Our first full day in Finland was nearly 20 hours long.
After a day of museums and walking around the sights, we headed out to sample some local brews at Villi Waino. Boasting wifi and some good ipas, Josh and I noshed on brats and waffle fries while checking in on social media.
Rather than wrap up too early we headed to the bar next to our hostel. We friended the bar keep, Robert, whose father was from Massachusetts. Like many in Finland he spoke perfect English and to boot- he was wearing a Drop Kick Murphy's tshirt.
Some wine and some local liquor shots later, a smooth talking Chilean saddles up next to us to order another round for his table. What transpired next was a scene from a movie.
The usual where are you from and what are you doing here was exchanged. He works in Finland; we are on our honeymoon. This response elicits hugs from this Latin stranger but knowing latins as we do, does not take us by surprise. We accept his invite to his table where two perhaps three more rounds are enjoyed while we all speak in English and tell our stories. By the end of the last call another joins us, a Mexican. So there we are: us two, Chile, Nepal, Finland, and Mexico represented. A small mini UN conference.
Next stop? CUBA of course. The nightclub around the corner thumped dance music as the Chilean's Finnish girlfriend and I take over a small back corner of the club. Hungry and thirsty when the bouncers round up the stragglers that we were well after the music ended we accept yet another invitation to the Finn and Chilean's flat. We stop at the grocery and pick up a few sundry items and walk along quiet streets laughing and chatting excitedly. The four of us squeeze into the kitchen as I prepare some bruschetta to soak up some of the alcohol in our systems. We compare notes on home size and decoration and make plans to join them at the Finn's parents' home in a nearby town. Delighted to accept yet another invite Josh and I realize we should probably sleep at some point. So, 20 hours after our day began, we walked home to our hostel at 5 AM, guided by a beautiful sunrise.
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