party on vaasa...

vaasa, finland, i don't even know what day it is anymore--

last night we arrived in vaasa after a very, very long drive. everything takes about four times longer than it should because the side trips always occur spontaneously and after much consultation with the busdriver, the wwII buff, and our guide, mingled with "turn around as quickly as possible" warnings from the female voice of the gps. so it was well after 9:30 and we discover one, as with the hotel last night, the hotel is located in the middle of a the walkable town center, with no access by automobile and two, our visit apparently coincides with an annual event much anticipated by the young people of vaasa, the loose translation being "party in vasaa night." itäs a rigorous competition in which one must visit at least ten of the local bars with a punch card. if you buy a drink in every one you get a most fabulous t-shirt that boasts of your ability to drink in vasaa.

at first i was afraid that the hotel was a flashback to the horrible hotel we stayed in the night before in jyväskyla. apparently there is nothing to do but party in that town as well and the bass beat of elvis music rocked me into nonsleep well unto 2Ö30 a.m. but, aside from stepping around the occasional pile of tossed cookies (i thought of you sister pottymouth--as i also do every time i take another picture of a great wc)--and the fact that these beautiful young people are rotting out their livers and killing brain cells at much too young of an age, i figured it was one more thing to write home about.

(for sister pottymouth--from the door of another great wc)

the nice people at the hotel kept the sauna hot for me, which was an extremely nice gesture that is usually not offered, but was also considerate when you realize they had locked their main door at 9pm. so we got to enter the hotel from the bar, but when we got back from dinner the sauna was still hot. very hot.

and i loved every minute of it.


we have a great view from this hotel of the market square. i love market square. we need one in provo. of course it wouldnät at all be the same unless we all walked to it or rode to it on our cute little bikes with baskets on the front. but the flowers are brighter, the fruit is sweeter and the pastries are lighter in market square.
i promise.




i know this is all random, but in yet another in our list of events i refuse to call coincidence: yesterday we stopped at the chapel in kokkola. one of the couples in our group had called a member they knew there to come and meet them there briefly. imagine the surprise on the part of my dear friend sirpa when a woman she had known decades ago in finland and whom she kept in touch with on occasion rode up on her bike to the church intending to see the person who had called her. it was a joyful and unexpected reunion.

also after much heated discussions on the part of our guides and the standard misguidings from the gps (mingled with an event i never thought iäd see in my lifetime--in any country--the actual asking by men for directions) we found and stood on the ground where the church was dedicated for missionary work in finland some ages ago.


given the most beautiful of chapels i have ever seen scattered through so many towns and the dedicated saints who worship there, i am most thankful for what took place there and the fact that through much difficulty the finnish saints have opened their hearts to the message of the gospel of jesus christ and worked so hard to share that message to the point they are getting ready to dedicate a temple in that beautiful land.

these are a beautiful people. i cannot describe the feeling i get each time the finnish natives who are traveling with us spontaneously burst into song upon hearing the beatiful melody of finlandia (a.k.a. be still my soul). their reverence and love for their country is apparent. that is something i will never be able to capture with my camera, but i will hold the memory of it in my heart forever.