This was a new one on me: rolling in the snow. I have joined a woman's club and attended their "Pink Night"...a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness. Prior to the event I had been told about this rolling in the snow thing and promised to do it for our chairwoman who was going to be absent and couldn't do it herself. What ever possessed me at the time has escaped me now. So here is the deal: first you swim, then you sauna until you are nice and toasty, then you run outside and fall into the snow and make snow angels, and then you qickly retreat back into the sauna to recover.
Actually it was pretty amazing and I would do it again. And or those who are wondering, I only had one glass of wine prior to the experience. My friend Lisa also did it with me, along with four other members, and it was truly an experience I won't soon forget. And for those wondering, clothing is optional in the sauna, and I figured "when in Finland"...enough said. Next on my list is ice swimming; yes, I mean doing what I've been watching from my window...going swimming in the water hole in the ice. Crazy, but very Finnish, and I want to do it just once to say that I have.
I am told that the rolling in the snow/swimming in the ice thing is good for the health and is practiced religiously by some, including people in their eighties and older. For me, this experience has further strenghened my belief that the Finnish know what their doing and are fun-loving besides. I know they take it seriously, but I found it to be a fun bonding experience. The Finnish ladies were all too happy to share the experience with us and were most helpful in our getting the most out of it. My thanks to those ladies. I can't wait to see what is next!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
language
So I have started my Finnish lessons. I have been graced with many opinions about Finnish as a language prior to my lessons and am finding that some of what I've heard is true. Some of it is not.
I was told by many people that it is the most difficult language to learn; I doubt that. It is indeed very difficult, but at least the characters are the same as English, unlike, say, Chinese. So I'm guessing it could be worse. I was told by a friend that Finnish had a lot of unnessary vowels in it,which makes it difficult to pronounce. I disagree. I think it has an equal number of unnecessary connsonents in it as well. Either way, it is difficult for me to pronounce, but I'm working on it.
One truth I heard is that words are pronounced phoenetically, and that every letter is pronounced. You would think that this would make it easy to figure out how to pronounce words, but not so. There are words that go on for miles. Heck, even the numbers can be long when stating them. Take "327" it is kolmesatakaksikymmentaseitseman (I think, and by the way there are umlats over two of the vowels but my keyboard doesn't have them). Anyway, I am working on being able to pronounce these words in one shot. Right now I can only say these words in pieces...I greatly admire my tutor who can rattle off the longest words smoothly and who, by the way, is very patient. So far I can count to ten... and beyond ten with a little help very slowly. It is not coming naturally.
Now a few words about vowels. They have eight of them, some with umlats, others without. The umlats are killing me! I can't seem to get my mouth to form the correct pronunciation. Sure, if my tutor says a word I can repeat it successfully, but ask me to read a word on my own, and forget it. I think I am over-thinking it...so does my tutor... she says to relax. Perhaps a glass of wine or two would help (ha ha). I joke, but as with learning any new language there are many ways to embarrass oneself.
As I said, every letter is pronounced, even when there are two of the same next to each other. God forbid you forget to pronounce every letter clearly, or in other cases, overpronounce a single letter. Why, if you did that you could find yourself happy to kill someone instead of being happy to meet them!
So that is my take on the language so far. I don't expect to become fluent, but if I can just learn to pronounce what I see, then I will be happy. I figure the vocabulary will come in time. I'm learning the basics right now (of course), and hope to "get it" some day..I'm waiting for that moment when it just "clicks" for me and I am comfortable trying to speak. At any rate, I'm trying....and that is the important thing. Until later. Hei hei!
I was told by many people that it is the most difficult language to learn; I doubt that. It is indeed very difficult, but at least the characters are the same as English, unlike, say, Chinese. So I'm guessing it could be worse. I was told by a friend that Finnish had a lot of unnessary vowels in it,which makes it difficult to pronounce. I disagree. I think it has an equal number of unnecessary connsonents in it as well. Either way, it is difficult for me to pronounce, but I'm working on it.
One truth I heard is that words are pronounced phoenetically, and that every letter is pronounced. You would think that this would make it easy to figure out how to pronounce words, but not so. There are words that go on for miles. Heck, even the numbers can be long when stating them. Take "327" it is kolmesatakaksikymmentaseitseman (I think, and by the way there are umlats over two of the vowels but my keyboard doesn't have them). Anyway, I am working on being able to pronounce these words in one shot. Right now I can only say these words in pieces...I greatly admire my tutor who can rattle off the longest words smoothly and who, by the way, is very patient. So far I can count to ten... and beyond ten with a little help very slowly. It is not coming naturally.
