Jyväskylä: Alvar Aalto in C major

The snow that covers the grounds of the main campus of University of Jyväskylä is crispy in the afternoon sunshine. I'm about to walk straight through the campus but stop to look at the snow sculptures between the apple trees of Aallonpuisto (Aalto's Park) and the university main building. I suppose the creations have been made by schoolchildren, not students at the university...

The university main building by architect Alvar Aalto is known simply as "C" among both staff and students. That's all it says in the signs around the campus as well but originally, the C stands for Capitolium. I doubt many people have heard that.

Alright, I'll step in and do a little exploring. The lobby houses a café the name of which reminds you of the architect: Aallokko (waves; Aalto = a wave) but it was originally called Belvedere, probably because of the huge glass windows. The open cloakroom area is surrounded by a stylish curvy counter that clearly spells Aalto.

The side staircases from the lobby lead to the top part of the Festivity hall. The steps are white marble and the beautiful polished wood next to the black handrail also catches the eye.

The black handrail seems to continue forever, making a full turn right up to the door of C2, the top half of the Festivity hall. I've never really paid attention to these handrails before. It is so easy to not even notice that you're taking hold of something, walking forward and getting support from it. You just let go. You may have been holding something very beautiful in your hand.

I walk down the stairs and choose another entrance to the Festivity hall: the main one right in the middle of the lobby. As if by a miracle, the doors are open although there is no lecture or event going on! A group of architects seems to be visiting the building and thanks to them, I also get to see the hall open and lit up. This is quite an entrance.

Entering the lower part of the Festivity hall, C1, you'll see a curvier black handrail than the one that takes you to C2. Nice.

I walk up the stairs to get a good view of the whole Festivity hall. The hall's two parts C1 and C2 can together seat more than 700 people. I think that I've usually only been here in the evening or when it is dark and you don't even realize that there are windows up in the ceiling.

Entrance examinations, course exams, rock bands, symphony orchestras, lectures, official ceremonies. This hall has seen it all. It is a rare thing to see this space so empty.

And when you leave the Festivity hall, the handrail will guide you safely back to the lobby, after a concert, a lecture... Like a shepherd's rod.

To the right of the festivity hall the lobby reaches much higher and reveals a different combination of red bricks, skylights, structures and white surfaces.

 

The staircase leading upstairs also has beautiful handrails but these are wooden ones, in different shapes. A round handrail for a round column.

On the second floor the handrail is square. Aalto has played with shapes. I wonder if there are triangular ones somewhere? Again, I've never before noticed these details although I've spent hours and hours in this building!

The door to the lecture hall C4 is also invitingly open. The afternoon sunlight does its magic and paints another set of windows on the red brick wall.

This may be world famous architecture but I can assure you, the folding seats are not exactly comfortable to sit on for an hour or two.

The Aalto-designed chairs reserved for the teachers at the front seem much more comfortable.

 

I go back downstairs, slip into the corridor that takes me to the side wing of C building. This is where the Aalto library, or Aalto Reading Room is. The library has given in to today's technology; the reading tables are equipped with computers. Do students and researchers still come here to read books or do they focus on the computer screen? At least there is room for both.

Jyväskylä: Snowshoeing at Karhujärvi

Karhujärvi, here we come! It is a gorgeous, sunny day when we arrive at Ampujien Maja, a local shooting club's house at Laukaa. The club house is only about 15 minute's drive from Jyväskylä and it is not only for people who are club members; during skiing season weekends, Ampujien Maja is popular among cross country skiers who park here for the day, go off skiing and on their return can relax with a cup of coffee and a snack at the club house canteen. We step in for a snack in front of an open fire before setting off. Oh, those were the days when the doughnuts were freshly baked right here, but you can't have it all...

Time to strap on our snowshoes and leave. At first we follow the cross country skiing track (no walking on it!) but soon decide to make a shortcut across the bog. Funnily enough, we have just crossed the border of Laukaa and entered Jyväskylä city! The snow is very soft and my snowshoes sink deep into it. The skiers seem to fly past us. We advance slowly, step by step, but luckily we're in no hurry.

