Books, Wine and Food? Or Books and Sauna (+ Beer).

According to the press release of the Helsinki Book Fair,

Books, wine and food draw visitors to the Helsinki Fair Centre

Booklovers and wine & food buffs were pampered with a twin event at the Helsinki Fair Centre over the weekend. The seventh Helsinki Book Fair was accompanied by the new Wine, Food & Good Living event, which was organised by the wine magazine Viini. The two events attracted a total of 68,500 visitors...

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We, a group of six women, enjoyed the Fair and the Sauna, like last year.

Swimming in candle light, can you imagine? But a good, hothot sauna first, with good company, afterwards beer, or cider, like some (others) preferred.

This sauna belongs to some trade union hot-shots, in the book fair area, Pasila. Perhaps this has already become our tradition?



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Something reminded me of the first Helsinki Book Fair which took place in 2001. Then Ian Rankin, my idol, visited. (I met Rankin in Reykjavik, in 2006!!!! Take a look at this and this.)

But I happened to come by a very funny Rankin interview in the net. I quote just a few bites here, enjoy:

Are you a practical joker?

– Now and then. When some friends were away once, I stole a 'For Sale' sign and put it up next to their house as a homecoming gift. But practical jokes take effort, and these days I try to keep all effort to a minimum....

What would be a perfect weekend for you?

Perfect weekend: out on the bevvy (alcohol) with some pals, maybe hit some record shops, go see a football match, then sober up in the evening, a bath and a shave, and out for a meal with my wife. That's the Saturday. Sunday, I'd stay in bed late, then assassinate the royal family.

Are there any movies you have seen that have left a real lasting impression on you?

I don't know. Instead, here are some films I love: The Godfather, Goodfellas, The Big Chill, Toy Story, Singles, Terminator, Apocalypse Now, Blade Runner....

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The Big Chill, where did that come from? Well, nonetheless, it is an extremely good film. I have loved it for decades. Haven't thought about it for years. A Lawrence Kasdan film, directed in 1983, with the Kasdan gang, like William Hurt, Jeff Goldblum, Kevin Kline + Meg Tilly, sweet...