Sunday, October 20, 2013

Photos From Last Week

The St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Vaasa. October 16, 2013.
Photo by Teisuka. – Православная церковь Св. Николая
Чудотворца, Вааса. 16 октября 2013. Фото: Теисука.

Last Wednesday, I visited Vaasa again. It was a nice, sunny day. I had a catechumenate session, and after that I attended the evening service (Russian: вечерня) in the St. Nicholas Orthodox Church. I also met my dear friend and we hung around the city. I took many pictures. See, I guess "I like to walk with my camera" too (oops, I stole someone's slogan... Sorry, Nika. Xa-xa). ( ̄ー ̄)

On Thursday, it snowed for the first time in Finland this autumn. Well, the snow has melted away already in my area, but a few days ago the landscape was beautiful for a while. I hope we will get more snow soon.

A few words about my new job. I really love my job at the museum. It is very versatile and inspiring. Each day is different. History has been one of my passions since I was a teenager. During the last two weeks, I have read a lot of Finnish history (tons of history! haha). I thought I knew it all already, but nope... I really do not! It would be arrogant and foolish of me to think so. The more I read, the more humble I feel. I understand how little I know. There are so many stories, so many people, so many unknown details... We can never learn everything. History is an endless source of information.

"Say it briefly." This is a good principle. So I'll stop here. See the photos with captions. (Click them to see them bigger.) A picture is worth a thousand words. Blessings to all.
(^—^)

Teisuka

The first snow in Vaasa, October 17, 2013. The St. Nicholas
Orthodox Church. Photo by Gilmore.

The first snow in my hometown, October 17, 2013. In this
picture you can see one of the buildings from my current
workplace, the museum. It is build in 1924, designed by
Alvar Aalto. Photo by Teisuka.

 Suomen Vapaudenpatsas (English: Finland's Statue of Liberty) in
Vaasa, designed by Yrjö Liipola, unveiled in 1938. Fourteen meters
high statue related to the Finnish Civil War in 1918. Photo by Teisuka.

 A close-up of the statue: a victorious White soldier and a dying
White soldier. In Finland, "the Reds" (communists) lost the civil
war. During the war, the White Army and the Red Guards both
perpetrated acts of terror. Photo by Teisuka.

 Yesterday one man brought this object to the museum and asked what
it was. No one knew. It is old (probably from the 19th century) and quite
heavy (7,3 kg). Is it a clapper? A plummet? A part of an old cannon...
or something else? If anybody knows, please tell me. Thank you. ^^
(The matchbox in the picture is used for scale.) Photo by Teisuka.

13 comments:

  1. Hi Teisuka,
    Thank you for sharing these nice pictures. I learned more about Vaasa and your workplace through them. It looks like Vaasa is a much bigger town, isn't it? But it seems that it's also a quiet place with a small population. It's definitely a great place in live in, I think. -:)

    I'm glad that you've enjoyed your job at the museum. And also you had your first snow of the season already. You must have been very happy. I agree with you that the more we read, the more we feel humble. The knowledge is unlimited, but our time is limited. And that's why I think I should spend more time reading. That will be my "winter resolution:" read more books and spend less time online. Hope I'll have enough self-control. -:)

    You're right, a picture is worth one thousand words. Hope you will share more of your pictures in the future. May you continue enjoying life and learning new things each and every day! Blessings to you, my friend!
    Bao

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    1. Hi Bao

      Many thanks for your kind words and blessings, my friend. Yes, Vaasa is a bigger than my town. The population of Vaasa is 66,062 (15th largest city in Finland). Besides, it is older city and it has more history than my town has. Anyway, it is quiet place too. "A great place in live", I agree with you. Perhaps I will live in Vaasa someday.

      I am humbly grateful of this season in my life. At the moment, I am much more happy than I was last summer. Thank God for everything.

      "The knowledge is unlimited, but our time is limited." Exactly. Your "winter resolution" sounds great: "Read more books and spend less time online." I wish you will have enough self-control with this. :)

      Again, thank you for being here today, Bao. I wish you all the best, good health and God's blessing. Be well, and take good care of yourself, my friend! :)

      Best greetings from sunny but cold Finland,

      Teisuka

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    2. Hi, Teisuka! Nice pictures you've taken! We haven't seen snow in Moscow yet. The strange object doesn't look like a clapper at all. It is a very unusual clapper if it is a clapper :) I suppose that it is a plummet for flue cleaning. A brush could be attached from below and a rope frome above. But that is just my guess-work don't take it as an absolute truth :) I hope you have a good time and wish you happines! Victor.

