Home sweet cottage, Finland

Need I say that 4 days is far too little time to spend in an environment like this?

Anyway, last weekend was spent visiting family and a few friends in Finland.

Time passed fast. Schedule were fully booked, like it tends to be on Finland visits.

Tummy was full of great food constantly. And new experiences were gained.

Also spent my last day, which was supposed to be dedicated for my little cousin + longboarding, in bed drinking hot juice and MSM. Yes, I got ill. Swollen throat, fever feel, head full of pressure and muscles all weak. Great way to end a short holiday, right?

The weather in Oslo (Rånåsfoss actually, as I came to spend my weekend at Ingar's parents house.) is great for once, so I'm off out for some longboarding..therefore - let the pictures speak:

day 1 was:

parents (+food), grandparents (+food), cousins (+food), birthday of cousin (+food), outdoor hottub, swimming and did i mention...food?

day 2 was:

wild strawberry picking, ants in my pants, swimming, Chris and Veera (!yay!), beachvolley, Sanni+Tuomas+Jussi, Varkaus pub evening incl. Reea+Santtu+Tommi+Henri, nighttime outdoor hot tub+sauna+swimming+bbq.

day 3 was:

Visiting family: we finally have a newcomer! a little baby girl! a little monkey! (unfortunately this means that in two years time I will be playing horse...I dunno if I'm quite looking forward to that part ;)

and Kuopio Rock -festival with our summer ex-change student, Marily. Nightwise was playing!

Unfortunately I couldn't take my camera to the area with me. Maybe I'll post some photos later if I get ahold of the pictures from our mini-camera that was with us.

I wasn't really 100% at the festival...guess the illness was kicking in!

Saw some old friends though, which was nice.

day 4, the last one:

Laying in bed till 3pm. Feeling like the end of the world was coming. ;-) Thought of heading to the bus station at midnight and taking a 5hours bus ride to the airport to make the 8am flight was not tempting.

Little by little I got some energy to get through the day, and later the bus ride. With an extremely low energy level I did cut Ingar's hair, watch everyone swim, enjoy the sunshine and try do some evening fishing (without the same success as up North of Norway).

Now back in Norway. Still coughing and sneezing, but feelin' betterrr.

Next week it is the Øya festival. I'm looking forward to it. Big time.

xo

Linda

FIN LAND, yes it is.

Finland weekend, 

Kicked off with breakfast, that turned into a lunch, with Hilla. Was supposed to go check out the Bassline festival but due to poor weather and a headache I decided to go sleep the pain away and get ready for the evening. Sleeping didn't quite work and I had to turn to Mr. Painkiller. This is something I rarely rarely do. No idea when last. Well, at least it helped.

Then it was time for paartaay. Lotta's birthday. Pictures of that might follow...lets see if I get ahold of any.

Sunday Brunch at Primula. A bit tired folk.

Sunday picnic with tired folk. Ah, where is that summer weather. I miss the nights when you could just walk around in shorts and a top at 3am.

Sunday continued with a Finnish movie. Translation is ´Soon 18 `.

I had no idea what I was going to see. I was in for a drama/comedy.

The movie was nothing like that.

It was serious, touching and simply very very good.

...also very realistic.

5 guys, nearly 18 years old, problems of their own, problems of their family.

The roughness of growing up in today´s Finland from 5 different perspectives.

After the movie we headed off to the final event of Bassline - Söndag Jazz.

Monday was friend day. I bumped into so many old faces, as well as enjoyed a chatty moment with Saara on the stairs of Tuomiokirkko and sipped tea with dear friends from school and exchange.

And Monday morning 4am it was time to wake up and head of to the airport in order to catch the 7.15 flight and go straight to work at 9. ;-) Yes, this picture is taken at 4am. You gotta love the Finnish summer, right!

The weekend was: <3.

I think I know which country calls me next after Norway. Lets just see when this time comes. :-)

with <3

Linda

ps. Fin stands for good/nice and land obviously stands for land. The Swedes really got that one right. Fin-land!