BACK	VAPPU
	Vappu is the celebration of the Spring (doesn’t matter if it’s still snowing…). The celebrations begin on the 30^th of April with the high-school students taking their degree and thus qualifying for university. As a sign of their success, they get the Ylioppilaslakki (picture left). In Helsinki, the tradition is to clean the statue of Havis Amanda (1908 by Ville Vallgren) on the market square. This is the biggest public meeting. After this act the celebrations can start for real, which includes the drinking of extended amounts of alcoholic beverages. The next day, on the 1^st of may, the tradition is to meet again with your friends for a pick nick in a park around midday. In Helsinki the place to be is Kaivopuisto.
		© L. Joachim