This past weekend was my last in Berlin. While it was WONDERFULLY warm after such a cold winter, I spent my time at my last Werder Bremen football game with my German friends. I was in a trikot for the game and the rest of the time spaghetti strap top and capris! It was nice and hot!
After that I had to say goodbye to the land of sauerkraut, football and warmth. I traveled to the WAY north, where the legend of Santa started out as a demonic tale to frighten children into being good, the land of ice (yes there was still some there), home of the hockey world championships for this year and of course moose and reindeer. And most importantly...my friend Kaisa.
We started our trip in Helsinki, celebrating May Day also know as Vappuu in Finnish (spelling is probably not correct.) We met up with another American and took to the Helsinki Zoo on May 1st and took a picnic lunch of everything Finnish. Next I traveled to Siilinjärvi, where we spent a few days with Kaisa's parents in her hometown.
Her wonderful dad showed us around the town and took us to the local tower to look over the whole of Kupio (the nearby town) and visit the museum. We even sampled moose meat....cooked and raw! YUMMY!
Finally we went to Kaisa's town of Joensuu, where she attends University. We helped her boyfriend Urho (meaning "brave") set up for their end of the year theater group ball.
Finally we went to Kaisa's town of Joensuu, where she attends University. We helped her boyfriend Urho (meaning "brave") set up for their end of the year theater group ball.
While the Finnish language for sure made my tongue hurt to try to pronounce things and I was a bit nervous because we were to be doing formal dancing, I was very excited to go to the ball. The theme was Venetian Karnevale. Kaisa was gracious enough to set me up with an "avec" for the evening and so I spent the night Foxtroting and Waltzing and doing traditional Finnish folk dances with the gentlemen of the theater group.
And above is the Jenkka which is a traditional Finnish dance with LOTS of jumps! This is almost the Conga line version of it.
Above is Kaisa and her boyfriend Urho.
Sunday we all recovered from such a fun dance of jumping, singing, and reveling that the only energy we had left, we spent on the botanical garden in Joensuu.
Sunday we all recovered from such a fun dance of jumping, singing, and reveling that the only energy we had left, we spent on the botanical garden in Joensuu.
The Joensuu Botanical Garden is home to 4 rooms of many different tropic species of plants as well as a billion butterflies. Kaisa and I spent most of our time chasing butterflies in the humid chamber.
Now I flutter off to good ol' Britania where I shall meet up with my Nebraska friend Joy and Adam (of Northern Irish persuasion) and visit Belfast in Northern Ireland! I hope to see all the Titanic sites for the 100th anniversary! I'm soooo excited. Until the next journey! Ta-ta for now!