Monday October 25 - Fly eating plants grow at all temperatures

It's true- I'm happy to know that I can grow my own Audrey II whenever I'd like no matter how cold it is outdoors. We saw quite a few scary looking plants at the Garden Center this evening with Tanja and the girls.

 But before I got to the garden center, I had my first Russian Literature class. I was quite nervous for it because it was supposed to be taught in Russian with the most important parts highlighted in Finnish but I feared that the professor was Finnish and would teach most of it in Finnish. As soon as Alexei Lobski (already a sigh of relief escaped my lips as I read his Russian name) passed around the attendance sheet and asked us, in Russian, to sign it; I knew I was safe. The course outline sounds great and I am looking forward to learning lots about Russian literary history as well as some of the main writers. My reading list is made up and I will be paying the library a nice visit sometime soon.

Onto our Garden Center adventure:
Although this is my second time in the Center, I am not one to complain about revisiting a place that I found interesting in the first place. In addition some of the plants were replaced by new ones. We spent some time walking around, talking to the big white parrots (oh wait, that was just me), playing with the fly eating plants and drinking ridiculously sweet hot chocolate. As with any sugar rush, we were all really hyper and chatty for a short while followed by extreme tiredness. An early night for me as could have been predicted.

Enjoying a warm cup of sugar hot chocolate on a cold evening

getting ready for chirstmas

Cutest cactuses ever

that's what i call a wine glass

The orange berries that I enjoy in jam

PINK flower

Tasting apples

yummy apples

As fun as that rocker was, i may have been a bit too big for it

how exotic of us

pig love

garden accessories for all tastes

don't we all want one of these in our gardens?

I actually communicated with this parrot

my pigeon calls worked on talking with this big guy

little shop of horrors!

audrey II with nails

Sunday October 24 - CHILLAX

After two straight weeks of having to entertain guests, I forgot how nice it is just to be myself; do what I want to do, eat what I want to eat, etc. Today was dedicated to recharging my strengths for the upcoming week of classes and life.

The juxtaposition of quiet days make the busy and exciting days even more so.

Saturday October 23 - He shoots, he scores!

Guess what I did on this lovely freezing Saturday night? I went to a hockey game!! crazy eh? I travelled halfway across the world to go to something that wild horses couldn't drag me to in Edmonton. I think I am definitely widening my perspectives.

Today's game was Jyvaskyla vs Hemollina. You can find information about the team and it's players here.

We received quite cheap tickets for 8 euros but paid for them dearly when we found out that we would be standing for the 2.5 hours. The game was of to a slow start and I wasn't really into it because we stood at the very back and only got a clear view of the back of the heads of the guys in front of us. At the end of the first period we moved down to a better place and that's when the game started getting really exciting. I actually felt myself leaning forward with excitement and cheering madly when we scored. Will surprises ever cease?

This was also the first time I saw Reinier after the Russia trip and he brought me back a Cheburashka wearing the Olympic jersey!!! it's so adorable and I was so so happy to get this awesome souvenir.

Besides the uber slippery bike ride home from the hockey game and my freezing hands, today was a day well done.

and the tension thickens

cool lighting

the players emerge from their caves of dressing rooms

dance party on ice aka warmup

pretzels and popcorn - no hockey game is complete without them

Hi Mr. Bobcorn ! 

game is underway 

we continue to eat

a healthy fluorescent glow from our skin

the zamboni at every intermission

Loyal fans who have seats

Victory is ours! 2 - 1

WOOHOO!  we won!

My cute Cheburashka - thank you Reinier!

Friday October 22 - Revisiting Helsinki

Although this is my second out of a minimum of three times that I'll be in Helsinki, I'm still in the process of discovering new places. It seems that even though I'm visiting the same city, the experience differs depending on the crowd I'm with. To get a more factual breakdown of Helsinki click here.

My day started bright and early at 8 am when my overly cheery alarm sounded. Ivan and I caught the 10 am train to Helsinki which stopped at Tampere and we were to change to a different train that would take us the rest of the way. Seeing as our first train arrived late, we missed our designated train and were forced to spend 40 minutes waiting in Tampere. Luckily for us, I knew my way around the streets closest to the train station and we had some kebab before embarking on the rest of our journey. 

Despite our delay with the train business, we made good time in Helsinki and saw many sights (the majority of which I didn't get to see last time I was in the city) before my 8 pm train. To start, we dropped off Ivan's bags in his hostel which was a very nice one. I still like the one I stayed at Tallinn better but I'm just biased ;) The rooms were small and cozy with 4 bunk beds and the common room looked very Hogwarts-ish. The fireplace  and the view out the window gave it a very warm and relaxing feel. 

But we had no time to relax so we zoomed off to see the Russian church, the Cathedral of Finland and everything across, sideways and in between. Unfortunately since it was after 4, most places were closed but we got a very nice external view through the mist and occasional rain. I was quite thankful for our supper break at an all-you-can eat soup, salad and pizza buffet. They had the most amazing pizza. I fear to be quite disappointed when I go back to edmonton, sorry Pizza Hut but you have nothing on european pizzerias. 

Despite the fact that I only spent a little over 5 hours in the city, I was tired as ever on my train and felt quite content with the amount of things that I had seen. Happy travels in the rest of Europe and Russia, Ivan ! In the meantime, I snoozed on the train ... Zzzzz

Rainy Helsinki

Fireplace at Ivan's hostel

Karelian pastry and me - self-explanatory

one of many neo-classicism buildings

cathedral that is likely in alexander II's name

"ouch, our heads from holding up this balcony."

Lovely european street

im so small, this church was really impressive with it's size and gothic architecture

firehall

monument dedicated to ... ALEXANDER II. that guy was popular.

There were much more people in this market square last time I was here. The rain scares even the Finns away.

FANTOMAS car!!! I know where he's hiding - in Finland!

Cathedral of Finland hiding in the background

let's join hands

the life of a student - sad but true

kebab pizza <3 

Kamppi shopping mall - biggest one in Helsinki but still no match for WEM ;)

night view

Cool african motif cafe