Fennoman

Hi!

I was asked to write down something about Finland and Finnish people. Here you go, then.

http://fennoman.blogspot.com

GaryCA

Thank you. I enjoyed that. I'm thinking about a trip to Finland.

ira

Hi F,

Thanks for your Blog.

Your article on boozing reminds me of the old joke:

Two men go off for a sauna by the lake.

After an hour or so of drinking vodka and baking, they grill some sausages.

After another hour of drinking vodka and eating sausages, they grill some more sausages.

After another hour of drinking and eating, one says, "These are good sausages".

"Did we come here to eat, or to talk?", replies the other.

GaryCA

Not much Finland activity on this forum. It could be seen as too expensive or boring or both.

tower

Only one protracted visit to Finland, driving from Helsinki to Jyvaskala and points north, east and west for a week in 1985.

For raw and rural scenery, Finland is A-1...city life, aside from some interesting sights in and around Helsinki, just ain't there... unless one considers the annual Herring Festival in Turku...although it was colorful and different! Coming out of a month in Soviet Russia in those days, Finland looked a lot like Vegas!

Stu T. (Gary: I have some scanned photos if you wish to see any)

GaryCA

I would like to seem them, Stu.

GaryCA

Where do the have the wife-carrying contest?

crefloors

I'd go to the herring festival, I love herring. Thanks, now I have a reason to visit Finland!!!!!

elina

Hah, the Wife Carrying Contest is in Sonkajärvi, about 500 kilometres north of Helsinki. The nearest town is Iisalmi. I checked from their pages that already by now there are many couples who have singned for next summer´s race. Looks like an international competition: 6 couples from UK, 3 from USA, 3 from Lithuania, 2 from Germany, 2 from Kenya, 1 from Australia, 1 from China, 1 from Israel, i from Sweden and 1 from Norway.

Here:http://www.sonkajarvi.fi/?DeptID=14952

GaryCA

I didn't know it was international. I hope they aren't ruining it!

GaryCA

BTW, how do you type umlauts on this site?

elina

Well it is called Wife carrying world championships, so of course it is international. And it seems that it just makes it more fun. There have been Japanese Sumo wrestlers and a Mongolian wrestler, an American basket ball player and many others. And Estonians always win. But as long as the only prize is your wife´s weight in beer, the purpose of the whole thing is just to have fun.

GaryCA

Thanks, I've seen it on TV.

tower

Gary:

Here are the pix from Finland 1985...by scanning your pre-digitals they seem 100% improved and much sharper. Fun looking at the old ones anyway.

http://picasaweb.google.com/stuarttower/Finland85

Stu T.

any further questions, please write me at [email protected]

GaryCA

Thank you, Stu. They're terrific!

tower

Gary...I find that by zooming to 50% the pix come in even better.

GaryCA

How do you do that?

tower

Gary: I use Picasa (Google) and there's a "zoom" option. Or I simply place the mouse icon on the pic and it enlarges.

stu (where are you in California? I'm in L.A.)

GaryCA

I finally figured it out, Stu. You have to click on the magnifying glass. Great photos. Do you recommend Finland for about 4 or 5 days?

I'm in San Diego.

tower

Gary:

Yes, if you're going to rent a car...I'd say two full days in Helsinki..then pick up the car and drive toward either Porvoo (east) or Turku(west) Maybe a total of six days to get a feel for the countryside. Driving through the lake and birch tree country toward Lapeenranta or Jyvaskala.

stu