tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22811993450819263512024-03-13T00:02:19.263-04:00The Expat LifeAmerican living in Finland. All about Europe and beyond. Travel tips, photos, food, experiences.The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-6208546365188857672013-06-17T08:42:00.000-04:002013-06-17T08:42:56.723-04:00Spring, Northern Italy, Goto Restaurant<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_rz7qixcaEMTd9Hia_9Jy9nJqj5XepJlTtAA2B8KAZttyCxTGr045xdm_mHlM45p__aDBN_jCWZ2m3cAnXnPPZjZ2-7GKgz_8Nk3uPLUXhFdB2YiIsQfyrzAWy-0QkN_Al6WWMWbPPs/s1600/P1010225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flowers for sale at the Old Town square</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mother Nature keeps teasing us here in southwestern Finland. For a few days, it will be sunny -- and very warm! -- then, all of a sudden, it will be cold, windy and rainy. Midsummer is next Saturday, which is a two-day holiday here and a cause for big celebrations. Everything closes -- even the Alko (liquor store). You can bet there will be long lines there on Thursday! Hopefully, the weather will cooperate. I will admit that the long days and nights are much better than winter, when it's dark and depressing. The black-out shades have been in place for several months and taped to the wall, but sunlight still slips through. Officially, the sun "sets" right now around 11:15 p.m. and "rises" at 3:55 a.m. But it never gets totally dark.It usually wakes me up at 3 a.m.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2MFEyM3C_SFxykc9fW8l_KdXP1OER_OEb5uHY77ZnBiWsIeRKUDapJBlVTwPp3Hu_7Fc7eHVFWTeAV3M3wjjDpMq7BJQYoYbOlnvldkDIvQKvfUFZ12SGGT0Nl7DeP5Q0JosGRwGzpM/s1600/photo(290).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2MFEyM3C_SFxykc9fW8l_KdXP1OER_OEb5uHY77ZnBiWsIeRKUDapJBlVTwPp3Hu_7Fc7eHVFWTeAV3M3wjjDpMq7BJQYoYbOlnvldkDIvQKvfUFZ12SGGT0Nl7DeP5Q0JosGRwGzpM/s1600/photo(290).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Root vegetables for sale</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's already been warmer here this year than last summer, although we had some dreary weather this weekend. The only time I wore shorts last summer was when we went to Barcelona and London! This summer, we've actually had a few days where the temperature reached 80 degrees F.! That is unheard-of. The winter was milder this year as well. Even the locals comment on how much worse winter and summer were in 2012 compared to this year so far. We were at the company summer party this past weekend, and several of us were talking about how obsessed we are with the weather here. I think it's partly because the weather changes so quickly. One minute it's sunny and pleasant; the next, the wind blows in from the Sea of Bothnia and there's a 20-minute rain storm. Unlike the southern U.S., we rarely have thunderstorms here in Finland. But we have had a few in recent months.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Eb-SCpls6raqw1RE6EbREEsNQhJxQu6T2XDoIntPiJqdLn-Hy51u62W470ujv5EXtTq_ZkAiMe3410tJj8legwhBh2C-9V4yxH7MBkb5XSnxN6FfIRvI8FcY-Ezk7S3HasrW4Igb2Dg/s1600/P1010051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Eb-SCpls6raqw1RE6EbREEsNQhJxQu6T2XDoIntPiJqdLn-Hy51u62W470ujv5EXtTq_ZkAiMe3410tJj8legwhBh2C-9V4yxH7MBkb5XSnxN6FfIRvI8FcY-Ezk7S3HasrW4Igb2Dg/s1600/P1010051.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Doumo in Milan at night</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yjSofutcSQ3HPlR1sTEtZGeUuhDzmTzRa3O_doe-9Zave4z4Zs5PGqetvV_Xiq-P7Y8bYwCSZiOuhDDH_Wk-Uv7XpDDa2rNxUVnW8Ohccagzog9hUW1tj7JMWESJWnD6Zz06k2qW8_4/s1600/photo(291).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know the weather issues haven't been limited to Finland. I worry about everyone back home in the U.S. with all the severe weather. A tree fell on a friend's house during a recent storm -- thankfully, no one was hurt.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With better weather, more vendors are
showing up in the Old Town square every day with fresh flowers, fruits
and vegetables. The strawberries and blueberries finally have some
taste, and you can get every root vegetable imaginable -- beets,
carrots, turnips, onions, and many varieties of potatoes. The local
tomatoes are still the hot-house variety, but we can get decent ones
from Holland and Spain. I even got some peaches from Spain the other day
that were edible. And of course, we've been getting some yummy
asparagus, although most of it also comes from abroad, usually France.
I've been steaming asparagus and putting it on salad almost every day.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9g8gkKzB4iCOSOGCw_MCtdLW-1_2y3zGeigFZ2QtdV6ORMI7n0W3Y4dgr72GBIb1xmjB5ao1fdR7fFzp5FQJVYSws_84BMx4Y8MfzghYgYNz64xdjOoB_WHZ7hIyZxetCIqAhuMahwTY/s1600/photo%2528232%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9g8gkKzB4iCOSOGCw_MCtdLW-1_2y3zGeigFZ2QtdV6ORMI7n0W3Y4dgr72GBIb1xmjB5ao1fdR7fFzp5FQJVYSws_84BMx4Y8MfzghYgYNz64xdjOoB_WHZ7hIyZxetCIqAhuMahwTY/s1600/photo%2528232%2529.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Taking advantage of the season, my friend Marion and I visited northern Italy last week. We flew to Milan, toured the city, saw Da Vinci's breath-taking "Last Supper," visited the famous Doumo, ate some great food, drank just a little wine (!), and did a bit of shopping. We took a day trip to Lake Como, which included a boat ride to Bellagio. We saw lakeside homes belonging to Sophia Loren, George Clooney and Sir Richard Branson (his house is spectacular).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, we took the train from Milan to Santa Margherita Ligure. What a picturesque seaside town! We took the ferry to Portofino, which also is beautiful, although a bit touristy. I will say that Italians are some of my favorite people. Everyone seems to be happy all the time! And who wouldn't with all that good food, drink and scenery!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi383sNmL5bo5k8ItwoFj7gICl03sKdoGLiJxdD-KhR7yJGJ3E-M1xHirn9jh7SL0pftJpk7lso0laGlcFVZRKVIq5RxGYgLXp2K6rMreTF0sA1gXvWFrtrnZIA3GILe7xsyQIt2srJVPk/s1600/P1010129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi383sNmL5bo5k8ItwoFj7gICl03sKdoGLiJxdD-KhR7yJGJ3E-M1xHirn9jh7SL0pftJpk7lso0laGlcFVZRKVIq5RxGYgLXp2K6rMreTF0sA1gXvWFrtrnZIA3GILe7xsyQIt2srJVPk/s1600/P1010129.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Milan train station</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you get the chance to travel in Europe, I highly recommend taking a train at least once. It is simple, affordable and stress-free. Also, I usually don't like organized tours, but a tour is such a good way to get acclimated to a new city. In the case of Milan and "The Last Supper," it's a perfect way to see a masterpiece that is very difficult to get tickets to. You have to book months in advance for a 15-minute visit with Da Vinci's second most famous painting (yes, the "Mona Lisa" is No. 1 -- although it is much smaller in person and is always crowded with camera-wielding tourists in front of it at the Louvre in Paris). You aren't allowed to take photos of "The Last Supper," which is probably a good thing, since it allows you to reflect more on the work, which Da VInci painted on the dining hall wall of the monastery of Santa Maria della Grazie church in Milan. "The Last Supper" depicts the reactions of the twelve Apostles when Jesus announces that one of them will betray him. The painting recently underwent a major renovation, and the colors are just as Da Vinci painted them in the late 15th century.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uvFn6c_xWsHRcSBk5UzXAUFk7OZtR4U7FPZypmPYv4Yb7tSNpYwFMfBpyvZ92zxxkZs0wALKiep8sD3b14YSr7LUJ-8wqpIXPpYyErfKc_UkFHRWjiJXp-jTF15XQv5swFlpzU8x4Mw/s1600/photo%2528204%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uvFn6c_xWsHRcSBk5UzXAUFk7OZtR4U7FPZypmPYv4Yb7tSNpYwFMfBpyvZ92zxxkZs0wALKiep8sD3b14YSr7LUJ-8wqpIXPpYyErfKc_UkFHRWjiJXp-jTF15XQv5swFlpzU8x4Mw/s1600/photo%2528204%2529.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Santa Margherita Ligure</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also took an organized bus tour to Lake Como. Yes, we could have taken the train ourselves, then taken the ferry ride to Bellagio, but we would have missed all the great commentary by our enthusiastic guide. Plus, we never would have guessed which house was George's!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back here in Finland, my husband and I are preparing to return home to the U.S. in a few weeks, as our time here comes to a close. I have met with the packing company, we sold our car, found buyers for our bicycles, and I have started clearing out the pantry. I'll have some more thoughts on the move in a future post. We also are planning to visit Rome and Tuscany before returning to the U.S., so I'm excited to return to Italy so soon.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYWyzZv7gQuzyBfG6BmRCdyIQkjJpgGJppFV6cFJI7pXa0ZzCKPQHNsHvz_UJ4a_t8Me-WbPZDLKCfTPIkySmRX5t6bevKR8r2tiR5Q1QYTRnFASe84wWtjtPZnFkQ_UHTMgHMzxCdGg/s1600/P1010204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYWyzZv7gQuzyBfG6BmRCdyIQkjJpgGJppFV6cFJI7pXa0ZzCKPQHNsHvz_UJ4a_t8Me-WbPZDLKCfTPIkySmRX5t6bevKR8r2tiR5Q1QYTRnFASe84wWtjtPZnFkQ_UHTMgHMzxCdGg/s1600/P1010204.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Mediterranean Coast</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bellagio</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_rz7qixcaEMTd9Hia_9Jy9nJqj5XepJlTtAA2B8KAZttyCxTGr045xdm_mHlM45p__aDBN_jCWZ2m3cAnXnPPZjZ2-7GKgz_8Nk3uPLUXhFdB2YiIsQfyrzAWy-0QkN_Al6WWMWbPPs/s1600/P1010225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_rz7qixcaEMTd9Hia_9Jy9nJqj5XepJlTtAA2B8KAZttyCxTGr045xdm_mHlM45p__aDBN_jCWZ2m3cAnXnPPZjZ2-7GKgz_8Nk3uPLUXhFdB2YiIsQfyrzAWy-0QkN_Al6WWMWbPPs/s1600/P1010225.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Portofino</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> One new thing here in Rauma is the opening of Goto, a restaurant run by the 2012 winner of Finland's version of "Top Chef." I have to admit that I love "Top Chef" in the U.S., and I was impressed when I heard the winner, Teemu Laurell, chose Rauma to open his restaurant. Well, it turns out that Teemu was born in Rauma, and "Goto" means "home" in Finnish. Former ice hockey champions Janne Niskala and Petri Vehasen, along with former coach Timo Elon co-own the restaurant.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGASYQi__DaerOmLutQ4jfWWsGh5Js4GDizQICQ599n3HOyLFKmxd4pqI3P5fIJdiGnDuYUAmJKITVzXv3WM9l7tuyOeXCsms7NlMFEyZN38SAKmLE7uttmh2fuA6n7lQlUUK65UC1SxU/s1600/photo(292).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGASYQi__DaerOmLutQ4jfWWsGh5Js4GDizQICQ599n3HOyLFKmxd4pqI3P5fIJdiGnDuYUAmJKITVzXv3WM9l7tuyOeXCsms7NlMFEyZN38SAKmLE7uttmh2fuA6n7lQlUUK65UC1SxU/s1600/photo(292).JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The menu has a lot of the typical Finnish items -- salmon, whitefish, pork, herring, but Teemu's dishes are creative with lots of sauces and garnishes to make them stand out. They use local products whenever possible. My husband had the whitefish, which as seared and served along two different sauces. It was served with tasty roasted cauliflower. I got the marbled filet of beef, which had a "cafe de Paris" sauce comprised of butter, mustard, garlic, shallots, a variety of other herbs and spices, along with minced sardines, which I never would have guessed. The desserts are unbelievable. How about marinated strawberries with milk mousse and strawberry ice cream? Or my choice, chocolate mousse, bits of brownie, roasted white chocolate and coffee ice cream?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-17736253735897577532013-05-03T13:26:00.002-04:002013-05-03T13:39:28.828-04:00What's new<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay, I admit it -- I have been very, very slack about updating the blog. I blame it on Facebook -- it is so much easier just to post little snippets instead of writing entire blog posts. I didn't even join Facebook until a year ago -- I resisted as long as I could. But I do appreciate the ability to reconnect with people I haven't heard from in years thanks to FB.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Kukenhof Gardens, Holland</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also have been negligent in updating the blog, because I spent 3-1/2 months at home in the U.S. from early December to the end of March -- all because I just couldn't face spending another winter in Finland. The cold temperatures and the snow didn't bother me so much -- it was the dark days and the icy sidewalks that were so depressing -- and dangerous for me, as I had a few bad falls! A visit with my doctor revealed I also had a Vitamin D deficiency -- yes, we all need some sunlight every day. I know many people here in Finland buy the special lights to help with that during the long winter months, but I was not one of those people. While I appreciate </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">many things about living temporarily in Europe -- making wonderful friends from different places, the ability to travel so easily throughout Europe -- living abroad certainly does make you appreciate life in the U.S. much more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It also turned out to be a good thing I was home during the winter, as my daughter accepted a job offer in Atlanta in January, and I was so glad I could help her move there from Washington, as well as spend time visiting with my son in Raleigh and my family in Hickory, N.C.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And now, our time in Finland is rapidly drawing to a close. I have mixed feelings, as I do love the friends I have made here; I like the healthier lifestyle -- walking and biking everywhere, eating less fast food and processed food, and, of course, the travel opportunities. But moving back to the U.S. this summer will just be a new chapter in our ongoing adventure, wherever it takes us. In the meantime, I plan to squeeze in a few more trips -- back to Stockholm, although this time by cruise through the popular Aland Islands; an early June visit to northern Italy, and a final trip to Rome and Tuscany.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many other expats also are being sent home or to other locations. We have been to a number of farewell parties, and it really makes me sad. I think this is just a sign of the times. People travel more for work than ever before, and our more mobile society is rapidly becoming the norm.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DeFSz7oj4VE/UYPVKUMANzI/AAAAAAAALPo/11KKuB5eAgE/s1600/photo%2528170%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DeFSz7oj4VE/UYPVKUMANzI/AAAAAAAALPo/11KKuB5eAgE/s320/photo%2528170%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>One of Amsterdam's many beautiful canals</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recently went to Amsterdam with a friend, primarily to see the tulips and other flowers at the Kukenhof gardens in Lisse. It was everything I hoped for -- the gardens are only open two months every year, and draw visitors from around the world. While in Amsterdam, we saw Anne Frank's house, took a boat ride through Amsterdam's famous canals, visited a wooden shoe-making factory, a cheese factory and even saw a stand-up comedy performance by Seth Meyers from "Saturday Night Live." Amsterdam has a bit of a reputation because of its lax drug laws and the Red Light District, but there is much to appreciate about the city, especially the fabulous art at the newly-renovated Rijksmuseum. I also loved the Van Gogh paintings which were temporarily housed at the Hermitage museum while the Van Gogh Museum completed its own renovations. We did walk through the Red Light District one evening (after a bottle of wine and a nice Italian dinner), and seeing the women advertising their "assets" in the store-front windows actually was very sad to me. But at least they do get health care, regulation and assistance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The weather here in southwestern Finland hasn't welcomed spring just yet, but the forecast looks promising. I returned here April 1 hoping for warmer temperatures, but the chill and especially, the wind, have been quite annoying. We travel home next week to attend our son's university graduation, and I hope when we return to Finland, it will at least be warm enough to put away the down parka, scarves and gloves!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Here is the link to the Amsterdam pictures. The beautiful flowers will brighten your day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5873715705624876129">https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5873715705624876129</a></span><br />
