Daily Archive

There’s something funny about Finland.  I’ve never been in any other country where someone has buttonholed me in a pub and asked me “what are you doing here?  This country is terrible”.  He bought me something to drink – well I think I was supposed to drink it, it was actually confectionery dissolved in alcohol  - told me he was thinking about killing himself, and then put some Pearl Jam on the jukebox.  I’d hate to say that sums the place up – off the top of my head, it doesn’t mention the wonderful lake and island scenery, or their often innovative approaches to government (hey, that sort of thing impresses me). But there can be a strange mood about the place, especially when the sun isn’t shining.  Which, to be fair, is quite a lot of the year. Read the rest of this entry »