Evening addendum questions: Where did all the people go, and why do men hug?

As Geof and I were finishing dinner tonight, Karri Kokko, our host, stopped by to ask if we wanted to drive to a nearby town, Naantali. This turned out to be the highlight of an already great day.

Naantali is a beautiful little resort town right on the water. It is also one of a handful of Finnish towns full of wooden structures. These colorful and small homes, mostly summer ones, I guess, lined the narrow streets side by side. Karri pointed out where he spent summers as a child and wondered why tonight the streets were fairly empty. It was a rather chilly, damp and drizzly Tuesday night, so perhaps that was the explanation. Geof and I took lots of pictures and enjoyed Karri's tour. One of my favorite things (and something I probably wouldn't have figured out even if I had noticed it) was the small mirrors hanging from wrought iron brackets by the front windows of some homes. Karri explained that this allowed those inside to easily see what was going on in the street.

As we walked, the clouds parted enough to allow the sort of setting sun peek through across the harbor. On a hillside, we could even see the top of the Finnish president's summer home. As we passed a restaurant with live music, Geof decided he would practice his Finnish and sang along. Loudly. Badly. Often. Oy. Sadly, our children, Erin and Tim, missed this experience. I know how they would have enjoyed it.

We ended the walk by having drinks and dessert by the harbor between 10 and 11 or so. The sun was out and we had an amazing view. Once I discovered a wifi signal, however, I tried to send Erin, Tim, my parents and my friend Nora an e-postcard with a picture I'd just taken with my phone. While I think it actually went out, I'm not positive. No longer distracted by creating my postcard, I attempted to rejoin the conversation, but Geof and Karri were having a serious conversation about why people are poets and when it's appropriate for men to hug. I decided to create another e-postcard.

On the way home, towards midnight, we tried to spot moose and find the way to the beach. We failed in both attempts but had fun trying anyway. It was a great end to a great day, and I look forward to tomorrow.

Since I cannot adequately describe the beauty of Naantali, I will include a few pictures I hope do it some justice.