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    3. Hi Victor,

      Thank you very much for your nice comment. I know you are an expert in church bells, so I really appreciate your opinion. Okay, now I know it's not a bell clapper (язык колокола). I can forget that theory. :)

      A plummet for flue cleaning? Good guess, and I think it is very possible. Anyway, I'm going to tell your opinion to the owner of this strange object. Meanwhile, I will continue my detective work. Haha. Again, thank you very much, Victor. Большое спасибо! Always glad to get greetings from Moscow. You too, have a good time and be happy, my friend! :)

      Blessings from Western Finland,

      Teisuka

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  2. Hiya Tembo-san -^^-

    Quite the photographer you are, loved your pictures! I still have those deep-winter pictures you gave me a couple of years ago.. send me more, please, when it get gorgeous like that in Santa Claus Land -^^-

    SO glad to hear that you are enjoying your new job, ganbatte kudasai! I think one of the most satisfying things in life is to have a job one love. 'I love my job and my job loves me!' -^^-

    Wow... that is one TINY matchbox, Tembo-san!!! And it is from the 19th century! Double wow! Gosh.. they already have great match-makers (hehe, matchmaker, get it??) in 19th century Finland...!!! That whistle tho'.. sure looked like it sorely needed polishing :/) ................................... [sic]

    :)) Seriously tho'.. let us know what that artifact is when you find out -^^-

    Jya mata ne~ we are expecting another monster storm here in Japan... *sighh* But I wish you a GREAT week ahead! Happy working <3

    - BonnieMTheNut

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    1. Hiya, Bonnie-M aka Michiko-chan -^^-

      Many thanks for your nice comment and compliment. I really appreciate it, and I am always glad to see you here. I am flattered to hear you still have those deep winter pictures. ^^ For sure, I will send you a brand new winter pictures when we'll get more snow in the Santa Claus Land. I can hardly wait to see the white, snow covered ground! ^^ Right now all snow is melted. Temperature is zero – 0 °C!

      "One of the most satisfying things in life is to have a job one love." I absolutely agree with you, Bonnie-chan. We are both lucky because we love our job – and YOUR job even loves you BACK. Waa! Sounds like a workplace romance, ah? Haha. I'm just joking. :D

      Matchmaker? Hehe. I got it. NOh, not that matchbox is from the 19th century but the object beside it. ;) Yes, I will let you know what is it, because I'm going to solve the mystery of this strange object.

      Oh, I'm worried to hear another monster storm is coming to Japan... >< May God bless Japan and it's lovely people. Stay safe and take good care of yourself, BonnieM-chan! Happy working to you, too. Have a wonderful week ahead! (^^)/

      Tembo

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  3. Hi Tembo! I think that item coulb be a piece of artillery, but I'm not sure. Nice pics!

    - Tenchu

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    1. Hi Tenchu,

      Many thanks for being here today. Yep, I think it's very possible it is a piece of artillery. Probably from the time of the Finnish War (Suomen sota, 1808-1809)... I hope this mystery will be solved one day. Have a wonderful week, dear little sister! :)

      Tembo

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  4. hello Teisuka^^ very nice pics. btw, you are a great photographer ;) really.
    i like this your article. many thanks for the tour. have a wonderful weekend ahead^^ Nika

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    1. Hello Nika,

      Aww, thank you very much for your nice comment and compliment, my dear friend. You made my day! ^^ I'm glad you liked my tour. But you are better photographer than me, and your camera is also much better. Anyway, we both "like to walk with camera". ;) You too, have a wonderful rest of the week, dear Nikuska! Stay safe and take good care of yourself. Good night to Moscow! (^^)/

      Blessings from rainy Finland (1 °C),

      Teisuka

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  5. hello^^ its me again^^

    this thing looks like a vintage bell (рында) and not necessarily ship bell. im sure i guess right хаха :D
    have a wonderful weekend ahead my dear friend^^
    Nika

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    1. Hello Nika,

      Many thanks for your nice message and good wishes. ^^ So glad to see you here again. A vintage bell (рында)? Okay. If you say so, it is so. See, I trust you blindly. Haha. :D Have a wonderful weekend, my very dear friend. ^^ Btw, I'm writing a new blog article right now. It will released soon...

      Teisuka

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    2. that's great! i'll be looking forward to your new article^^
      thanks to you too^^

      Nika

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