Ville de Helsinki

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The one and only, legendary Isle of Sheep event hosted by Vallilan Tango was a success, once again. August 29th the evening started around 4 PM, when people took off to the trail through the marsh. We were invited to have juice, cookies, and candy, then to follow the signs to Lammassaari along the path.

[Photo: Jakke. Path to Lammassaari]

A short person, all I could see for 20 minutes, was grass. Halfway, there was a platform from where I could see the beautiful city skyline in the evening sun. After a while we heard a voice coming from the grass, reciting old thruths about social dancing in the olden days. The player was hidden so it was a surprise – an “experience”, as the organizers called it.

[Photo: Jakke. Pohjolan Pirtti / Koitto]

When arriving at the site we were greeted by Mustalaisprimas plays blonde, a blond violinist playing outside the century-old red villa originally a social club for a sobriety society. No alcohol was to be sold, but we were well prepared. There were some other performances, as well. A band called The Barn Sparrows (Musiikkia syvästä/-ltä etelästä) entertained us with music from the deep south or from deep … and as last year, also Granny (Mummo) had a word or two to tell us.

[Photo: Jakke. Antti the musician peeking]

[Photo: Jakke. Guests and hosts]

“Jyrki Katainen”, both a female and a male version greeted everybody and reminded us to make a deposit – to buy badges and neckties to support the band.

[Photo: Jakke. Mr. Playback Boy]

The show inside started with Mr. Playback Boy, the only Drag King I’ve ever seen. I’m soo in love with him (her). Mr. Playback Boy is Laura , a “theater and music professional” as she calls herself.

[Photo: Jakke. Mr. Playback Boy = Laura Murtomaa]

(S)he was the slimiest latino ever, the playboy evergreen singer, the obscene pop star, a frustrated base vocalist in an acappella group, a pompous male choir member, and finally, a director of orchestra.

[Photo: Jakke. Vallilan Tango]

After a short while of dance instruction, the band started to play, and people floodedon the dance floor. Vallilan Tango is this strange but excellent band featuring among other things, a vocalist who sings in broken English or broken Finnish as I think he is Dutch. And, they excel in Finnish tango, although they play cha cha, waltz, fox, and even polka, too.

As the villa is old and has no heating, it was chilly when I first arrived. I had to change clothes halfway in the night, as I was soaking wet, and it wasn’t the slight rainfall we got that night.. The Youngest R had found me a pussikalja somebody forgot in the bus, so I drank my present – I was so thirsty I didn’t care what it was.

There are more pics and even more to come. All photos are taken by Jakke. To contact Jakke, leave a comment.

There are more photos of the event by Jakke.
These require you to log in to Facebook.
These are in Picasa (Isle of Sheep 2008) / Reeta Viljakainen.
These are also in Picasa (Isle of Sheep 2007) / user: Christian
Also Isle of Sheep 2007 photos by Jungle/Arctic at Flickr

The choir Akademiska SÃ¥ngföreningen holding their student caps, singing a serenade for the newly elected “laurel wreath maker” for the conferees to be promoted.

Floran päivä (Flower Day??!!) or maybe just Flora Day is being celebrated May 13th every year to commemorate the National Anthem of Finland (Maamme-laulu) that this year had its 160th birthday. Manne and FlipMasterT were having a wonderful pique nique in slightly chilly but sunny weather in the historic Kumtäkt / Kumtähti park. A reporter of Helsingin Sanomat, the leading Finnish newspaper, came to taste some punsch liquor with us and mentioned something of our discussion in today’s edition.

Also HYY, the Student Union Of Helsinki University covered the event.

Later, when stopping at the market, a hoboish person smoking at the bar exit commented to his friends:”One wears the student cap May 1st, damn it. Who the **ll does she think she is, wearing it now?” I was tempted to enlighten the guy, who obviously had no experience whatsoever of the cap, that students may wear the cap all summer 24/7 from May to the end of September, when there is a big party called Lakinlaskijaiset. The rest of the year the cap is worn only for special occasions.

The article did appear in HS the following day, but I need to scan it. Nothing fancy about it, only pics of the VIPs, as the journalist had already sent her photographer home for the day. Scans coming soon.

Hello!

This is the blog of Ville B’s friends. Ville left for the New Continent, and we have a mutual wish to stay post-it. I am persuading Ville to set up a blog of his own while we on the other side of the world can use this blog to tell him about the life here while he is gone – from our standpoint.

Anyone of Ville’s friends can sign up to be an author or contributor of this blog. I wish as many as possible would do this, even to only post a link to their own blogs, homepages, sites, online galleries etc. on the net. This way our busy friend won’t have to access so many different addresses. Not everybody uses RSS or the like, so this blog might serve as an all-you-need feed.

As the administrator, I will make it possible for any of Ville’s friends to add content to this blog. Even photos can be stored here. For this you do not have to sign up. Just add a commet to this post with your email included, so I can contact you. Your comment will not be visible. The only person that will see your comment / email address is the admin, that is, for the time being, me. I will delete the comments after mailing you back. I will send instructions on how to edit this blog, upload images, etc. Please, provide me with your real name just in case it is not a part of your address. If you suspect I don’t recognize you, please add a word or two stating how you know Ville or where you met him. Please don’t be offended if I double chexk your identity. Giving blog editing rights to a spammer isn’t something I want to risk.

Of course you can also sign up, after which you have access to a mail account, hard disc space, and a blog.

Let’s keep Ville on track with what’s going on in our lives here!

Manne