Sue Riley: my cousins are Chris and Paula! Nice to know youre friends with them..... I live in the mid-western part, in Alavus, about 2 hours drive east from the coast. I live on a small grain farm and my excursions havent been many...just mainly from here to a town north of Helsinki, when traveling to the airport for my yearly trip to Florida. I have been to Lapland, which has forests and not so high mountains. Finland is the land of lakes.. many, many. It also has an abundance of forests.. and thick floor moss that you sink into up to your calves... boots are a must if youre out picking wild berries/mushrooms. Anyone can be on any property in the country to pick to their hearts content. There is also an abundance of boulders and rocks. They grow here due to the frost heaving them upwards, so every year they have to be picked up from the fields. The larger boulders take longer to rise.. so a driveway might be bumpy in places :)...or your yard. Winters are long with daylight from about 10am to 2:30....dawn and dusk only a short time before or after those times. Shorter daylight in the northern part. Life here is slower than what were use to there.. for people in the farming communities, where I live. Im sure its the same hassle in the cities... same routines as there... busy lives, hard working people. They love their coffee. The coffee bread and all pastries are called pulla. Summer and warmer months is a celebration time to live outdoors as much as possible; people get several weeks to a month off from work and head to the forests or their lake cottages like moths drawn to the light. My family here also love Lapland and make several trips there a year to fish and ski/trek. Ive been to Lapland twice; once to Rovenimi, where the Finnish Santa lives. There are areas where the land is rocky, not much growing. You can drive for miles and not see a home.. then go through little villages... not even a store .. just farming. I often wonder what people do if they have to pee or get the runs... sorry, but thats how I think. Guess it would be wise to carry toilet paper with you at all times... and wipes. :) Dont think anyone would see you.. little traffic in most rural areas... and the forests are so plentiful... you can hide in just a short walk off the road. Main highways are paved.. rural roads arent. Dont know what the population count is.. but I was told that Florida pop. is about the same. Finnish, Swedish and English are the main languages... I dont know Swedish... but have trouble with English and Finnish :) LOL! Finnish is very difficult to learn. I gave up. I opt to learn as I go... and not be stressed out every day.... too old for that! People all over the world are good and bad. The ones Im around are good, loving people. Life isnt perfect anywhere... there are ups and downs. Its cold here, just like in the northern states... sometimes going to -30s C (-22F) in winter, with wind. Summer can get hot... in the 80sF. Sauna is their favorite way to clean their body of dirt, their pores, their minds of stress. I cant take the heat and rarely take sauna... which is mispronounced by many... its not sawna... its like a pig... sowna. Its taken several times a week and every hotel has one... every home, either inside or its own building or like here... in a room in the barn. Most have walk in shower rooms and dressing areas too. And yes, some of the crazy Finns will roll in the snow or make an opening in the lake ice and dip... then go back into the sauna. The Finns came up with some crazy ways (games) to entertain themselves. I think they must of thought them up after a few beers during those long winter nights. One is carrying your husband to the finish line... another is the reverse; playing football in the mud; etc. You can find out a lot about Finland on the net. Most of all, I would say that its peaceful here. It doesnt take long to get out of city life and into the stress-free, laid-back countryside. Like anywhere else in the world.... kids are the same... people are the same... problems are the same. Ive always had a love for Finland because of my grandmother... and my mom talking about it... about her family. Ive always wanted to come here... to see where she came from... and my grandfather. I have. I sit on the dock and see the surrounding farmland... and know... this is where he grew up; plowed and planted those fields... swam and most likely fished in this lake.. and he gave his inheritance up to move to a hard life in America. Life isnt easy anywhere... but my grandparents had their reasons. They lived about two hours away from each other and didnt meet until they were in Bula. Now Im here.
Posted on: Thu, 30 Oct 2014 12:38:04 +0000
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