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The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-34891424633974353782012-11-09T03:23:00.002-05:002012-11-09T03:23:09.938-05:00Issues and Istanbul<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-052WARiL4CM/UJoc27asRSI/AAAAAAAAKV8/AI-LdrvyDz8/s1600/Istanbul+245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-052WARiL4CM/UJoc27asRSI/AAAAAAAAKV8/AI-LdrvyDz8/s400/Istanbul+245.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Blue Mosque, Istanbul</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been awhile since I've written, but it's not because of a lack of things to say! It has been an interesting few months, to say the least, and I have a new "understanding" of government bureaucracy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Finnish residence permit expired in August. I had applied for a renewal last June, which I was told was plenty of time to get the new one. I made fall travel plans back to the U.S. for September, in order to get a decent price. August came and went, no permit. Calls and emails were not successful. I was told there was a big back-up in permit processing. Another expat wife who was in the same situation as me flew to the U.S. -- through Brussels -- and had no problem. So I left Finland in late September and encountered a big problem -- Passport Control in Frankfurt, Germany! to make a long story short, I was detained for an hour and a half -- almost missed my flight to Charlotte -- and was extremely upset. I should be grateful, though -- a man from Houston living in Hamburg also was detained for a permit issue and he missed his flight home -- and his two dogs were on the plane without him! I hope he eventually got another flight and his dogs were safe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, I was eventually let go after the Franfurt border control police called Finland to make sure I had indeed applied for a renewal permit, and I ran to make my flight. After more calls, my permit was finally processed, my husband picked it up at the local police station and sent it to me by Express Mail. Guess what? It then -- for some unfathomable reason -- got held up in U.S. Customs in New York! More calls and emails. The Post Office said they couldn't track it until it was released from Customs. The Customs office told me they get thousands of packages every day and can't track individual items until they have been held for 45 days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So my two-week visit to the U.S. turned into four weeks. I'm not complaining about that, because the weather at home was a heck of a lot better than the weather in Rauma, Finland! But I had to cancel flights, re-book, lost money in the process and was extremely stressed out. The permit eventually was released by Customs, and I made it back to Finland barely in time to make a long-planned trip to Istanbul with two of my expat friends.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eB1yiipacj4/UJoaM3sliNI/AAAAAAAAKMQ/W9V8yTBmSko/s1600/Istanbul+075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eB1yiipacj4/UJoaM3sliNI/AAAAAAAAKMQ/W9V8yTBmSko/s320/Istanbul+075.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sasha, our hotel's resident cat</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, to the postive stuff! I have to admit I was a little wary of going to Turkey, especially with all of the violence going on in neighboring Syria. But Istanbul is on the northern coast, and Syria is on the southern border, so we figured it was far enough away. There have been protests in Istanbul -- we witnessed three busloads of riot police one day waiting for a protest to start -- but nothing too bad. Plus, we stayed in the tourist areas, so we felt safe. Safe except for over-aggressive shop owners, some who even follow you trying to get you to buy their goods. That is really annoying. But I have to say we also met some wonderful people -- the staff at our hotel, two entertaining tour guides, some shop owners who were respectful and entertaining. It definitely is an interesting city! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My friends and I had a wonderful trip, visiting the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Spice Market, Grand Bazaar, Dolmabahce Palace, Topkapi Palace, and enjoying the view from the Galata Tower. We took a boat ride on the Bosphorus Strait and visited the Asian side of Istanbul. We had great meals, lovely walks around Sultanhamet (the old town), fun shopping. My friends tried the famous Turkish bath (offered at our hotel).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most fun, I think, was taking pictures of and feeding all the stray cats around Istanbul. Many hotels and shops "adopt" cats. Our hotel's resident cat was named Sasha, and she definitely ruled the front steps there. The Hagia Sophia even has a cat that lives inside the cathedral-turned-mosque-turned-museum. There are also stray dogs in Istanbul, and they are really sad-looking. The cats, however, mostly look well-fed and healthy. Perhaps they are just better at finding food (i.e., mice and scraps).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TvQVjqT-GGI/UJocIsCeFOI/AAAAAAAAKTg/cso6t9LZoJ0/s1600/Istanbul+212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TvQVjqT-GGI/UJocIsCeFOI/AAAAAAAAKTg/cso6t9LZoJ0/s320/Istanbul+212.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Inside the Hagia Sophia</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also couldn't get over just how big Istanbul really is. It's a city of 15 million people -- nine million live on the Asian, mostly residential side, and six million live on the European, more urban side. Traffic, of course, is horrendous, but the city is very beautiful, with so much history. I would definitely visit again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, as we got to the airport to fly back to Finland, we were reminded once again of how volatile that part of the world is. Everyone who enters the airport immediately has to go through security, not just passengers. Then, after you check in, you have to go through passport control and security again. That didn't bother me one bit -- I definitely appreciate the safety measures.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And while I didn't appreciate being detained in Frankfurt for so long, and I didn't understand why it was a big deal since I was heading home to the U.S. -- where I am a citizen -- and I told the officers I would not try to re-enter Finland until my permit was sent to me -- I can certainly appreciate what the Passport Control agent told me: "I'm just doing my job." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Living abroad is an adventure, and we can learn much from the negative as well as the positive experiences.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-52020156772116217152012-09-12T05:17:00.002-04:002012-09-12T05:17:51.438-04:00 Berlin and Beyond<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7BhUjovJ-7A/UFAoocya5eI/AAAAAAAAJYU/Zm_uaDzc2NM/s1600/Germany+Sept.+2012+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7BhUjovJ-7A/UFAoocya5eI/AAAAAAAAJYU/Zm_uaDzc2NM/s400/Germany+Sept.+2012+033.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Brandenburg Gate</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This trip was very special, as I visited the small town that my father's ancestors came from. But more on that in a bit...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I went to Berlin with my co-expat friend Marion, who was born and raised in Germany, but has lived in the U.S. for many years and is married to a co-worker of Tom's here in Rauma. It is always great to visit a country with a "native," so to speak. For one thing, they know what to see and how to get around. And in small towns like we visited, the language skills are wonderful.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bv5nd0Hmz3E/UFAokjhtf2I/AAAAAAAAJX8/IZ5FHR2UNoA/s1600/Germany+Sept.+2012+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bv5nd0Hmz3E/UFAokjhtf2I/AAAAAAAAJX8/IZ5FHR2UNoA/s320/Germany+Sept.+2012+023.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Reichstag Dome</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQfQo3oUWWw/UFArF60mvZI/AAAAAAAAJl0/fxeMkJuhK7c/s1600/Germany+Sept.+2012+300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQfQo3oUWWw/UFArF60mvZI/AAAAAAAAJl0/fxeMkJuhK7c/s320/Germany+Sept.+2012+300.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fresh-baked and delicious!</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have always been a World War II buff, and Berlin has long been on my "must-see" list. I thought I was mainly interested in Hitler and the war, but I found that once there, I actually wanted to see and learn more about the after-effects of WWII -- the splitting up of Germany, the Cold War and the infamous Berlin Wall. This chapter in history was made even more interesting, since Marion was born in Leipzig (which at the time, was part of East Germany). Her family moved to West Germany a year after she was born, but they still had relatives in East Germany and East Berlin. I also bought a book on the Cold War and the Berlin Wall, so I could learn more about it, even though I also grew up during that time. Of course, I remember that Germany was divided, but at the time, I didn't know anyone who was personally affected by it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had wonderful weather, and we visited all the top sights: the Reichstag (where Parliament meets), the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie and the nearby museum, Charlottenburg Palace, the Berlin Cathedral, the Pergamon Museum (the Ishtar Gate is amazing), the Memorial to Murdered Jews, the TV Tower, Potsdamer Platz, and of course, the remaining bits of the Berlin Wall. We took the Hop-on, Hop-off bus ride and a boat ride on the River Spree. We shopped at central Europe's largest department store, KaDeWe. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HLyowMyWRFI/UFApgWZgvrI/AAAAAAAAJck/7KQcgVlpGy0/s1600/Germany+Sept.+2012+112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HLyowMyWRFI/UFApgWZgvrI/AAAAAAAAJck/7KQcgVlpGy0/s320/Germany+Sept.+2012+112.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The famous sign at Checkpoint Charlie</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was actually surprised at how much of the Berlin Wall still exists.The wall started out as a line of soldiers and barbed wire in August 1961, then progressed over the years to tall cement structures, topped with more wire. The Checkpoint Charlie Museum was full of information about the Wall and the Cold War: escape methods and attempts, the political situation (the U.S. government initially approved of the Wall, since that meant the Communists had no intentions of invading and taking over West Berlin -- they just wanted to stop the massive exodus of East Berliners into the West), the protests, how the</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">citizens coped, etc. It was very impressive.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cJmgQoLC9Lc/UFApbg0DgdI/AAAAAAAAJcM/hFTwIejnjJA/s1600/Germany+Sept.+2012+107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cJmgQoLC9Lc/UFApbg0DgdI/AAAAAAAAJcM/hFTwIejnjJA/s320/Germany+Sept.+2012+107.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Remnants of the Berlin Wall</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After Berlin, we rented a car and drove south, stopping in Leipzig, then heading to the town of Erfurt, where we spent two nights. The next day, we drove to Bad Langensalza, home of my ancestors. I couldn't have asked for a more picturesque town! We went to the Rathaus (town hall), where Marion talked to the archivist, who spoke only German. The archivist is going to search the written records and try to find out more about the ancestors before Andreas Hildebrand, who was born in 1598. His three sons emigrated to America in 1690. By the way, the prefix, "bad," is used as an official designation for a spa town. Sulfur springs were discovered in Langensalza in 1811, and salt and mineral water springs in 1996.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, we had good beer and food on the trip. All the German beers I tried were excellent; I ordered only pilsners, because I'm not a dark beer fan. I had sausages and sauerkraut, too. Marion had schnitzel, which I tried. Two weird things: Our bread in our hotel restaurant in Erfurt was served with a tiny pot of bacon lard to spread on it (I did not care for this at all!). The other thing that appalled me was at the Reichstag Restaurant, where we stopped for coffee and dessert after our night-time tour of the building. On the dinner menu was this item: marinated, braised horse. I know a lot of cultures eat horse meat, but this is the first time I have ever seen it on a menu. No, I did not try it, and I never will.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XEc4Am1sSK0/UFAr3RCoiFI/AAAAAAAAJpc/VB3J1sGwFTU/s1600/photo%252891%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XEc4Am1sSK0/UFAr3RCoiFI/AAAAAAAAJpc/VB3J1sGwFTU/s400/photo%252891%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bad Langensalza -- the town dates to 932 A.D.</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Germany is a beautiful country, and Germans are some of the nicest, most helpful people you will ever meet. I've been to Frankfurt, Munich, many German small towns, and now Berlin, and I recommend any of them as a vacation destination. I hope all of you get the chance to visit sometime.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is the link to the pictures. I swear I tried to delete a lot of them, but I just couldn't get rid of too many!</span><br />
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5787169850540151825">https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5787169850540151825</a><br />
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<br />The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-6381513670457633862012-08-22T03:59:00.001-04:002012-08-22T04:01:53.694-04:00Girona and Barcelona<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uuylrRGT_5Y/UDSCPhCIAwI/AAAAAAAAIYY/AMm9Mb3mV2s/s1600/Barcelona+August+2012+043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uuylrRGT_5Y/UDSCPhCIAwI/AAAAAAAAIYY/AMm9Mb3mV2s/s640/Barcelona+August+2012+043.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Girona</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The worst thing about taking weekend trips is that the weekend is never long enough! But I have to admit, the weekend trips we can take here are pretty amazing. This past weekend, we visited Girona and Barcelona, Spain, and I didn't want to leave!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ryanair, the low-cost airline based in Dublin, flies from Turku (an hour south of where we live in Rauma) to Girona, which is an hour north of Barcelona. Since we arrived late Friday night, I decided to stay overnight in Girona. I'm really glad we did, because Girona is a beautiful medieval city with one of the most well-preserved Jewish quarters in Europe. Girona has a busy history, having been attacked 25 times and captured at least seven times. Today, Girona is a quiet oasis with a huge square filled with outdoor cafes, and a lovely river lined with pastel-colored homes reminiscent of similar landscapes in Lyon and Copenhagen.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4s__3bdrnLA/UDSDSWjI8fI/AAAAAAAAId0/oMkX4TVTgXo/s1600/photo%252848%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4s__3bdrnLA/UDSDSWjI8fI/AAAAAAAAId0/oMkX4TVTgXo/s320/photo%252848%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">La Boqueria Market</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After spending the morning strolling around the Jewish quarter and the Old Town and exploring the magnificent cathedral, we took the train to Barcelona, which provided a nice look at the Catalan countryside. We were lucky that one of the train stops in Barcelona was a short walk from our hotel on the famous Passeig de Gracia street.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I like old hotels with lots of character, but I also like modern conveniences. Our choice, the Hotel SixtyTwo (named for its address at 62 Passeig de Gracia), wasn't spectacular on the outside, but the inside was definitely a 21st-century showpiece. Everything in the room operated with buttons, including the black-out shade. The bathroom was huge by European standards, with separate rooms for the toilet, shower and even a bathtub! Americans take bathtubs for granted, but they are luxuries in Europe! Plus, we had a small balcony with great views over the city.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A4jIYLOSmjM/UDSC4CQrHcI/AAAAAAAAIb8/sXPXC_58yNA/s1600/Barcelona+August+2012+075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A4jIYLOSmjM/UDSC4CQrHcI/AAAAAAAAIb8/sXPXC_58yNA/s320/Barcelona+August+2012+075.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tapas!</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, we walked around a bit, "ooh'ed and aah'ed" at everything we saw, and tried to get into the Picasso museum, but the line was too long. We were quite surprised at just how packed with people Barcelona was. I know summer is tourist season, but Barcelona seemed even more crowded than London or Paris. The weather was another jolt for us, even though we knew it would be hot, especially coming from chilly Finland. It was 32 degrees C. (about 90 degrees F.) and sunny the entire weekend. I loved it! We haven't had a real summer, and I have been craving sunshine and warmth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had a "Cava and Tapas" walking tour scheduled at 5 p.m. I'm so glad we did this, because it was tons of fun and we met some great people from Houston, Honolulu, Toronto (by way of South Africa and Holland), and Australia. Our guide, Sophie, was excellent, and she took us to the famous Boqueria Market and to three restaurants to sample different tapas and Spanish wines. We had so much fun that we stayed at the last restaurant with our new friends way past the time the tour ended!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s0H66hs7YUo/UDSE91IgIUI/AAAAAAAAImU/gtIQqQte4FQ/s1600/Barcelona+August+2012+157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s0H66hs7YUo/UDSE91IgIUI/AAAAAAAAImU/gtIQqQte4FQ/s400/Barcelona+August+2012+157.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Inside La Sagrada Familia</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day was devoted to seeing as much as possible as we could cram in. We had tickets on the Hop-on, Hop-Off bus tour, which I recommend taking in any new city. These bus tours provide recorded commentary and give you a great overview of a city. You can exit at any stop or just stay on for the ride.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most people associate Barcelona and Catalonia with Picasso, Dali and Miro, but the most famous native son is Modernist architect/artist Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi lived from 1852 to 1926, and his work is seen all over Barcelona. Gaudi was a Modernist, very religious and very imaginative. His work reflects nature, light, use of non-traditional materials, mosaics, curves, and new techniques.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His buildings are true works of art, and many are deservedly UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We visited his most famous projects: Casa Batllo, La Pedrera, Park Guell, and of course, La Sagrada Familia, the cathedral which is the most famous landmark in Barcelona, and which has been in construction since 1882. Gaudi worked on the project until his death in 1926, even living at the site the last year or so of his life. (Gaudi was struck by a tram, and because he was dressed like a beggar with no identification papers, he did not receive proper hospital care; by the time his identity was discovered, it was too late, and he died.)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DFBOav2cB44/UDSFeuRZZWI/AAAAAAAAIo0/lEGNefSi_uY/s1600/Barcelona+August+2012+179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DFBOav2cB44/UDSFeuRZZWI/AAAAAAAAIo0/lEGNefSi_uY/s400/Barcelona+August+2012+179.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bench at Park Guell</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">La Sagrada Familia is fascinating, because it is being built entirely with donations and proceeds from ticket sales. That is why it is taking so long! Gaudi's detailed plans are being followed to this day, and latest estimates state that the cathedral will be completed between 2026 and 2028. Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the church in 2010. But as Gaudi once said, "My client is in no hurry," referring to God.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the afternoon, while on the bus tour, we visited Gaudi's Park Guell, which is 50 acres on top of a mountain. There are magnificent views, more great Gaudi masterpieces and way too many hills to walk up and down! On the way back to the bus, though, we had a Coca Cola Light and a bowl of fresh fruit, which was refreshing. Later, we stopped at the coast to see the beach, and also to visit the casino. There was a European Poker Tour event going on at the casino, and we watched a bit of the goings-on. we </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--TLkz08szSM/UDSHRStYpPI/AAAAAAAAIyc/kd_qJTLlX6I/s1600/Barcelona+August+2012+281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--TLkz08szSM/UDSHRStYpPI/AAAAAAAAIyc/kd_qJTLlX6I/s400/Barcelona+August+2012+281.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Seafood Paella</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our last night in Barcelona, we had a nice dinner, and I finally got some seafood paella, which was wonderful. Tom had sea bass, which was also good. The next day, we took the airport bus back to Girona, during which our bus driver practiced his karaoke the entire trip, singing or whistling to every song on the radio.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, naturally, when we got back to Rauma, it was 10 degrees C. (50 degrees F.), which was depressing. I think summer is over in Finland, although I don't think it was every really here! No worries, though -- there are more trips to plan! And I definitely want to return to Spain -- I sure wish Tom's employer would built a power plant there...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are the links to all the pictures:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5779386400419298001">https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5779386400419298001</a></span><br />