On the first slope there are traces of snowshoes across the ski track, going to the right direction. We also turn left and start meandering through the forest. The trees do not grow in straight lines so it would be impossible to go straight anyway; snowshoes are exactly right for this route. Soon we see a clearing ahead: Karhujärvi lake.

Karhujärvi lake (karhu=bear, järvi = lake) is a peaceful corner of northern Palokka, a suburb of Jyväskylä. There are hardly any buildings on its shores, with the exception of a cabin used by local scouts. And of course there's the nearby log shelter to which we made a shortcut through the forest. If you are skiing, you can find it easily following the signs on the ski track.

We follow the previous snowshoer's track onto Karhujärvi lake and find also another set of snowshoe footprints from a slightly different direction. So that's the way we can take to return to Ampujien Maja when we're heading back.

Here you can say it's walking with a light step because the snowshoes don't sink deep into the snow. There seems to be somewhat less snow on the lake than in the forest, and much less compared to the amount of snow on the bog.

There's a smell of smoke and sausages in the air even before we reach the Karhujärvi log shelter. The skiers are just finishing their sausages when we sit down at the fire. I dig two biscuits from my jacket pocket and think positive: it is nice to be walking without a backpack for a change, even if it means that we've got no tea or sausages with us. The skiers leave, the next group arrives with a dog. More sausages, and a small tragedy: one of them falls onto the embers. The lucky dog!

We stop to admire the lake before heading back to the forest. It would be great to stay on Karhujärvi and continue to enjoy the sun that has an extra large smile on its face today... Then again, as we snowshoe across the forest, it is also lovely today, with the sun pointing out some beautiful spots.

When we're back at the Karhusuo bog the ski tracks seem deserted whereas earlier there was a continuous flow of skiers. It is getting later, and the shadows are getting longer. I find our earlier footprints and start marching back towards Ampujien Maja. Here's a trail for the next snowshoers...

Jyväskylä: Art to handle

Something catches my eye on the advertising stand in front of the Craft Museum of Finland, Kauppakatu street, Jyväskylä. On top of it, actually. Has someone dropped something? Apparently not; this little hand-made decoration is there on purpose: to attract the passers-by. Although I'm no fan of pink lacy things, it is still something sweet. I wonder if there's anything else that's small but still noticeable nearby?

Oh yes. The door handle to the Craft Museum itself - wearing a knit graffiti in burnt orange. If I remember right, the door handle has a new outfit; the last one before this was striped. So this is a spring costume.

Round the corner, on Kilpisenkatu street, the Craft Museum is showcasing stylish printed fabrics by a local designer, Kaisi Koivumäki who has created also some dioramas in the "Näytönpaikka" display window. Each of them tells its own fairytale story, with her fabrics in the background.

On the worn wood-covered door handle to the office of the Craft Museum there is a tiny pink crocheted flower. Let's see what else can be found in the door handles nearby.

There's a yarn shop up the same street. However, Titityy's door handle isn't wearing a knit graffiti (and I was already expecting to see one!)... But of course it's quite elegant in itself.

I walk down half a block and step into the first pedestrian street in Jyväskylä: Keskustie. This yarn shop is proud to present its name, Poppeli (Poplar) in the handmade felt cover of the wide, otherwise boring door handle.

Further down, on the corner of Kauppakatu and Gummeruksenkatu streets, there is a most stylish door handle decoration; the door now leads to an insurance company's premises but there was a Gummerus book shop until the early 1980's. Gummerus, founded in 1872, still continues as a publishing house.

Well, not all is as unique as that. Unfortunately the most common door handle type on Kauppakatu street is the boring aluminium one that has been attached to far too many doors, even in buildings that definitely are from a different, much earlier era.

I walk up Kauppakatu and turn back without meeting another good-looking door handle until I step on the other side of the street. This is sure to be an original one! Thank you for not upgrading to a newer model.

