town since I was seven years old, but I wasn’t able to see their matches on TV for many years –nowadays, of course, it is possible – so it was great to be able to go to a match for the first time in years last summer. Another thing I miss is sausage rolls. Whenever I go to England, I run to a bakery first thing to buy them.” s

FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM & TWITTER: Very Finnish Problems

VERY FINNISH PROBLEMS IS HUMOR AND, ABOVE ALL, SATIRE. THE IDEA IS TO HIGHLIGHT ALL KINDS OF STRANGE THINGS A FOREIGNER MIGHT COME ACROSS IN FINLAND.

An inventive nation

Year after year, Finland is among the top ten most inventive countries in the world based on inventions per capita. In Europe, Finns are usually among the top five in terms of number of patents. Did you know that the following inventions are Finnish?

The Molotov cocktail

The Molotov cocktail is a simple explosive device, made from a bottle, that Finns used against tanks, especially during the Winter War of 1939–40. Similar bombs already existed, but the Finns made improvements to the bombs’ ignition so they would be less dangerous to ignite. The contents were gasoline, spirits, and tar, and the bottles were manufactured at scale at a liquor factory.

The maternity package

Every child born in Finland receives a gift from the government: a large cardboard box filled with items the baby will need during his or her first months. The box can also be used as baby’s first bed. These days, there are 43 different items in the package, including clothes, hygiene and feeding items, a board book, a cuddly toy, a blanket, and a bed sheet. It’s also possible to take cash (170 euros) instead of the goods, but you’ll end up spending more if you buy the items yourself. The maternity package has existed in some form since the early 1900s, but in 1949, it was written into law, with all mothers entitled to receive it.

The Finnish Long Drink

The Long Drink has also been called Finland’s national beverage, so it’s definitely worth a try. This innovation was first prepared for the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Finland at the time was a poor country where you’d be hard-pressed to find even a Coca-Cola, so something had to be invented for the Olympic tourists. The state monopoly liquor

store, Alko, asked the beverage manufacturer Hartwall to develop a new drink. The result was a drink made of gin, grapefruit juice, and water, which was so delicious and popular that production continued even after the Olympics. "Lonkero", as the drink is commonly called, has retained its popularity to this day.

Icebreaker technology

Finland’s status as an icebreaker nation began in the 1950s. Of course, icebreaker ships were not invented in Finland, but there have been many Finnish icebreaker innovations. One important innovation was to add propellers to the ships. In 1954, the world’s first such icebreaker was built, with no less than four propellers, two in the bow and two in the stern. With the propellers, the icebreaker could clear ice much more quickly, and less slush and ice floes were left in the channel. In the 1990s, the Azipod thruster was developed, which is used in both icebreakers and cruise ships. It is more powerful than its predecessor, and it also saves energy consumption by up to a quarter.

The reflector

It’s dark outside in Finland for a large part of the year, so pedestrians’ lives are at risk if motorists can’t see them. the 1950s, a farmer, Arvi Lehti, lost a horse to a traffic accident in the dark and was spurred to action: he built – in what had been his horse’s stall – a plastic machine and started making reflectors. After a little product development, a snowflake-shaped reflector was born and became an instant hit among children.

Written by roope lipasti translated by Christina saarinen

Winter tires

When a rare snowfall occurs in southern Europe, motorists are in trouble due to slippery conditions. Drivers in Finland are spared such concerns because in winter, Finns put winter tires on their cars. Winter tires resemble normal tires except for their steel studs, which bite into the ice and make driving safer. The first winter tires of this type were patented in Finland in 1959.

The Ball Chair

The Ball Chair, launched by Eero Aarnio in 1966, is the kind of design that leaves no one cold. It has appeared in a James Bond movie and on the cover of numerous magazines. Nothing reflects the pop spirit of the ’60s better than this fiberglass classic.

Fiskars scissors

While Fiskars is known for its high-quality tools overall, its scissors are downright legendary. Of course, they are excellent scissors, but they have one important feature beyond their function: the handles are orange, which has become a Fiskars trademark. The scissors, designed by Olof Bäckström, shook up the scissors world when they were introduced in 1967: they were beautiful, comfortable to hold, and their handles were made of durable plastic. And they cut well, too. Even today, every pair of Fiskars scissors is tested before being shipped to stores. That’s why Fiskars has sometimes said that it sells ‘used’ scissors. The orange color was happenstance: the color happened to be in the machine when a test batch was made, and everyone liked it.

