travel man’s holiday? HEIDI PIIROINEN Merkki, Helsinki


A visit to the media museum Merkki in Helsinki, located in the former offices of the country’s most famous newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat, is an afternoon well spent. Merkki’s permanent


exhibition looks back on the history of the printed press and digital media in Finland, across the Nordics and worldwide. It also has a strong


focus on contemporary media issues and its ‘meme alley’, a rotating display of current- affairs-related memes, is just one way used to interest people of different ages and backgrounds. “Our lives are connected


and shaped by media, so every visitor is involved with what Merkki has to offer,” says Saila Linnahalme, head of the museum.


In a country where the first


law prohibiting censorship was adopted under Swedish rule in 1766 and which has topped the World Press Freedom Index for the past 20 years, one could assume that all is well in the health of the media in this welfare state. However, as the exhibition


on press freedom rankings reminds visitors, recent state secrecy lawsuits and a court ruling undermining the legal protection of journalists have created a climate of uncertainty in the profession.


Linnahalme tells us: “Press


freedom and freedom of speech are more under threat now than they have been for a very long time. “At Merkki, we want to


remind our visitors how important it is to defend these two rights which are fundamental for democracy. “We have a lot of visitors working in the media –


also people with a career in printing and graphic arts due to our Printing History Cellar exhibition and workshop.”. Merkki is a short stroll


away from the bustling harbour market and Presidential Palace.


Merkki: free entry


If a plot involving a rowdy


If you’d rather swap a media-stuffed museum for a sun lounger, Nai Yang beach is the perfect place. And it comes recommended by not one but two fictional journalists.


travel show, a blonde heroine on magic mushrooms and a sleazy Hugh Grant doesn’t ring a bell, the return of Bridget Jones to the big screen may refresh your memory.


Phuket coast and Phang Nga Bay This summer you too can


walk in Bridget’s flip-flops just like in her Thailand adventure in The Edge of Reason. If the two journos appear to be enjoying a secluded getaway, it’s because they are. Nai Yang


is a less crowded and wilder alternative to the beaches of Patong, Karan and Kata. Nai Yang is near the airport


where Bridget is arrested then goes on to teach Thai inmates the moves to Like a Virgin.


Under the guise of ‘doing


research’, you could head to Ko Panyi, a village with houses on stilts. Here, Daniel Cleaver spun a fake story of ancient Thai poetry on a romantic boat ride to seduce Bridget. Typical.


theJournalist | 15


Finland Thailand


SAAGAR TAKHI


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