Nordic - Tumblr Posts
CARL-HARRY STÅLHANE, Collection of blue glazed stoneware ceramics, c.1950s. Manufactured by Rörstrand Ab, Sweden. / Instagram
Tietgen Dormitory by Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitekter (Copenhagen, Denmark).
After our little Tavastia adventure, I ventured northwards towards Rovaniemi on an 11 hour bus ride. Yes that’s right, 11 hours. And every minute of it was beautiful, except that I came woefully underprepared under the assumption that the driver would make occasional stops and let us off to top up on food and water.
I survived, anyhow, and so we move forward with The Finland Chronicles Part 2: Lapland
(Disclaimer: anyone on here who also has me on socials knows how much I loved this place and posted about it, so I promise this is the last you’ll hear of it from me…at least for a couple months)
So I arrived at around 7 in the evening, and the city is surprisingly quite walkable (barring the moments you're wheeling around a suitcase in the snow). This was a little plaza right around the corner from my guesthouse and I fell in love right away. Look how cute it is!
My first full day in Rovaniemi was a bit slower because there was laundry to be done and very few machines to go around between the guests, so I did set off a bit late. Mind you, at that point in January the sun would rise close to 11 am and set close to 2 pm so we'd get 2.5 hours of sunlight MAX. The above image is the neighborhood around my guesthouse close to 4 pm. Night. Nevertheless, I made the most of it and visited the Arktikum Museum, which is beautiful architecturally but also provides the public with interesting exhibits on the history, culture, flora and fauna of Finnish Lapland, as well as the impacts of climate change on the region. I didn't get any particularly noteworthy pictures except for one of a giant amethyst (Does anyone else think Abigail from Stardew Valley would've loved this place?) and a modern twist on the traditional clothing of the Sámi, the indigenous people of Lapland.
Afterwards, I caught a bus to the Santa Claus Village, which yes, is quite the tourist trap, but is so completely and utterly cute, and if I had to live somewhere that looked this magical (preferably sans tourists) I would not complain. A lot of shops, restaurants, and activity points in the village close quite early, so I didn't get to partake in activities like petting Santa's reindeer, but I enjoyed browsing the remaining open shops, having a quick dinner and visiting the spot in the village that marks the point of entry into the Arctic Circle.
The next day was my last full day in Rovaniemi, so to start I went on a tour I'd booked to visit Korouoma Nature Reserve, which is over an hour and half's drive away from Rovaniemi. Walking through this place filled me with a sense of happiness that I hadn't felt in a long time, it was like I'd suddenly found myself in Narnia. I feel like experiencing the rugged yet ethereal beauty of the nature firsthand also really helped me understand the mindset a lot of my favorite Scandinavian/Nordic artists, so I edited some snippets of our hike to the opening notes of "Crown" by Danish artist Myrkur.
And yeah, here's me posing on a little bridge (sidenote: those snow pants are not the most aesthetic, but when I tell you that winter gear is EXPENSIVE...these guys were so reasonably priced and they did their job well in the near -30 temps we were experiencing every day, so for that I salute them).
There are many beautiful frozen waterfalls as well as stalactities all around the reserve, but the most famous one is Charlie Brown, which preserves the beautiful blue shade of the water in the dead of winter. Having seen the main points of interest, our guide led us to a campsite, where he provided us with some tea and ginger biscuits, and grilled some sausages over a fire. I can't remember the last time I'd ever been so content.
Later that evening I set out for the last activity of my brief visit to Lapland: Aurora Hunting. The guides drove the various groups some distance outside of Rovaniemi to a spot with minimal light pollution and clearer skies, and proceeded to prepare us a meal of (yet again) grilled sausage, but also salmon and potato soup, and hot blueberry juice (which I loved). Upon realizing that the first spot would not render us any results in our hunt, they drove us to a second location, near a frozen lake, where several more groups had gathered.
I was about to give up hope, and my guide had come to call me back to the car, but luckily I had run into my guide from the hike earlier in the day (who also does Aurora tours) and he pointed out a glimmer in the sky off in the distance. So I snapped this picture. Something I learned on this tour is that oftentimes you do not see the Aurora Borealis the way your camera does, and while it is possible to get crazy lightshows, those usually happen further north of places like Rovaniemi, where the magnetic field is even stronger. So it's not my best picture, and I didn't really have time to mount my phone on my little tripod (I also could have brought a better camera, tbf) but I'm glad to have had the opportunity nevertheless, and hopefully this is not the last time Miss Aurora and I meet!