Now a few words about vowels. They have eight of them, some with umlats, others without. The umlats are killing me! I can't seem to get my mouth to form the correct pronunciation. Sure, if my tutor says a word I can repeat it successfully, but ask me to read a word on my own, and forget it. I think I am over-thinking it...so does my tutor... she says to relax. Perhaps a glass of wine or two would help (ha ha). I joke, but as with learning any new language there are many ways to embarrass oneself.
As I said, every letter is pronounced, even when there are two of the same next to each other. God forbid you forget to pronounce every letter clearly, or in other cases, overpronounce a single letter. Why, if you did that you could find yourself happy to kill someone instead of being happy to meet them!
So that is my take on the language so far. I don't expect to become fluent, but if I can just learn to pronounce what I see, then I will be happy. I figure the vocabulary will come in time. I'm learning the basics right now (of course), and hope to "get it" some day..I'm waiting for that moment when it just "clicks" for me and I am comfortable trying to speak. At any rate, I'm trying....and that is the important thing. Until later. Hei hei!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, December 12, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Doctors
Let me tell you about my first encounter with the medical system here in Finland. It was last Monday, and it was quite an experince. First, I had to call for appointments. That was pretty painless at first as there is a line to call in English. Problem is that I was transferred to another line that could better help me, but that line had an automated system that was not in English. Flusstered, I contacted Sanna who is very helpful about all things Finnish, and long story short, I made two appointments for Monday.
First I had to find the offices, then I made my husband go with me on the weekend to do a dry run since it was going to require unfamiliar tram and metro use. He was good about doing it, and I felt much more confident about my new adventure.
Next came my appointment day. The first was with a neurologist at 12:00. I went to the building, an not able to read the directory, I picked the first of two floors labled with the name of the Hospital system. Big mistake! I walked up to the outter glass door, and looked in. The building was round, and all I could see were doors. Door after door after door, close together and with no end. As I stood there contemplating whether I should enter, the outter door clicked open as if I were being buzzed in. I took it as a sign and entered. I went up and down the hallway and found only closed doors...lots of doors, but no reception area and no people. I went to leave as this was clearly not where I wanted to be, and the door was locked! Now what? After a few minutes I decided to push a button next to the door, hoping it would call someone or something, and it released to door. Relieved, I went to the next floor.
On that floor I was confronted with the familiar glass outter door, but this time I could see a reception-like desk with people...hallelujah! I went in, took a number (a system you see pretty much everywhere here) and waited to ask if I was in the right place. I was asked which doctor I was there to see, and knowing I could never pronounce it on my best day, I showed her the doctor's name as it had been spelled for me. I was told to go down the hall and wait at door number 134. I did so and watched the door for my name to be called. As I watched the door, a man came and entered, then left a note on the door and went away. The note was in Finnish. Fortuneately, a woman came up to me, asked who I was and told me the room had been moved to number 4...so off I went to wait at number 4.
When I was finally called, on time I might add, I went in to this small room and spoke with the doctor. My records were of little use to him as they were in English, and his English was not very strong. We finally reached the conclusion that he couldn't help me and I should see another type of doctor. Upon checking out, I discovered that despite the fifteen minutes he had spent with me, there was no charge since he could not help me. That would never happen in the USA, and although I was dissappointed by the result, I was impressed by the fact that I was not charged.
My next apointment was at 17:00 (5:00pm). This was with a Rheumotologist, and having figured out the system, there was little trouble in finding where I should be. I was sent to the apropriate door to wait, and called, on time, to speak with the doctor. His English was quite good, and he looked over my records, did his thing, and all was well with the world.
I'm still a bit mystafied by how all this works. There was no follow-up appointment made, and it seems that one does not see a specialist without a specific complaint. I am puzzled by who will receive my bloodwork when I get it, and how I will be notifed if it is not all right, but I will find all this out in time. I have three more doctors to see, and will make those appointments this week probably. All in all, it was a good experience, though all those doors made me feel like I was in a "Twilight Zone" episode. I think however that I will like the system once I fully understand it.
As a final note, my new Finnish doctor says that it is all right for me to drink alchohol (in strong moderation) on the drug that my American doctor told me that I should never drink while taking. I choose to believe my new Finnish doctor...after all, when in Rome....
First I had to find the offices, then I made my husband go with me on the weekend to do a dry run since it was going to require unfamiliar tram and metro use. He was good about doing it, and I felt much more confident about my new adventure.