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<br />The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-67355672654686122512012-08-09T01:56:00.000-04:002012-08-09T01:57:14.522-04:00Stockholm -- City That I Love<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2-mzDykQ4A4/T8YBo4dlhLI/AAAAAAAAFzk/ZEwH70NYIbo/s1600/Stockholm+May+2012+107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2-mzDykQ4A4/T8YBo4dlhLI/AAAAAAAAFzk/ZEwH70NYIbo/s640/Stockholm+May+2012+107.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Stockholm -- one of my favorite cities</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<b>This is my submission for the '3 Things in the City' I Love contest by Velvet Escape, Traveldudes and</b><b> <a class="ext" href="http://wimdu.co.uk/" target="_blank">Wimdu.co.uk</a></b><br />
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<b> </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ask people to name their favorite city -- or the city they would most like to visit -- and many likely will say New York, London, Paris or Rome. After all, the world's capitals have much to offer, and I agree that visits to those places are wonderful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But after living as an expat American in Finland for almost a year, I have had the opportunity to visit lesser-known cities -- cities that are just as beautiful, historic and fun -- but maybe not on everyone's list of "must-sees." Places like Helsinki, Finland; Tallinn, Estonia; Stockholm, Sweden; Copenhagen, Denmark; Brussels, Belgium, and St. Petersburg, Russia.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my favorite places is Stockholm, a city I certainly never would have visited if I wasn't living in Finland. It's probably best-known as the setting for the late author Stieg Larsson's "Millennium" trilogy and the home of IKEA and the pop group ABBA, but Stockholm is much more. Stockholm is exotic, yet accessible. It has a rich history, but it also has developed into a 21st-century leader in culture, technology and environmental issues.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The city known as the "Venice of the North" lies on a range of islands connected by bridges and canals. The city's origins date at least to 1252, and it has survived sieges, famine, plague and recession. Today, Sweden is ruled by a democratic parliament headed by the prime minister and a ceremonial king, Gustav XIV.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While a trip to Stockholm deserves at least a week, there are three things every visitor should see:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p-jRuZbqjhw/T8YC1GjIOhI/AAAAAAAAF5M/J3_TDOkDQBc/s1600/Stockholm+May+2012+155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p-jRuZbqjhw/T8YC1GjIOhI/AAAAAAAAF5M/J3_TDOkDQBc/s400/Stockholm+May+2012+155.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Gamla Stan</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1. Gamla Stan</b> -- Narrow cobblestone streets and colorful medieval buildings are a photographer's dream in Stockholm's Old Town. Set on an island, Gamla Stan is home to the Royal Palace, the Alfred Nobel Museum, a pretty town square with a bloody history, and a 700-year-old cathedral. Wander along the streets, stopping for a rest at one of the many cafes and restaurants. Shop in stores specializing in Scandinavian crafts or any of the myriad of tacky souvenir stalls.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Walking tours are a good way to enjoy Gamla Stan; the tourist office at Vasagatan 14 or at Arlanda Airport can help. Also check the official tourist website at www.visitstockholm.com.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Nobel Museum looks fairly mundane on first glance, but take the free guided tour (tours are offered throughout the day in different languages), and it becomes an intriguing history lesson of the greatest achievements of our time. For more information, visit www.nobelmuseum.se.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't miss a visit to the Royal Palace, especially the State Apartments and Royal Treasury. There is also the always-popular Changing of the Guard ceremony. Check www.kungahuset.se for times and information. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7hmi4vXjOs0/T8YBRvfy9II/AAAAAAAAFx8/CHqSea9sPGs/s1600/Stockholm+May+2012+088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7hmi4vXjOs0/T8YBRvfy9II/AAAAAAAAFx8/CHqSea9sPGs/s400/Stockholm+May+2012+088.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Vasa</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2. Vasa Museum</b> -- I'll be honest -- if a friend hadn't told me to visit this 17th century warship, I probably would have skipped it. Thank goodness I listened to my friend, because the Vasa is one of the most fascinating sights I've ever encountered in years of travel!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Vasa sank 20 minutes into its maiden voyage in 1628. It sat at the bottom of Stockholm's harbor until it was rediscovered in 1956. Raised in 1961, a museum was built around the remarkably-preserved wooden behemoth and has become one of Sweden's top tourist attractions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is an interesting free film (shown throughout the day in different languages) that helps the visitor appreciate the massive undertaking to salvage the ship and the exhaustive restoration work. The museum also offers guided tours in different languages that are included in the admission fee.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is remarkable that 95 percent of the Vasa's wood is original. The intricate carvings along the ship are works of art. The ship was so well-preserved, because the water in which it sank does not contain the wood-destroying saltwater clam that is prevalent in the oceans.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Vasa has an excellent website. Even if you don't get to visit this marvel, you can read all about it at www.vasamuseet.se.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s4tWaDAdZkM/T8YAU9ybCfI/AAAAAAAAFtk/bPQG1RrAoGg/s1600/Stockholm+May+2012+046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s4tWaDAdZkM/T8YAU9ybCfI/AAAAAAAAFtk/bPQG1RrAoGg/s400/Stockholm+May+2012+046.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Skansen</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3. Skansen </b>-- I was really torn between selecting Skansen, a boat tour of the harbor or the Nordic Museum for my third choice. If you have more time, I recommend all of them! But a trip to Skansen, Europe's first open-air museum, is a trip back in time and fun for the entire family.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Opened in 1891, Skansen is a huge park filled with 150 original buildings -- farmhouses, schools, windmills, homes, village halls, mills, etc. -- that have been transported there from all over Sweden. It is a wonderful mix of architectural styles and culture that truly embraces the term "living history." The best part of the park is the costumed employees who will tell you everything you want to know. I particularly enjoyed talking with the "school marms" in the 1910-era schoolhouse. One room of the house was devoted to the school, while the other half was set aside for the teacher's living quarters.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Besides the buildings, Skansen offers a variety of events, such as the opportunity to help out with farm chores, learn traditional dances, or watch glassblowers at work.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BS2NJesAxqc/T8X_QdpNhNI/AAAAAAAAFps/8kpakYOy4nc/s1600/Stockholm+May+2012+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BS2NJesAxqc/T8X_QdpNhNI/AAAAAAAAFps/8kpakYOy4nc/s400/Stockholm+May+2012+010.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The lemurs at Skansen's Zoo</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other major component of Skansen is the zoo. There are bears, moose, elk, spiders (yuck!), snakes (double yuck!), boar, seals, you name it, in both indoor and outdoor enclosures. My absolute favorite animals were the lemurs, who hung out on the walkways, the little ones piled on top of their mothers, while a zoo employee stood nearby to make sure visitors didn't get too close. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I spent over two hours at Skansen, and you could easily enjoy an entire day there. For information, visit the website at www.skansen.se.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, there is much more to see and do in Stockholm. There are great restaurants, shops, food halls, museums, parks and more. Just writing this makes me want to go back (and fortunately, I am returning very soon!). I hope you get to visit soon, too!</span><br />
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<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Modern Stockholm</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<b><span class="ext"></span></b>The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-71542278770440397912012-07-26T08:14:00.004-04:002012-07-26T08:18:09.988-04:00Summer in Rauma<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I just got back from a 2-1/2 hour bike ride, and I started thinking that after that gloomy blog post of a few weeks ago, I really should point out the positives of living here in rural Finland.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Naturally, after having a visitor from the U.S., going on the fun girls' trip to Tallinn, Estonia, and enjoying good times at the most recent expat dinner in town, my mood has improved, along with the weather. And I'm always hard at work planning the next trip: Tom and I are going to Barcelona in August, which we both are looking forward to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Anyway, you probably didn't know that Heaven is right here in Rauma. Yes, Heaven. I have to give credit to my friend Sara, because she found Heaven first. And she told me how to get to Heaven (insert jokes here).</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HztX985c1qE/UBEwhfRbwSI/AAAAAAAAIMY/h2_ttn79lmo/s1600/Rauma+summer+2012+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HztX985c1qE/UBEwhfRbwSI/AAAAAAAAIMY/h2_ttn79lmo/s400/Rauma+summer+2012+003.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Heaven in Rauma actually turned out to be a restaurant and karaoke bar, but so what?!</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ve8G4bCVFNk/UBEwi47bqUI/AAAAAAAAIMg/vzt61_SwYPU/s1600/Rauma+summer+2012+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ve8G4bCVFNk/UBEwi47bqUI/AAAAAAAAIMg/vzt61_SwYPU/s400/Rauma+summer+2012+004.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are tons of bike trails in Rauma, which is great:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We have beautiful scenery, everywhere you look:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I found the ducks' summer hangout, which made me very happy. I have been worried about them, because they haven't shown up at the canal in town after the long winter:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We have clay tennis courts (which Tom and I have played on) and a nice golf course (which we have not played on, but I keep talking about taking lessons):</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We have wonderful cafes and a daily market in the Old Town Square:</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YiC-LflOlt0/UBEw9vZvaUI/AAAAAAAAIOg/lvEGm_YbFdM/s1600/Rauma+summer+2012+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YiC-LflOlt0/UBEw9vZvaUI/AAAAAAAAIOg/lvEGm_YbFdM/s400/Rauma+summer+2012+020.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And because of all the French expats living here, we have wonderful fresh French bread (crusty on the outside, soft on the inside) and croissants:</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JV63sGx5B-k/UBExEoIaX6I/AAAAAAAAIPI/xgEKeGv2YRs/s1600/Rauma+summer+2012+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JV63sGx5B-k/UBExEoIaX6I/AAAAAAAAIPI/xgEKeGv2YRs/s320/Rauma+summer+2012+025.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Which may totally negate all the calories I burned during that bike ride, but who can resist fresh bread?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Living here isn't so bad after all!</span><br />
<br />The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-72985272596499292582012-07-23T06:54:00.002-04:002012-07-23T06:54:27.133-04:00A Visitor, Tallinn, Helsinki and Rauma<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-muv0SjHUaaw/UA0f19d4u_I/AAAAAAAAHns/7HuIlJXnyMQ/s1600/Tallinn+July+2012+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-muv0SjHUaaw/UA0f19d4u_I/AAAAAAAAHns/7HuIlJXnyMQ/s640/Tallinn+July+2012+032.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Wine Library in Old Town Tallinn</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was very excited this past week, because one of my good friends, Kim Bost, visited me from the U.S.! I know it is very expensive to travel here, and that most people can't afford to visit, but luckily, Kim's husband is a United Airlines pilot, so she got here practically for free! Of course, she was flying standby, and she almost didn't get on a flight, but fortunately, she did, and we had a great visit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My friends Sara, Allison and Marion, and I picked up Kim at the Helsinki airport, then took a quick drive through the city and boarded the ferry to Tallinn, Estonia. This was my second trip to Tallinn, which is a beautiful place with so much history, from its medieval beginnings to its struggles under Communist rule. The weather was absolutely beautiful, and we walked our legs off.</span><br />
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<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crazy tourists</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We saw the huge Old Town Square, took a tour of the KGB museum on top of the Hotel Viru, toured the Bastion Tunnels under Old Town, and went out to Kadriorg, the summer palace Peter the Great built for his wife, Catherine. One funny bit about that last place: We took the old-fashioned tram back into town, and there was no place to buy a ticket, so we just rode, hoping we wouldn't get fined. Needless to say, at the first stop in town, we hopped right off and walked the rest of the way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We also enjoyed just wandering around Old Town, climbing the tower walls (which was better exercise than any Thighmaster), poking around the shops, having terrific dinners for unbelievably low prices, and in general, just having a great time. I bought a beautiful hand-blown vase, Sara got a lovely painting, and we all stocked up at the duty-free store on the ship. As a matter of fact, many Finlanders take the ferry just to buy cheap beer and liquor. You always see people dragging cartloads of alcohol off the ferry. Since we had five peopel in one car, we couldn't bring back cartloads, but we bought back a fair amount!</span><br />
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<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Expat dinner at the Kellari Restaurant in Rauma</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am way too old to go out bar-hopping, but that's exactly what we did one night. You may know of the popular 80s band, Depeche Mode. Welll, there's a bar in Tallinn devoted to Depeche Mode. Very cool. And later, we went to a nightclub, where we enjoyed watching Marion dance. The rest of us were too chicken.</span><br />
