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Konkai-Komyoji Temple and the Big-Haired Buddha
I have starred certain temples in Kyoto and one that I hadnât un-starred yet was Konkai-Komyoji Temple, and the Big-Haired Buddha. The buddhaâs hirsute stylings is not part of the official temple name, just so you know. Itâs mine. It was an undecided sky on the Kyoto day I entered through the large wooden gate at the bottom of a not so scary set of steps towards the main hall. Founded aroundâŠ
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A Walk Up Funaokayama Park in Kyoto, Japan
As you scroll around Kyoto on Google Maps you will see dots of green sprinkled around indicating, one would think, a park of some stature and presence. More often than not, you will find a small sand filled playground. Not somewhere you can go and relax. Kyoto does have some decent and real parks hiding behind those green pixels of Google Maps. Funaokayama Park is one such place albeit a moreâŠ
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Eating Japanese Sakura (Pink) Curry
I see pink on a plate and Iâm eating dessert. And so thatâs what your brain thinks when any food is presenting itself in such a lurid and 80s cheap music video fashion. Even more so when it has the consistency and look of trifle topping. Taking a spoonful must mean a fruity berrylicious taste experience? Not so with this Sakura Curry from Rakuten online. Sakura is the national flower of Japan ââŠ
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A Walk Between 5 Temples in Kyoto, Japan
2020 and 2021 (most likely) will probably be the only time to see a lot of Kyotoâs temples and shrines without the throngs of tourists. We are trying to take this opportunity to visit ALL THE SHRINES! We wonât. There are over 1600 temples in Kyoto (17 of them are UNESCO World Heritage sites). Here are 5 that we walked between in a one day itinerary. As with all temples in Kyoto (and perhapsâŠ
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Christmas Day Dinner in Kyoto, Japan
Yes, Iâm writing this in February. If youâre stuck in Kyoto around Christmas in the year 20?? (Iâm guessing blogs wonât exist come 2100) then you canât do wrong with waddling up to Hyatt Regency in Kyoto for some tasty and surprisingly affordable Christmas Day fodder to snuffle into to. As we were in Kyoto during the Mexican beer scenario, external tourists in Japan were zero and the Japanese, inâŠ
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Sapporo's No Good Misspelt Beer Ordeal
It might reverse-surprise some of you that English is not particularly focused on as a main form of communication in Japan. Speaking as a mono-language western white idiot, I canât criticize this too much. Alas, I canât help my primal monkey-brain feeling all high and mighty when I see grammatical errors from Japanese companies who try and sneak in a little English here and there to add a littleâŠ
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Nibble Size Review: KitKat Ume Plum (æą ćł)
KitKat are pretty busy in Japan all year around. No other country releases such a wide variety of flavours than KitKat Japan. I, for one, applaud their efforts. Along with all the dentists and fitness coaches. To mark the season of Plum tree blossoms, they have release the limited Ume Plum flavoured KitKats just before the Sakura (Cherry Blossom) season shoves it out of the way. I really likeâŠ
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Bars of JÀtkÀsaari, Helsinki
Bars of JÀtkÀsaari, Helsinki
JĂ€tkĂ€saari (literally translating to âDude Islandâ) is a peninsula sitting in the south-west of the Helsinki. Itâs a developing and reclaimed area of Helsinki with big swathes of construction popping up apartment blocks ala Game of Thrones intro style. Word is that by 2030 all apartment blocks will be completed along with schools, stores, and saunas. Naturally. Projected final population ofâŠ
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Bill Burr Live in Helsinki - May 2019
New post on surprisinghorizons.com: Bill Burr - Live in Helsinki - May 2019
Back in 2014 I skipped out on seeing Bill Burr for some crappy work-related gathering. Gods I was an idiot. Over the years since then, Bill Burr has become my favourite comedian eerily in sync with my inner most rage against the machine. With him announcing a date in Helsinki in my first year here it just felt like the shitty stars aligned. It looked like the Finns felt the same way with hisâŠ
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Vappu is a public holiday celebration here in Finland. It celebrates workers and freedom. And vaping. Just kidding, itâs mainly gives Finnish students a massive excuse to have a massive piss up. The word âvappuâ somehow evolved from St. Walpurgis â the patron saint against purging. Just kidding, itâs rabies.
Anyway, hereâs some things to do for Vappu to fit in with the locals.
Drink Sima
Sima is a mead type drink made with mainly sugar, yeast, water and usually other bits like lemon rinds. You can buy it from stores in a soda drink for all the family to enjoy or a very low alcohol sparkling variety. For all the family to enjoy. The two varieties we got tasted mainly of brown sugar and raisins. Which was weird as there werenât raisins in the ingredients.
Eat TippaleipÀ
A funnel cake variation where dough is dripped out of a funnel into boiling oil. Literally, the word TippaleipĂ€ means âdrop breadâ. I was expecting a soft bite but it was crunchy. Mine might have ben stale.
