Pori Jazz Festival Revisited

Wednesday July 13, 2011

This will be just a short post.  Anne & the twins picked me up this morning at 10 AM and we headed to Eurajoki for a quick trip to the bank where Minna (Anne's youngest sister) works.

Minna: Service with a smile!

Play Corner at the bank

 I exchanged some U.S. dollars there for Euros.  While I did that at Minna's window, Anne & the twins hung out at the bank's "Play corner" equipped with toys to distract the kids while parents do their banking!  I've never seen so many places with child-friendly spaces. The money thing done, we drove to Pori via Anne's grandma's place, where we deposited the twins.  Gurli, bless her heart, volunteered to watch the kids while we do the festival today.

On the way to the festival Anne took me to see one of Pori's more unique tourist attractions:  the Sigrid Jusélius Mausoleum.  This link (all in Finnish) includes a solemn Finnish tour (with viola accompaniment) but lovely images which I could not attempt to replicate. Built as a tribute to Sigrid, who died of tuberculosis at age 11 years and the only child of wealthy parents, the large marble structure dominates the cemetery in which it is located.  Built in the 1890's, it is decorated inside with several large murals by the Finnish artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela.  One of the scenes depicts the coastal area where Anne & Saku are building their summer house.  According to the guide, Akseli used to live there too.  It is an impressive, if melancholy, structure  with the following inscription in Latin over the inside doorway:  Refrigera illos in loco viridi super aquas refectionis in paradiso deliciarum.

  

Pondering the brevity of life, we continued on our way to eat, drink, and be merry at the festival...

It was a little cool today and the area was not crowded.  For lunch we ate the special little fish from Lapland that are usually only available in this area at festivals.  At least that is where Anne says she eats them "Only at Pori Jazz."  One of my trip goals was to eat lots of little oily fishes.  I guess I can check that off my list now!  I also did a little more shopping...

Space Jerusalem at Pori Jazz Festival 2011

 We listened to a free concert by Space Jerusalem a Finnish quartet that we enjoyed, but whose CDs were not for sale anywhere we could find.  Instead I got the "souvenir" festival CD that has a selection from each of the big name stars of the festival, including Elton John and (gag) Tom Jones.  I hope the other artists are more appealing to real Jazz fans.

We left  around 4 pm and picked up the twins from Gurli.  Because she is Anne's grandma, of course, we had coffee and sandwiches and dessert.  Yum.  God bless Gurli.

(L to R) Mummu (Grandma) Gurli, Aleksi & Anne

 We headed back to Rauma around 5 pm with plans to have a sauna at Anne & Saku's.   Tomorrow, I am going to Turku to see the castle with Saku's mom, Leena, and his brother Sami and his wife Anu.  Hyvä!