"St. Petersburg in December 2012. With the Bronze Horseman riding on Finnish granite and behind it St. Isaac's Cathedral, too. Photo by Lavra. Sometimes we're all Anonymous Anthros. And first we quote Alexandr Pushkin, then we quote Juri Shevtsuk. I love these beautiful cities on the shores of the Baltic sea. They're all very different, and that's what makes them so interesting. St. Petersburg is not only the window to the West, it is also the window to the East. The city was designed mainly by French and Italian architects, and it looks like no other in Russia. It is a unique blend of various influences, and remains one of the great European culture capitals, as the Venice of the North. So why not begin with Andrei Belyi's masterpiece from 1913/1922, the original published and the final Berlin version, although neither of them is the only official Peterburg, since Belyi's technique of writing had something to do with continuity and variation."
The text above was written and originally published in December 2012, after my second trip to St. Petersburg. The first time I went there was in September, 2010. And I confess, I fell in love with Russia, at the very first sight. Even though I was just visiting and day tripping. But when I returned home to Helsinki, I fell even more in love with Finland. I remember this all too damned well, it was one of those nights and moments of in-out-sight. I thought I understood something about the relations between Finland and Russia. In spiritual and esoteric circles both countries play a significant role in the cultural history of tomorrow, Finland as a bridge between the European culture and the Russian soul, in its purest form carrying the Grail consciousness. The reality of today's world shows another kind of face altogether. There may not be much one could do to help the X.X.X.X situation and the catastrophe to be solved, but the Truth will set you free as it has done before and as it will for ever more.
There is a saying "tea and sympathy", that is quite common here in Finland. Maybe it is because of our beloved neighbour, who likes to drink tea? For my part, I have always been more like some Coffee-Grinder Man, at times even to the very bone. My old German friend and teacher told me during our last meeting years ago that his father used to say tea is for liars, coffee drinkers tell the truth. Well, my intention is not to repeat the same. I only wish to point out that we may need more coffee and room for empathy, rather than tea and sympathy. For empathy retains a healthy distance, while taking part in the other's feelings. Sympathy goes all the way becoming one with the other, without reflecting or distancing. This kind of activity leads to trouble, and usually a move towards antipathy will follow. Empathy could be seen as a kind of middle between these two opposed forces in the human soul. It is clear that we need all of these things, but it may not be wise to have more tea and sympathy. Though coffee is really not that good, either. In Truth, it has a tendency to bring out too much antipathy in us, creating the very need for some black tea party etc. Oh, I was just saying, it was just a saying.
"Pax tibi. San Marco in the winter light of January 2016. They say it's the best time to go to Venice. Photo by Antti Filppu. And peace be with you, too, Marcello Mastroianni (1924-1996). At the Venice Film Festival a year after his death there was a controversial scene acted out between his close ones. Around the same time I heard about the great actor himself. Mastroianni has helped me in a whole lot of X.X.X.X situations with his mock-Latin-Lover Italian humour. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Marce(llo)."
Whenever I go to Italy, I drink my one-euro-espresso standing, not like the other tourists who pay too much for a seat they don't really need. The verse here was written down and made public in early 2016, after our little Italian journey.