Liquid Souvenirs From Finland

I've never really been one to buy souvenirs on trips abroad. Usually I'm traveling light, on a budget, or (more frequently) both, and don't often feel the need to spring for trinkets and keepsakes. There are, of course, a few exceptions to this self-imposed rule. Local craft beer is one of them, and since I started regularly writing about it, I've been fortunate enough to receive the occasional bottle or two of gifted brew.

Returning from Finland in mid-March, I managed to fit several beers into my suitcase, two of which were given to me by Pekka Kääriäinen, founder and managing director of Lammin Sahti Oy, a small brewery in the town of Lammi in the southern part of the country. Pekka is best known for his sahti, but he's also made ales and ciders for over a decade. Thanks to his generosity, I tried Juhlaolut as well as another called Pöllö, which translates simply to "owl."

To my eyes, Juhlaolut (7% ABV) has the color of polished rosewood: brownish with red highlights. Transparent but possessing slightly more body than I expected, it produced virtually no head when poured from the bottle. The nose was subtle with a musty vegetal aroma and a somewhat dull suggestion of hops. As far as taste, this "celebration beer" struck me as fairly subdued, with a soft caramel sweetness through the center and a gentle bitterness around the edges. Overall, Juhlaolut is a pleasant beer and more quaffable than the alcohol content implies. There's something likable about its malty, woody character, but I'm not necessarily anxious for a second sampling.

Interestingly, Pöllö's label lists the same five ingredients (vesi, ohramallas, humala/vatten, humle) and yet I found this ale more enjoyable to drink. In terms of a style, I would probably compare Pöllö to a Classic English Bitter. The color of bright copper—medium to deep amber—it too created very little head when served, much like the celebration beer. After I emptied the bottle, only a minuscule ring of tight bubbles clung to the walls of my Nonic pint glass. I did pick up some hop aroma though, along with a walnut-like sweetness and a good whiff of bready malt.

Lightly carbonated and relatively low in gravity, Pöllö (4.5% ABV) has a toasty malt profile that balances against a modest level of hoppiness. It finishes a bit dry and struck me as very sessionable. And while similar in some ways to the Juhlaolut's flavor, I could see myself seeking out this beer again. On the other hand, I might be just as likely to go looking for one of Pekka's two varieties of cider on my next visit to the land of lakes and saunas.

Need a Physician? Bring a Passport

No, that's not a hotel interior. It's a VIP suite at a medical facility in Southeast Asia. And not even the most expensive inpatient accommodation available at Bumrungrad International Hospital—that would be the Premiere Royal Suite. Honestly, I found it difficult not to be a little gobsmacked the first time I saw rooms like this in person.

I mention this because I wrote a short article on Thailand's medical tourism industry last year. My editor at Tropical magazine called it "Comfort and Care: Thailand's Perennial Allure to Health Travelers," and at the end, I quoted a source who claimed that countries such as Poland, Hungary, and Costa Rica are challenging heavyweight healthcare destinations like Thailand. Many months later, flipping through the "Journeys" issue of the New Yorker, I found myself reading James Surowiecki's financial column before any of the longer travel features. This in spite of the fact that I hadn't eaten dinner yet and the magazine included an intriguing story on Russia's lost culinary heritage.

Hiking Muka Head in Penang

For many travelers—including me—Penang is a place to go to eat. When I visited last spring, the tempting edibles on nearly every corner made it hard to resist spending my time snacking from dawn til dusk. Long considered a culinary paradise by foodies, this small Malaysian island in the Malacca Strait has seen its popularity spike since UNESCO added the historic city of George Town to their World Heritage List in 2008. And yet a short distance from the city and its heavenly food, Penang's green lung and Malaysia's smallest national park beckons to those in search of a bit of calm and quiet.

Occupying the northwestern corner of the island, the adjacent Teluk Bahang Forest Preserve and Penang National Park (Taman Negara Pulau Pinang) offer a number of hiking trails that lead to secluded beaches, mangrove forests, an unusual meromictic lake, and an impressive nineteenth century lighthouse. Along the way, park guests might also be lucky enough to spot Rhesus monkeys, a variety of exotic bird species, and one of the world's largest squirrels. I caught a glimpse of the latter from afar, and it was remarkable. Think cat-sized.

To reach the main entrance, take bus route 101 or 102 on Rapid Penang and exit at the Teluk Bahang roundabout. Entrance to the park is free and a small color brochure with map (in English and Bahasa Malaysia) is available at the interpretation center or from the Wildlife Department's website. You'll cross a small suspension bridge just beyond the gate, and then two trails guide hikers either northwest to the Muka Head light, or southwest across the peninsula to a pair of more remote beaches, one of which is a nesting-ground for green sea turtles. According to the map, this second route is longer and more difficult.