Joulumarkkinat

Yesterday Ollie and I went to visit the Finnish Christmas Fair in Rotherhithe, London.

It was a bit of a rainy day and of course we didn't take an umbrella with us. The result was soggy socks. Luckily the Finnish Church had warming glögi. Mmm, it tastes like Christmas. 

I had to buy some to take home with me. Chocolate was the main reason for our visit so I got half a kilo of it. It's worth every pound I spent and every pound I'm going to gain around the waist for stuffing myself with it. Oh well, I've got a gym membership now so hopefully it's not going to be that bad.

The Finnish Christmas Fair itself was lovely, it was held indoors which was a bit better than what the Scandinavian Christmas Fair had, they were in outdoors stalls. There was lots of Finnish food and stuff to buy and eat. I had a Finnish-style sausage and mash with ketchup, mustard and rye bread, Ollie had reindeer stew with mash and rye bread. I heard it was 'alright'. It was alright.

Two different people thought Ollie looked Finnish which I found extremely amusing. I made him try some salted liquorice (or salmiakki, pronounced like salmi-yuck-i) which, as every Finn knows, is always hilarious. You're not allowed to spit it!

Look at this bad boy. I can't go to London without visiting Fortnum & Mason. Yummy tea.

Halloween and Bonfire Night

As a Finn I had never participated in either of these 

Thanks to American TV I had a pretty good idea of what Halloween was going to be and the trick or treating part was like our Easter (but obviously late at night instead of running around the streets in the morning thinking that the early bird catches the worm and the biggest amount of chocolate).

I would say the scariest part of the night was the house that was guarded by six cats having a nap on the doorstep.

Ollie took me to watch a bonfire and some fireworks. It was a bit like our Midsummer, except that it didn't rain, The temperature was pretty much the same. Cold.

...and Family

In October it was my turn to visit Finland.

Wave! Waaaave!

I spent about five days in Finland. It was nice to go back home and see my friends and family, I had missed them. I had especially missed my tortoise, it was good to see that he's alive and healthy, he still loves tomatoes and is the king of the house.

These photos were taken by and in the middle of River Kymi. Those rocks are for some reason one of my favourite places in the world. Luckily the water level was quite low so me and Viivi could hop our way to the middle of the river safely.

Photos by Viivi, my personal paparazzi

Funland, Winland, Ginland. The many ways to mistype Finland. Rakkaalla lapsella on monta nimeä, a dear child has many names.

Friends...

Sorry for not writing for such a long time. I've been... busy.

That was a lie.

Actually I forgot I even have a blog.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaanyway.

My best friend Viivi came over to visit me all the way from Finland. We went to Cambridge and did stuff. I think this was in September or something.

Cool as a cucumber.