Herring Market

I'm going to shamelessly take this opportunity to enthuse about Helsinki. What a wonderful city it is.

Take yesterday, for example. A perfect autumn weather with brisk air, sunshine, trees all aglow with yellow and red leaves.

As if that wouldn't be enough, the annual herring market began again and the whole market square and the harbour is filled with small fishing boats, insane seagulls, people playing the accordion despite the public health regulations, people selling herring in all its forms to other people, and the odd slightly bewildered tourist. I went there with my mother, we had a splendid time wondering all the things mentioned above (and had one unreal moment when the accordion player finished his set with Light My Fire by, you guessed it, the Doors), ate some wonderful salmon soup, discussed the merits of all the differently prepared herring preserves and even as far as to have one pint of beer listening to a small brass band playing a fine selection of the cheesiest schlagers known to mankind.

Funny how everything sounds so much better when played with a trombone, a tuba, a trumpet and a small set of drums.

I can't help but wonder why oh why did I leave my camera at home. Stupid me.

Oh well. At least I have a decent chunk of cold smoked salmon in my fridge and a loaf of the traditional archipelago bread waiting to be eaten. Life is good, so good, in fact, that I am not going to think about the student loan I was forced to take. I'll start worrying about it after two years when I have to start paying it back.


Soundtrack: V on background. The most horrible sci fi series ever made, yet I liked it a lot when I was a child. Shows how times have changed, really.