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<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lace-making demonstration in Rauma</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Back in Finland, we toured a litte in Helsinki, then drove back to Rauma, where Kim got to see our own lovely Old Town and meet a group of expats at dinner at our favorite restaurant, the Kellari. It's Lace Week in Rauma. Yes, you read that correctly -- Lace Week. We actually got to see a woman making a lace masterpiece, which takes lots of time and patience. It was very interesting! This week, many of the residents in Old Town open up their back yards to visitors. It's mainly a chance for them to have yard sales, but some of the gardens are quite lovely, in particular, the garden of famous local sculptor Kerttu Horila.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today, the weather is back to chilly, rainy and all around dreary. I told Kim this is the REAL Finland weather! But I much preferred the unusual warmth of the past few days!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here are links to all the pictures:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5768301176919885937">https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/576830117691988593</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5768312596470875105</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5768309676092672001">https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5768309676092672001</a> </span><br />
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<br />The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-42474940862114796102012-07-12T04:43:00.000-04:002012-07-17T02:01:23.693-04:00I am a Foreigner<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am a foreigner. A stranger in a strange land. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tom and I have been in Finland for 10 months. We have gotten used to living in a small apartment with no air conditioning, no TV, no clothes dryer. Our refrigerator and oven are very small. Despite my attempts at learning the language, Finnish is just too difficult for me. And I miss my family and friends back home very much.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On the other hand, a small apartment means less space to take care of. We haven't really needed air conditioning yet (and it's the middle of July). We DVR programs at home via the Slingbox and watch them the next day on the laptop or iPad (remember, there's a seven-hour time difference between us and home). With just two of us, we really don't need a large refrigerator or oven, except when we have friends over. There is a community dryer in our building, something most of my other expat friends don't have in their buildings. Many Finns speak at least passable English. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We have made lots of friends here, all other expats, of course. My appreciation of other cultures has increased significantly. I am proud to say I have friends from Latvia, Russia, Romania, Germany, France, Brazil, South Africa, Switzerland</span>,<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Wales, England, and Spain. And I've made wonderful new friends from the U.S., people I have bonded with in this adventure we all share.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Does that look like a private drive? I don't think so.</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But I don't feel at home here. Little things make me feel more foreign than ever. The Finnish people have a saying, "</span><span class="st" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">jokamiehenoikeus," which loosely translates to "every man's right." That basically means the general public has the right to access all public or private land, as long as you don't disturb the natural environment. Now, you don't want to traipse through someone's yard just to pick some wild berries you see growing on the other side. You have to use common sense. But what about walking across an apartment building parking lot? I got yelled at in Finnish recently by a man who apparently did not like me walking across his parking lot. He kept yelling and pointing toward the sidewalk. Buddy, I was heading to the sidewalk, just taking the parking lot to GET to the sidewalk.</span><br />
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<span class="st" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Maybe it's my imagination, but I think we get stared at a lot because we are foreigners. Actually, I don't think it's because we are foreigners, it's because we aren't long-time residents of our small town.</span><br />
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<span class="st" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I don't want to give the impression that all Finns are like this -- there are countless Finns who are friendly, welcoming and eager to help. There's an older man in my apartment building who is always doing little chores outside -- pulling weeds, putting out gravel when it's icy, etc. He has this white cat that I call the official mascot. This man doesn't speak a word of English, and I only know a few words of Finnish, but we always greet each other, and he always chats away in Finnish, even though I have no clue what he's saying. And he knows I have no clue. He opens doors for me. On several occasions, he has stopped his weed-pulling to run up and open the door to the bike storage room when he sees me coming up the hill on my bike.</span><br />
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<span class="st" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The employees at our favorite cafes, restaurants and stores speak good English and are extremely friendly. Thanks to a recommendation from a friend, I found a hairstylist who is nice and does a good job. I feel safe walking anywhere in Rauma. </span><br />
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<span class="st" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I feel like a foreigner when a bill comes, and I have to use Google Translate to figure out what it says. Same with instructions on the back of packages. And if you've used Google Translate before, you know that the translations aren't often literal. Some of them are quite funny. And Tom and I still aren't sure exactly what the knobs mean on our stove and washing machine.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4_TODl9yruDYgsJoGM8TFyHEUwI0JZj7F-jfdcAKYqkrT-8TjyVhwIBR1rHUmuHe1frVYzU7Gco_sdEA4K4OOSiddS1yYHz9s5GmSFdDF5cZEZTGGAuhwTBoCN4-dsFDwmgL3MoFQcc/s1600/apt+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4_TODl9yruDYgsJoGM8TFyHEUwI0JZj7F-jfdcAKYqkrT-8TjyVhwIBR1rHUmuHe1frVYzU7Gco_sdEA4K4OOSiddS1yYHz9s5GmSFdDF5cZEZTGGAuhwTBoCN4-dsFDwmgL3MoFQcc/s400/apt+006.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Finnish washing machine settings and my translation note</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span class="st" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I feel like a foreigner when I'm looking for an ingredient at the grocery store that I can't find, or they don't have, or there are so many possibilities that I can't figure out which to choose. I can't order things from my favorite stores at home without worrying about paying duty or the items getting stuck in Customs (which has happened). I have to rely on family to send Jif peanut butter and Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing. Some things you can get used to doing without, but you still need a few of those favorites from home or you will get really depressed. I haven't had a Diet Sun-Drop in months, which is truly amazing.</span><br />
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<span class="st" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I feel like a foreigner when I realize I can be sent home against my will. Last month, I waited in line at the local police station for an hour to turn in the paperwork and 148 Euros to renew my residence visa. My current visa expires in August, and I've heard it can take months to get a new visa approved. The clock is ticking. When we came back from a trip to London a few weeks ago, the Immigration officer noticed that my visa expires in August, and he mentioned it. I told him I had applied for a renewal and was hoping it arrives before the old one expires. Because if I don't have a new visa when I go home in late September for two weeks, Finland won't let me back in the country for 90 days. That would be a problem. </span><br />
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<span class="st" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I used to complain about all the foreigners moving into the United States. Everything in our country now is both in English and Spanish. But the coin has flipped, and I am the foreigner in a new country. Just like those moving to the U.S. for jobs (although the situation has changed significantly in the past two years, hasn't it?), my husband moved here for a job opportunity. I will not begrudge those who travel in search of a better life.</span><br />
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<span class="st" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But I also appreciate my own country much more than I did before. We had a Fourth of July cookout last week, and one of my friends sent me an email afterward, commenting that it was so refreshing to be a part of celebrating our homeland and the freedom we enjoy while so far away.</span><br />
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<span class="st" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And that's the key to living in a foreign land -- accept and adapt to the new; appreciate and acknowledge what you left. Because you will return, and your experiences will educate others who have never traveled or lived abroad.</span><br />
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<span class="st" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-79830474722278538822012-07-02T06:34:00.004-04:002012-07-02T12:58:06.665-04:00London, Wimbledon, Harry Potter, Shakespeare!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dFYgrlvTa8Y/T_FpZqSyFzI/AAAAAAAAG2k/3Z0s-7f-uUY/s1600/London+June+2012+116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dFYgrlvTa8Y/T_FpZqSyFzI/AAAAAAAAG2k/3Z0s-7f-uUY/s400/London+June+2012+116.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The beautiful Tower Bridge</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">London is a fabulous place to visit. Sure, it's crowded. Sure, you have to be careful -- Tom got his wallet stolen (more on that later). But there is so much to see and do, so many shops, so many restaurants, so many pubs -- sigh.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This trip wasn't without problems. At least for our daughter, Kristen. We were supposed to meet up at Heathrow on Saturday morning, June 23. Well, there were massive storms along the east coast of the U.S. Friday night, and her flight from D.C. to Philly ended up getting cancelled. So she missed her connecting flight to London. Lots of flights were cancelled; she waited over three hours trying to get a new flight, USAirways was VERY unhelpful. She ended up flying to Gatwick Sunday night, arriving Monday morning. Plus, she tried to bring us a jar of JIF peanut butter in her carry-on, but dang security took it! How dare they? Anyway, I met her at Gatwick, we dropped her luggage off at the hotel, and we headed straight to Wimbledon.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2JAnOY9jXhQ/T_Fu9bGJ5hI/AAAAAAAAG-8/3s254vJJrUY/s1600/London+June+2012+200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2JAnOY9jXhQ/T_Fu9bGJ5hI/AAAAAAAAG-8/3s254vJJrUY/s320/London+June+2012+200.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Centre Court at Wimbledon</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We had bought a package deal, which included four nights at the Hilton Doubletree Tower Bridge, breakfast, a daily Travel Card for the Tube, reserved seats for Days 1 and 2 on Court 2 at Wimbledon, a program and best of all, 25 pound coupons to use at one of the Wimbledon shops! We each got a coupon both days, so that was 150 pounds to spend. And believe me, we spent it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The tennis was fabulous. In addition to the matches on Court 2, we also saw some of our favorite players on other courts.We got to see Venus and Serena Williams, John Isner, Mardy Fish (my favorite player!), James Blake, Radwanska, Cilic, and Tomic, among others. Wimbledon also has a queue set up at 3 p.m. every day in which people leaving turn in their show court tickets (show courts are Centre Court, Court 1 and Court 2), and people can buy them for only 5 pounds each. On Day 2, most of the peole were lined up to buy tickets to Andy Murray's match on Centre Court, but we wanted to see Andy Roddick on Court 1, and we only waited a short time and got fourth row seats! We also got to see top woman's player Victoria Azarenka's match, but her loud grunting is as unbearable as Maria Sharapova's.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wiFDKkP3qYA/T_FxelHsHqI/AAAAAAAAHMM/2-7tKrEYG0o/s1600/London+June+2012+336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wiFDKkP3qYA/T_FxelHsHqI/AAAAAAAAHMM/2-7tKrEYG0o/s320/London+June+2012+336.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Globe Theatre</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Besides the tennis, we saw as many tourist spots as we could -- we've been to London before, so the usual sightseeing wasn't as important, but we went by Buckingham Palace, toured Kensington Palace to see the new display of Princess Diana gowns, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, Big Ben and Parliament, Trafalgar Square, and Picadilly Circus. Kristen and I saw the Christian Louboutin exhibit at the Design Museum and also toured Warner Brothers Studio in Leavesden, where all eight Harry Potter movies were filmed. That was a great experience, whether or not you are a fan of Harry Potter. Just seeing all the sets, props, drawings, hair and make-up, costumes, and visual effects was terrific.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of our favorite things was attending a performance at the Globe Theatre. We saw "The Taming of the Shrew," and even though the seating isn't the most comfortable (and the woman behind me poured her juicy drink on my back), and the play clocked in at three hours, it was lots of fun. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qQPKsUma2GE/T_FyJ167evI/AAAAAAAAHP0/pUUROz4fUPM/s1600/London+June+2012+373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qQPKsUma2GE/T_FyJ167evI/AAAAAAAAHP0/pUUROz4fUPM/s320/London+June+2012+373.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Harry Potter studio tour</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We also met up with one of my oldest friends, Dan Fitz, and his partner, Mario Cescutti for dinner our last evening in London. Dan and I were close friends in both high school and college, and he moved to London after graduating from UNC Law School. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now, about Tom's wallet. We consider ourselves to be seasoned travelers. We've been all over Europe, the Caribbean and the U.S. It was funny because Tom was always telling Kristen and me to zip up our purses. Then his wallet gets lifted, even though it was in an inside pocket, which was zipped up. He was carrying his jacket on his arm, and we figure it got swiped on the Tube. Fortunately, he carries cash in a pocket, so the thief got no money. And we cancelled the cards right away. I'm sure those crooks just steal wallets looking for cash and then throw the wallet and cards away. Still, it is such a violation and a pain in the rear.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And poor Kristen had more flight troubles. Her flight from Heathrow to Philly was delayed three hours (which she spent sitting on the plane on the tarmac), while workers were trying to repair the "back-up braking system." Of course, she missed her connection, but at least she got back to D.C. the same evening. She originally was scheduled to fly home Friday, but she changed her return flight to Saturday after the original flight issues. And it turns out it was probably better that she flew home on Saturday -- the Washington, D.C., area was hit with massive storms Friday night, with massive power outages, trees down and travel disruptions. Fortunately, the power as back on in her apartment when she got home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We already are talking about returning next June to Wimbledon, because it was so much fun. And maybe next time, we'll bump into Wills and Kate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As always, here's a link to the pictures, if you're interested and have time to waste!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5760498783419848081">https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5760498783419848081</a> </span><br />