The faucet-mounted bidet sprayer

The faucet-mounted bidet sprayer is perhaps the most under-appreciated Finnish invention. Bidets are an old invention and exist all over the world. But bidets, intended for washing one’s bottom, can be cumbersome to use and take up space. The Finnish version is more convenient and doesn’t take up space—that’s its genius in a nutshell. The sprayer, developed by Oras in 1968, is connected to a bathroom sink faucet, and when you turn on the tap, the sprayer is ready for use. In addition to washing one’s rear end, it’s also handy for cleaning the toilet itself, or things like hosing off children’s muddy rain suits.

The heart rate monitor & the Oura ring

Every self-respecting athlete, along with more and more casual exercisers, monitors various things while working out. The most important of these is heart rate. Before 1979, this required attaching lead wires to the skin, which in turn connected to a machine that measured heartbeats. Of course, it wasn’t very convenient when running outdoors – you would have to have very long leads, at least. It was the Finnish company Polar who introduced to the market a wrist-watch receiver that measured heartbeat from data sent by a transmitter strapped to the chest.

Development along these lines has continued, and a more recent significant Finnish invention is the Oura ring, which measures a person’s sleep quality and much more.

The text message

Nokia ruled the mobile phone market for twenty years from early 90s and during that time, applied for and was granted thousands of patents. One of Nokia’s most famous inventions is the text message. The first text message was sent from a computer to a phone in 1992, ushering in the text-based phone era. The text itself was short and

concise: “Merry Christmas.” Matti Makkonen is often mentioned as the developer of the text message, but in reality, there were many engineers involved – as there generally are.

Benecol

High cholesterol is extremely prevalent among Finns. Benecol margarine, produced by Raisio Group, was introduced in 1995 and is a functional food that reduces blood cholesterol. Its active ingredient, stanol ester, has been named one of the most important discoveries in the field of nutrition in recent decades.

Nordic walking

Nordic walking became a trend in the late 1990s. The concept was simple but innovative: to combine skiing and walking. In other words, it’s walking with ski poles, which is much more effective from a fitness point of view, as the upper body is also working all the time. So what if the kids laugh at such a middle-aged activity!

A waterproof wood composite

In 2019, a new type of bathroom fixture entered the market. The fixtures weren’t made of porcelain or plastic as usual, but of wood. And it wasn’t just any wood, but a waterproof wood composite developed by Woodio. It’s manufactured from woodchips and can be used to make things like sinks and bathtubs. The material was born when researchers mixed different ingredients for fun at a Christmas party. Fortunately, they still remembered the formula in the morning.

These Finnish inventions never made it big abroad: liver casserole and mämmi

Liver casserole is prepared from ground liver and rice, and even Finns either love it or hate it—there are many who also love to hate it! Mämmi, on the other hand, is a malty, rye-based dessert eaten at Easter, which looks like something that’s been fished out of a toilet bowl. These two dishes have not spread very far beyond Finland’s borders, so it appears there is a need for continued product development – or at least for better branding. s

One of Nokia’s most famous inventions is the text message.

A city of museums

Written by Joanna kurth

If you viSit the city’s website, you will find a list of 11 museums that are either owned by the city or a private foundation. These include larger professional museums such as Turku Castle, Luostarinmäki, Turku Art Museum, Turku City Art Museum WAM, Aboa Vetus Ars Nova and Maritime Museum Forum Marinum. They have educational programs, cafes and museum shops, and they attract a large number of visitors every year.

Turku is known for its many museums. But how many exactly are there?

This sounds like such a simple question, but it’s a really tricky one.

However, this list is incomplete as it does not include the charming home museum Ett Hem, the quirky little hospital museum, and some other smaller museums.