Next came my appointment day. The first was with a neurologist at 12:00. I went to the building, an not able to read the directory, I picked the first of two floors labled with the name of the Hospital system. Big mistake! I walked up to the outter glass door, and looked in. The building was round, and all I could see were doors. Door after door after door, close together and with no end. As I stood there contemplating whether I should enter, the outter door clicked open as if I were being buzzed in. I took it as a sign and entered. I went up and down the hallway and found only closed doors...lots of doors, but no reception area and no people. I went to leave as this was clearly not where I wanted to be, and the door was locked! Now what? After a few minutes I decided to push a button next to the door, hoping it would call someone or something, and it released to door. Relieved, I went to the next floor.
On that floor I was confronted with the familiar glass outter door, but this time I could see a reception-like desk with people...hallelujah! I went in, took a number (a system you see pretty much everywhere here) and waited to ask if I was in the right place. I was asked which doctor I was there to see, and knowing I could never pronounce it on my best day, I showed her the doctor's name as it had been spelled for me. I was told to go down the hall and wait at door number 134. I did so and watched the door for my name to be called. As I watched the door, a man came and entered, then left a note on the door and went away. The note was in Finnish. Fortuneately, a woman came up to me, asked who I was and told me the room had been moved to number 4...so off I went to wait at number 4.
When I was finally called, on time I might add, I went in to this small room and spoke with the doctor. My records were of little use to him as they were in English, and his English was not very strong. We finally reached the conclusion that he couldn't help me and I should see another type of doctor. Upon checking out, I discovered that despite the fifteen minutes he had spent with me, there was no charge since he could not help me. That would never happen in the USA, and although I was dissappointed by the result, I was impressed by the fact that I was not charged.
My next apointment was at 17:00 (5:00pm). This was with a Rheumotologist, and having figured out the system, there was little trouble in finding where I should be. I was sent to the apropriate door to wait, and called, on time, to speak with the doctor. His English was quite good, and he looked over my records, did his thing, and all was well with the world.
I'm still a bit mystafied by how all this works. There was no follow-up appointment made, and it seems that one does not see a specialist without a specific complaint. I am puzzled by who will receive my bloodwork when I get it, and how I will be notifed if it is not all right, but I will find all this out in time. I have three more doctors to see, and will make those appointments this week probably. All in all, it was a good experience, though all those doors made me feel like I was in a "Twilight Zone" episode. I think however that I will like the system once I fully understand it.
As a final note, my new Finnish doctor says that it is all right for me to drink alchohol (in strong moderation) on the drug that my American doctor told me that I should never drink while taking. I choose to believe my new Finnish doctor...after all, when in Rome....
darkness
I wanted to say a few words to you about the darkness in Finland, that is, the fact that the days in Finland are pretty overcast and dark this time of year. I do this so you'll understand my lack of writting on most days lately. For those who know me, I am pretty open about the fact that I suffer from moderate to severe depression. I am medicated for it, and am balanced most of the time. There was some concern coming to Finland that the darkness might play a role in affecting my depression as my doctor's have felt that I am also affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)....which is to say that a lack of sunlight can cause depression. That being said, hav have noticed a marked increase in depression the last few weeks, which I attribute to the darker days. Thus, I do little else than the bare minimum, and my blog suffers...my apologies to you all.
Now, let me explain what I mean by darkness, because coming here I expected it to be like night most of the day. It is not. Rather, it is like an overcast dusk sort of darkness....there is little to no sun visable,and it does get night time-dark much earlier.
The bonus to this darkness is the fact that at this time of year the merchants have all their Christmas lights up and the city has lights strung accross the streets so that you can enjoy the festive atmosphere for the better portion of the day. It's kind of neat, actually. We don't have snow yet (unusual, but a good thing I think) but the atmosphere is decidedly Christmas/Holiday, and that is a bonus that I am really enjoying.
The moral of this blog entry, in case you were wondering, is that I am doing my best to keep up the entries, so please be patient. I will make it worth your while in the long run.
Now, let me explain what I mean by darkness, because coming here I expected it to be like night most of the day. It is not. Rather, it is like an overcast dusk sort of darkness....there is little to no sun visable,and it does get night time-dark much earlier.
The bonus to this darkness is the fact that at this time of year the merchants have all their Christmas lights up and the city has lights strung accross the streets so that you can enjoy the festive atmosphere for the better portion of the day. It's kind of neat, actually. We don't have snow yet (unusual, but a good thing I think) but the atmosphere is decidedly Christmas/Holiday, and that is a bonus that I am really enjoying.