<br />The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-1030961972775675182012-06-07T10:42:00.002-04:002012-06-07T15:17:29.822-04:00Lovely Lyon<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IlobX3CpplQ/T9Ct7ORQ25I/AAAAAAAAGV4/lXwa5JG2MLM/s1600/Lyon%252C+France+--+June+2012+211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IlobX3CpplQ/T9Ct7ORQ25I/AAAAAAAAGV4/lXwa5JG2MLM/s320/Lyon%252C+France+--+June+2012+211.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Louis XIV guards Lyon</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm used to traveling by myself on all these little jaunts around Europe, but it's also nice to go on a trip with a friend. Especially when it's to a place where the friend has lived, because you get an insider's knowledge and views.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I just got back from Lyon, France, with my friend Nicky, who is an expat spouse like me. Nicky is originally from Romania but has lived in France for a number of years, and she is married to a very nice Frenchman, Guillaume. We flew from Helsinki, and Guillaume was nice enough to drive us the three hours from Rauma to the Helsinki airport!</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WTARgpEnjrg/T9CsVNcVfsI/AAAAAAAAGN4/7REp2ZTTnEA/s1600/Lyon%252C+France+--+June+2012+133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WTARgpEnjrg/T9CsVNcVfsI/AAAAAAAAGN4/7REp2ZTTnEA/s320/Lyon%252C+France+--+June+2012+133.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My dessert at Le Sud</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've seen quite a bit of France, but this was my first visit to Lyon. It's located in the southeastern part of the country, about an hour from the Alps. It's surrounded by wine country, mainly the Rhone and Beaujolais regions. Lyon has a rich 2,000-year-old history, and it's UNESCO World Heritage Site designation is well-deserved. From the Roman amphitheatre to the magnificent architecture to the amazing restaurants to the great shopping, Lyon is a great place to spend a few days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Best of all, Nicky and Guillaume still have their flat (apartment) in one of the suburbs, so I had a free place to stay! Nicky warned me that they have a cemetery in their backyard, but that didn't faze me one bit. (I had a cemetery in my backyard behind my dorm my freshman year at UNC, and this one in Lyon was much prettier.) After all, you don't have to worry about noise from the neighbors!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was a fun tram and metro ride into town. I always like observing people while taking the public transportation, so I don't mind it one bit. The weather was rainy the first day, but clear the next few days, and it was much warmer than Finland, which was a definite plus! We saw all the famous sites, went to a terrific museum of miniatures and movie props, the Musee des Beaux-Arts, cathedrals, and strolls through Old Town. Nicky likes to read as much as me, so we spent some quality time in local book stores, as well as the French department store chains Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, and lots of little boutiques. I think Nicky was amused at my obsession with purses, but she admitted that she has her own obsession with perfume.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We ate some fabulous meals and drank good French wine, of course. I loved our dinner at Le Sud, owned by the famous chef Paul Bocuse. Nicky cooked us a tasty dinner at her flat the next evening. And we certainly ate our fill of French croissants and baguettes. We justified it with all the walking we were doing, of course.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Npg7emRVqFQ/T9CwHgTnSBI/AAAAAAAAGgU/caQ9IhjHIdQ/s1600/Lyon%252C+France+--+June+2012+308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Npg7emRVqFQ/T9CwHgTnSBI/AAAAAAAAGgU/caQ9IhjHIdQ/s320/Lyon%252C+France+--+June+2012+308.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Nicky and me in wine country</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The best thing we did was take a guided tour of the Beaujolais wine region (the Rhone tour was booked, or that would have been my first choice, since I love Rhone blends). I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty the Beaujolais wines were, because the young Beaujolais wines get a bad rap. The quality ones, however, are pretty good -- not full-bodied, but definitely drinkable, especially on summer evenings. The countryside was gorgeous, and we took way too many photos! Our guide was very amiable, and we enjoyed our fellow travelers, who were from Australia and England. The highlight was a wonderful meal, in which I finally got Beef Bourguignon, which I have been craving for a long time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One thing Tom and I like to do on our travels is go to the local grocery stores. Nicky took me to the largest Carrefour in France, and it was crazy. It was so crowded that we had to wait over a half hour just to check out! But I did get some things to bring back to Finland that are way cheaper in France. Still more expensive than in the U.S., but cheaper than Finland. Things like contact lens solution, toothpaste, some food items, and wine, of course. They even had chocolate chips!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So maybe, I have to say that Lyon is my new favorite city. At least until the next trip!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's the link to the pictures:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5751283664076908417">https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5751283664076908417</a> </span><br />The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-29468625048454906642012-05-30T08:00:00.002-04:002012-05-30T08:00:55.585-04:00Stockholm<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2-mzDykQ4A4/T8YBo4dlhLI/AAAAAAAAFzk/ZEwH70NYIbo/s1600/Stockholm+May+2012+107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2-mzDykQ4A4/T8YBo4dlhLI/AAAAAAAAFzk/ZEwH70NYIbo/s400/Stockholm+May+2012+107.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Stockholm -- Venice of the North</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Stockholm often is called "The Venice of the North," and with good reason. The city is composed of many islands, most reachable by ferry or bridge. It is one of the most beautiful and interesting places I've visited. I know I say that every time I visit someplace new, but this time I really mean it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There is an overnight ferry from Turku to Stockholm, which my friend Marion recently took. I wanted to get there quickly, however, and fortunately, there is a daily flight from Pori -- 40 minutes north of Rauma -- to Stockholm that takes only 45 minutes. So, in about the time it took me to drive from our apartment to the airport was about the same amount of time it took to fly to Stockholm!</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a86XFybvTuY/T8YAWf4A8UI/AAAAAAAAFts/Wh--l8jNy_4/s1600/Stockholm+May+2012+047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a86XFybvTuY/T8YAWf4A8UI/AAAAAAAAFts/Wh--l8jNy_4/s320/Stockholm+May+2012+047.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Old homesteads in Skansen park</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Public transportation is excellent in Stockholm. There is an airport express train to the central station, then you can take a bus or metro anywhere you need to go. I purchased the Stockholm Card, which gives you unlimited transportation and entrance to 80 museums and attractions, as well as discounts on a few other attractions. I probably visited more museums this way, since they were already included with the card. A one-day card costs 450 SEK (about $62); I bought a three-day card for 750 SEK (about $104). I definitely got my money's worth!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I walked a gazillion miles, of course, but I also saw lots of amazing things. From Gamla Stan, where the city was founded in 1252, to the warship Vasa, which sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 but wasn't raised until 1961, there is so much to see and do in Stockholm. I happened to be in Old Town (Gamla Stan) during the frenzy caused by the baptism of Princess Estelle, daughter of Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel. Royals and dignitaries from all over the world attended the event, which was covered live on TV. I saw lots of fancy outfits, but I had no idea who was wearing them!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7hmi4vXjOs0/T8YBRvfy9II/AAAAAAAAFx8/CHqSea9sPGs/s1600/Stockholm+May+2012+088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7hmi4vXjOs0/T8YBRvfy9II/AAAAAAAAFx8/CHqSea9sPGs/s320/Stockholm+May+2012+088.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Vasa sank in 1628</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I also enjoyed the Nordiska Museet (Nordic Museum), which is devoted to Sweden's cultural history. The museum showcases everything from home furnishings to textiles to toys.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My other favorite place was Skansen, the oldest open-air museum in the world. More than 150 farms and dwellings from all over Sweden were disassembled, brought to the park, and put back together to create a fabulous history lesson. Employees and volunteers in traditional dress answer all questions. I also loved the zoo, which I never would have visited if I hadn't had the Stockholm Card. The lemurs, meerkats and baby moose were adorable.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YqvQBM-AuZ4/T8YD58PNjPI/AAAAAAAAF9k/tIiH5ClMNko/s1600/Stockholm+May+2012+194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YqvQBM-AuZ4/T8YD58PNjPI/AAAAAAAAF9k/tIiH5ClMNko/s320/Stockholm+May+2012+194.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Gamla Stan -- Old Town</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I also took an hour-long sightseeing boat tour, which was included with the Stockholm Card. Again, this is something I might have skipped otherwise, and I am so glad I did this. It was relaxing, and I saw some incredible scenery. Except we did get "chased" by a cruise ferry coming into port! Our boat driver had to really speed up to get far enough ahead of the ship, probably to get out of danger of the big boat's wake. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I enjoyed strolling around the narrow streets of Gamla Stan, going into the shops, both those selling traditional Swedish items and those shilling tacky souvenirs. I took a very interesting tour of the Nobel Museum, which was so informative thanks to a wonderful tour guide. And I toured the historical parts of the Royal Palace -- the main part of the palace was closed during my visit due to the baptism.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I didn't really partake of the traditional Smorgasbord, mainly because all those Swedish dishes are things I see every day in Finland. I'm ashamed to admit I ate at the U.S. chain restaurant, TGI Friday's! No, I take that back -- I'm not ashamed! I had a wonderful chicken quesadilla, which tasted just like those we get back home! The second night I had a very good pizza, and the third night I splurged on a nice French meal. So, three different cuisines in three nights, but none of them Swedish!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm so glad I visited Stockholm, and I can't wait to return. It won't be too long, as I have a one-night layover in Stockholm when I fly home to the U.S. in late September. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here is a link to the photos from Stockholm. Off to Lyon, France, next!</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5748280836156338705">https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5748280836156338705</a><br />
<br />The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-55906329773495821302012-05-25T04:28:00.002-04:002012-05-25T06:36:17.907-04:00Travel Mishaps and Oddities<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have traveled quite a bit since moving to Finland last September. I've had many adventures, some mishaps involving luggage, and spent countless hours trying to find the best flights, hotels and things to do. I've gotten lost when I exit subways. I've gotten confused with tipping rules in different countries. I've been approached with every scam in the books.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But something I never expected happened Sunday at the Stockholm airport before my flight back to Finland. Nobody checked my identification. At all.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Granted, since I was flying within Europe and not overseas, I didn't have to go through Passport Control. I had checked in online in my hotel before I left for the airport. At the airport, I used the automatic machine to confirm my seat assignment and check one piece of luggage. I proceeded to the counter, where the man scanned my luggage sticker but didn't even pick up my passport.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I proceeded to security, where the agent scanned my ticket but didn't open my passport. Same thing at the gate before I boarded my plane.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Have our systems become too automated? It's too easy to scan a ticket -- but aren't they supposed to match the name on the ticket with some I.D.?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's the same with booking flights. Living in rural southwestern Finland, it takes creativity to get the best flights for the best price in the shortest amount of time. But it's even crazier when you have to book a flight in a different language just to get the best price.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhSY1tFkqNxDZ5aGmXMVX7S71ivd1dt0xzctPpFzJqMEu2U-WAyi14Z1wl3up7FW7D_ES_vuiSMp8xwceM3AzqMir5c4hX5Cg7s4CufPGfs18GNe3_d5kNyePuSf0ahEu_fuZzpAuyy3s/s1600/Stockholm+May+2012+217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhSY1tFkqNxDZ5aGmXMVX7S71ivd1dt0xzctPpFzJqMEu2U-WAyi14Z1wl3up7FW7D_ES_vuiSMp8xwceM3AzqMir5c4hX5Cg7s4CufPGfs18GNe3_d5kNyePuSf0ahEu_fuZzpAuyy3s/s320/Stockholm+May+2012+217.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Keep boarding passes until you get</b><br />
<b>credit for your FF points</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am flying to Lyon, France, with a friend next week. She and her husband have a home in Lyon but live here in Finland. Our husbands work for the same company. She booked her flight on one of the many online travel websites and told me which one. And she used the French version of the site.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Almost all companies that do business in different countries have different sites in different languages. That's just good business.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When I went to the English website of the same company, my flight was listed at twice the price of my friend's ticket. Unbelievable, right? I next checked multiple travel sites, including Kayak and Skyscanner, but the prices were all high.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On a whim, I went to the French version of the site my friend used to book her ticket. Sure enough, there was the flight at the price she paid. Fortunately, I understand enough French that I could navigate the site, and I booked my ticket there. No problems.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I understand that companies buy blocks of fares, and that different sites will have different prices. I've booked legs of flights separately just to get the best price, or to get frequent flyer points on my preferred airline (especially when an airline in the Star Alliance doesn't give me credit on my preferred airline just because the class of fare isn't in the right category. But that's a whole other issue).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But for the same company to offer different prices just because they are in different languages? Very strange.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then there are the luggage issues. In all our years of travel, we have never had our luggage lost. Until we moved abroad. We've had luggage lost three times in eight months. We've had luggage arrive soaking wet. We've had holes punctured in our luggage. Nothing stolen, yet, thank goodness.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The most ridiculous case of delayed luggage occurred when my husband flew from Charlotte to Frankfurt, then Frankfurt to Helsinki in January. He had an hour before he had to catch the last bus from the Helsinki airport to the town where we live, which is a four-hour bus ride. Everyone stood around waiting, but the luggage never came out. Not just my husband's luggage, but everyone's luggage. They kept asking, but no one could give an adequate reason, other than it was weather-related.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Come on! They've been dealing with harsh weather at this airport for years! And they can't move luggage a short distance from the airplane to the terminal in a reasonable amount of time? My husband and his fellow passengers stood there for two hours before the luggage came out! Which meant he missed his bus and had to spend the night in Helsinki. The airline refused compensation, since they said it was weather-related, but they also told him to write the airline after he got home. So he sent them an email, and to their credit, they did mail him a check to cover the cost of his hotel.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The lessons from all this?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* If someone at the airport doesn't ask for your identification, politely ask them if they are going to check it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* If you can't find an airfare at a good price and you can navigate in another language (or use a web translating site), try that angle.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* If your luggage is lost, and you believe you deserve compensation, keep trying, even if you don't get anything at the time of the incident.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Happy travels. I'll post a Stockholm trip report and photos soon.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-50729689649227104202012-05-07T02:43:00.006-04:002012-05-07T02:51:06.596-04:00It's a Dog's World<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fo9WFVcY6zI/T6dfyIVA9II/AAAAAAAAFiQ/lMdktpvmdf0/s1600/dog+show+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fo9WFVcY6zI/T6dfyIVA9II/AAAAAAAAFiQ/lMdktpvmdf0/s320/dog+show+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>These dogs were strutting their stuff for the judges</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yudBmshB9lg/T6df4Z1w6-I/AAAAAAAAFio/wMThcdlTt_U/s1600/dog+show+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yudBmshB9lg/T6df4Z1w6-I/AAAAAAAAFio/wMThcdlTt_U/s320/dog+show+7.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The show was winding down when we got there</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's funny the things you just happen upon. Sunday afternoon, Tom and I drove to a park just outside of Rauma to check out some tennis courts. The parking lot was filled, and we could see tents and trailers. We thought it must be a flea market.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PWRj-diOA40/T6dfyQEl9pI/AAAAAAAAFi8/l7sXzax6sAI/s1600/dog+show+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PWRj-diOA40/T6dfyQEl9pI/AAAAAAAAFi8/l7sXzax6sAI/s320/dog+show+4.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Just beautiful!</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Wrong! It was a dog show. As in a Westminster-type, judging dogs of all breeds show. It was so funny, because we never expected to see something like this in Rauma. Especially outside on a dirt field. They had chalk lines drawn in the dirt to separate judging areas. It was sunny but chilly, and lots of the dogs, especially the hairless ones, were actually shivering and had their tails tucked under their legs. Some had on coats. One poodle actually had leg warmers!