What is it that gives the town of Oulu its character? One important factor is the river delta – the town is located at the spot where the Oulu River meets the sea. Human effort has engineered quite a beautiful meeting place for the two: the entire district of Koskikeskus was designed by the celebrated Finnish architect Alvar Aalto himself. A little further up, a dam breaks up the river, leaving behind a delightful array of small islands and brooks just in front of the town centre. The little islands are all unique: One has housing while another is home to a dance pavilion. There is a sports centre on one and an art museum on another. One houses the ruins of an ancient castle and another sprouts experimental buildings left behind by a recent housing fair. Water gives way to land and land gives way to water, making the river delta beautiful in summer and winter alike. The coexistence of the two elements is also the reason for the many bridges that are so characteristic of the town!

And then there is Hupisaaret Park, a cluster of even thinner ribbons of land interspersed with slender streams, home to museums, outdoor theatre and dainty white bridges. And one of these little ribbons is Lasaretinsaari Island, which is where we are.

The name of the town, Oulu, means ‘flood’ in the language of the Sami, the indigenous people of northern Europe.