Dangerous snow

Snow's fucking dangerous as far as I'm concerned. This afternoon I retreated from being knee deep in the stuff, and at various times either way horizontal. This might be expected if you were up some mountain, but not when you are feet away from a national monument trying to get a good picture of it's rather interesting relationship to the geological strata of the rocks below (I'm an idiot). This was the Finlandia Hall, of course closed for renovation, a sort of Murphys Law of architectural scholarship (if it's going to be refurbished, it will definitely be being refurbished when you turn up). I think of Aalto's Finlandia of as a bit of a 'prog rock' building, 1974 and all that, but then my hat blew off in the arctic winds ('they come from the land of the ice and snow' etc etc ad nauseum). I'm rather fond of said hat, so clambered after it (you don't want to see me trying to do this, especially the 'maybe I shall die and only be discovered when summer comes' moments) over half a building site really, a 'building site', crossed with 'park' crossed with 'frozen lake' who knows where the boundary was, but with nobody about, because the 'craftsmen' are all sleeping in their vans, and I don't realize one crucial thing, undriven snow has no depth indicator. This turns out to be very very bad news. Still, covered in snow, mud and general sludge, but clutching hat, feeling like some kind of mollified Indiana Jones, I decided this is why Helsinki appears deserted, it's too bloody dangerous outside. There's nothing to do but stay indoors and enjoy your designer objects and probably drink to them a lot.

Not that there are any designer objects here, mine host has us staying in something one step up from 'prison cell' in a 'hostel' embedded in the side of the Olympic Stadium. Olympic parks naver have anything in them of any use. There is nothing here, not a sausage, especially not a sausage (maybe a Mars bar from the vending machine) not even a TV, just acres of snow and people staying indoors. I'm joining them. Thank god I picked up the Chivas Regal from the airport. I might try and make a sandwich in the communal kitchen but I'm sure the students have eaten everything already.

We go out tonight, thankfully escorted, but by our host, who forever wants to stay up until four in the morning. Not looking good is it.