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There was one spectacular white poodle perched on a table in a tent. I had to take a picture, so I asked the owner, who thankfully spoke good English, if it was okay. I asked her if the dog was a "he." She replied, "Yes, it's a "he," but he looks like a "she!"</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BksgNCN1dRA/T6df5EJVFjI/AAAAAAAAFiw/Xa7RcFH5Zvw/s1600/dog+show+9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BksgNCN1dRA/T6df5EJVFjI/AAAAAAAAFiw/Xa7RcFH5Zvw/s320/dog+show+9.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dogs in strollers!</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aekgjWW8zjQ/T6df2QHCvzI/AAAAAAAAFjA/Vhtj62L-gY4/s1600/dog+show+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aekgjWW8zjQ/T6df2QHCvzI/AAAAAAAAFjA/Vhtj62L-gY4/s320/dog+show+6.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Can he see me?</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We got to pet a lot of the dogs -- the owners were very nice, even though most didn't speak English. One of my favorites was a Greyhound, who just loved the attention. I've heard retired Greyhounds make excellent pets. Hint, hint.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today, I Googled the dog show, and it was a pretty big two-day event, attracting show dogs from all over. The Best-in-Show winner was a beautiful Afghan hound. I wish we had known about it earlier, because I would like to have seen the beagles on Saturday, since we had a beagle for 10 years. </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xHerYENefbg/T6dfxxQiWxI/AAAAAAAAFi4/23Lpds_unyw/s1600/dog+show+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xHerYENefbg/T6dfxxQiWxI/AAAAAAAAFi4/23Lpds_unyw/s320/dog+show+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Taking a break after a hard day's work</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In other exciting Rauma news, last Tuesday was May Day, which is a national holiday in Finland. Stores are closed, many people have the day off, and there is a parade to celebrate the end of winter and the unofficial beginning of spring. So we walked downtown to see this parade, which we were expecting to be filled with floats, bands, clowns, etc., just like the parades back home. Ha! This parade first featured over 300 motorcycles!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've mentioned the annoying motorbikes that teenagers zip around town on, and apparently, the noise gets really bad in summer, when they are riding around at all hours, what with the long days of sunlight. Anyway, Tom found out that most motorcycle owners put their bikes away for winter and don't pay insurance while they are sitting in the garages, so May Day is the first day the insurance kicks in, and everyone takes their bikes out for that first ride. Very bizarre.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DN_GY48a1b4/T6diFh_ZIyI/AAAAAAAAFjo/LmoIGouJoWQ/s1600/Finland+May+2012+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DN_GY48a1b4/T6diFh_ZIyI/AAAAAAAAFjo/LmoIGouJoWQ/s320/Finland+May+2012+020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Motorcycle Mania on May Day</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TtzyHxyU3cA/T6diQQp8xLI/AAAAAAAAFkI/-VTCKPRspx4/s1600/Finland+May+2012+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TtzyHxyU3cA/T6diQQp8xLI/AAAAAAAAFkI/-VTCKPRspx4/s320/Finland+May+2012+025.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The marching band</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After the motorcycles, a few old-timey cars passed by, then came one group of cheerleaders and one marching band from the local music school. Also, we saw lots of people wearing these strange-looking white mariner caps. We also found out that people wearing these hats graduated from high school in Rauma. This year's upcoming graduates all gather together at the end of the parade to put their hats on a statue, and one student is thrown into the canal. We didn't stick around for that part of it (it was too cold and windy, even though it was a beautiful sunny day).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I know that if visitors from Finland came to Concord, North Carolina, they would be amused by life in our town, too. But it's great that everyone has their own traditions, and we are lucky to get a glimpse of them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And I want to go to the next dog show that comes to town!</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3koQryJVkd8/T6diD8QAuRI/AAAAAAAAFjg/7QE7eLiVles/s1600/Finland+May+2012+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3koQryJVkd8/T6diD8QAuRI/AAAAAAAAFjg/7QE7eLiVles/s320/Finland+May+2012+027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This fellow wasn't in the dog show, but he could have been!</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5739661458513461361">https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5739661458513461361</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-71475330560378777672012-04-25T09:05:00.001-04:002012-04-25T09:05:47.413-04:00Spring is Trying to Spring in Finland<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bAiIU0S_j9Q/T5fsjC75QOI/AAAAAAAAFf4/xrC51wBTTN4/s1600/IMG_0478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bAiIU0S_j9Q/T5fsjC75QOI/AAAAAAAAFf4/xrC51wBTTN4/s320/IMG_0478.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>City workers have been busy planting flowers</b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's only the end of April, and already, the sun rises about 5:30 a.m. and doesn't set until almost 9:30 p.m. It is so weird, much more so than in winter when it was dark most of the day. I can't imagine what it will be like in June.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qvVKIwPGaWM/T5fstj55NYI/AAAAAAAAFgA/vuJJ7tXBq8Y/s1600/IMG_0468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qvVKIwPGaWM/T5fstj55NYI/AAAAAAAAFgA/vuJJ7tXBq8Y/s320/IMG_0468.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The bathing beauties are back!</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The good news about that is we have a black-out shade installed in our huge bedroom window. The bad news is now that it is pulled down, we can't get it to go back up without standing on a chair and manually trying to roll it up. So the bedroom is basically in almost total darkness all the time. I say almost, because the light manages to peek through around the edges of the shade. It's not enough to keep me awake at night or wake me up too early, but if it starts doing so, I'll just get some masking tape and tape it all around the wall. Hey, it doesn't matter since we're keeping the shade down anyway!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I rode my bike today for the first time in months, and I can tell my body is going to be complaining tomorrow, especially my still-hurting back. But it was so fun to be able to get out and enjoy the sun (getting my much-needed vitamin D!) and ride around town. The city workers have been very busy clearing the streets and sidewalks of all the snow remnants and trash, and have been planting flowers around town. I know at home the crocuses and daffodils are long gone, but here, they are just now blooming! Lots of pansies are being planted, too.</span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N4g9IXL_AKk/T5fs7ytAQII/AAAAAAAAFhA/6m1VTN4mV0E/s1600/IMG_0477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N4g9IXL_AKk/T5fs7ytAQII/AAAAAAAAFhA/6m1VTN4mV0E/s320/IMG_0477.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The pretty waterfront</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I don't have a yard to plant flowers, but I do have a nice plant shelf on my balcony, so I plan to decorate with some flowers there. I'm just still a bit reticent to buy flowers, when I'm not convinced the cold weather is gone for good. Sure, today it was sunny and 50 degrees F., but tomorrow it's supposed to be cold and rainy again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Along with spring comes another warm-weather nuisance. I'm not talking about bugs -- yet. I'm talking about noisy motor scooters, which really should be banned because of how loud and annoying they are. Probably 98% are driven by teenage boys, and while it's a great way for them to get around, the noise pollution is in the stratosphere. I thought that everyone rode bikes in Rauma, but apparently, those scooters are almost as popular. Other expats who have been here longer than us say that in summer, you can hear the scooters out at midnight, because it's still light out. I'm just glad we live in a relatively quiet area, away from the street. I feel bad for all those people who live next to busy roads.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b8AIMCLhSX4/T5fsY6CHe8I/AAAAAAAAFfw/C1CFdm6lNtU/s1600/IMG_0484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b8AIMCLhSX4/T5fsY6CHe8I/AAAAAAAAFfw/C1CFdm6lNtU/s320/IMG_0484.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Flowers for sale in Old Town Square</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My parents sent us the best anniversary present this year -- a box full of American goodies we can't get in Finland! They sent Jif peanut butter, ranch salad dressing, a box of Bisquick, a bag of chocolate chips, a bag of Kraft mini marshmallows (they do sell fake marshmallows here that are the nastiest things I've ever tasted), a bag of my favorite Ritz Main Street Original crackers, some taco shells and mix, and some chili mix</span>. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My mom said it was the most unusual gift she's sent someone, but it's definitely much appreciated!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Already planning my next adventure for late May. My wish list of places to visit includes those I haven't been to, including Krakow, Vienna, Amsterdam, Oslo and the fjords of Norway, Dubai, Berlin, Barcelona and Budapest. I'd also like to re-visit Rome, Prague, and anywhere in France. We're already going to meet up with our daughter in London the end of June to go to Wimbledon, which we are very excited about.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I basically started looking for the cheapest airfare to any of my wish list places. It turns out the cheapest flights were to Rome and Barcelona. The catch was the times and layovers were horrible. That's the thing about these websites like Kayak, Orbitz and Skyscanner (which covers European airlines). Don't get me wrong, these sites are great for planning trips, and I've used all three of these, as well as others. You just have to be very careful when booking flights, because you could end up flying to Barcelona, but you have to go through London Stansted, and you have a 12-hour layover, or you don't leave Finland until 11 p.m. at night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I ended up booking a flight to Stockholm, leaving from Pori, which is only 30 minutes from Rauma. I am very excited about the trip, as Stockholm is supposed to be a beautiful coastal city with lots to see and do (and shop!). And Tom and I plan to cross another place off the list in August. I'm leaning toward Norway, to take a boat ride through the fjords when it's warm enough to enjoy it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's hoping for warmer weather for everyone!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span>The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-80393257813600962912012-04-12T02:18:00.000-04:002012-04-12T02:18:42.241-04:00Tsars, Pierogis and Vodka<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oceGcsQJQz4/T4VsZ5yKQpI/AAAAAAAAFD4/S5lDLJ7Ynhc/s1600/Russia+April+2012+054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oceGcsQJQz4/T4VsZ5yKQpI/AAAAAAAAFD4/S5lDLJ7Ynhc/s320/Russia+April+2012+054.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In front of the Winter Palace/Hermitage</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I never thought in a million years that I would get the opportunity to visit Russia, but again, that is the biggest benefit of living in Finland on this expat adventure -- the ability to travel all over Europe so easily.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It turns out lots of other Areva expats from Rauma decided to visit St. Petersburg, Russia, over the long Easter weekend. Five other Americans and about 30 French also took the St. Peter Line ferry from Helsinki to St. Petersburg. The ship, a 1980s-era relic called the M/S Maria, left Helsinki Friday evening and arrived in St. Petersburg Saturday morning. There is a new way to get around the Russian visa requirement: If you arrive via a ship and book a guided tour, you can stay in St. Petersburg visa-free for up to 72 hours. This is a great and easy way to visit this beautiful and historic city. We stayed in a terrific hotel, the Sokos Palace Bridge for two nights, and spent three days in St. Petersburg, leaving for the overnight ferry ride back to Finland Monday evening.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RZwg6P4GmK0/T4V5UHLAfLI/AAAAAAAAFRU/OjaGHhKE9L0/s1600/Russia+April+2012+196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RZwg6P4GmK0/T4V5UHLAfLI/AAAAAAAAFRU/OjaGHhKE9L0/s320/Russia+April+2012+196.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Church on Spilled Blood</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When you've been on the nice, new cruise ships sailing in the Caribbean (like the Celebrity Eclipse we sailed on last year), boarding an older ship like the M/S Maria can be a shock. Our cabin was so tiny, we could barely move, let alone find a place to put our luggage. And don't get me started on the bathroom! The water from the shower sprayed all over the bathroom -- but at least it was warm water! The worst thing was the noise and vibration -- that and the fact that all night, you could hear the ship plowing through the ice in the Baltic. As everyone had been talking about the anniversary of the sinking of the TItanic, that made us all just a tiny bit nervous!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Arriving in St. Petersburg by boat is a little disappointing, because you enter through this huge industrial port area. Not very attractive. We had heard that it can be time-consuming to get through immigration, but we had no problems at all. Got that Russian stamp in our passports, and we were on our way. Took the "official" shuttle to the hotel, where our private guide and driver, Sasha and Sergei from Insider Tour, were waiting. We had a very busy tour of the city, visiting all the famous sights, then had a wonderful lunch at a traditional Russian tea room, and finished the afternoon with a tour of the Winter Palace and Hermitage Museum.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The next day, we wandered around, although the weather was really nasty. Tom didn't have a hat, so he was pretty miserable. It wouldn't have been so bad, but the snow was blowing sideways into our faces. Still, we saw as much as we could. We ended up at the Museum of Vodka, where we got to sample three vodkas from their collection of over 220 kinds! That's the way to warm up after walking around in the cold and snow! We later met up with some new Finnish friends we had met on the ship for dinner at a Russian restaurant recommended by the hotel, and it was lots of fun.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U0P0O6Lb6pA/T4VsGCDUVsI/AAAAAAAAFDo/y7n_3kJBxsE/s1600/Russia+April+2012+052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U0P0O6Lb6pA/T4VsGCDUVsI/AAAAAAAAFDo/y7n_3kJBxsE/s320/Russia+April+2012+052.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lemon Pierogi</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Monday was much better, still cold but gloriously sunny. I dragged Tom around to re-take photos of places we previously had been to just to get better pictures! Did a little shopping, too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some things we noticed:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* English is not as widely-spoken in St. Petersburg as it is in other European countries. You can get by, of course, but the toughest part is reading signs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* We felt totally safe walking around, even though we had read that you can get stopped by the police at any time. We saw lots of police and military walking around, but it was no big deal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* The food was much better than we anticipated. Probably the best things we tried were the pies, or pierogis. I had a cabbage pierogi, and Tom had one with chicken. Then we shared a lemon one for dessert. Yummy! A pierogi is a yeasty dough baked around a filling. I also liked the Borscht soup, which is made with meat, beets, cabbage, carrots and seasonings. It is topped with a dollop of sour cream, which I could have done without.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EH_ECS8S7-c/T4V1PLbQjtI/AAAAAAAAFME/sNXXKdG6Aoc/s1600/Russia+April+2012+143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EH_ECS8S7-c/T4V1PLbQjtI/AAAAAAAAFME/sNXXKdG6Aoc/s320/Russia+April+2012+143.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Choose from 220 kinds at the Vodka Museum</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* The vodka was very good, and we could taste the difference between the cheaper stuff and the good stuff. The duty-free prices on the ship actually were better than the prices in St. Petersburg, although we did buy a few mini bottles of brands that weren't available on the ship, such as Beluga and Imperia.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* The Church on Spilled Blood was my favorite place to see. This beautiful church was built on the spot where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated in 1881. The church was used as a morgue and then a warehouse during the Communist years. After 30 years of renovations, it was opened to the public in the late 1990s. A WWII-era bomb was actually found buried in the roof of the church not too long ago. It was carefully removed and detonated outside the city.