Hämäläinen family reunion
My grandmother returned to Finland after my grandparents came to Canada in 1951. In the 1980s, she visited relatives including her sister and her nieces and nephews. I was told the visits were very memorable because of her wisdom and how she shared her faith.
In 2011, I went to Finland for the first time with my parents. We visited a number of the same people my grandmother had seen years before.
As time passed, I felt a desire to return, so I went back in 2023. I reconnected with many of the same people from our previous visit.
Since then, I have returned to Finland multiple times, most recently this summer for a family reunion, which was the first of its kind since the 1960s. Around 40 people attended. Some traveled from as far as Sweden, and others from Northern Finland. Many were my grandmother's nieces and nephews. We shared food and stories, and reconnected with family members, some of whom had never met before. We also had dinner back at the hotel. It was a very special occasion. Some of us also went to ride Icelandic horses during the weekend and visited Koli National Park, which is known for some of the best scenery in all of Finland.
After the family reunion, I went to stay with my cousin and her husband at their summer cottage in Savonlinna. We went fishing on the lake, shared food together, and enjoyed the sauna. I was amazed at the silence being out on the lake so late at night. Sometimes being out on the boat as late as 10:30pm and it was still bright.
Linnanmaki with Anu, Henna, myslef and Pirjo
I stayed with a few different relatives after this and then went to Italy to meet my cousin and her two boys who live in Australia. They were on a trip through Europe, and I met them during part of their journey. It was a 3-hour flight from Helsinki. We met in Rome, and some of the notable things I saw were the Colosseum, which is massive in person, and pictures or movies definitely do not do it justice. I also saw the Vatican, with incredible paintings by Michelangelo and Raphael, the Sistine Chapel, although you are not allowed to take photos, and the Trevi Fountain, which is stunning to look at.
We traveled to Sorrento together after Rome and went to Positano and Capri. It was a drastic change from the bustling city of Rome to more of a laid-back beach vibe. Some notable highlights from this part of my journey were Capri, which is a small island about 40 minutes by ferry. It has very beautiful beaches and coastal cliffs. The food was also a highlight in both places. Pizza, pasta, and gelato were some of my favorites, and all of it was amazing.
After this, I went back to Finland for 3 more days before my flight home. One of my relatives that I met at the family reunion picked me up from the airport, and I stayed with her for the remainder of my stay. (Side note: I actually learned her grandmother is Tyyne the cousin in the Hämäläinen family photo I have on my home page. It was an interesting bit of history.) Two relatives that I had also met at the beginning of my journey came back to Helsinki from eastern Finland, and we all went to Linnanmäki, an amusement park. It was so nice to spend the final days with them and relax before heading home to Canada.
It was a wonderful trip full of a variety of different experiences: meeting new relatives, trying new things, and getting to catch up with my cousin and her two boys in Italy. I am already looking forward to my next adventure.
Looks like an amazing trip. I feel inspired, hope to go one day!