Even though we are feeling very jet lagged, Lisa Goodman and I spent time walking around Helsinki this evening … soaking in the beautiful sites and sounds!
Lisa Goodman and I arrived in Helsinki, Finland, today (Saturday, July 17) … and we’re staying in the lovely Hotellli Seurahoune Helsinki.
Lisa (pointing in the photo above) has an amazing room with a great view of the Helsinki Central Train Station. (I took the photo below from her room’s window.) I have a nice room, too, one floor below. (I opted for a smaller, cheaper room. Can you see me in the photo above?)
The weather is absolutely stunning, and as I write this it is 9 p.m. and the sun is still shining over this beautiful northern city.
Awakening wins 2010 Minneapolis Arts Commission Award for Community Involvement in Public Art
We just received word on Thursday, July 16, from the Minneapolis Arts Commission that Awakening, the new stained glass window designed by Reynaldo Diaz and constructed by glass artist Connie Beckers (a.k.a. The Goddess of Glass) will receive the 2010 Minneapolis Arts Commission Award for Community Involvement in Public Art on Friday, August 6, during the Uptown Art Fair.
This window was commissioned by Friends of Loring Park and was installed last summer at the Loring Park Performing Arts Center. (Photo by Karl Reichert.)
It’s been years since I have been in a land of the midnight sun, and I’m looking forward to experiencing super long days when Minneapolis Council Member Lisa Goodman and I are in Kuopio, Finland, next week for our Sister City visit.
Following a quick check online, I found out that today the sun rose at 3:38 a.m. in Kuopio and sets at 10:51 p.m. … providing more than 19 hours of sun! By the time we arrive in Kuopio on Tuesday … the days will be about 35 minutes shorter as we move away from the summer solstice.
Every summer 150,000 Finns head for the annual housing fair to see the latest trends in home construction, furnishing and design. Housing fairs are a delightful experience for the whole family, and they help to continuously improve the national standard of housing and quality of life. Housing fairs have been arranged in various parts of Finland for the past 40 years. – City of Kuopio website
“You’re going where?”
I have to admit that three years ago I didn’t know that Minneapolis has a sister city in the middle of Finland … until I was invited to represent Minneapolis at a conference on cultural arts youth work hosted by our sister city Kuopio in February 2008. (Click here read about my 2008 trip to Finland.)
As a person of “Norwegian-American” heritage (don’t let my German name fool you!), I welcomed the opportunity to explore more of Scandinavia, and during my brief winter in 2008, Kuopio captivated me, and ever since I have wanted to return during the summer to soak in its amazing scenic beauty and long summer days.
Today I am chairing the new Minneapolis-Kuopio Sister City Committee, and am traveling with Minneapolis City Council Member Lisa Goodman to Kuopio this month to attend the Kuopio Housing Fair 2010 with six other Kuopio Sister City delegations from Castrop-Rauxel, Germany; Gera, Germany; Opole, Poland; Besançon, France; Pskov, Russia; and Pitkäranta, Russia.
Stay tuned for photos and reports! We depart for Finland on Friday, July 16.
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