Finland... the land of tall blonds and pines trees

I'm sitting in an Irish pub in Tampere, Finland right now using their internet connection to check email and catch up on what is going on in this world. As always when traveling, world events, news, communication and everyday sort of things are pushed off to the side and over-looked for more exciting adventures.

We arrived on the boat from Sweden on Friday morning, sleep deprived and disheveled. We slept on the bus ride to Tampere and woke up to find Aura waiting for us at the end of the line. Every two minutes her cell phone would ring and she listened to our travel stories with a distracted air. Once at home, we helped to cut out name tags for the wedding guests and then had to pick the flowers for the reception hall. When she said we were going to get the flowers, I thought that meant we were going to pick them up from the florist. I guess in Finland it means going to a meadow and picking arm fulls of wild flowers to arrange in jam jars for the centerpieces. Rompingh throught the forest and fields, I couldn't have thought of a more picturesque way to spend our first day in Finland.

As we went to the reception hall, I realized that we would be the ones setting everything up for the wedding. Arranging flowers, setting tables, stocking toilet paper, setting up the bar and stocking the coolers- there was no wedding planner or person in charge, other than Aura. I realized that for my wedding, whenever that may be, I don't want to have to be bothered by last minute details like that.

After a suana in Aura's house, we crawled into bed and slept like rocks until 11:30 am on Saturday. The problem- we were supposed to be ready to go to the church by 12:30. Panic!

However, not as much panic as when Aura got the call saying that the bus driver had lost her wedding guests. I'm not sure how, but eventually everyone made it to the little chapel over looking the crystal clear lake and the service was over almost before we had time to realized they were married.

We were bused off to the reception hall, where the buffet awaited. The bar opened shortly afterwards and between the Irish and Finnish guests, I think we did justice to the open bar and kept the bartender quite busy.

We arrived back to the house around 4am, starting drinking this afternoon with Aura's dad and now here we are at the Irish pub again.

Tomorrow we take the boat to Estonia. :)

adventures cont.- COPENHAGEN

summer adventures... PARIS

It felt like I was coming home when I arrived in Pairs. I was completely shocled by the quite of the streets, the lack of honking horns, and missing motos, cars and vehicles jocky-ing for position at the red lights... the beauty and civilized nature of everything was stunning.

Staying with my host parenst from Sweet Briar study abraod was a great treat, especially since they are so well located in the 5th that I could really walk everywhere I wanted to go. I wondered down Rue Mouftard on Sunday morning to see the morning market and traditional accordian players who still play, sing and dance in the square by the foutain.

The I wandered over to Notre Dame, Luxemburg Gardens and St. Michel, where I found my good friend Elodie, who has just moved to Pairs from Rabat. We splurged for a Starbucks coffee and talked about everything that has happended since April when we last were together. We walked along the river, past post card stands and old used books, chatting chattingt chatting.

We finally reached the quai, along the river, where ever Sunday afternoon there is salsa dancing. So, as Elodie is the person that introduced me to salsa, of course we danced for the next three hours: salsa, bachata, cha cha...

As the sun was setting, I walked home to a fabulous meal and good conversation with Madame and Monsieur Camus. Monday morning I was out the door early to catch my flight to Copenhagen.