TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

Monday, March 28, 2005

11:05 AM
Posted by jodi rose

still snowy in helsinki
remind me never to move to finland...
altho my research into scandinavian easter practices has uncovered some culinary gems, the Finns have a weird easter porridge, it's like mushy malted rye bread, but fazer makes these really cool chocolate eggs that are inside an actual hens egg, the Danes eat chocolate on toast everyday, jacob couldn't fill me in on any more easter-specific chocolate activities, and of course as I mentioned, the Swedes cover bare tree branches with coloured feathers - yellow, purple and orange.
having a very strange time, for anyone who thinks this looks glamorous, believe me it's not. looking forward to getting back to australia, way more than I ever dreamed I would.
something about never quite knowing what's going on around you isn't quite working for me this time. usually it's relaxing being in a bubble with all the extraneous information, advertising and voices around you just sounding like babble, but for some reason at the moment its exhausting.
not that I'm complaining, very happy to be here, excited about the various projects and all the cool fabulous people coming over for particle wave and pixelache, can't wait for the festival. just a bit more stuff to do first..... wish me luck!
after a weekend destitute in denmark and sweden, really enjoyed the contrast of my business class flight back - thanks to frequent flier points with Scandinavian (SAS), altho I forgot to check in at biz counter and didn't realise I could use their airport lounge - which was a pity as I couldn't even buy a cup of coffee, and they have it all laid on there. anyway, the service on the plane was luxurious, had a tablecloth for my fold down table, hot towel, red wine, cognac... all good.
came back in a much better frame of mind - maybe I just haven't been drinking enough lately? next mission - find places to go out and get trashy in helsinki. lucky lizzie and mike are coming over, they're bound to help with that, and also mark who is a complete trashbag (in the best possible sense, darling!)
have decided alcohol is key to happiness - in short term at least.
best get on with preparing for my project, really hope the bridge stream happens somehow. been having conversations with people, but no real testing yet - nervous and excited about going out to the matinkaari or heureka silta bridge sometime in the next few weeks and trying to hook them up with mikes, and a data card, see if we can get those cables streaming.
thinking through the live performative aspects of it, trying to give a sense of location and excitement to the audience.....