Swimmers, Beggars, and Dogs

Todays topics are a few of the things I have been meaning to mention for some time now.  First are the swimmers.  Th flat that we live in over looks a marina.  This time of year all of the smaller boats are gone of course, but the docks and larger vessels remain.  Well, I was looking out the window about a month ago and saw what I thought was a man in a speedo bathing suit heading out to the docks.  I looked more intently, and sure enough, it was a man in a speedo...in the beginning of  November.  I followed his actions, and he did in fact go swimming, or should I say he got wet.  He climbed down a wooden ladder I had never noticed before, and in he went.  He moved his arms about for about 30seconds, and then he got out of the water and went into the marina locker room facility/coffee house.  The coffee house is only open during the good weather months, which sucks because I could use a convenient fancy coffee source during this cold weather, but I digress.  Anyway, a lady soon followed suit, "swimming" for about 30 seconds and getting out.  Crazy? yes, but it gets better.  They're still doing it!  A good number of what are probably otherwise sane people are still going swimming....it's December for heavens sakes...and we are not in the Bahamas people!

I figure this need to go in the water now is probably some kind of conditioning for the ice swimming that the Finns love so much; they cut a hole in the ice, attach a ladder to get out of the hole, and jump in.  Then, of course, they go to the sauna.  The Finns love the Sauna...but that's another blog story for another day if I ever get invited to go to one.  By the way, it seems that the bathing suit of choice for men, regardless of body shape, is the speedo.

Now to the beggars.  Every big city has them.  They frequent the same corners and other locations, and rattle their cup with change in it hoping that people passing by will give them money.  I don't know their story...who ever does?  But I can tell you this: a number of them are wearing winter coats that cost at least 200 euros (I know from my own personal shopping for a coat since we arrived) which seems contridictory to their cause.  I figure if I were begging in an area that gets as cold as Helsinki, Finland it would make sense to spend the money I made on good outter wear, so there is some logic in it, but it also occurs to me that appearing to have such nice things is not working to their favor in looking needy.  But what do I know.  It does make me feel fortunate that I am not in their position, though.  My life is really rather good.

Now to the dogs.  I love dogs.  I mean I really love dogs. And so to, it appears, do the Finns.  Dogs are everywhere here.  They ride the public transportation, they go into stores, and they have dog parks in most communities.  We have a dog park one block from our flat.  You see all sizes and breeds, and they are all well behaved.  My other ex-pat friends with dogs have said how they are embarrased by their own dogs that bark a lot more than Finnish dogs and like to go up and greet people without being invited to do so.  The impressive behavior of the Finnish dogs is also, however, a bit off putting.  People walking their dogs, and the dogs they are walking, seem mto be on a mission and I dare not interrupt such concentration.  If I were back home in the States I would approach every dog I see to get my puppy fix.  I always ask if it is ok to pet a dog first, but then I am all about petting the doggy.  I'm not sure how a Finn would take my enthusiasm.  It may seem an intrusion into personal space, I don't know.  Still, it is great to see the dogs, if not to touch them.

Cling Wrap

I just finished cooking dinner and had to wrap some leftover cheese in cling wrap..I hate the cling wrap here in Finland!  First of all, the serraded edge on the box is made of...wait for it...carboard!  Yes, I said cardboard.  I know, it is probably more environmentally sound or something, but it doesn't cut.  Then, the wrap is so thin that it sticks to itself in bunches before you can even finish cutting it off the roll, and you know the rest.

So buy a different brand you say.  Yeah, right.  Like that's an option.  Here in Finland, choice is not something you can expect in a grocery store (clothing store, yes, but not a grocery store).  At first, I found this refreshing...who needs an entire aisle of cereal?  But now with the cling wrap thing, well, I'm starting to rethink the convenience factor.  OK, enough of the cling wrap...but you'll be pleased to know that I brought my own plastic wrap over from the States, so when this roll is gone I can stop pulling my hair out (and, yes, it has an environmentally un-sound metal cutting edge).

On another note, there is one really cool thing at the grocery here: lettuce.  Yes, lettuce.  When you buy leaf lettuce here it is still in a pot of dirt...talk about fresh!  It is very cool.  And the cheese counter is also very convenient.  The cheeses are in a counter completely separate from the lunch meats, and it is packed with every cheese imaginable...except "normal" cheeses like cheddar, mozzeralla, provelone; those you can find (if you look hard) in self serve cases.  The staff is very adept at helping you to pick the cheese you need for any occasion too.

The meat section is another story.  Although the staff is very helpful, I feel funny asking what things are because I'm not sure how I'll react.  I know that there are things like reindeer and elk in the case, and other things I don't even want to know about.  As I've said, I'm not an adventurous eater, and the idea of getting elk instead of beef, say, is quite frightening to me.  And the beef is quite lean...the Finns are a very health conscious people...which I find annoying.  I like to use fatty beef for taco meat and drain off the fat afterward, thus keeping the flavor that the fat provides but losing the unhealthy excess of fat.  Healthy may be good for me, but it sure doesn't taste as good sometimes!

The other thing that the Finns do well is baked goods.  The bakery is just wonderful.  This is one place where there is loads of choice...you can't even imagine the breads!  And pastries and cakes, etc..  it is fabulous!

So much for the grocery.  Did I mention it is in the basement of the department store?  and it has free lockers to put your other purchases in while you shop.  Cool, huh?  One stop shopping.  Not too bad.
I'm sure I'll discover more new things as I go, but for now, that's the scoop on grocery shopping here in Finland.