John In A Kilt

02/11/2024

Every time we’re in Puerto Rico this panaderia is a required stop…it’s pasteries and deli are amazing 🤩

02/11/2024

One of the largest festivals on the island in Ponce…wonderful flavor of Puerto Rican culture nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon…hearing locally sourced island music and eating some local favorites, like fried codfish.

10/26/2023

10/26/2023

06/28/2023

Exploring the sights around Visby we came across the Lemmelunda Cave. The locals were aware of its existence as early as the mid 1700s. But it wasn’t until 1950 that the three local teenage boys discovered an opening in the roof of the cavern by accidentally dislodging a stone that lead to what is now Hall of the Mountain King. They continued to explore the cave on their own and it did not become publicly known until 1955.

Since then about 4 Km have been explored and mapped, much of it open for public viewing, via either a casual tour or, for the more adventurous, a rafting/spelunking tour. The full extent of the cave is still not fully known. Professional spelunkers meet every year the week after Midsummer’s Eve to map new regions of the cavern.

https://lummelundagrottan.se/om-lummelundagrottan/

06/21/2023

There were several museums, alll free, but the most unique and interesting was The Storekeepers Museum. It did a great job of revealing a realistic view of life in early 1800 Finland. No romantic/nostalgic illisions…life was hard and average life span was about mid 40”s. You have to admire their perseverance and enginuity. Great museum!

06/20/2023

Pesapallo, “Finnish baseball”, what a hoot! Unfortunately, didn’t get to see a game but found this field (obviously some type of baseball diamond, but not what I am use to) and a baseball statue in Hamina, so I had to dig deeper.

Similar to American baseball but much faster. It was invented by Lauri "Tahko" Pihkala in the 1920s after a visit to the US. He felt the game needed some improvements so he made some changes that makes it less of a pitching game (the pitcher stands next to the batter and throws the ball up vertically) and more of an offensive strategical game. It moves much faster than America baseball and is referred to as the national sport of Finland.

06/20/2023

It was the former residence of the Commander of the Fort turned into a Lutheran Church in 1843. As the Commander’s residence it hosted the Russian peace negotiations and it is where the Treaty of Hamina (also known as Treaty of Fredrikshamn) in 1809. This treaty made Finland the Grand Duchy of Finland, a vassal under protection of Russia and free from Swedish rule.

Now on the church grounds is a monument to the Finish soldiers that died in the Winter War and Continuation War between 1939-1944. As I was trying to decipher the Finish monuments a local man smoking on a bench outside the church was kind enough, in his broken English (much better than my broken Finish) explained the meaning of the different monuments.

The town couldn’t have been more welcoming!

Oh and the ship…the ship in the chapel is there to bring blessings to all sailors departing their shores.

06/20/2023

Our original excursion (hiking one of the local bogs) was canceled because of a strike by the guides and bus drivers and I wasn’t too excited about being “stuck” in Hamina for the day. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The local city leaders did a wonderful job welcoming us and hosting us in their city. Historically Hamina was a strategic port on the frontier between Sweden (and eventually Finland) and Russia. It is one of only two cities in the world that still remains within the earthen fortification walls and motes. A rich history that has been well preserved.

06/19/2023

The Rock Church in Helsinki is unique. Initially was supposed to be as shown in the black etching but the neighborhood objected to the height. Instead the architects decided to blow a big hole in the granite on the lot and build the church inside the granite crater. It has a copper ceiling created by winding over 100 miles of copper wiring to create a dome as the church’s roof. The acoustics are wonderful! Now, besides being a place of worship, it is also used as a venue for musical productions.

06/19/2023

Fun day in Helsinki…it has a rich history but has only been its own country for ~100 years. Before it was a colony of Sweden, essentially used as a buffer to Russia. Then it was part of Russian it enjoyed sudo sovereignty but not freedom from Russian rule. After a series of world events it’s independence was declared in 1917.

Strong Russian and Swedish influences are apparent in their religions, universities, and architecture. But the Finish spirit is distinct and refreshing. Truly some of the happiest people on earth.