When you add up all the above, you get a total of 16 museums. But in addition, there are one-room exhibitions or history rooms that are called museums (which, from a museum professional's point of view, may not be such). Like Kakolanmäki Hill Museum, which is in an old building of a former prison and tells stories of imprisonment. Or the slightly more ambitious Finnish Scout Museum, or the home of nine-time Olympic gold medalist Paavo Nurmi, or...

Although there are so many museums in Turku, both small and large, both professionally maintained and ones run by volunteers, our city lacks a museum dedicated to its history. Strange, you might think, and we're inclined to agree. This situation will however change for the better, as Turku plans to open a new museum of history and the future by the end of this decade.

History, the future, and a new museum

Turku is the oldest city in Finland and one of the oldest in the Nordic countries. For centuries, Turku was the second largest city in Sweden. It is first mentioned in a document from 1229, and this is generally referred to as the founding year of the city. Turku is therefore heading towards its 800th anniversary in 2029! In the same year, the new museum building will also be completed.

The decision to establish a new museum was made in 2017. To its core, the new museum will be the city's historical museum, which

focuses on looking at possible futures through the city's history and examining history through the future. Finland is a leading country in future studies, and future skills have increasingly been seen as an important tool in understanding our existence. The idea of future skills as part of the museum's content, operations and educational programs has a wide appeal. That's part of what makes this a unique museum.

The new museum will be built in Linnanniemi area on the riverbank near Turku Castle. The location has a long and varied history; in its center is the Castle, a defensive and administrative fortress from medieval times, surrounded by harbour and industrial activities and their colourful stories. The Castle was originally built on an island, which over time connected to the mainland. Most of the current Linnanniemi is landfill area.

Currently, Linnanniemi is used for port operations. The land lease agreement with the Port of Turku ends in 2027, when the land will be returned to the city and the port will be relocated elsewhere. The Museum of History and the Future will be the vanguard for urban development in Linnanniemi as it will be first new building in the area. An architectural competition for the design of the museum is planned to be held in the fall of 2023, and the aim is to break ground in 2027.

An open and inclusive planning process

Just as important as the new building are the museum's concept and content. Working on these has been an open process – co-creation is an essential part of planning and setting up the new museum. Citizens and museum staff as well as external experts and stakeholders have

Although there are so many museums in Turku our city lacks a museum dedicated to its history.

Wander

all been included in the engagement process and the brainstorming of the content.

A lot has happened since 2014, starting with surveys and interviews, being active on social media, organizing open pop-up workshops and workshops for stakeholders, implementing participatory projects in suburban neighbourhoods, and displaying the project in pop-up spaces. As part of the planning process, a new cooperation agreement has been signed with local universities.

The contribution of all participants has influenced how we think about the museum and its implementation, as well as its goals and content. At the same time, public awareness of local history and cultural heritage has increased. The participants in all the activities have been enthusiastic to discuss and learn more about the local cultural heritage as well as to think about the possible futures of our common heritage.

A museum for Turku, about Turku

Turku is the cultural and economic centre of its region, and the third largest urban region in Finland. The Turku region attracts tourists thanks to its clean and diverse nature, breathtakingly beautiful archipelago, the city's long history and vibrant cultural life. The city's rich history is present, for instance, in events inspired by the past, such as the highly popular medieval market.

The challenges faced by Turku are shared globally. Through their expertise, museums can join in the work to solve these challenges. The Museum of History and the Future will be an ecological and resource-wise building, and it will serve as a platform for stakeholders with aligning paths towards a sustainable future. The need for new kinds of partnerships and out-of-the-box business models has been recognized, and the discussion on these issues continues.

The museum's operating model will be based on partnerships, for instance with creative industries and future studies. Citizen science, participatory practices and strengthening future skills will be at the

heart of the museum’s audience engagement. The focus will be on collecting and documenting intangible cultural heritage in the form of memories and stories about everyday life.

We believe that a museum must function and be present in people’s lives, outside its own walls. Digital services and content are important ways to achieve these goals.

On our journey towards 2029, we are keen to learn from the residents of our city, our partners and other cities. We want to maintain flexibility in our thinking: we are open to rethink our plans and change them. As a city, Turku has always been ready to embrace innovations and new connections. We want to continue this tradition.

