Train to Joensuu

After a fun night out with the TAUCHI group in Tampere, I boarded the train out to Joensuu (via Pieksämäki). The first train had power connections so I did a bit more work on the presentation for today on the laptop. The second train was a smaller, regional train that didn't offer these amenities. I wonder if eventually the larger trains are going to offer wifi. That'd be nice. Once in Joensuu, I met up with my hosts here and yesterday did a bit of a tour of the rural area outside town. We went to the former residence of a local wood artist who, from what I understand, pretty much devoted her life to sculpting wood. Or rather trees. She would get these large trees and carve them into various "functional art pieces" is about the best way I can describe it, e.g., there were various forms of chairs, tables, benches, and pews (she and her husband built a house, atelier, and church on their property). In the pics below you can see the church with its tall roof to the left as we walk towards the property. The pic to the right is of the artist's hosue.

I didn't get a pic of the atelier, but the two pics above show a couple of her sculptures: a bear with the lucky nose (you were supposed to rub it, I did), and a pair of dancing bears). Apparently Finland is bear (and wolf) country. Beavers were also introduced and I'm told they love it here. The countryside rather reminded me of northern Alberta, and so I wasn't surprised to hear that.

At bottom is the artist's sculpture of the seven brothers. She sculpted this right into the side of one of the walls of the log home. The seven brothers I'm told is a well-known Finnish literary work that symbolizes the original seven Finnish tribes. It more or less reminded me of the Polish trilogy written by Sienkiewicz.