Eat Munkki
A donut. Sometimes cardamom is added for added flavour. Literally, the word Munkki means âmonkâ. I donât know. The big ones we tried had berry jam/jelly inside and the smaller ones were just dough. Noice.
Watch A Statue Get Washed and Get a Graduation Cap
Head to the end of Esplanadi Park in Helsinki for a slight distraction from the constant alcoholic binging to watch the f-innish-amous Havis Amanda statue get a soapy wash and a graduation cap plonked on her head. Elaborate? Yes. Ridiculous? Yes. Fun? Sure, why not? Itâs worth noting that the Finnish graduation cap is a sailorâs cap which is a little strange to the outsiderâs eye. They mean a lot to the Finnish people with the cap being kept through their lives. It was interesting seeing the older people around with aging, discoloured caps.
When the cap was finally plonked on it was very New Yearâs Eve around us; champagne was popped and kisses were had.
Statue with cap. Time to move on.
Picnic at Kaivopuisto
The day after the night before the parks of Helsinki are full of picnic havers where bubbly, potato salad, and herring are among the traditional staples. People get drunk again. Some people make do with a blanket but some people bring their dining table and chairs with them.
Watch Drunk People
Mostly evident on the eve of May 1st where students are boozing throughout the day in various areas of the city. If youâve been to St. Patrickâs Day in America or Karneval in Germany then you know what to expect. Yung âuns who canât handle their liquor get up to all sorts of mischief; itâs a universal trait.
Itâs an interesting few days in Helsinki during Vappu with some unique celebrations.
New post on surprisinghorizons.com: Things To Do On Vappu In Helsinki Vappu is a public holiday celebration here in Finland. It celebrates workers and freedom. And vaping. Just kidding, it's mainly gives Finnish students a massive excuse to have a massive piss up.
Finland wheels out a food cart of unearthly delights for certain times of the year. Itâs my job to eat said food before they disappear into the shadows of the cultural kitchen for another spin around the sun.
Itâs Easter. So there are a couple of foods out there in the supermarkets if you look hard enough.
MĂ€mmi
MĂ€mmi, the foodâŠsubstanceâŠthat is so appetizing that Al Jolson crooned about it back in the 20s. Not really. MĂ€mmi is made of water, malt, rye, salt, and sometimes molasses. So a mixture of very flat flavors. It looks like shit. It doesnât totally taste like it. It tastes heavily of malt and it reminded me of bairĂn breac from Halloween back in Ireland.
I had the pleasure of tasting this twice. Once at work when a slab of it appeared in the lounge and once when I bought a small tub of it for additional scientific testing. I would never buy a slab of this which is the main way they sell it in the markets. Itâs ok for a two bite/chew/mash affair but more than that and itâs just a malty chore. Adding some cream to the mix makes it more edible.
âMignonâ Egg
Made by the popular Fazer company here in Finland, this is one their annual best sellers. Itâs a solid egg made of hazelnut/almond nougat inside a real egg shell. After a lifetime of hollow chocolate egg eating experiences I canât help but feel short-changed by every Kinder or Easter egg Iâve ever had. But having just ate one of these Mignon eggs there is a reason why the rest of the world make them empty inside â itâs way too much chocolate for one person to handle. I had to eat half then put the other half in the fridge for a later assault. Itâs also weird to peel a real egg shell to find chocolate inside â like some weird chocolate egg laying animal had evolved to deliver us this annual sweet treat.
Pasha/Pashka
Made of curd cheese, you can find tubs of this beside the standard yogurts in the markets. This particular tubbed version had raisins and orange peel thrown in for good measure. Again, along with the other Finnish Easter foods, itâs very full on with each bite a thick sweet dairy and fruity paste to battle your tongue. Impossible to finish in one go. So I didnât.
 Stay tuned for more stunning Finnish foods coming up next week as we celebrate Vappu along with its traditional food and drink treats.
New post on surprisinghorizons.com: Finnish Easter Foods Finland wheels out a food cart of unearthly delights for certain times of the year. It's my job to eat said food before they disappear into the shadows of the cultural kitchen for another spin around the sun.
Seventeen years ago I trundled into Zagreb train station (on a train) from Trieste, Italy. Zagreb wasnât the final destination. No, no our goal was a more obscure (and seriously bullet ridden) northern spot on the map; Varazdin. Football is the answer you seek to the question you are asking. My time spent in Zagreb back then was confined to the train platform and a quick sprint for a can or two of Karlovacko pivo at the nearest kiosk. I hadnât been to Zagreb since. My time this time around was slightly more relaxed; I was free all afternoon and evening to peruse its offerings.
A lot of things to see in Zagreb are just that. Things to see. You can stand, see, and move on so the time spent at each attraction isnât too long. And every sight is within walking distance from each other. Itâs an enjoyable city to wander.
