I - Nature, Walking, and Munkki

Many weeks have passed since the introduction day. Since Essi and I have known us before that day, we didn’t have to exchange our contact information. Sadly, Essi had to work after the introduction and therefore we didn’t really have time to talk and discuss the future plan and our meeting schedule. It even took us a while before we finally submitted our preliminary plan, not to mention the time passed before we met officially for the first time.

It all started on a sunny Thursday afternoon. It was warm weather, and Essi suggested that we could go for a walk through the city and the forest, heading for our destination: Pyynikin Munkkikahvila Oy.
We met at the bus stop Metso, from where we walked down Hämeenpuisto and continued in the woods by the sea. Everything was so quiet and peaceful. I felt very comfortable around Essi, so after a while our conversation shifted to more serious topics, the ones you would not talk about with a stranger.
After a little while, we arrived at Pyynikin uimaranta, the local “beach” of Tampere. If Essi had not told me that that was a beach, I would have believed it is just a random sandbank. I think even the Sahara Desert has seen more snow than this “beach” people.

We turned around and began our walk up the hill. Our next stop was at our final destination: Pyynikin Munkkikahvila. It is an observation tower, originally built in 1888. After some years and maintenance, it is still in use and contains a bakery, offering a traditional pastry called Munkki. Actually, it is just a plain doughnut with no filling but covered in a lot of sugar.

I did not admit it, but I could have eaten about five of them… Although there is at least one more bakery in the city center, I think they made a good decision to place the bakery on top of that little hill, therefore you have to walk and earn that pastry! (or just take the car when being lazy…) After all, we took the main road to walk back to the bus stop.
For myself, I had a wonderful day with Essi. I had not expected that I would get to know and bond with her that easily in 3 hours. I am looking forward to our next meeting, hopefully we will have as much fun as today.

Sam