Excursion to Kuhankuono National Park - See pictures in previous post.

Sunday evening.

We just returned from a day in "Finnish nature" as part of the social program.  We took a bus ride about 20 miles north of here to the Kuhankuono National Park.  We were let off at trailhead and followed a trail 2.7 km to a lakeside where we were met by someone from the program who brought a delicious lunch of salads, smoked salmon and “makkara” -- pork sausages that are the staple of weekend barbecues.  There was a very functional grill and lots of birch wood to cook over.

As with everything in Finland, the different trails were clearly color-coded and we easily traversed bogs and fields with the help of wooden walkways made from tree trunks.  For Ken and I coming from Colorado, the lushness of the fields and forest was astounding.  On the way to our destination, we went through bogs and deep woods full of berries and mushrooms. 

        The etiquette of the national parks is just the opposite of that at home where “look, but don't touch” is the rule.  Here you are encouraged to take advantage of "jokamienenoikeus" -- every man's right.  According to our guidebook and many Finns we have talked to, this is an ancient Finnish code that gives people the right to walk, bicycle, or ski anywhere they like in forests and wilderness areas, even on private land, as long as they behave  responsibly.  This also goes for canoeing, rowing and kayaking in the lakes and rivers.  Both motorboats and snowmobiles are highly restricted.

You can also pick berries and mushrooms wherever you find them. There were blueberries, lingonberries, cranberries, and currants in the bogs in varying stages of ripeness. The blueberries were definitely the best - of course we tried them all.  (NOT the mushrooms even if they were tempting). 

There was a section of the wooden walkway that was falling apart and new boards were laid along side, soon to replace them.  Ken and I both commented to the people closest to us that every summer we participate in Volunteer Outdoor Colorado projects to do that kind of work in the national forests.  Liisa, director of the summer school, assured Ken that volunteers weren't necessary for such jobs, as the state was responsible for doing the work.  What a concept. 

There was a sauna that we were able to use.  Ken opted for a walk alone through the woods.  I went for the sauna and dips in the quite cold, but oh so refreshing lake.  The lake was a little off putting at first as the water was the color of over steeped tea.  It apparently gets so dark from the tannins in the pine and fir trees surrounding it.  It was weird to splash in clear brown water - not muddy at all, just brown.  I have been in enough saunas now to complain along with others when it isn't hot enough and vote for more wood in the stove and more water to be splashed on the rocks for hot steam. I will have to frequent the Rec Center sauna more often when we get back.  (Lucky me, I will qualify for the seniors pass by the time we return.)  Of course my totally relaxed body objected to the speedy hike back the way we came to get the bus, but it was totally worth it. And then there was the 2 mile bike ride back to our apartment.....

        A couple other examples of how life is orderly and predictable here.  The weeks of the year are numbered 1 to 52 so when you create a calendar of events or a weekly menu it is clear when your event is.  That is how I had to schedule the course I will teach.  In the nationally run liquor store, Alko, the wine is scaled for dryness/sweetness using a bar on the label on the shelf.  The less of the bar that is filled in, the drier the wine. This would have been very helpful to know the first time we went to Alko, when we guessed at a Spanish white and found it to be closer to cough syrup than wine.  We are so grateful to the clerk in Naantali who took the time to explain the system to us. Also the milk cartons are uniformly color-coded so that no matter the brand, anything in a red carton is whole milk, 2% is one shade of blue and skim a lighter one.

This week is our last week of classes including an exam on Friday.  I had my first meeting related to work this past Friday, which I am very excited about.  We will spend about 5 days in Helsinki for the Fulbright orientation and some sightseeing and then I begin work in earnest.  More on work to come later.