The moral of this blog entry, in case you were wondering, is that I am doing my best to keep up the entries, so please be patient. I will make it worth your while in the long run.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Eating out
I wanted to touch on the subject of eating out. First, let me say a few words about the resturants in the area. There are a billion of them! If you look at the Helsinki area, it is very much like any other metropolitan area: there are retail stores (mostly high end), coffee houses and resturants, and little else. It's quite wonderful, actually.
Anyway, the resturants often have menues on their windows or a board out front, and I'd say a good 50% of them are in both Finnish and English. The ones that are not in English we pretty much pass up at this point because goodness knows that I don't want to accidentally consume reindeer or elk!
As an aside, my husband Brian could care less what he eats as long as it tastes good. I, on the other hand, have food issues. I'm what you would call a fussy eater. I don't like sauces, spices or seafood (which puts me in poor stead in Finland). I need to know exactly what I'm eating, and I'm a bit of a food separatist (I like things separate, not together like in soups, stews, and casseroles). I am also sensitive of gluten and onions.
All that said, we have been to a number of different resturants in the area, and the food is pretty good. It is easier to find gluten free food here than it is in the states, and the food is generally served fresh and hot. There is a much greater selection of potatoes on the menues, and water is generally kept in a pitcher at each table. The cost of eating out is much higher here than in the states, but it is not expected that you will leave a tip.
No tip? sounds good, doesn't it? Yeah, but it does affect the service, or so I believe. We have been seated and waited a good ten to twenty minutes before our server appeared. Then, waited another ten to twenty minutes before our order was taken, a normal amount of time for our food and then nothing. No checking on our table to see if we need anything, no contact whatever. And this seems to be typical. It isn't so bad once you expect it, in fact it is kind of humorous. We are so used to banter and interaction with our wait staff, that this is completely foreign to us. I can get used to it though, the time to yourself is nice, actually. Still, I think I miss the interaction.
Now for fast food resturants. Yes, Virginia, there is a McDonalds. In fact there are many, many McDonalds (just like in the USA). They are somewhat the same, though the menu is limited, and the service is slower. BUT, they are generally two story, the food tends to be hotter and fresher, and they bring your food to your table if it is not ready right away. Other fast food places include a southern fried chicken place, a Finnish burgers place, pizza hut and many different deli type places, including SubWay.
So those are my thoughts for now. I'm sure there is more to come, as I have been enjoying exploring the different food establishments in the area, and I am trying to be more adventureous in my eating. I will let you know.
Anyway, the resturants often have menues on their windows or a board out front, and I'd say a good 50% of them are in both Finnish and English. The ones that are not in English we pretty much pass up at this point because goodness knows that I don't want to accidentally consume reindeer or elk!
As an aside, my husband Brian could care less what he eats as long as it tastes good. I, on the other hand, have food issues. I'm what you would call a fussy eater. I don't like sauces, spices or seafood (which puts me in poor stead in Finland). I need to know exactly what I'm eating, and I'm a bit of a food separatist (I like things separate, not together like in soups, stews, and casseroles). I am also sensitive of gluten and onions.
All that said, we have been to a number of different resturants in the area, and the food is pretty good. It is easier to find gluten free food here than it is in the states, and the food is generally served fresh and hot. There is a much greater selection of potatoes on the menues, and water is generally kept in a pitcher at each table. The cost of eating out is much higher here than in the states, but it is not expected that you will leave a tip.
No tip? sounds good, doesn't it? Yeah, but it does affect the service, or so I believe. We have been seated and waited a good ten to twenty minutes before our server appeared. Then, waited another ten to twenty minutes before our order was taken, a normal amount of time for our food and then nothing. No checking on our table to see if we need anything, no contact whatever. And this seems to be typical. It isn't so bad once you expect it, in fact it is kind of humorous. We are so used to banter and interaction with our wait staff, that this is completely foreign to us. I can get used to it though, the time to yourself is nice, actually. Still, I think I miss the interaction.
Now for fast food resturants. Yes, Virginia, there is a McDonalds. In fact there are many, many McDonalds (just like in the USA). They are somewhat the same, though the menu is limited, and the service is slower. BUT, they are generally two story, the food tends to be hotter and fresher, and they bring your food to your table if it is not ready right away. Other fast food places include a southern fried chicken place, a Finnish burgers place, pizza hut and many different deli type places, including SubWay.
So those are my thoughts for now. I'm sure there is more to come, as I have been enjoying exploring the different food establishments in the area, and I am trying to be more adventureous in my eating. I will let you know.
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