Turku deserves a new museum – a museum that’s all about the city’s history and its future. s

Joanna Kurth is the project manager of the forthcoming Turku Museum of History and the Future.

MORE ABOUT MUSEUMS & ACTIVITIES: kissmyturku.com/see-and-do

Visit the virtual exhibition “Luostarinmäki 1827”

through the alleys of Luostarinmäki before the Great Fire in Turku. Explore the residential quarter and the landscape on the outskirts of the city from 200 years ago! digimuseo.fi/en

The author's hotels

I’ve Seen mAny hotels in my life. These days, I mostly travel for work, to make author appearances in different parts of Finland and occasionally beyond. Traveling for work offers me a great opportunity to see hotels and places I wouldn’t necessarily come across as a tourist.

In one town made famous by its cross-country skiers, the hotel I stayed in was a studio apartment upstairs from a local restaurant. The view from the room looked out onto a cemetery. But it was only fitting – at the moment, I was working on a plan for a collection of horror stories. From the windows of another lodging establishment, founded by two young women in Northern Ostrobothnia, the view was endless misty ice. From the windows of a hundred-year-old hotel in Barcelona, I saw only a narrow slit of a courtyard. In Cologne, in a room on the seventh floor, I remember a broad windowsill, the length of the entire wall, with space enough that I could stand up on it. That trip inspired me to boldly throw myself into the novel I was planning at the time.

After making an author appearance, a hotel room is above all a place for rest and relaxation. But sometimes stories – and some certain stories – are born more easily in the self-imposed isolation that hotel living affords. Creativity flourishes in bounded spaces. So I also check into hotels to write.

Hotel life is a way to detach from the everyday grind, a way to step into a bubble where an adult person can let themselves be taken care of. Goodbye dishes, goodbye mental load! Living in a hotel feels safe and predictable, with its small check-in rituals, understated white plastic key cards, friendly chambermaids, and breakfast waiting in the morning. The writer is stripped of other responsibilities and has no choice but to write.

I like to believe that I’m an easy hotel guest. My first task is to hang the sign on the door that politely asks others to leave me alone. In the modern monk’s cell of my hotel room, I am both separated from the world and one with it. The sounds of traffic and people behind the window are no distraction. On the contrary, the muffled

Written by Magdalena hai translated by Christina saarinen

conversation of a group passing by the room or the soft bang of a door remind me that life goes on outside my writing bubble. Maybe that’s why my memories of hotels often revolve around windows and the worlds beyond them.

Hotels are an excellent breeding ground for stories, even if only for the traveling itself. I’m not the kind of writer who, like a nocturnal predator, nabs real conversations or people to use in their stories. But spending time both surrounded by human life and simultaneously on its edges revs a story engine that is fueled by being in this liminal state, by transience and movement.

Checking out of a hotel is rarely a sad moment. I’m often already missing home when I close my suitcase, pull on my shoes, and check for the third time whether I packed my phone charger. Closing the room’s door for the last time and returning the plastic key card to reception is both a mechanical task to be executed and a sacred ritual of taking leave. When I depart, I know that while I may never stay in that hotel again, I will always find myself back at a hotel. s

Magdalena Hai is an award-winning Finnish children’s and young adult author whose books have been sold into more than twenty languages. When at home, she drinks too much coffee and photographs the invertebrates in her garden.

Sometimes stories - and some certain stories - are born more easily in the self-imposed isolation that hotel living affords.

MEDITERRANEAN

BY THE RIVERSIDE

Restaurant Gustavo invites you to enjoy Mediterranean specialities with a Scandinavian twist!

• Wines & pintxos

• Summer terrace menu

• Naples style pizza

• A’la carte dinner

You can also choose takeaway or delivery by Wolt.

Reservations and information: www.gustavo.fi/en Tel. +358 46 9222 488 • Linnankatu 1, Turku

IF YOU WANT TO SHOP, SKANSSI IS THE BULL'S EYE SPOT!

Shopping centre Skanssi is like a charming little village just 5 km from downtown Turku and it’s easy to get here by car, bus or bicycle. Over 80 stores, the K-Citymarket, excellent, free parking facilities, a wide variety of cafés and restaurants. What else do you possibly need?

skanssi.fi