When I come to the bar Vihreä haltijatar / La fée verte there's a beautifully shaped wooden door handle, but it's had its share of the weather. Luckily, the next door in the same building is still in decent condition.

Kauppakatu 17 A door handle is also an original one, showing where exactly the inhabitants and visitors have taken hold of it over the years.

Walking on Kauppakatu street, I meet a couple more original wooden door handles. Only few steps to Kilpisenkatu, a neat round one still remains even if the door itself has been slightly vandalized by someone scribbling on it.

Back on Kauppakatu, Asuntogalleria estate agency's door handle is of a familiar type, just like the one that is decorated with a woollen flower.

Little things can indeed make a difference. Like a nice door handle, with or without decorations.

Imatra: Risuniemi nature trail

Risuniemi nature trail is on on the border of Imatra and its neighbour community Ruokolahti in South Carelia, and not too far from Finland's border to Russia either. This seems to be a quiet spot; the car park hasn't seen a snowplough all this winter.  However, once we reach the trail map on the snow-covered square, the 2.5 km route seems perfectly clear.

The previous snowshoer must have been here a couple of days ago at least, but at least he or she has been showing the way and it is nice to follow a ready made path for a while. There are 26 information boards on the trail in Finnish, telling about the nature along the route.

A fallen tree is blocking the path that follows a small road but that's ok. It is easy to go round it wearing snowshoes. The forest around the path is mostly coniferous but there are also lots of bare, leafy trees.

The trail crosses an estate that was originally owned by Gallén family. The buildings have been torn down already but there are still signs of human life in their old back yard. What remains are a couple of old cars, well, parked at the back yard. To rot. The Ford Anglias and a Cortina remain there to show that cars don't rot that easily.

Amidst the other trees there are a couple of beautiful Siberian larches, the oldest of which was planted back in 1921.

The path winds into the forest, then back to the edge of the yard where some small-leaved limes have taken over; two of them are resting peacefully on the ground, and the others are reaching high above. What's the sound? Ah, it's a black woodpecker!

A snowmobile has also tried the trail, making the snow way harder beneath my feet. As we reach the lakeshore, the snowmobile trail continues onto the lake while we continue on foot on the shore. A Finnish spitz is enjoying a leisurely jog on the ice, as much as the cross country skiers are enjoying their late round on the lake.

The nature trail information board at Saunalahti tells us that there used to be a saw mill around here: Immola Saw Mill. It was closed before the Winter War that began in 1939. All is quiet on this front - and the snow-covered lake is bathing in the late afternoon light. We follow the red trail marks back into the forest.

This is a sure sign of the spring being on its way: the snow is no longer pure and white but it is dotted with needles and tiny branches fallen from the trees. The golden sunlight shines through the evergreens, makes patterns on the crust of snow. We advance step by step onto the tallest ridge and then descend back to Lake Saimaa.

The information board number 17 says this is a scenic spot and you can also make a fire here (with landowners's permission). There are a couple of benches under the snow, and the even without the huge Stora Enso paper and board mill on the shore opposite there is a view here. Anyway, it is a place for a bit of rest. Or it would be, if it weren't so late in the afternoon... There's no chance for us to make a fire and stop for a snack.

Just think about this in the summertime, a beautiful lake; just block out the steam or smoke from the paper/board mill. The trail continues along the lakeshore and there is a very nice looking cross country skiing track there...

Towards the end of the trail I can feel exhaustion stepping in. The crust of snow breaks beneath my snowshoes, but I know that had I been here in the morning, after a very cold night, it would have carried me easily. I manage only seven steps, not consecutive ones, without my snowshoes falling in. This time I would welcome poles, but as usual, I don't have them with me...

The sun is almost down. The trailmarks lead us to a signpost that says E10, marking the European Long Distance Path! So this is where the E10 goes, between Ruokolahti and Imatra. We're only a short distance from the starting point of Risuniemi trail, and keep following the red paint marks on the trees. Underneath our feet there is now either a narrow trail or a a little road. I can well imagine how beautiful it is here in the summer...