Another thing to note is that Aurora tours have become very popular, and because all these different companies try to maximize how many people they bring along with them, it can feel like a very impersonal, crowded and rushed experience. I'm sure there are private tours you can take, where you can take your time scouting different spots and taking photos, but they very likely cost a pretty penny. Nevertheless, I'm once again glad I had the opportunity and here's to next time.
And just like that it was time to leave. I was sad, but my eyelashes certainly weren't. I hopped on a bus back to Helsinki, this time better prepared for the journey ahead, but with an ache in my heart for what I was leaving behind. Lapland, I will return. Who knows, perhaps in summer.
And to conclude this chapter, here’s a little Rovaniemi haul (does not include the Reindeer chips and Reindeer jerky that I consumed on the spot after purchasing).
Until next time!
I arrived late in Helsinki on the 5th of January. During the last leg of my 11 hour bus ride I remembered that January 6th is a public holiday in many countries; it is not in Portugal, while it is for our neighbors Spain, so it really varies from place to place and is never a date that's at the forefront of my mind. Nevertheless, my flight back home was on the 7th so I decided to check and sure enough, the 6th is a public holiday in Finland. Since my number one mission during my last days in Helsinki was to visit Aikuisten Lelukauppa, Kari Valo's famous shop, I DM'd their instagram account asking whether it would be open the next day.
Thus began the saga that leads us to the concluding chapter of our story, The Finland Chronicles Part 3: Aikuisten Lelukauppa Oy, and Finland Moi Moi
I got a response from the person who runs the shop’s instagram account the next morning, while I was getting ready, saying that they weren’t sure whether Kari would be coming in. I decided to risk it anyway and headed over there, only to find that, alas, the shop was indeed closed.
Feeling a bit deflated, I decided to just walk into the restaurant next door and the events that unfolded upon me stepping inside were heartwarming. The place was a very small and simple Thai restaurant, run by just one man, who I at the time assumed was Finnish. I made casual conversation with him and informed him of what had just happened, to which he replied that he had seen Kari lock up not long ago and head to the cafe down the road…so I had just missed him! I proceeded to order food, since I hadn’t really had breakfast, and he made me a dish of fried salmon, rice, and pickled vegetables. It was delicious, and I'm pretty sure the blurry corner in the picture above is from my lens fogging up with how hot it was.
After bringing me the food, this sweet man proceeded to turn the entire restaurant upside down looking for Kari's phone number, which he had written down on a slip of paper; he did in fact have a smartphone but informed me he didn't have time to be saving people's numbers in it, dontcha know. 😂 He said there was a possibility Kari could come back but it wasn't looking likely. Eventually, a girl who worked at the café next door came over, since she helps write the signs and menus for the restaurant due to her impeccable calligraphy, and gave him the number. He dialed it, hit call and a few seconds later we heard a voice identical to Ville’s say (I assume), "Kari Valo speaking." The restaurant owner explained that someone had come *all* the way from Portugal just to see him and handed me the phone. So I got to talk to Kari a bit. He told me he'd locked up for the day and asked me why I hadn't come earlier, and when I said I was considering extending my trip a bit he responded, "I'll be waiting for you every day." Ville wasn't kidding when he said he got his verbal acrobatics from his dad, huh. Sidenote: I thought I'd headed out pretty early, all things considered, but now you know, the early bird gets the Kari, especially if it’s a public holiday.
Heartened, I hung up and got on my own phone to make the arrangements to extend my trip, intending to return to the shop without fail on Monday the 8th. A part of me felt a little silly, but that was overridden by the feeling that my time in Finland wouldn’t really have been complete without a visit to Aikuisten Lelukauppa. Luckily, it was pretty cheap and dealing with that left me with time to relax, enjoy the rest of my meal, and talk to the man who had gone out of his way to make sure I got to speak to Kari. It turned out his name was Pedro, he was originally from Spain but had been living in Finland for 45 years, and had learned to cook Thai food from his second wife. Upon finding out he was from Spain, the conversation promptly switched from English to Portuñol, and he told me all about his family over Thai coffee after I'd finished my meal. I left the place after some time, feeling warm and fuzzy at the fact that complete strangers had gone above and beyond for me, but not before laughing at the fact that as quickly as Pedro had reobtained Kari's number, he then proceeded to lose it for a second time and was once again turning the place upside down looking for it as I headed out the door.
In all seriousness, if you're planning on including Aikuisten Lelukauppa in your Helsinki itinerary, consider stopping by Pedro's place as well. It's literally right next door, so it's impossible to miss, the food is great, and the hospitality, well...if you've read this far then you've probably figured out it's second to none.
