Tag Archives: World Dog Show 2014

Shop Talk and and Some Fun in the City

August 5, 2014

The famous Helsinki Cathedral, "Tuomiokirkko"(spelling it correctly and pronounce it, should be a prerequisite for the eucharist...) on Senate Squre in the city center. It is an evangelic Lutheran Church. It can accommodate 1300 people. It is the most recognizable landmark of the city.

The famous Helsinki Cathedral, “Tuomiokirkko”(spelling it correctly and pronounce it, should be a prerequisite for the eucharist…) on Senate Squre in the city center. It is an evangelic Lutheran Church. It can accommodate 1300 people. It is the most recognizable landmark of the city.

Say, "cheese..." it does not really work in Finnish "juusto..." (one of my theories why English has become the lingua franca of the world...)

Say, “cheese…” it does not really work in Finnish “juusto…”
(one of my genius theories why English has become the lingua franca of the world…)

This WDS is also a study trip for me to learn about the mysteries, controversies and also trying to answer some of the open ended questions of the Pumi breed. Therefore,  it has been an especially lucky coincident that this global doggie summit has been organized  by “Pumi powerhouse” countries in two consecutive years.

strolling in the center of Helsinki. Nina took possession of Agyag. The spoiled opportunistic Pumi has enjoyed the extra attention

strolling in the center of Helsinki. Nina took possession of Agyag. The spoiled opportunistic Pumi has enjoyed the extra attention

 

Look at that delicious dinner plate. Fresh fish provided from the Baltic Sea.

Look at that delicious dinner plate. Fresh fish provided from the Baltic Sea.

Last year, I had a chance to spend time in Hungary, the home of the Pumi  and this year here in Finland.  Earlier, I’ve have talked to breeders, most importantly to the Forsti’s from Fifikus kennel at the Kuopio international show. Yesterday, I’ve spent the day with Marja-Leena Puranen here in Helsinki.  Marja-Leena also took me to meet Helena Mattila of Karvakorvan kennel outside of the City.

Thank you both for taking your time and meeting me.

After the Pumi protocol, the fun has begun. Finally, I could hook up with the “Pumericans,” Stacy Lehman, her husband Jon, Taru Parvin and her daughter Nina.  We also kidnapped Marja-Leena along for a good time.  We have shared our experiences, walked around in the center of the city a bit and finished the evening with a great dinner.

Niina, Jon and Stacy the wine in the forground of course is only for prop to enrich the phtograph...

Marja-Leena, Nina, Jon, Stacy and Taru (the wine in the forground of course is only for prop to enrich the photograph…)

 

 

 

from another angle

Tuomiokirkko from another angle…

 

Agyag enjoying her Cyndarella time. She will have have a hard time to become "just one of the Pumis" again when the clock will hit midnight at the end of the week and we return to the U.S.

Agyag enjoying her Cyndarella time. She will have have a hard time to become “just one of the Pumis” again when the clock will hit midnight at the end of the week and we return to the U.S.

 

It is all about the Pumi Marja-Leena, Ildiko, Taru with Kaffogo Agyag and Stacy

It is all about the Pumi
Marja-Leena, Ildiko, Taru with Kaffogo Agyag and Stacy

Back in the hotel, I called my husband Laszlo to tell him about my day.  We talked until my adrenaline level tanked and I fell in bed to recharge my body for the next day.

Jumalan Terve Finland…

August 1, 2014

 

…which means “God’s Peace or Hello… We are here in Suomi.

By the way readers, did you know that Finland has the largest fundamentalist Christian movement in Europe? Laestadianism.  It is awesome that the welfare state and a conservative Lutheran movement can actually coexist relatively seamlessly.  I guess, we have something to learn about tolerance here in the U.S.  But this topic is for another day because I am here for the great Annual International Canine Pilgrimage, the World Dog Show and not for a Purity Ball.

Every dog is going to the World Dog Show to Helsinki. THis is the great Annual Canine Pilgrimage - THis year in Helsinki.

Every dog is going to the World Dog Show to Helsinki.  – This year in Helsinki.  This is the Great International Canine Pilgrimage

 

"Jumalan Terve" Finland or "God's Piece" or Hello You will think I was born here...

“Jumalan Terve” Finland! or “God’s Peace” or Hello… You will think I was born here…

We’ve made it across the pond and start with a rather tight schedule. Driving up to Kuopio in the night, (found a B&B – cabin with Sauna in the country just south of Kuopio) where we will stay for three days while driving back and forth to the SAWO international dog show.

 

Puli, Pumi, Mudi... naming of these breeds, yes, it is certainly a telltale for some compulsive tendencies BUT...

Mudi Puli, Pumi… naming of these breeds, yes, it is certainly a tell-tale sign for some compulsive tendencies BUT…

 

...

