Herbert on the road again

Ken got Herbert back from the repair shop and says:
- I didn’t spend a thousand euros on Herbert for nothing! She has a full tank now, so we can plan a 900 km roadtrip. Where do you want to go?
- Ritva told me to do things that give me joy. I get joy from seeing ITE art and everything beautiful that’s free.
- Let’s find those places!      

What a day! Short sleeved shirts! Short pants! No pantyhose! Barefeet! It took way too long, but finally the summer is here! And it’s the day to start the roadtrip! Ken and Kaarna literally dance their way to Herbert!

 

Ken was so excited about hitting the road that he forgot all the vegetables in the fridge! Now he has to buy new ones at a slightly expensive grocery store on the country side.

The first morning on the road is amazing! They are in no hurry so they can enjoy their porridge and morning walk peacefully.
- Looks like we’re about to have another summer day. This is life at its best, Ken rejoices.

But when they arrive at the first art stop, the sky starts pouring rain on them. The usual luck! Is anyone even surprised? But Kaarna has decided not to complain about the weather and borrows Ken’s raincoat. Jätkän Onnela is a great example of the work of an ITE artist.

They spend the rest of the day in Herbert.
- Stop going through her IG account, it’s not healthy! I have plenty of books, read something.
- I can’t concentrate on reading.   

The evenings are not at all as windy and rainy as the days, but that’s when the mosquitos are having a party. Ken is pissed:
- Why the hell do I even do this van camping thing when most of the time it just sucks?! The weather is either bad or horrible, and I just want to keep on driving but I can’t afford it!!! Fuck this shit!!!
Kaarna smiles:
- Yay Ken! Let it all out! Fuck the universe!!!!! Fuck fuck fuckity fuck!

Kaarna still hasn’t complained about anything, and she hasn’t been at all difficult either.

 

- I have no interest in swimming.
- Me neither.
- This summer is horrible. I think I smell already.
- We have to wash ourselves, no matter what. 

 

The answer to their dilemma is a swimming hall. Even Kaarna enjoys it, because they are the only ones there! 

It feels really nice to be warm, clean and relaxed after sauna.

Ken chooses two different museums of traditional lifestyle for their today’s activity. They end the tour with ice cream and decide to find a beach next. It’s finally warm enough for bikini!

 

They manage to find a little paradise on Earth. Ken wants to warm up, but Kaarna is so ready to swim.
- Ken, even Barba-what’s-her-name wants you to come swimming right now!
- Well, if she insists…

 

 Ken is appalled!
- Not much joy about snorkling in this brown and muddy pond! Visibility zero!

- You’re so spoiled after living so long in Carelia. I’ve swum all my life in brown lakes like this one!

 

- Well, we need to go grocery shopping, fill the water canister and charge the batteries anyway, Ken thinks when the coldness and grayness reach their paradise.

 

An urban environment is a great choice when the weather or mosquitoes ruin the countryside. Ken and Kaarna pay a visit at an international food market to smell all the wonderful scents of foreign kitchens. Then they return to Herbert and warm up leftovers from yesterday!

 

 There are lots of cute little villages with cute little churches in the countryside of the southern Finland.
- Oh my lord… Wait up… I need to catch my breath…
- New body or not, you’re still getting old, Ken!

 

Next stop Fiskars Village. Boutiques of artist and crafters, exhibitions, expensive restaurants and a wonderful museum. All this in an especially picturesque environment. 

 

The best kind of art is something you can play with! (Laura Merz and Rudi Merz: Play in progress 2022)

 

Ken and Kaarna spend all day enjoying all the wonders of Fiskars Village. (Beili Liu: Still Winds 2022)

They are really tired after such an inspiring day and they decide to spend the night at a parking lot.
- Tomorrow we’ll find a beach first thing in the morning and do nothing all day!
- Sounds perfect! I’m beat!

 

Sunny but super windy today! Ken thinks it’s better to crawl than walk on top of a hill. He doesn’t want to be blown down the cliff by the wind! The scenery is wonderful anyway.

 

- Kaarna, I’m surprised how well you seem to be handling the breakup.
- I’m not going to cry after someone who doesn’t even care about me!
- Right… So you’re going to pretend that you’re not hurt?
- Quiet! Where’s my donut?

 

Kaarna might look OK on the outside, but inside she’s really sad. She has to ask Mari to block her on Instagram and Facebook, because it hurts too much to constantly see her posts. Mari wouldn’t want to do that, but she does as Kaarna asks.

 

- Ken.
- Yes?
- The sand burns me through the towel!
- Me too! Isn’t it great?!
- Yes! I had forgotten how good this feels. We deserve this already!
- And guess what? Hector says it’s below 15 degrees and raining at home! We finally have luck!

 

Ken picks up a pine cone and thinks:
- I will only take free souvenirs from the nature on this roadtrip since all my money goes to diesel and food.

 

Ken wants to see Villa Royal. It’s an old school house, but now it’s a masterpiece of an interior designer Markku Ellala who has created rooms from different eras. 

 

There is a room of baroque style, renaissance, rococo and empire style. It’s fascinating! 

Meanwhile Kaarna meets her sister Isla. She’s been celebrating her graduation until the morning and has a tiny bit of a hangover and needs a Pizza Americana.
- Last summer you said you’re vegetarian and avoid bad carbs?
- Today is an exception!

 

Kaarna is 15 years older than Isla. She used to take care of her little sister a lot, but during Isla’s teenage years they have lost the connection. Now Kaarna feels that it’s possible to find it again.

 

Ken puts a crown on his head and says:
- Look what I bought at Villa Royal today!

- And what happened to the promise not to buy any souvenirs?
- I couldn’t help it. I really wanted to support that business in every way I could!

 

On the next day the sun disappears as soon as Ken and Kaarna have settled down on the beach.
- For fuck’s sake where did these clouds come from?! Kaarna gets annoyed.
- I think the sky has an unstable personality disorder. So annoying! We might as well go and see that art place now. 

 

 They arrive at Alpo Jaakolan Patsaspuisto in a rain. Kaarna doesn´t pay any attention to the weather though.

 

The house and yard of Alpo Jaakola is Kaarna’s main interest during this roadtrip. 

 - When I was a child I had a book illustrated by Alpo Jaakola. It was an important book for me. I’ll show it to you when we get home.

 

Kaarna wants to visit the town where she lived before attending to the cult… the commune. Mämmilä is a small but vibrant place.

 

Ken asks to see Kaarna’s previous home, and she shows him the building, but hurries away.
- Let’s go… nothing to see here.
- Don’t you want to go and say hello to your old neighbors?
- No!!! Come on, let’s just go now.

 

Kaarna leads them to a perfect spot to park Herbert. Loads of memories take over her mind and it feels really overwhelming. This is where her roots are, and suddenly she misses this place tremendously! She needs some alone time to process it all.

 

At breakfast Kaarna asks:

- Can we stay here for a little longer?
- How much longer? I’m running out of money and I really must be at the post on Monday. I think we can park here over the Midsummer night, but then we must start driving towards home.
- Oh no…

 

Kaarna puts seven flowers under her pillow for the Midsummer Night. It’s a Midsummer magic and she’s supposed to see her future love in a dream. Of course she dreams about Mari. Fuck that Universe!