Only in Finland

Dear Friends,

As you know we Finns are just like all others. In some things. Then there are some things we differ from the others. Just a bit. I guess all of you are used to have permanent snow and the temperature somewhere between -5C and -15C, sometimes down to -20C. Or are you used to it...?

Today it has been a bit more slippery then normally. By early afternoon there had been registered over 20 car crashes at Helsinki, about 500.000 people city. Yep, it was slippery indeed but I LOVE IT!

It has been icy and slippery ever since mid December and gotta say I have loved to drive, the more slippery the better! It is fun to play with the car, too bad there are not enough places to do it properly and safely.

My favorite spot is the silent road next to our place where I tend to park my car, while the other car is at our normal parking spot. Anyways, when I come ther so that I need to park on the other side of the road I'm driving to, it is ALWAYS SO MUCH FUN to do the hand break turn. If you have seen the legendary movie Blues Brothers, just imagine the guys parking in front of the church. That's what I get to practice on daily basis :o)  

As I said, Finland is just like any other country!

Also in the following articles that I spotted last Sunday from our main newspaper Ican prove you we are just like the others - or what do you thing?

This one is about salmiakki, the salty liquirice you can find in Nordics and something related from Holland (dank u wel Marieke!). My fool countrymen have established a salmiakki promoting union that on yearly basis arrange a tasting competition to find the best salmiakki of the year.

The funny thing is that the salmiakki that has once won the competition can not take part any more. No worries, they will not run out of options any time soon...

Out of the ones below for latest election, my favorite is the one far left, Haganol's one that is closest to the one you have been able to buy from the pharmacy. Nowadays they have made the same stuff also at liquid so making salmiakki vodka is easier then ever ;o)

To keep you guys on your toes, remember that you are always welcome and we are happy to join the winter swimming contest together.

Just for info, the winner was the 2nd from the right.

Back to the winter. Imagine yourself in open water (opened from the frozen lake or sea), naked, swimming. ...get the picture of us Finns? If needed go back to the post around the New Year where I showed a pic of a person in the snow, naked, -20C...

Welcome to Finland!