Oulu

5th-8th of March

I had a surprisingly productive Saturday, I got to skype the whole family and the Parrs too in the morning, I got some blogging done, wrote a few emails, cleaned my room and packed for Oulu. When Antti got home we all played Guitar Hero, I am going to be very good at Guitar hero by the end of the year! We left Kiuruvesi at about 6 and picked up Eeva and Ville in Pyhäsalmi. It was long drive to Oulu but we talked about all sorts of interesting things and it was gone in a flash. When we got to Oulu we went to Liisa and Pauli's apartment and it was such cute little apartment! We had dinner and they all spoke a lot of English for my benefit which for once I was grateful for. Normally it makes me feel really bad that everyone have to speak English around me. We messed around and played Uno, watched youtube videos and talked about what our plans were for the weekend.

In the morning I helped Liisa make these really yummy scone things with carrot in them and then others arrived and we spent awhile discussing plans for the weekend. We spent so much time discussing or were we arguing? We argued/discussed that too! We walked down to the big shopping centre and we had to wait a while because it was closed, Sunday morning 11 o’clock opening time? I guess some things don’t change between countries! It was a nice walk and they pointed everything out for me and Eeva took over my role as tourist and took photos of us walking. Eeva made pizza when we got home and it was sooooo good. We played Uno and Liisa and I made Pulla which was really cool except we were playing Mafia and accidently burnt the top of some of them! They were delicious all the same and they were a special pulla called Laskiaipulla and is traditionally eaten on shrove Tuesday. I don’t know why but I’m not a big fan of pulla with cardamon in it but this one was really delicious!  

We went in the sauna after that and Liisa had little bottles of scented oil so we had a cinnamon scented sauna, it was nice. It was a really hot sauna so I spent a while just standing outside in my t-shirt and jeans, made me chuckle, not sure why it was just a funny standing outside in next to nothing when it was below freezing temperature! We went over to Antti and Henri’s apartment and watched the American remake of Death at a Funeral. I didn’t except it to be that great but it was pretty funny! We had ice+cream and Ville somehow managed to rip the bag of popcorn so that bits of popcorn went flying everywhere! I guess you had to be there but it was pretty hilarious.

The gang minus Eeva who's taking the photo

Liisa and I looking like professional Pulla makers!

Laskiaipulla!

We woke up a bit earlier and had breakfast and got ready for our day in the city! When Ville and Eeva arrived we walked down to the bus stop and caught the bus into the shopping domain of Oulu! We went to a few different shops and It was mostly for me because I hadn’t really done much shopping since I got here and I bought a jacket, a scarf, 2 t-shirts, a cardigan and a pair of jeans. H & M is officially my new favourite store but I’m glad I have to go all the way to Oulu to shop there or I’d end up with no money! We wandered down to the sea front and had very delicious Chinese buffet! 

Afterwards we walked to the Tietomaa which, for any that have been, is like Melbourne’s Science Works or Canberra’s Questacon. We spent a few hours looking at all the things they had there, there was interactive games and quizzes and all sorts of cool stuff. The best part was probably when Ville tried to do the switched over vision thing that I will post a video of! We went to the shops on the way home and because Eeva and Ville had classes the next day they had to head back to Jyväskylä. Once they left Liisa and I had a Finnish lesson, Liisa is a very good teacher and I always remember stuff the best when she teaches me. It helps that she is studying Finnish at university! I am starting to pick up more and more phrases and words when people speak!

Eeva and I with a fat policeman! 

Group shot at the cool mirror

Eeva and I playing this game which I forget the name of.

It was just Liisa and I today and we woke  late and went shopping again in the city, I bought a few more things and Liisa found it hard to find me in the shops because I had my sweet new jacket so I blended in a lot more than I did with my bright blue one! We went to this really nice pancake house and had a pancake with strawberries and chocolate. I understood about 90 percent of the menu! We walked down to the frozen sea because they had all been joking about how it should be so exciting for me; it was pretty cool except the snow on the footpaths was melting and we both got really wet feet!  We had to go home after that so that Liisa could go to work, Antti and I had ice-cream and then he drove me to the bus stop. The bus trip was quick and before I knew it I was back at home in Kiuruvesi. 

Herkullinen!

The frozen sea!!!