Vappu

Its May 1. This day is known to me as May day, the day dedicated for all the labors all over the world. In Finland its kinda different I guess. The celebrate it differently. Its a celebration day like new year in Bangladesh(Pohela Boishakh).


The whole country is in festival mood on this day. I am in Tampere so I just could see how it is here. I went to downtown to see how they celebrate it. I found lots of people, that is a bit unusual in Finland, gathered in the center. They were singing, dancing, shouting. There were many groups with different colors. They were waiting for the rally. I was just roaming and shooting pictures. Their colorful dresses and enjoying faces somehow captivated me.


I took a position from where I can take some front pictures of the rally. The rally started walking towards the lake. There were many groups. Most of the groups were holding a big sculpture of something. When all the groups gathered by the side of the lake they were preparing for the dipping program.


On this day they dip engineering students in the lake who are in their first year in school. As it is my first year here I was also eligible for this but I didn't go for it because I needed to buy a dress and a cap that cost around 100 euro which is a bit expensive for me. There were 2 big cranes for the dipping program. Each time 6-10 students, both boys and girls, got on the square platform(like a box) and the crane lowers it down to the lake water. The students were having fun of it. They were showering champagne while on that platform. I just saw 4 or 5 dipping and then came back because this same thing will be continued for 2 more hours may be. The weather was very nice today and so everybody was enjoying the wappu.


I am giving some snapshot here for you people :)





Music is going on





General people waiting to participate in the rally





A group in blue dress





Near the city center. Lots of balloons with spectacular colors





The first rally by general people





The main rally, escorted by a police car, is coming





One group in nice white dress





Another group dressed up just the opposite of the previous one





I don't know why this group is carrying the sculpture of Dalai Lama :-?





Pinky carrying a big spectacles :D





One group decided to run in the rally. They waited to make gap in front of them and then started running suddenly.





All the groups gathered beside the lake





The big cranes





Lots of people at the opposite side of the lake





Here goes the first dip. Only 4 guys I guess





Now they are in water. It was still very cold. The temperature was just above +10





Here goes another one





The lake has a dam at one end





A snap from the top of the dam




Programming solution