On Sunday, Lukas, Simon, Niels, and I made the short bus journey from Helsinki to Porvoo (Borgå in Swedish), Finland's second-oldest town. What I expected to be a leisurely day of seeing the colored wooden houses and cobblestone streets of Old Porvoo turned into an important lesson in Finnish history, knitting together and even more clear picture of why I love this beautiful country.
Before the Finnish War of 1808, Finland was part of Sweden. As a result of the war, Sweden lost Finland to Russia, and Finland became a Grand Duchy in the Russian Empire. This was a time when Finns were not particularly feeling Swedish and not wanting to feel Russian. In the midst of an identity crisis felt by the entire country, artists like poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg and composer Jean Sibelius stepped in and helped the people of Finland feel, well, Finnish again. In return, the Finns show their gratitude to these remarkable figures by erecting monuments in their honor, telling their stories, and eating their favorite foods.
Porvoo loves Johan Ludvig Runeberg, Finland's national poet, especially. He taught and lived in Porvoo for 40 years, and after his death his home was turned into a museum. In Porvoo you can find Runeberg cakes at every cafe, whereas in the rest of Finland they are only eaten once a year to celebrate the beloved poet's birthday. After a tour of Runeberg's museum home, I couldn't help but feel proud to have learned something about this man and his impact on the Finland. Hearing the stories of the people, for me, makes the Easter-egg-colored houses look a little brighter and the Runneberg cake taste a little sweeter.
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| Runeberg cake |
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| Porvoo Hostel |
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