…c’mon how do you call this? (talking about OCD…)

I had a sort of “killing time” conversation with a Swedish  passenger (I think she was from there…) from NYC to Amsterdam on the plane. After she found out about the purpose of my trip,  we talked about herding dogs and at one point she was kind of of ironically referring to Hungarian herding breeds and breeders as OCD (because of the names of the Hungarian breeds – Puli, Pumi, Mudi…)  I did not have an answer for her right on the plain but than, while sitting in Amsterdam, in a magazine I saw a tourism ad with the flags of the Scandinavian countries I wish I could ask her about that (talking about OCD…)

My rental car is rather small (you have to flush it twice…) however, with a superior gas milage – comparing it to our gas-guzzlers back in the states.  I need compromise my comfort in order to save money on gas that is rather expensive over here. All those gas taxes and fees must support national education, the Finnish students who are way ahead of their American counterparts in math and science.  But that is OK because once they finish their education (or Finnish their education) in Finland, we just give them working visas and move them to the U.S. to strengthen our economy.  We just love a superior highly educated work force in the US.  Thank you Finland so I guess, we are even after all.

This is it for today and now, we are off up north, to the woods. Hope to see you all in Kuopio tomorrow.

 

Santa Claus and the Nordic Tango… A Country in the “Impossible Bottle” on the Top of the World

 

July 27, 2014

 Finlandia Welcomes You/me…

I hoped to meet Santa while in Finland, however, he has been in the U.S. ( I saw him driving through last week in Stormville NY. I guess I am not lucky just like Major DiBlasio who saw only the second in command at the Vatican while vacationing in Italy. I guess I will meet only the elves.... How tall they are anyway...?.

I hoped to meet Santa while in Finland, however, he has been in the U.S. ( I saw him driving through  Stormville NY last week.) I guess I am not lucky just like Mayor DiBlasio of NYC who could only see the second in command at the Vatican while vacationing in Italy. I guess I will meet only the elves…. How tall are they anyway…?.

 

"Vodka from the Top of the World...The Ice Cold Hot seven feet tall Ice skating siren

“Vodka from the Top of the World…The Ice Cold Hot seven feet tall Ice skating siren

Next Wednesday I’ll be en route to  Helsinki, Finland. I am going to the World Dog Show 2014 with Kaffogo Agyag. Since I’ll be blogging our journey, I hope you will follow our adventures. For a start, here are some essential facts about Finland.

The rugged ultimate Finnish specimen. He has it all... the woman and the ice sculpture too... have a drink buddy...

The rugged ultimate Finnish specimen. He has it all… the woman, the ice sculpture and the vodka too… have a drink buddy…

 

 

I’ve never been in “Suomi”, so I am looking forward to this trip to the top of the world.  It should be like home coming… back to my Finno -Ugric roots.  I will spend  12 days there while traveling around.  I will be crossing back and forth the land of Santa Claus and expecting to see a crowd of of tall blond people dancing tango in every ballroom, clubs and other establishments including public saunas.  I believe in this because I am coming from the U.S. and because many years ago I saw a documentary film that has claimed that Finnish people are crazy about tango.  The premise of this film of course was

Who is the most known Finnish person in the U.S.? Of course it depends on...If you ask me the first name to pop in my head is the late Tom of Finland akaTouko Laaksonen. I love his work.

Who is the most known Finnish person in the U.S.? Of course it depends on…If you ask me the first name to pop in my head is the late Tom of Finland akaTouko Laaksonen. I love his work.

Tango Tango Tango...

Tango Tango Tango…

feeding on the contrast between the homeland of tango, Argentina, the global center of hot blood supply reserve versus the ice cold  appearance of  Finnish temperament  with its rather complicated sociological as well as psychological package.  But these topics are for a different blog entry written by shrinks, sociologists and anthropologists to explore…

My memory works in an odd way.  Another thing I remember about Finland, is an ad in a glossy magazine from the 1990’s. It was about Finlandia Vodka.  I recall looking at the bare winter landscape on the two-page ad with the ice cold and hot (what a perfect misnomer…) sexy blond, long legged, about seven foot tall speed skater (just to clarify things I am 5’4″…)  the even taller curvy ice sculpture in the middle part of the picture, the ice fisherman, the rugged ultimate Finnish male specimen on the right and of course the insert in the corner, the Finlandia Vodka bottle with the message, “Finlandia Vodka from the Top of the World.”  It was like a puzzle, did not make too much sense after my high school geography studies.  I was taught  that the top of the world was the land of Mt. Everest and K2.  But because I went to high school in Romania, in the Land of Vampires where the King of  Shoemakers, ruled a nation of bare-footed beggars, one never really knew what was true one learned in school… (talking about living in the world of hyperreality…)

this is serious Santa land...

this is serious Santa land…

Anyway, after all I realized that I have been swallowed by the bottomless black hole of advertising media where reality and fiction are seamlessly interchangeable. Let’s admit, it has been an effective ad…

Another crazy story that stuck in my mind about Finland is the income based traffic ticket article I’ve red somwhere.  In Finland, the more money one earns the more one pays for speeding tickets.  I do not know wether this is  for real or not,  but I am taking along my last year’s income tax return because I will be driving a lot.

So as you can see, I am well prepared, my expectations are pretty realistic and I am seriously looking forward to running into you Pumi people in Funland (sp?) on the top of our two dimensional world, either for a few steps of tango or a big glass of dry martini during the World Dog Show In August.

See you there!