Meandering at Mikkeli

I stand next to Mikkeli market place and turn my head to the end of the pedestrian street, Hallituskatu. The steeple of the red brick church is reaching towards the sky on a small hill.

Up we go; granite steps lead to the neo-gothic Mikkeli cathedral that makes me think about Harry Potter films, even if its features are not as sinister.  The sign at the front door warns about ice falling from the steep roof, and not in vain. While I'm standing there, a  large clump of hard snow crashes on the ground behind the warning sign. A sure sign of spring coming!

I continue my walk behind the church and descend on Otto Mannisen katu street, named after the Finnish writer, translator and poet Otto Manninen who made his career during the first half of 20th century. Behind the wooden fence, another artist's work greets me from a tree.

Round the corner, Puistokatu street is lined on this side with wooden buildings. I stop to gaze at the tiniest river shape in the melting ice, carved across the frozen pavement by the water drops from the drainpipe.

On the other side of the wooden fence, there are speech bubbles on the wall. "Koira." ("A dog.") "Saako silittää?" ("Can I stroke it?") "Sä oot kaunis." ("You're beautiful.") This must be an art garden or something like that!

On the left, I discover another piece of art hanging from a leafless old oak tree. A mysterious, leafy lady is swinging quietly. A sign on the yard reveals that the wooden building houses an art school for children and young people, as well as art classes for adults.

No wonder the speech bubbles greet me on the walls. "Moi"! "Hello!" On the other side of the yard, there are some university buildings for more serious students.

However, the building next to children's art school is also dedicated to art. Mikkelangelot, a local art society, has its facilities here, as well as Mikkeli Centre of Photography. The rhyming sign next to the doorbell politely implies: "Ring the bell, wait a while /And you can enter / art in style" or something like that... On the broom that leans on the wall, someone has scribbled that the first to enter must sweep the stairs! I step inside the Mikkeli Centre of Photography but find it is deserted, except for the two men doing some renovation work. I check out the wall of photographs and return back outside.

On the other side of the street there is a football field below the street level, totally covered with snow of course. A cross-country skiing track has been made around the football pitch - skiing is about the only thing you can do there at this time of the year!

I turn back and follow Ristimäenkatu street which is named after the church (risti = cross, mäki = hill, mäen = genitive of 'mäki')  and stop to have a look at a solitary pillar which isn't attached to a fence although it should be. Poor man, carrying the heavy load on his back. What is your story?

At the corner of Ristimäenkatu and Hallituskatu streets, the posters insist that I must visit the corner building, Mikkeli Art Museum. Today the museum features Southern Savo regional exhibition, besides the permanent exhibitions in the impressive granite building that represents Art Nouveau style. The welcome is friendly and I get a brief introduction to both the museum and its exhibits. The building was first a post office but before becoming a museum, it has also served as a police station, including some jail cells!

A local or regional art exhibition may not sound like much but the works of some artists are really impressive, notably those of Nadia Zubareva and the human sculptures made of metal net; Anna-Liisa Kuosmanen's fabulous red double bass woven of willow;  Pippa Laurio's black and white works that create an illusion of being three dimensional, and Pirjo Vartiainen's autumnal willowherb painting in its fantastic colours.

The exhibitions is really refreshing and I return to the market place with a light step. The market place itself, right in the center of Mikkeli, is actually frozen for ice skaters so I'm surprised not to see anyone skating there on this beautiful day.

Mikkeli boasts of a new shopping centre Stella that was opened last November. The shopping centre meant saying goodbye to the old, small market hall (which was supposed to be temporary but had stayed there for decades). Something was left of the old days: the renovated gate buildings still guard the entrance to the new shopping paradise. I walk through the spacious, glass-covered square and enter a smaller adjacent building behind it to find the small shops of which most were found also in the now demolished market hall. These shopkeepers now have their stalls in a building that was earlier used for handling parcels sent by bus. Just a little bit of history left... Time for a cup of coffee or tea in one of the nearby coffee shops!