That Reminds Me...

The 6:55 p.m. tram pulled up at the Heuwaage tram stop yesterday evening, and it was crowded.

VERY crowded.

I had just finished working out, and I was looking forward to sitting down for the seven minute ride from Heuwaage to the tram stop by our apartment.

It wasn't going to happen.

The tram was filled to capacity with a bunch of people wearing name tags. They were all speaking English with each other, and they appeared to be heading toward the zoo. Why? No idea. I'm also not really sure why they were in Basel (convention? business meeting?), but I guess I didn't really care why. All I cared about was that they were keeping me from restin' me weary bones.

Then, through my ear buds, I heard a familiar sound. I turned off my iPod, took out one of my ear buds, and I confirmed that what I had indeed just heard was a man speaking English with a Finnish accent. He sounded just like my dad. I looked down at his name tag, and I saw that he had a Finnish name.

Without even thinking twice, I blurted out an enthusiastic:

Tervetuloa Sveitsiin!*

The guy was a bit startled at first, but then we began talking to each other in Finnish. We only talked for about a minute since he (and about a zillion of his colleagues) was getting off at the next stop, but I have to say that it's always fun having a random encounter with a Finn.

After half the tram car emptied out and I got a seat (Thank God!), I got to thinking, and I was reminded that...

I HAVEN'T BEEN TO FINLAND IN OVER THREE YEARS!!!!

Not only that, but in that time...

I'VE BEEN TO ITALY SIX TIMES (Mrs. TBF = at least 8 times!!!).

I am, therefore, declaring that I will not be setting foot into Italy again until after WE have taken another trip to Finland!!!

Ok, OK! We're going to Amalfi next week, so let me rephrase that:

I AM DECLARING THAT I WILL NOT STEP FOOT INTO ITALY AGAIN...AFTER NEXT WEEK...UNTIL WE HAVE TAKEN ANOTHER TRIP TO FINLAND!!!


*That means "welcome to Switzerland" and I THINK that's how you spell it.