APY: ANIMAL HOUSE, FINNISH-STYLE.
Here I am with the editors of the 2009 issue of APY. APY (pronounced aah-POO) is a Helsinki tradition that streches back decades. Every year at the May 1 festival, these pranksters publish a comic rag that pokes fun at Finnish politics and culture. The editors prepare for the highly anticipated release of APY in the basement of their speakeasy, which doubles as a newsroom.
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O DEGREES
The writing’s on the wall. This chalk board is used to post the outside water temperature at the exclusive Finnish Sauna Society, where generations of Finnish dignitaries and their guests have gone to take a sauna and have a ritualistic dip in the icy winter waters.
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WHEN IN ROME…
I don’t know about Rome, but the tradition in Helsink is that after sweating it out in the Sauna, you go for a dip in the ocean — even it it is the middle of winter and the water is 0 degrees!
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IF IT DOESN’T KILL YOU…
Supposedly, the shock of swimming in O degree water is good for your health. I would say that it is more likely to add life to your years than years to your life. In fact, I’m pretty sure that my life flashed before my eyes in the few moments I spent clamoring through these frigid waters. Indeed, Mr. Hobbes, it was nasty, brutish, and short.
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WALKING THE PLANK.
Call me crazy, but…Actually, no. What I am about to do IS crazy.
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This picture pretty much sums up the feeling of swimming in O degree water.
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IN GOOD COMPANY
As it turns out, I wasn’t the first American to brave the winter waters at the Finnish Sauna Society. Here is a letter from Former U.S. President George H. W. Bush expressing gratitude to his host for brining him to the Society. While I imagine that Bush had a “kinder and gentler” visit than I did (he stopped by in the summer), I share his gratitude for having been allowed to take part in this amazing tradition.
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THE VIKING LINE
Behind me is one of the famous Viking Line cruise ships that ferry Scandanavians back and forth between Helsinki and Stockholm. These overnight ferry rides, which feature an endless supply of food and alcohol, are notorious for the raucous antics their passengers often exhibit. Think Scandanavian Spring Break.
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A Finnish sunrise, as seen from Helsinki harbor.
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This style of Soviet-era bikes are a popular form of transport amongst Helsinki’s “Skene” hipster set.
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Here I am with the editors of the 2009 issue of APY. APY (pronounced aah-POO) is a Helsinki tradition that streches back decades. Every year at the May 1 festival, these pranksters publish a comic rag that pokes fun at Finnish politics and culture. The editors prepare for the highly anticipated release of APY in the basement of their speakeasy, which doubles as a newsroom.