Afterwards I took the time to explore the city a little more and went to see Helsinki Cathedral and check out the other sights around Senate Square. Extending my trip also allowed me shop more leisurely for family and friends before heading home for the evening.
Sunday was a day dedicated to doing absolutely nothing, which I felt I had earned, and fun fact: my Airbnb hosts were the proud owners of eleven (11!) cats, including the four kittens pictured above. All this while having a spotless home with almost exclusively white furniture. Why would you want to leave the house? I only realized long after the fact that I could have used my Sunday to take the ferry from Finland to Estonia and spend the day in Tallinn's old town, but I think the fact that it didn't even cross my mind just shows it wasn't meant to be. You can't fit everything in on one trip and you have to stop to rest at some point. All in all, a Sunday well spent.
Then the fateful day arrived! I got up, got ready, headed out the door, and took the bus to the stop nearest to the street where Aikuisten Lelukauppa is located. In the few minutes left where I was walking up to the shop, my heart started pounding and I was pretty sure I was gonna act completely starstruck but...it was fine. More than fine. There was only one other customer there when I walked in, and they left almost the minute I entered. I said hello and told Kari that I was the person he'd spoken to on the phone the other day, and he apologetically explained that he'd had responsibilities other than the shop to attend to that day which resulted in him leaving early. What followed was me getting almost 2 hours of his time just chatting, as it had been over a week since Helldone and there weren't many fans flocking to the shop. He truly is a gem of a person, he seemed more than happy (and I hope he truly was!) to discuss his interest in cars, the movie Taxi Driver, how he acquired a lot of the memorabilia around the shop, how he got involved in this particular line of work, the state of taxi drivers these days (NOT good, he’ll have you know!), some of the shows he'd seen on the Neon Noir tour, and asked me about myself as well. Thanks to Kari I learned about Aki Kaurismäki, a Finnish director who has lived in Portugal for over 30 years, and now have some new films on my to-watch list. He also provided me with some tips for things to do around the city, including enthusiastically telling me I should go swimming (eherm, maybe next time) and to visit Temppeliaukion kirkko, a Lutheran church that was excavated directly from solid rock.
I would be remiss not to point out a significant moment in my visit. Kari received quite a few phone calls while we were chatting, and most of the time the phone ringing would prompt him to cry out, "Perkele!" One of the calls, however, he simply answered without any fuss. I could hear a man's voice but since the conversation was in Finnish, I distracted myself with my phone. Once he'd hung up, Kari turned to me and asked, "Do you know who that was?" to which I replied, "Who?" and he exclaimed, "Ville!" then burst out laughing and grabbed my shoulders as my jaw dropped. Then he told me that Ville had called to ask a question about Kari's car (the famous Checker Taxi, I believe) and implied it was being used for some sort of project? We shall have to wait and see. It was a very cool moment anyhow. I got a photo with him as well and asked him to sign my Neon Noir CD booklet, which he decorated with his famous doodles and catchphrases, most notably "Kari Valo, Boy's Father."
A visit to Aikuisten Lelukauppa naturally demands that you buy some merch so I bought a new tshirt for myself with the alternative design (as a friend had gotten me the more well-known version during her visit a few months prior), merch for friends, and stickers, but also left armed with several Finland/Helsinki guides that Kari provided me with, and a map where he wrote down the name of the rock church. Cutest of all, he just up and gave me some vintage Moomins stamps, which I will cherish forever. After all this, I said I’d be heading out as I did not want to take up any more of Kari’s time but it was a highly memorable first visit, and while I seriously doubt he will ever come across this post I nevertheless feel like I have to express my gratitude to him for his time, his ear, and his generosity. Kiitos paljon Kari! ❤️
.
This was the rest of my afternoon: a visit to the famous Cafe Regatta, which was very cozy, following Kari's advice and visiting the beautiful, peaceful Temppeliaukio Church, and finishing my visit off with an early dinner at a traditional Finnish restaurant, where I had the piniest tasting G and T of my life (I love the smell of pines, not so sure how I feel about drinking them). Couldn't have asked for a better last day in Finland.
The next morning I had to be up at 5 to catch a flight to Frankfurt and then Lisbon, but the discomfort of a super early flight paled in comparison to the happy, floaty feeling of discovering a new place to love and come back to. Thank you so much Finland, you were a dream! I hope to come back sooner rather than later and potentially write another Finland Chronicles, maybe in warmer temperatures! Moi moi for now, though!
