Finland

So after arriving in Helskinki and waiting in the airport for a few hours, i met up with my family and we took another flight to Revaniami, which is in northern Finland.  There we met up with the Franttis, the family that fostered my Uncle (moo moo) when he studied abroad here 25 years ago. They live an hour and a half from revaniami in a place called Tornio

They are such nice people and thier house is beautiful.  and big for a european place.  They all speak Finnish, Swedish, and English.  I have learned a few Finnish words, but as a whole the language is impossible!

And as far as the food, it is pretty good, but quite different than what we eat in the states.  I ate what was essentially salmon and potato soup, as well as some finnish sausage (however its spelled) though i declined to eat it with mustard.  Which is not called mustard here btw. 

And I ate a small bite of raindeer... I feel like I ate a piece of my childhood. 

It is beautiful here.  Everything is so bright and vivid and the flowers are all just gorgeous.  The Frantiis live on a river and across the river, you can see Sweden! Its really funny, because the Finnish are not fond of Sweden... or Russia.  There is long history there of the Sweeds and Russians taking land that the Finnish did not think they had a right to be taking. 

It is midsummer here (a HUGE) Finnish holiday, so we picked a good time to come.  Here by the arctic circle is called The Land of the Midnight Sun, and it is a well deserved name.  The sun is out here all day... everyday.  and after today, each day will get shorter until it is night all day.  everyday. 
It is really strange for it to be 3 in the morning and have it look like 7 or 8 PM...

The kids fished in the river and they all caught fish. Big fish.  I was kind of sad they didnt get thrown back since they wont be eaten, but apparently there are too many fish in the river.  Still though, I HATE watching fish not be able to breathe.  It makes me feel like I cant breathe either. 
the kids were thrilled and fascinated though.

in a few minutes we will be going into town!! that should be fun!

also the keyboards here are weird... the letters are in the right place but that's about it.  Really though, I'm just glad they have a computer I can use!!