Hey, Mr Tampareen Man…Tracey Davies and son visit Finland

MY boy Angus is a sucker for a spot of espionage, writes Tracey Davies.

Since watching Goldfinger he’s become a true Bond geek to the point of insisting his milkshake’s shaken not stirred. So imagine his joy when we discover Vakoilumuseo, the world’s first spy museum on a recent trip to Finland.

Bagging a couple of bargain Ryanair flights to Tampere, Angus and I head out for a pre-Christmas Nordic adventure. Tampere is Finland’s third largest city after Helsinki and Espoo and despite being traditionally industrial there’s an abundance of super-cool Nordic architecture including a church in the shape of a fish and a bird-shaped library.

The airport is on the outskirts of town, so a short twenty minute transfer and we are at the Sokos Hotel Ilves, 18 floors up overlooking the twinkling sprawl of this snow-draped city. Tampere is a very easy city to navigate and most of the attractions are within walking distance. Winter temperatures can go as low as -20° degrees, however today’s -12° does not seem to bother Angus as he alternates between repeatedly pelting me with snowballs to collapsing on the floor to do yet another snow angel.

A ten minute walk from the hotel is the Finlayson district, named for James Finlayson, weaver and Scotsman who decamped here in the early 19th century. Hidden away in the depths of the shopping centre is the small but wholly fascinating Vakoilumuseo, an exhibition of ‘espionage through human intelligence’. If you thought that all those James Bond gadgets were invented for the silver screen think again, the museum is jam-packed with real examples of Q’s expertise and is an absolute dream for any young spy.

From walking stick-cum-swords to lighters which turn into handguns. This is cool gadgetry at its best.

After a couple of hours disguising our voice, intercepting emails and hiding in the spy tunnel, this Jane Bond fancied a swift martini and a lie down. However, Angus has other ideas and drags me off to Moominvalley, the official Moomin museum. Enthusiasts for 1980s cartoons will go mad for this gentle museum in Tampere Library which is filled with original sketches, prints and huge intricate models of this curious world.

Spies and Moomins aside, according to Angus the highlight of the trip is “jumping in the ice hole*.” Let me explain…embracing the Finnish lifestyle we take time to enjoy the traditional pastime of sauna (pronounced sow-na) followed by a dip in the ice hole. Unlike Britain there’s no age limit and in public saunas you’ll see babes-in-arms sweating alongside mothers, grandmothers and even great-grandmothers.

It’s here in the sauna my seemingly part-Inuit son embraced this Finnish tradition and happily boiled with the rest of us. With guidance from our host Pirjo, Angus then rushes out to the lake and (under strict supervision) dunks his pasty white body into the frozen water. Squealing with laughter he shouts “come on mum, don’t be a chicken!”

Not wanting to be upstaged by a seven-year-old, I quickly pad through the snow and before I could change my mind I too dunk myself into the frozen lake. Screeching with shock and joy I surface with a huge smile on my face. Feeling so invigorated, I now understand why Finns have been doing this crazy sport for generations. And then, for reasons unbeknown to myself, I do it again…

*Do not try this at home.

Factbox:

Tracey and Angus flew to Tampere with Ryanair, flights from £33.98 return including taxes and charges. They stayed at Sokos Hotel Ilves. Double rooms from €105 (£93) a night including breakfast (www.sokoshotels.fi/en Tel: +358 (0)20 123 4600)

Vakoilumuseo spy museum visit www.vakoilumuseo.fi

Moominvalley details More information on Tampere

Tracey Davies is a London-based freelance travel, parenting and lifestyle writer who contributes to The Observer, Metro, easyJet Inflight, Psychologies, Junior, Mother & Baby, Takethefamily.com, Able Magazine, SimonSeeks, The South Wales Argus, Living South, RISE, Little London and the US publication, Student Traveler. She is also a well-fed restaurant reviewer for award-winning London guide, View London.