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* The Winter Palace and Hermitage Museum on Palace Square are as magnificent as you would expect. I'm so glad we had a guide to lead us around there, or we could have been lost for days. We spent three hours there, but that wasn't enough. I would like to go back sometime.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* We also didn't get to the palaces outside the city, Peterhof and Tsarskoe Selo. Our guide said we should visit those in warmer weather, when the fountains are working and the grounds are in full bloom. She said late August/early September are good times to visit, as the weather is great but the crowds aren't as bad as June and July.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, if any of you friends and/or family want to join me for a trip, let me know!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's a link to the pictures:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5730100561241622161?hl=en">https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5730100561241622161?hl=en</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span>The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-521647419036437012012-04-05T11:14:00.000-04:002012-04-05T11:14:12.717-04:00Flying is not Fun<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hello, again!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am pleased to report that we made it back to Rauma in one piece! Although at times, I wasn't sure if we -- or our luggage -- would make it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I used to like flying, but after this last trip, I'm not as enthusiastic! Saturday afternoon, we flew from Charlotte to Washington Dulles. We rushed to our SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) gate, and we were told that the overnight flight to Copenhagen was going to be delayed FIVE hours due to "technical difficulties."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On the one hand, that was lousy. On the other hand, that meant that we had time for a last Mexican dinner at the pretty good Tex-Mex restaurant in Dulles, AND Tom would get to watch Kentucky beat Louisville in the Final Four. Okay.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We also were upgraded from Economy to Economy Plus. That means more space, unlimited alcohol, and a choice of entrees. Plus, when we boarded, we found out we were in the bulkhead seats, which meant even more leg room.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's a good thing we ate dinner at Dulles, because the meal choices on our flight were horrible: Chicken Meatloaf (which should never, ever, be allowed as an entree combination) and Fish Stew. Can you imagine what pre-cooked and re-heated Fish Stew would taste like? Me, either. I ordered the meatloaf just for the dessert, which was a tasty cheesecake.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Because our flight was delayed, we missed our connection to Turku. SAS put us on a later flight to Helsinki, then another three-hour wait, then a 30-minute flight to Turku. When we got there, guess what? Our luggage didn't make it -- big surprise. Funny thing was, another lady didn't get her luggage, either. Turned out she had been on our same flights from Dulles, from Copenhagen and from Helsinki.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then we had to scrape ice and snow off our car and drive an hour to Rauma. All in all, over 28 hours of travel time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We fiilled out the paperwork, and we finally got our luggage delivered to Rauma on Tuesday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm glad to report that it has been sunny here all week, and most of the nasty snow has melted! I have been out on nice walks and been preparing for our trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, this weekend.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The forecast is calling for snow showers both here and there, but by now, we are used to all these roadblocks to smooth travel. Will take plenty of pictures in St. Petersburg!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span>The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-71896857148820813452012-03-30T17:45:00.002-04:002012-03-30T17:45:15.757-04:00The Opposite of Finland? Aruba!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YdJQb_fPqXg/T3Yelb59dXI/AAAAAAAAE3k/ubS1_7RCxs0/s1600/IMG_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YdJQb_fPqXg/T3Yelb59dXI/AAAAAAAAE3k/ubS1_7RCxs0/s400/IMG_0201.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Aruba!</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sad to say, vacation is over! We are flying back to Finland, where, unfortunately the forecast is STILL calling for snow. We really thought that by the time we got back to Rauma, the snowy season would be over. I have an appointment on Tuesday with the tire "hotel" to remove our winter tires and put back on the regular tires -- I hope I don't have to re-schedule!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We spent a wonderful week in Aruba -- this really is one of our favorite places, and we visit at least once a year. So you can imagine how hard it is to leave sunny and temperatures in the 80s (Fahrenheit) and return to snow and the 30s (Fahrenheit)!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I've been getting together lots of food and special toiletries to bring back with us. I originally was going to ship a boxful to Rauma, but the cost to ship a medium-sized box with Jif peanut butter, Bisquick, ranch salad dressing, cookie mix, chocolate chips, marshmallows, and a few books was going to cost over $100! I couldn't believe it! So we're just going to tote back as much as we can in our checked bags and our carry-ons.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">One thing I'm definitely bringing back is a bottle of Skinny Girl White Cranberry Cosmo. I took a bottle to Aruba, and it was delicious (and of course, you can't find that in Finland -- yet!). Reality TV star Bethenny Frankel created this yummy concoction. It's lighter than a traditional Cosmopolitan drink, fewer calories and not so sweet. Perfect over ice with a slice of lime.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm also bringing back plenty of Easter goodies for some of the American expats' kids in Rauma, as many American magazines as I can handle, and all that stuff that I was planning to ship.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">If only we could just "beam" to Rauma like in the old TV series, "Star Trek," and avoid that horrendous overnight flight. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here's a link to the Aruba pictures:</span><br />
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5725797412883448577?authkey=CNu0iMOM4fS2DA#photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5725797412883448577">https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5725797412883448577?authkey=CNu0iMOM4fS2DA#photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5725797412883448577</a>The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-53454134445048188042012-03-14T18:27:00.000-04:002012-03-14T18:27:53.464-04:00Spring in the U.S.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TAjKI_y5rto/T2ETq79wRsI/AAAAAAAAE1M/0WSAhJPeAGw/s1600/IMG_0183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TAjKI_y5rto/T2ETq79wRsI/AAAAAAAAE1M/0WSAhJPeAGw/s320/IMG_0183.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Memorial Gardens in Concord, NC</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hi, everyone! Well, the weather here in Concord, North Carolina, is certainly wonderful. It was sunny and 80 degrees F. today (about 27 degrees C. for those of you in Europe)! And it's getting even warmer tomorrow! I have been working in the yard, mainly pulling weeds and pruning my roses and other bushes. My crocuses have already bloomed, my yellow forsythia bush is budding, as are my dogwood and cherry trees. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The photo at right was taken at Memorial Gardens here in Concord. It is an old cemetery owned by First Presbyterian Church, and it is known for its beautiful flowers. I ran into a friend there, Linda, who works part-time tending the beautiful flowers. Just like Rauma, Concord is a small town where you almost always run into someone you know!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>THIN chips and queso/bean dip</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">For all my friends back in Finland, I especially wanted to share with you photos of food from our favorite Mexican restaurant, since I know all of you are tired of hearing how much we miss Mexican food in Europe, especially the special cheese. A few of my friends and I went to El Vallarta last night, and it was soooo good!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I know many of you say we can buy "Mexican" items at the grocery store, but they are just not the same. The chips in Europe are thick -- the chips we prefer are the thin, crispy ones (see the photo). Most importantly, we can't get the Monterey Jack cheese that really make the Tex-Mex food so good. Sure, this kind of food isn't the best health-wise, but it's very popular here.</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GROYxXo_KQQ/T2ETdyv7DjI/AAAAAAAAE0U/dnUBWm08DW4/s1600/IMG_0176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GROYxXo_KQQ/T2ETdyv7DjI/AAAAAAAAE0U/dnUBWm08DW4/s320/IMG_0176.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Kim, Lynn, Sara and Pam at El Vallarta</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c2ZQ4ftMiXk/T2ETb_zDckI/AAAAAAAAE0E/zaUVgQ34ZgI/s1600/IMG_0174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c2ZQ4ftMiXk/T2ETb_zDckI/AAAAAAAAE0E/zaUVgQ34ZgI/s320/IMG_0174.JPG" width="240" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Yum!</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Speaking of health, as I made the rounds of doctors while home, I found out that I have a severe Vitamin D deficiency. Imagine that! Could it be related to having to stay inside during the dark, dreary winter in Finland? Who knows? Some of my friends -- who spend plenty of time outdoors here in the U.S. -- also told me they have the same problem. Maybe it's related to global warming. All I know is I now have to take a prescription Vitamin D pill once a week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">My friend Lynn and I are going to the Southern Part of Heaven tomorrow, otherwise known as Chapel Hill, home of my alma mater, the University of North Carolina. Then we are heading to Wolfpack territory to vist our sons at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Another perk of coming home this time of year is that "March Madness" is going on. For those of you in Europe who may be unaware of this awesome event, it is the championship tournament for college basketball. Two of the favorites are my team, UNC, and my husband's team, the University of Kentucky. One of the favorite pasttimes here is participating in "pools," in which you have to pick the winners of all the games during the championship; valuable cash prizes are involved. It's always lots of fun.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-2452726916018533002012-03-07T18:34:00.004-05:002012-03-07T18:34:46.980-05:00Brussels and D.C.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TMjtCo3JPWw/T1fqR9zcaQI/AAAAAAAAEos/MFCpWS3KKn4/s1600/IMG_0068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TMjtCo3JPWw/T1fqR9zcaQI/AAAAAAAAEos/MFCpWS3KKn4/s320/IMG_0068.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>The Grand Place, Brussels</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wow! It's been a busy few weeks! I am currently home in North Carolina after spending a few days in Brussels, then a few days in Washington, D.C. It's in the upper 60s F. here in Concord, which is a nice change from the freezing temps in Rauma!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RTl4RE9tM4A/T1fqedC48GI/AAAAAAAAEqM/xDaL5rt2tic/s1600/IMG_0087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RTl4RE9tM4A/T1fqedC48GI/AAAAAAAAEqM/xDaL5rt2tic/s320/IMG_0087.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>The Atomium, built for the 1958 World's Fair</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I enjoyed my visit to Brussels, which was a city I had wanted to visit for some time. The weather was chilly, but at least there was no ice! I took a bus tour around the city, visited the famous Atomium, saw the European Union, shopped a bit, sampled lots of chocolate, and tried some Belgian beer. I especially enjoyed my visits to the Magritte Museum and the Museum of Musical Instruments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Last Wednesday, I flew to Washington, D.C., to visit my daughter. We had a great time, although it was colder and windier there than I would have liked. We toured the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the Holocaust Museum, the White House, the Supreme Court and the U.S. Capitol. Had some wonderful meals and did a bit of shopping.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ml_hs0iZ7-U/T1frYHS7TcI/AAAAAAAAEyU/emUwfbaLCo8/s1600/photo+%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ml_hs0iZ7-U/T1frYHS7TcI/AAAAAAAAEyU/emUwfbaLCo8/s320/photo+%25289%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>The U.S. Capitol</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">My parents picked me up in Charlotte, and we went to our favorite cafeteria, the K&W. I came home to lots of weeds in our yard, plus the surprise of two trees that had fallen in our back yard. Apparently, we had some vicious wind in this part of the country, too. The pear trees are blooming, which has brought out the seasonal allergies. Still, it's great to drive everywhere, eat decent Mexican food, go to my favorite grocery store, and especially Target. My friend Lynn and I took a nice walk around the neighborhood today, and I hope to visit with more friends soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Haven't gotten to see my son yet, as he is currently on a spring break Caribbean cruise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">To see all the pictures of Brussels and D.C., click here:</span><br />
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5717295628962642737?authkey=CP-m7Pfe5Y2C9wE">https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5717295628962642737?authkey=CP-m7Pfe5Y2C9wE</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hope everyone back in Finland is doing well! </span>The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-71787767450339005162012-02-24T08:03:00.000-05:002012-02-24T08:36:10.920-05:00Movies, Food, and I'm Sick of Snow and Ice<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XxxcA9WW_NE/Tz5U9Mrr6dI/AAAAAAAAEl4/EY6gnZ-tqlQ/s1600/IMG_0053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XxxcA9WW_NE/Tz5U9Mrr6dI/AAAAAAAAEl4/EY6gnZ-tqlQ/s320/IMG_0053.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The narrowest street in Old Town</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The weather here has settled into an annoying pattern -- it snows about every day, and for the past week, the temperatures have gotten above freezing, so some of it melts (there's way too much on the ground for it all to melt), then it re-freezes overnight, resulting in an icy mess the next morning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I still go out every day, and fortunately, some new expat arrivals to Rauma have helped with the winter doldrums. My new friend, Sara, and her husband, Stephen, have been here several weeks, and I have enjoyed showing Sara around. I'm not the new kid in town anymore!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Something that impresses me is the town workers are out every day plowing, putting out gravel, and scraping away ice. They leave huge piles of dirty snow everywhere, but they do cart some of it away every few days. One of the older gentlemen in our apartment building (the one who has a pretty white cat) also is out every day shoveling and throwing out gravel on our steep driveway. I don't know if he gets paid to do this or not, but I suspect he does it just to help out. I certainly appreciate his hard work!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6MHXluk2fI/Tz5U3jUyuMI/AAAAAAAAElo/IUMM_7wxJ6M/s1600/IMG_0049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6MHXluk2fI/Tz5U3jUyuMI/AAAAAAAAElo/IUMM_7wxJ6M/s200/IMG_0049.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Blueberry Cake</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have continued my baking projects, and I have gotten better at guessing the amount of butter I need for my recipes. I mentioned I found a measuring cup that has U.S. measurements, so that has been great! My latest desserts were a blueberry cake and a marble pound cake. Tom took both to work, of course, and he said they were appreciated.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qsu9071DMlk/T0eJ1KJDDtI/AAAAAAAAEmk/9nACCy04RiY/s1600/IMG_0055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qsu9071DMlk/T0eJ1KJDDtI/AAAAAAAAEmk/9nACCy04RiY/s200/IMG_0055.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Marble Cake</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B40zWKhQRi0/T0eJ3CQ120I/AAAAAAAAEms/8U1Je8Zc99w/s1600/IMG_0056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B40zWKhQRi0/T0eJ3CQ120I/AAAAAAAAEms/8U1Je8Zc99w/s200/IMG_0056.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Leftover Stripey Jack Cheese</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I also have good news on the Mexican food dilemma. The local grocery store got in a cheese called "Stripey Jack." At first, I was all excited, because it was called "Jack," as in Monterey Jack, but it isn't that. It's a mixture of different strengths of cheddar. Still, it tastes really good, pretty mild and similar to Colby. So last night, I mixed up taco meat and put it in soft tortillas, melted some of the cheese on top, and added lettuce and pico de gallo that I made from scratch. The tomatoes grown in the hothouses here are remarkably tasty, but the "hot" peppers in the produce department have no fire. I wonder if they just get dried out from their long journey to Finland. Still, it was so nice to have some semblance of Mexican food here!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zc67GU7g-I4/Tz5U2V0Mb8I/AAAAAAAAElk/2X66QX-fQmY/s1600/IMG_0048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zc67GU7g-I4/Tz5U2V0Mb8I/AAAAAAAAElk/2X66QX-fQmY/s320/IMG_0048.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Rauma movie theater</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My friends know how much I love movies, and we finally went to the local Rauma movie Theater last weekend to see "The Descendants." One guy runs the theater, and he does everything from selling tickets and concessions to telling us when to go into the theater, to running the projector to cleaning up. The theater itself only holds about 40 people, and you feel like you are practically on top of the screen. The movie cost 10 Euros each, which I suppose isn't too bad. Plus, the movies are still in English and just have Finnish subtitles, so that is a bonus.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Big travels coming up -- I'm heading to Brussels on Sunday for a few days, then flying to Washington to visit Kristen, then home to Concord. Tom flies home a few weeks later, and we are going on our annual trip to Aruba. Yes! Sunny and warm! Beaches! Mahi mahi and grouper! I don't think we will want to return to Finland! But return we must, because Easter weekend, we are heading to a place we both have been wanting to see: St. Petersburg, Russia. Oh, yeah, and Tom has to go back to work, too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And hopefully, by the time we get back to Finland April 1, all this nasty snow and ice will be gone for the season!</span><br />