And to finish this off, here's a little Aikuisten Lelukauppa haul with all the things I mentioned above, as well as a small Helsinki/Helldone haul, since I didn't think to do one for the very first instalment of this series. It includes a VVgram beanie, an eyebrow pencil and two eyeliners from Finnish brand Lumene (conspicuously absent was their Nordic Noir range, I wonder if Ville bought it all up lmao), and face wipes. Yes, face wipes, because they saved me multiple times when the snow settling then melting on my eyelashes would cause my mascara to melt and smudge all around my eyes. Pro-tip ladies: have some wipes in your bag when experiencing Finnish winter, or just snowy winters in general. Or maybe just wear a more resistant mascara than the one I use.
Thanks to anyone who read through these posts, and apologies for how much longer they got with each update. Nevertheless, I hope it was an enjoyable read and maybe even useful to those of you considering visiting Finland. Much love and here's to hoping 2024 brings many more adventures! 💙🤍
So I've decided to start sharing some OCs I've been working on for years. I've reached a weird period with them and their story where I'm kind of stuck on what direction I want to go. I've decided for now to do a series of mini comics about them and their lives to help get me back on track. Feel free to request some of the numbers above to learn more about them. Or if you have an ask in mind that isn't listed please ask away, you're really doing me a favor.
Character Outline Questions
Found this online here. I really liked several of the questions in this list. Thought I'd share with anyone else that might be working on character building or just wanted to throw some questions at their characters, too.
Character Outline Questions
Basic Character Questions
First name?
Surname?
Middle names?
Nicknames?
Date of birth?
Age?
Physical / Appearance
Height?
Weight?
Build?
Hair colour?
Hair style?
Eye colour?
Eye Shape?
Glasses or contact lenses?
Distinguishing facial features?
Which facial feature is most prominent?
Which bodily feature is most prominent?
Other distinguishing features?
Skin?
Hands?
Make up?
Scars?
Birthmarks?
Tattoos?
Physical handicaps?
Type of clothes?
How do they wear their clothes?
What are their feet like? (type of shoes, state of shoes, socks, feet, pristine, dirty, worn, etc)
Race / Ethnicity?
Mannerisms?
Are they in good health?
Do they have any disabilities?
Personality
What words or phrases do they overuse?
Do they have a catchphrase?
Are they more optimistic or pessimistic?
Are they introverted or extroverted?
Do they ever put on airs?
What bad habits do they have?
What makes them laugh out loud?
How do they display affection?
Mental handicaps?
How do they want to be seen by others?
How do they see themselves?
How are they seen by others?
Strongest character trait?
Weakest character trait?
How competitive are they?
Do they make snap judgements or take time to consider?
How do they react to praise?
How do they react to criticism?
What is their greatest fear?
What are their biggest secrets?
What is their philosophy of life?
When was the last time they cried?
What haunts them?
What are their political views?
What will they stand up for?
Who do they quote?
Are they indoorsy or outdoorsy?
What is their sinful little habit?
What sense do they most rely on?
How do they treat people better than them?
How do they treat people worse than them?
What quality do they most value in a friend?
What do they consider an overrated virtue?
If they could change one thing about themselves, what would it be?
What is their obsession?
What are their pet peeves?
What are their idiosyncrasies?
Friends and Family
Is their family big or small? Who does it consist of?
What is their perception of family?
Do they have siblings? Older or younger?
Describe their best friend.
Ideal best friend?
Describe their other friends.
Describe their acquaintances.
Do they have any pets?
Who are their natural allies?
Who are their surprising allies?
Past and Future
What was your character like as a baby? As a child?
Did they grow up rich or poor?
Did they grow up nurtured or neglected?
What is the most offensive thing they ever said?
What is their greatest achievement?
What was their first kiss like?
What is the worst thing they did to someone they loved?
What are their ambitions?
What advice would they give their younger self?
What smells remind them of their childhood?
What was their childhood ambition?
What is their best childhood memory?
What is their worst childhood memory?
Did they have an imaginary childhood friend?
When was the last time they were crushed with disappointment?
What past act are they most ashamed of?
What past act are they most proud of?
Has anyone ever saved their life?
Strongest childhood memory?
Love
Do they believe in love at first sight?
Are they in a relationship?
How do they behave in a relationship?
When did you character last have sex?
What sort of sex do they have?
Has your character ever been in love?
Have they ever had their heart broken?
Conflict
How do they respond to a threat?
Are they most likely to fight with their fists or their tongue?
