Sunday, October 1

 

 

We got up early and I went for a seventy minute walk while Irma finished packing and making sure she has everything she needs. I spent the time listening to Richard Thompson’s new album Acoustic Rarities. Interesting, he has made a devastatingly good solo version of Sloth, with overdubbed harmony vocals and great acoustic soloing.

After brunch Irma phoned a taxi and sped off the the airport. She has to catch a flight to Franfurt and then a luxury coach to Strasbourg, where she will attend a four day EU conference.

I cycle to Puotila and head for the centre because I have arranged to meet Naa to look at the opening day of Herring Week. We meet and, within a few minutes, we have found Jorre and Johanna’s boat, and begun purchasing fish and bread. I decide to try some of Johanna’s curry rollmops, and buy some sääristo leipä from two old women from Inga.

We walk up and down and see Magnus Nyhölm clambering onto his boat while someone we don’t know serves his customers. We wander around the restaurant area where Naa feels momentarily tempted by sushi burritos, or by the idea of sushi burritos, but fails to succumb.

We will catch the metro back to east Helsinki and she will leave for home while I will walk to Puotila to get my bike. I will find Sunshine waiting for me and answer some messages from Irma. She has learned that she will sit on the plane on the runway for the next four hours while somebody sorts out some technical problems with the German navigation systems.

Later I will learn that Irma still managed to connect with her bus, and get to her hotel, even though this involved running the whole length of Frankfurt airport.