What did I do?
Zagreb Cathedral
A pretty impressive cathedral in the league of world cathedrals. Certainly not Cologne but impressive all the same. I went twice, once in the early afternoon and once in the evening just in time for mass to end so it was interesting to see the people leaving and mingling. Itâs worth noting that there was a very young demographic to the worshippers; Croatia still has to catch up with the ever-growing global discontent with the Catholic church that many young people have.
Ul. Ivana TkalÄiÄa
The main restaurant and bar pedestrian street. You will find something to eat here. And drink. I had a good chicken burger in Rocket Burger (with a local beer) and a tasty chicken gyros in El Greco.
Stone Gate
Originating in the 13th century but most likely looking like it is today from the 18th century. A stone arch which houses a little church dedicated to Mary. Mother of God. Who else? You can walk through it, take a quick look and be on your way. Be conscious that it is a place of worship and stay out of the way of the prayer vibes directed at the statue of Mary.
St. Markâs Church
A short pant uphill from the Stone Gate is the eye catching St. Markâs Church. Its roof resembles one of those bead art things kids do. But better obviously. One of the better rooves I have seen. Doors were locked and I didnât have a key.
Croatian Museum of NaĂŻve Art
This is a fine stop to make to spend 20-30 minutes and it also closes later than the bigger art galleries in the city. 25 Kuna and youâre in. Thereâs only about 5 or 6 rooms but itâs an interesting look into the NaĂŻve Art scene of Croatia over the past number of decades. Not an art movement I was familiar with but something that is on my radar now. Worth the quick peek.
LotrĆĄÄak Tower
Walking towards the funicular back down to the shopping area you will pass by the LotrĆĄÄak Tower built around the 13th century. If you find yourself around here at midday put your hands over your ears as the cannon on top fires to mark the daily occasion. And why not?
Funicular
This is a funky little mode of transport which takes about one minute to make the ascent to the upper town and obviously the descent to the lower town. It costs 4 Kuna for a scheduled trip or 20 Kuna for an ad-hoc trip. Shortest cable car in the world I hear so thatâs a feather in the cap right there. After going up in it I walked back down so I could find theâŠ
Tunel GriÄ
These are cool. Built during World War II and then, sadly, having to be used later on during the Croatia War of Independence as bomb shelters. These days you can use them as underground routes to different streets or just walk through them because they look pretty cool. They even have some public toilets near the main entrances.
Park Zrinjevac
A nice park in the city centre to take a stroll along. Dog watching is key here. I would imagine it becomes a hub of activity in the warm summer months. Itâs got a 19th century music pavilion if that tickles your fancy.
Ban Josip JelaÄiÄ
The busy hub of activity in the centre of Zagreb. Trams roll in and roll out and people walk in every direction to wherever the hell they are going. Thereâs a statue of Mr. JelaÄiÄ (a general who fought for Croatian independence in the 1800s) overseeing the daily commutes of thousands.
I missed out on a number of art galleries and museums due to their 5pm closing times. I really would have like to have gone to the Muzej Mimara to see their European art collection and the Museum of Contempary Art. One museum that is up on the top of the attractions list is the Museum of Broken Relationships in the upper town beside St. Markâs Church. Yeah, not that appealing..
So donât get put off wandering around Zabreb for even just an afternoon as you can pack a lot in.
New post on surprisinghorizons.com: A Half-Day In Zagreb, Croatia Seventeen years ago I trundled into Zagreb train station (on a train) from Trieste, Italy. Zagreb wasn't the final destination.
5 Days in Malaga, Sevilla, and Cordoba
New post on surprisinghorizons.com: 5 Days in Malaga, Sevilla, and Cordoba
Spain wasnât the first place that came to mind when I thought of where we would visit as our first âother countryâ trip since we came back to Europe. There are a lot of other countries we have not even been to yet. To be honest, it was the fact that Finnair were going to be flying their wide body A330s to Malaga on certain days in February 2019 that swung the favour. The fact that they switchedâŠ
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Taking the Train to Lapland (and back)
New post on surprisinghorizons.com: Taking the Train to Lapland (and back)
So Iâve detailed what we got up to in Lapland, let me tell you how we got there and back without taking to the skies.
It may not be known to people outside of Finland (it wasnât to me) but there is an excellent rail network in place. One of the most popular trains is the night train to Rovaniemi (and beyond) otherwise known as the Santa Express. This train (IC 265) leaves Helsinki train stationâŠ
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We all out here trying to survive yo. (at JÀtkÀsaari) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtYaUJvH2mi/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1o52rn3rec0k8
Water or land? (at Helsinki) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtWTV_sH_dK/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=dzhzkqy41mzh
Iceberg! Right ahead! (at JÀtkÀsaari) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtTMYPsHqRU/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=14r9qsp39hmjk