On Lahti's 120th Birthday

I never knew Finns throw birthday parties for their cities.

They even make birthday cake.

My city has strawberry cake this year.

I love its vibrant color.

I love its sourness that balanced out sweetness.

Lahti's 120th Birthday Cake. Photo: Linh Vu.

They also play live music every night on the birthday week.

Hubby Pig and I will go watch a water organ show tonight.

City Hall and all city museums were open for free yesterday.

We visited history and art museums.

I thought I would have enjoyed art more than history but it was the opposite.

I learned some interesting things at Lahden Historiallinen Museo.

First, this region was the earliest to be inhabited in Finland after the last ice age.

Because it was a favorable place - hyvä paikka - to find food.

I finally learned how the land here was shaped.

I love their narration so much, I'll quote the beginning piece:

"Just wait. The ice will soon melt and retreat to the north.
The land it compressed will rise up, shrugging its shoulders.
See, there the ice has left behind a high ridge of land.
The weight of the ice also hollowed out the earth into lakes
and crushed rock into sand. This is an ideal place,
just waiting for settlers."

Initially their main crop was barley. Then came rye, another cereal that can stand the cold. When this staple food is scarce, they ate more peas, and some other crops I don't remember...

Ah and potatoes, when first brought to Finland from South America, were called "underground pears".

Lastly, a fire in the 1877 burned down half of the village. Onneksi nobody died and the fire actually gave the authority a reason to replan the land. The square market and streets in Lahti center today were created after that fire! After destruction comes creation. Hope the same applies to current economy.

More about the history and vision of Lahti can be found in this lovely animated video, just published yesterday:

***

Okay, so I ate Lahti's birthday cake and enjoyed all the art.

I should send a gift.

What can I give Lahti?

I'm not sure what is the right way to show love to a city. I think I'll write more about it, film it, and draw it. Ja puhun suomee enemmän, sillä on mun kaupungin kieli. I'll make more Finnish dishes, like puuroriisi (tried it a few days ago with ringoberry jam and now I want it every morning).

Typical Finnish Breakfast: Sweet Porridge with Jam and Butter.

Oh no, I feel attached to Lahti. I don't want to move anywhere else. But it depends on where and if I'll find a job. Good luck to me. Onnea Lahti.