The breakfasts have been excellent. Buffet-style but plenty to eat, and all the coffee. Finns claim to have the highest per capita coffee consumption in the world. I am here to help.
But today, Sunday 10 September has arrived. I have an appointment at 11.30 for a tour of Ainola, the home of Jean and Aino and their family. I have imagined this day for, well, more years than I care to remember.
Now I'm familiar with the trams and getting around town, no probs, my next challenge is to get to the train station, central Helsinki, get a ticket, find train 'R' and get to Ainola station...
And fortunately that happened all quite easily. The only spanner was that the ticket vending machines weren't working but the kindly woman in the kiosk seemed used to dealing with bamboozled tourists.
On the train. Counting the stations.
Can't believe it.
I have tried to explain why I have wanted to come here...largely that simple image of a kindly old composer waving to eager musicians from his front verandah. That's it. That, and learning a bit more about his music and influences; I'd like to think as an amateur musician, it will give my playing efforts more depth and meaning...or somesuch.
I reach the station in time, get off and from there, it is a 1.1km walk to the house. I imagined, being a Sunday, there would be a few people getting off the train, making the pilgrimage...
No, just me.
I spent a few hours there. How long is long enough when you've waited all these years? How much can you take in in one visit?
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| When you are just 400m from your dream... |
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| Looking out form the cafe, waiting |
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| First glimpse, through the woods |
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| A little closer |
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| That verandah *waves*... |
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| The stable and woodhouse |
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| In the kitchen |
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| The stove and cooking area |
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| Sibelius's room... |
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| Where he composed |
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| The lounge and library, where he also smoked and ashed in different ashtrays, according to his mood |
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| The living area, and his piano which he played each night, to a painting of one daughter who died as a child. Sibelius was a violinist, and mostly composed using the violin |
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| One of many fireplaces; Sibelius had synesthesia and it is said he saw colours as major scales. This fireplace, green, was F major |
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| House, detail |
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| Back of the house Sibelius had to work in silence, all the guttering was made of wood so there wouldn't be any distraction. His wife Aino, finally plumbed the house after his death... |
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| ...prior to that. housekeepers had to draw the water from one of seven wells |
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| Buried together in the grounds |
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| Jean and Aino |
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| Moss |
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| The sauna |
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| Across the fields |
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| Ainola pines |
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| A photo of the couple with the house |
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| In the sauna hut |
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| The sauna itself |
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| The cellar |
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| Rocks, moss |
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| The garden was all Aino's work |
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| An accomplished wood worker (common for women in the time apparently)... |
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| She also grew the apple trees from seed which continue to grow to this day, and on this day |
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| And fall to the ground |
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| The view from the garden |
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| Pine needles and raindrops |
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| An apple cider to toast Aino |
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| A last glimpse, I don't want to leave... |
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| Along the path, on the way to the train station |
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| A peek at Ahola |
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| Home of Juhani Ahon Koti, Sibelius's nearest neighbour |
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| Train station |
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| Train spotting |
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| Train concourse...back; mission accomplished, life goal achieved What is next? |
I don't have the answer to that question. Ainola is part of what was a vibrant artistic community of musicians, writers, artists; across the highway was Ahola, home of one of Finland's revered authors so I went there as well. I didn't know quite as much about him, but it was interesting nonetheless.
My walk back to the station and the ride into town was somewhat ethereal. I felt so fortunate and privileged to have been there, in a way words (and music--though the Karelia Suite comes close; I may have been heard humming all the way back to town) can barely describe. I can't begin to think what comes next...
[Camera : iPhone6s, 10.11am-11.24am; Lumix TZ-85, 11.29am-2.52pm; 10 September 2017]
