Notes from Levi

Really strange things people do. Go on the ski, instead of walking around. I must say though, it does in a way make life easier. Its easier to travel on around 80 cm of snow with skis on, rather than walking. They drag kids on toboggans that are tied to you by a rope while you are skiing. After a day out on the skis, they have a sauna. A room, often made from wood, is warmed up to around 70 C with coals. When its hot enough, you go in, throw some water on the coals in the stove called kiuas in Finnish`, which causes steam. I’ve tried a few times, its unbearable. The first time, it felt like my nose, and throat were being burnt – I could not breathe. Apparently, they say it is good for the body, since it makes you sweat and takes out all those bad things. You see, people have trouble sweating here in the North. No person in southern Europe would think that they need to sweat it out – just wait for summer.

The Winter

In Norway, they have a saying that it is never bad weather, just bad clothes that you wear. I think this is just some propaganda to get people outside. I have tried to wear proper clothes – a woolen under layer, a good woolen jumper, leather gloves and hat – and against my wife’s wishes, even a balaclava – it still feels cold. One really good thing they have though, is that they have really nice warm houses.

The Shipwreck

It was late July 2008 that a Maltese Knight became shipwrecked in Viking land close to Oslo.