What is your character’s kryptonite?
If your character could only save one thing from their burning house, what would it be?
How do they perceive strangers?
What do they love to hate?
What are their phobias?
What is their choice of weapon?
What living person do they most despise?
Have they ever been bullied or teased?
Where do they go when they’re angry?
Who are their enemies and why?
Work, Education and Hobbies
What is their current job?
What do they think about their current job?
What are some of their past jobs?
What are their hobbies?
Educational background?
Intelligence level?
Do they have any specialist training?
Do they have a natural talent for something?
Do they play a sport? Are they any good?
What is their socioeconomic status?
Favourites
What is their favourite animal?
Which animal to they dislike the most?
What place would they most like to visit?
What is the most beautiful thing they’ve ever seen?
What is their favourite song?
Music, art, reading preferred?
What is their favourite colour?
What is their password?
Favourite food:
What is their favourite work of art?
Who is their favourite artist?
What is their favourite day of the week?
Possessions
What is in their fridge:
What is on their bedside table?
What is in their car?
What is in their bin?
What is in their purse or wallet?
What is in their pockets?
What is their most treasured possession?
Spirituality
Who or what is your character’s guardian angel?
Do they believe in the afterlife?
What are their religious views?
What do they think heaven is?
What do they think hell is?
Are they superstitious?
What would they like to be reincarnated as?
How would they like to die?
What is your character’s spirit animal?
What is their zodiac sign?
Values
What do they think is the worst thing that can be done to a person?
What is their view of ‘freedom’?
When did they last lie?
What’s their view of lying?
When did they last make a promise?
Did they keep or break their last promise?
Daily life
What are their eating habits?
Do they have any allergies?
Describe their home.
Are they minimalist or a clutter hoarder?
What do they do first thing on a weekday morning?
What do they do on a Sunday afternoon?
What do they do on a Friday night?
What is the soft drink of choice?
What is their alcoholic drink of choice?
Miscellaneous
What is their character archetype?
Who is their hero?
What or who would your character dress up as for Halloween?
Are they comfortable with technology?
If they could save one person, who would it be?
If they could call one person for help, who would it be?
What is their favourite proverb?
What is their greatest extravagance?
What is their greatest regret?
What is their perception of redemption?
What would they do if they won the lottery?
What is their favourite fairytale?
What fairytale do they hate?
Do they believe in happy endings?
What is their idea of perfect happiness?
What would they ask a fortune teller?
If your character could travel through time, where would they go?
What sport do they excel at?
What sport do they suck at?
If they could have a superpower, what would they choose?
Valkyrie (2007)
This is also one of the very old works. At that time (and now too) I was very fond of Scandinavian mythology. Now I know that there were no feathers, wings and horns on the Viking helmets, but then the 13-year-old me did not have such knowledge of the Viking culture and I portrayed them stereotypically.
Sleipnir (2018)
Freyja (2018)
Inktober 27: Good ol’ Thor
“You like krabby patties, don’t You Norway?”
Hail Faðir! 🔥
Loki’s portrait
Uhmmm... I love this??
I mean.
The Valkyrie crown, the Fox, the attitude, her looks... just wow!
Sigyn, by Lunidäe
A few months ago, I went to a fantasy fair in Mons (Belgium) and I got to meet the fantastic and always lovely Lunidäe @luniidae
I commissioned her for a Sigyn fan art, and DAMN, isn't it amazing? It kinda reminds me of Uderzo? :D Such amazing talent!! <3
by ystenes on Flickr.Husavik, a harbor for fishermen on the northern Iceland.
One day I will be back to the place where I grew up. To the place where my heart and my soul where one.
Swedish summer just hits a different let me tell yall!
Hello again everyone! So, I'm very glad that you liked my character Bruno, so I wanted to introduce her friend!
Say hello to Talya Belanor, the Last Dragonborn, the Savior of the Sun, the girl who defeated the World Eater Alduin, and just a Nord who is tired of life.
She defeated Harkon, Miraak, Alduin. She became a loyal follower of Hermaeus Mora, Thane of the Nine Realms, Legate of the Empire and so on…
She travels throughout Tamriel for most of the year and spends the winter in her home in Windhelm. If you visit her in winter, which her friends sometimes can’t do because of work and snow, she will be very happy! She will also cook an excellent, appetizing lunch for you.
Hug her, she's tired!
P.S. I'm incredibly happy that someone liked my characters! So much so that now I’ll fly to the Shivering Isles and dance in Sheogorath’s palace!)
