i've always lived in cities near rivers or oceans, but i've never felt so close to water as i do here in helsinki. my apartment has a nice view of the kaisaniemi bay, and the fastest way to work is along the water.
i think of something my late grandfather once told me at our old apartment on 52nd street overlooking the east river. he hadn't gone out all day, so i asked if he wanted to get some fresh air. he said no, it was okay, he had spent the whole day by the window, and watching the river made him feel connected to the world and helped him forget he was in a strange country where he couldn't speak the language.