<br />The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-21542977712561465032012-02-13T02:08:00.000-05:002012-02-13T02:08:14.747-05:00Of Course We Got Stuck in the Snow<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Just another afternoon in rural Finland</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I know that living in Finland is supposed to be one big adventure. But there are some experiences I could live without -- the deer/elk hitting Tom's car, me falling on the ice, etc. Well, now we have a new experience to add to that category -- our car got stuck in the snow. And I mean really stuck.</span><br />
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<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Add this to our adventures in Finland</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of Tom's co-workers told him about this place about an hour and a half north of Pori where you can go dog sledding and snowmobiling. I really want to ride in a dogsled, so we decided to drive up there Sunday to check it out. Of course, we got lost. But the place is in the middle of nowhere, and I mean nowhere. No signs, dinky country roads. We even went back to the little town of Kankaanpaa and got directions from a very nice girl working in a store. Turns out we had been in the right area but hadn't gone far enough.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The scary thing was those country roads were covered with a fresh coat of snow, and it was snowing again. And the snowplows that are all over the highways don't bother with these country roads.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_Sogso972-0/TzivWo5_8II/AAAAAAAAEkw/UjRjDZX-s9E/s1600/IMG_0040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_Sogso972-0/TzivWo5_8II/AAAAAAAAEkw/UjRjDZX-s9E/s320/IMG_0040.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>At least we weren't the only ones who got stuck</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Since we couldn't tell where the road began and ended, it was very scary. Then, a car comes barreling toward us, and he obviously thought he should have the entire road. Tom edged over to the right to avoid a collision, and we immediately sunk in the snow. And a woman behind us did the same thing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The jerk in the oncoming car kept on going. One guy stopped, but he didn't have any equipment to help us out. But fortunately for us, the very nice lady who also got stuck spoke fairly good English, and she called someone to come help us. This guy was wonderful. He brought shovels and a tether, and he literally saved us from freezing to death in the middle of nowheresville. It took a lot of shoveling and pulling, but both cars finally got out of the mess.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UehMLBdKpTM/TzivaFURivI/AAAAAAAAElQ/ovlAoMF1KtU/s1600/IMG_0046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UehMLBdKpTM/TzivaFURivI/AAAAAAAAElQ/ovlAoMF1KtU/s320/IMG_0046.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Getting a tow</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was the fresh snow that was the problem, because you literally cannot tell where the road ended on the sides. And the guy who helped us said don't feel bad, because lots of people get stuck. We were just so thankful that it happened during daylight hours and that the temperature was in the 20s and not below zero like it had been last week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We were still about 10 kilometers from the alleged dog sled place, but we were so stressed out about driving even further into the unplowed tundra that we turned around and headed back. Plus, it would have been almost dark it we had stayed around another hour, and we certainly weren't going to drive through there after dark.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G4H5YMGylyw/TzivZNFUSDI/AAAAAAAAElE/uuv9wS8o_8Y/s1600/IMG_0044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G4H5YMGylyw/TzivZNFUSDI/AAAAAAAAElE/uuv9wS8o_8Y/s320/IMG_0044.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Luna had a coat like mine!</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I didn't get to see the sled dogs, but at least I met the lady's very fashionable dog, Luna.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And while we were waiting for rescue, a man in a buggy with a horse trotted by -- definitely postcard-worthy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But most of all, we once again experienced the Finnish hospitality. Before we moved here, I had read that Finns were not outgoing and reticent to talk to strangers. That is totally untrue. Most Finns have been very friendly and helpful. Lucky for us!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span>The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-25123977478482732772012-02-08T02:13:00.001-05:002012-02-08T02:15:18.933-05:00Baking Stress<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Back home in the U.S., I like to bake occasionally. I didn't think I would do much baking in Finland, though, so I didn't ship any pans, ingredients or a mixer. If I had only known...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tom works with a lot of French expats, of course. And lately, some of them have been bringing in delicious French goodies to share -- croissants, crepes, financiers (little cakes). I finally got him to bring me one of the treats -- the unbelievably tasty chocolate financier. It was so perfect -- crusty on the outside, moist on the inside. Even after sitting on Tom's desk all day wrapped up in nothing but a paper towel, by the time I got it, it still was terrific.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The bad part of all this is that the French kept asking Tom when he was going to bring in some "American" goodies. Talk about pressure! How do you compete with financiers??</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8fC_O39NA2s/TzIUbBhNIgI/AAAAAAAAEjs/ZCq21Krw93A/s1600/IMG_0033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8fC_O39NA2s/TzIUbBhNIgI/AAAAAAAAEjs/ZCq21Krw93A/s320/IMG_0033.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The closest thing I found to chocolate chips</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I decided to make chocolate chip cookies. Not totally American, but I would put M&Ms in them, which is totally an American candy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Baking in Europe obviously is an art. But for an American trying to make an American recipe, it's not easy. First, I had to buy a mixer. Thirty-four Euros. Spatula. Pans. Parchment paper. And finding ingredients? Very difficult. There are about 60 different kinds of flour in the grocery stores here. You can't find "American" ingredients like chocolate chips, decent marshmallows (the no-name ones on the American aisle at the City Market are nasty), sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then there are the measurements. I had to convert my American recipes to European measurements. For example, the package of butter I bought was 500 grams. I needed one cup of butter for my cookies. I calculated that one cup of butter would be a little less than 240 grams, then just cut the slab of butter a little less than half. See what I mean -- not exact. Had to do the same thing with the flour and the sugars. I was really worried the batter would be a disaster. By the way, after all this, I found some measuring cups at the Pic 'n Pay that list U.S. measurements as well as European. What a lifesaver!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As for chocolate chips, forget those. They don't exist here. I could either chop up a bar of chocolate -- not a bad idea, really -- or use a bag of crushed up chocolate that I found. I used that and M&Ms.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The oven is set to centigrade, which is not that difficult to convert. But our oven is really weird, with settings we still haven't figured out, even after six months here. I baked the cookies and kept an eye on them the entire time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Fortunately, they turned out okay. Not perfect, but they were acceptable. Best of all, Tom said they disappeared minutes after he put them out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But now, everyone at the office says this needs to be a regular thing -- so what am I going to bake next? Financiers? I actually have made those before with a pan I bought at the famous cookware store, E. Dehillerin, in Paris. But that pan is back in North Carolina. Besides, I need to make something else "American." My daughter suggested Lemon Bars, which only uses normal things like lemon, eggs, flour, and sugar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Anyway, here's the recipe for the M&M cookies, if you would like to try them. But note the recipe lists U.S. measurements.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PLxcoOhjAeQ/TzIUaU5fjUI/AAAAAAAAEjo/T0HMKachXAE/s1600/IMG_0031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PLxcoOhjAeQ/TzIUaU5fjUI/AAAAAAAAEjo/T0HMKachXAE/s320/IMG_0031.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">M&M/Chocolate Bit Cookies</span></b></u><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 cup butter, softened</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 cup white sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 cup packed light brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 eggs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 tsp. vanilla extract</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 tsp. baking soda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 tsp. hot water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3 cups baking flour </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">About a cup of chocolate chips, chopped up chocolate or chocolate bits</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As many M&Ms as you want</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cream butter and sugars with electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla flavoring. Dissolve baking soda in hot water and add to mixture. Add flour, beating just until mixed (do not overmix). Stir in chocolate bits and M&Ms.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Put layer of parchment paper on baking sheet and drop large tablespoons of dough onto paper. Top with additional M&Ms. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes, but watch carefully. Do not overbake. Cool on rack or plate. The number of cookies depends on what size you make them.</span><br />
<br />The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-66302402483086519502012-02-03T06:56:00.002-05:002012-02-03T06:56:44.024-05:00So This is What Cold Really Feels Like<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u-QMsKKvhSE/TyvBHStlkYI/AAAAAAAAEiw/qJ7g62hvKT8/s1600/IMG_0027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u-QMsKKvhSE/TyvBHStlkYI/AAAAAAAAEiw/qJ7g62hvKT8/s320/IMG_0027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>It finally got too cold even for the ducks</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yes, I have changed the title of the blog. I never really liked "Travels With Pam," so I thought about it and decided on "The Expat Life." My web address is now my name (it wouldn't let me use The Expat Life as my address), so bookmark pambilger.blogspot.com. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zaVAKq1ikOw/TyvBGeXK-NI/AAAAAAAAEik/5Z7IUaPH7GY/s1600/IMG_0025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zaVAKq1ikOw/TyvBGeXK-NI/AAAAAAAAEik/5Z7IUaPH7GY/s200/IMG_0025.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Crampons so I don't fall again</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">People back home keep asking me if the weather here in southwestern Finland is as bad as it is in Eastern Europe. Well, it definitely is cold here, but not nearly as bad as it is in Serbia. We have had below-zero temperatures all this week, but thankfully, it has been sunny. The forecast for next week is calling for temperatures in the 20s (Fahrenheit), so that is a real heat wave for February!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C3TVKeBKMXA/TyvBJFYjgaI/AAAAAAAAEjE/l-fkJhbmE78/s1600/IMG_0030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C3TVKeBKMXA/TyvBJFYjgaI/AAAAAAAAEjE/l-fkJhbmE78/s320/IMG_0030.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The icy sidewalks of Rauma</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have fallen two times on icy sidewalks here. It is not fun, let me tell you. And it's not as if I was walking carelessly. I probably walk slower on the ice than anyone else. But last Friday, I fell so fast I didn't even have time to brace myself. Needless to say, I am still in pain. I'm still going out for walks, but now I put metal crampons on the bottom of my shoes or boots. They are a pain to put on and take off, but hopefully, they will prevent more falls.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is so cold that even the ducks have left. I walked downtown today, and the canal is completely iced over. There used to be a small patch of water for the ducks, but now that's gone. I don't know where the ducks went, but I'm sure they'll be back when it thaws. I'm kind of sad that they are gone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span>The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281199345081926351.post-3185486357584849002012-01-16T09:13:00.004-05:002012-01-16T09:16:13.263-05:00Back to Reality<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ssu8CqlYpc/TwNpKG4p_VI/AAAAAAAAEYA/A60LSMV9UeA/s1600/IMG_0060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ssu8CqlYpc/TwNpKG4p_VI/AAAAAAAAEYA/A60LSMV9UeA/s320/IMG_0060.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This is what I left behind in Florida</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sorry I have been negligent in updating the blog, but I have been home in the U.S. for the past four weeks. Just got back Jan. 13, and what did I return to?? Snow! And this time, it's not melting!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A few weeks ago, I was enjoying the sun and warmth in Florida with Kristen and Scott. We had a great time at Universal Studios and Hollywood Studios at Disney World. If you want to see the pictures, here is the link:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5693507889794996385?authkey=CPP3opbEo9zzew" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5693507889794996385?authkey=CPP3opbEo9zzew</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I messed up my lower back right before I flew back to Finland. I was trying to lug a ping pong table up the driveway for the Kidney Foundation to pick up. Well, it fell over, and I tried to drag it up the rest of the way. I heard something crack, and it wasn't pleasant! After all that, the Kidney Foundation guys said they don't take ping pong tables! At least one of the guys helped me drag it back down the driveway.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uyDSuReLa7M/TxQqceaLHUI/AAAAAAAAEhg/4R3fm-cQno0/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uyDSuReLa7M/TxQqceaLHUI/AAAAAAAAEhg/4R3fm-cQno0/s320/IMG_0005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>And this is what I came back to in Finland!</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then, I had to deal with 24 hours of travel time to get back to Rauma: Charlotte to Philadelphia, Philly to Frankfurt, then Frankfurt to Helsinki. Then I had a lovely 4-hour bus ride to Rauma. Three days later, my body clock still isn't in sync. The older I get, the harder it is to adjust to these different time zone changes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Even though it is snowing, I forced myself to go for a walk today, and it definitely helped my mental state, even though it didn't help my lower back. The ducks are still there, huddled in a small part of the canal that isn't frozen over. Of course, I had to go buy a loaf of bread and feed them. They went nuts! They were even snipping at one another to get out of the way. Now I'm sure I'm not the only person who feeds them, but they sure acted like they hadn't had a meal in days.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EBQGo2LPyGE/TxQqddQSFTI/AAAAAAAAEhk/VL8M2PVOCLE/s1600/IMG_0006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EBQGo2LPyGE/TxQqddQSFTI/AAAAAAAAEhk/VL8M2PVOCLE/s320/IMG_0006.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The ducks waiting for some free bread</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's a link to the rest of the snow pictures I took today:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5698226008494346881?authkey=CJ_K5bTIyJOgVw">https://plus.google.com/photos/103069509757300719995/albums/5698226008494346881?authkey=CJ_K5bTIyJOgVw</a> </span>The Expat Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034935062522382009noreply@blogger.com0