Last Sunday, we decided to go somewhere we haven't been to before and do something we've never done before.
We've noticed a nice park along a highway towards Helsinki. On Saturday night, HG looked up Google Earth, found the stretch of water and identified a landmark. Sunday afternoon after Estelle's dance class, we followed directions given by the GPS and made our way to Laajalahti.
We walked along the coast and crossed a couple of wooden bridges that linked a couple of little islands. We thought we were going for a stroll in a park but little did we realise that we were going to embark on an amazing adventure.
From afar, we noticed people walking on the frozen water. Then we took the "plunge".
The water had frozen over so you could walk, ski, skate or even para-glide on it!
Estelle realised that she was going to walk on water and was hesitant about stepping in. After 2 brave steps holding my hands, she was moving on her own. What an exhilarating experience it was to walk on water! OK, technically, we were walking on the crystallised form of H2O but you've really got to try it for yourself.
Mandated by law, shops in Finland are closed on Sundays. Small proprietors can open on Sundays but supermarkets and department stores, including whole shopping complexes, are shut. Some shops in Helsinki open to cater to tourists but the city is quiet after 6 pm.
Since we arrived in June last year, we were at a loss what to do on Sundays. In Singapore or Beijing, we would spend Sunday mornings in church, followed by lunch, maybe walk the mall and finished with dinner. We would have spent the whole day out.
In Finland, we are kind of under house arrest on Sundays. Since shops close at 6 pm on Saturdays, we would have stocked up on food to last us until Monday morning, at least. This means planning our menus in advance and racking my brains on activities to occupy the kids.
If we go out for a walk around our home, the roads are quiet and we hardly see other living beings. Worse in November and December when the sun set at 3.30 pm. Not fun to go out when it's dark AND cold.
Last month, we met up with a family from school and went to visit a local skating rink. The outdoor grounds were filled with people of all ages, skating at various skill levels. We saw a little girl about 4 years old holding her daddy's hand as well as adults sparring with their hockey sticks. All having a good time.
Yesterday, Laajalahti was like a giant playground where anyone can play. I'm estimating the area is around 4 sq km. Lots of space for everyone to do their thing. People came in their skates or skis or like us, just a pair of walking boots.
In my movie, you might have noticed the skating track where we took a break. There was a long skating track made out in the middle of the frozen sea! I don't know who or how they did it but the sea is turned into a free sporting facility.
Did you realise we were on the "wrong" side of the jetty? I was wondering why they kept a small circle of water fluid and placed barriers around it to warn people against dropping in. We never noticed the hut up the slope, which is actually a sauna. The sea is kept liquid so bathers can dip in. This certainly gives my entry on our own sauna experience a genuine Finnish perspective.
The walk on the sea is our most awesome experience in Finland so far. The icing on the cake is that it was totally free. F-R-E-E.
We indulged in the wonders of nature, worked out our muscles and spent quality time with the family at no cost. The rewards: priceless.
To enjoy life in Finland requires a change in mindset. We were bored because we couldn't shop or eat out. Now, we discover that some of the best things in life are for free.
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