Sunday 29 June 2014

Saturday 28 June 2014

Ämyrock, Hameenlinna 2014: Who needs Glastonbury?

 
Ämyrock is the oldest free-of-charge rock festival in Finland, celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2014. It is organised by the non-profit live music association Ämy.
 
The first festival took place in the Kaupuginpuisto park in Hämeenlinna on the 16th of August 1974. Nearly forty years on, Ämyrock is a one-day festival with both established artists and up-and-coming local bands as well as family-friendly workshops for festival-goers of all ages.
 
The festival has kept its original values throughout the years: It is a non-commercial festival with ecological and ethical values, and it has worked in cooperation with the Fair Trade, Nature League and Pro Ethical Trade Finland organisations.
 
The 40th Ämyrock took place on the 28th of June 2014.
 
 
Sammal
 
I loved them!  Finnish prog-rock along the lines of Thin Lizzy/ Deep Purple
 
 
 
 
Check out their latest video here...
 
 
Perhaps Ameenah isn't as into prog-rock as her mother! 
 
 
 
I spent more time meeting with friends than watching bands...happens every time!
 
 
Serena was Malika's teacher at the cultural centre for children ARX.... 
 
 
 
Malika hanging out in the (small) mosh pit...
 
 
Sometimes even a Twister won't stop the tears...
 
 
 
 
running fast from the backwoods soundsystem
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Trying to guess all the languages at the Settlementi (immigration NGO) workshop...
 

Nailed this one!
 
hjhjhjhj

 
 
Hameenlinna Summer Theatre
 
 The backwoods were so busy!
 
 
 
 
 

Saturday 21 June 2014

Hyvva Juhannus: Happy Midsummer in Finland

 
What a wonderful midsummer we have had by the lake and forest in our friends summer cottage in Hameenlinna... Wood-burning saunas, hitting ourselves with birch leaves, swimming in the icy lakes, picking wild flowers, eating grilled sausages; a truly Finnish magical midsummer....
 
xx
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wednesday 18 June 2014

Scottish Flag Finnish Berry Cheesecake!


We had dinner last night with my Finnish friends Säde and Taito and their beautiful baby son Taito.  The dinner was amazing with Finnish salmon on sweet island rye bread, Finnish mashed potatoes and meatballs, forest salads etc...At the end Taito produced this masterpiece, an amazing Scottish flag berry cheesecake - how cool is this!

However Malika and Ameenah were like children possessed last night... running riot, crawling under the table, whooping, screaming etc.  I love my children dearly but last night they were something else...Juhannus (Midsummer Festival) is coming up at the weekend so maybe a combination of white nights and thin curtains has turned my dear bairns into to two sleep deprived hyper maniacs!  How do you deal with your children when they are manic at a friends house?


Wow!  Supporting the Independence Bid through the medium of cheesecake!
The lovely Säde and Taito at Hameenlinna Millitary Jazz Festival x
Säde is one of Finland's top tattoo artists and she just won a Finnish entrepreneur award last week for training young tattoo artists at her school in Hameenlinna.  We love them so much!  Find her on facebook at uniqueart.fi

 

The Grannys, Säde and Ameenah x