The travels of Munniver

I' sorry for all the (imaginary) readers of this blog, for not having time - or means - to share my extreme experiences in the country that recently won the "most eccentric country" award: Finland.

I've been here for... several weeks, lots of time and yet not enough. My knowledge of finnish advances very slowly, partly for lack of time, but mostly for the characteristic of the language itself. Every time I learn a new word, or grammar feature, I find out later that I was mistaken, or the word is right, but it has 7 other more often used synonyms. Learning a language has seldom been more frustrating.

The other habits still surprise me, or I surprise them; for example, Jaakko was amazed, impressed and disgusted when he saw me putting salt on salad.

Salt and oil, is there anything more basic for a salad?

And there is a lot more. What about, for example, the silence? It seems to be a law in here, that I actually don't dislike - and as every rule is often broken by teenagers. I could spend hours describing the perfectly hygenic lack of hygene; no matter what they do, finns are always healthy - except for lactose allergies.

I should post a few pictures, but, well, they are on the other account now. I suggest to everybody who has a facebook account to check them there.

All the time I've been moving. After Lappeenranta I came back to lahti for one single day to leave again for Helsinki. There, after 2 days I departed for Turku, where the Ferry to Mariehamn, Åland, was. Together with Jaakko we went on a short trip with the motto "Knights & Dragons". Don't ask me why.

After enjoying tax free shopping, wonderful scenery from the sundeck, terrible wind on the sundeck, we reached the glorious capital of... Åland.

The city is tiny but quite pretty, a weird little island, in which finns can fell "half-foreigners".

There's not too much in Åland, but beaches, bird poo, ships and tiny forests should keep you busy for some time.

Then we faced another too early departure, this time towards the capital of... Sweden!

I have to say - finns, forgive me -  I loved Stockholm. There is so much to see and to do; the capital seems massive, its city centre comfortable and huge: looking from the channel, you can see a wide wide city, or so it seems. Don't think of New York, that's way to  big, but in Stockholm, there's free air - except in the small tourist venues of the Old city - everywhere. There is room for people. And toilets are expensive.

There is an entire small island for museums and a park, a Tourist could spend weeks in it. We only had tim to visit the Vasa museum and it was great.

By chance, we had the two sunniest day of the summer... so that the city looked even happier and warmer - Helsinki feels quite the opposite.

So, long story short, I ran out of time. I'll try to write again soon....

BWOOOOOUU - INAPPROPRIATE!!!!

Farewell

And thus it happened. Quickly, without time for remorse, the end came.
All my flatmates left very soon. I hated them, but leaving is forgiving. May they have peace.
Luca left quite soon. We gathered there, in the courtyard, after a long terrible night in "the Church". It was a very windy and sunny morning, time for farewell. That was the last time I saw him. We kept tears for ourselves. Remy brought him to the airport on his car. The two flatmates travelled together once more.
Many memories came to my mind, things to remember, thing seen together. All gone.
We had but a last hug to tell each other everything. Goodbye.
Thus he left. The wind brought clouds. We went back home.
Then it was time to say hello to everybody else, the same night.
I spent the day cleaning and trashing everything I couldn't bring with me. One shall not have more than he can carry on his shoulders, if he's willing to have any adventure.
Things own us, they are an anchor that keep us down, at the harbour.
Evening came. We ate our last dinner, full of sorrow, of remorse, and carelessness. Then all the "survivors" met there, at Alice's place (was it?). Me, Henna, Remy, Alice, Arielle, Giorgia, Federica. We spent a wonderful night, talking, throwing a ball, throwing wax on Remy's laptop (ooops), drinking vinegar (yuck!), beer.... One of those usual wonderful Erasmus night. So bad it was the last one. Then me and Henna had to leave, our flight was in the night. We hugged everybody and said bye a thousand times. It was so hard. Then we wanted to say farewell to the Californians, Christian, Federico, Kevin. They were having a party at Trevor's and every single of them was drunk as fuck. They barely notice we where in. We managed to say bye to Federico though. It was better maybe. I felt sick of farewells. We saw them in the best of their lives, laughing and having fun, not minding about the future. The moment itself was reality. Jumping and spanking each other was the thing. I like to imagine that they are partying even now, there in Belgrove; I am too melancholic to party on the edge of the end.
Farewell boys, I will not forget you.

Away we went. They were playing Stairway to Heaven....
Packages done, away we go, to the airport. At the first light of dawn we get to say goodbye, we are able to say "farewell or see you" to all the buildings and fields, dyed by the pink morning light. The early bus catches me and Henna. He drives us north, to the airport. We are given the chance for a last look to the city. Seagulls walk in Grafton Street. The radio is on a Gaelic channel. The speaker says us "Slàn". Here we go, the journey with the bus ends, we are in the airport.
The thousand things I didn't have time to do come to my mind. It's too late to mourn.
Farewell Ireland.
Me and Henna take different planes. For us it is just a "see you soon".
I am tired. I did not sleep all night. But I have some energy left to feel sad other than sleepy.
The airplane accelerates, more and more; the wheels leave the soil, and as they are tear away from the soil, my heart is teared apart. Farewell Ireland. This time is no joke. This time may be forever. Farewell Ireland. Farewell to the green fields and the muddy beaches, to the crows and the people, to the Guinness and Inis Mòr, to the incredible rocks of Giants' Causeway and wonderful lakes of Killarney.
Farewell Kathleen ni Houlihan, my love, Farewell.