Finnish Friday Flashback...

After my chance encounter with the Finnish guy on the tram earlier this week, I began thinking about other random encounters I've had with Finns throughout my life. Of course, this means random encounters OUTSIDE OF FINLAND because...well...there'd be nothing special about running into a Finn in Finland. Duh!

I think I've come across Finnish people probably about a dozen times in the eight years I've lived in Switzerland. Probably the most memorable time was when Mrs. TBF and I were in an art museum in Florence, Italy (Why can't we just call it Firenze?) and I eavesdropped on a Finnish tour guide explaining to a group of Finns that a particular painting of Jesus showed him "...in an effeminate pose not unlike that of a ballerina."!!!!

...Don't think the Italians would have appreciated that one.

Then, there is also the half-Swiss, half-Finnish girl who works the counter at "the" Basel Burger King. Ordering my Burger King meal in Finnish? Fun!!! Whopper comes out pretty much as VOPP-perrrri, and I tell her to "...heitä vähän juustoa ja pekoni siihen pääle" (throw a little cheese and bacon on it)!

However, probably my greatest random encounter with Finns, and the only one ever captured on film, occurred in November, 1997 when Mrs. TBF and I were in Hawai'i celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary.

Mrs. TBF and I decided to get all athletic one day by hiking up to the top of Diamond Head. After huffing and puffing our way to the top (we were both carrying a lot of extra weight back then), Mrs. TBF went to the very highest observation point to take some panoramic photos. While I stood there, enjoying the breeze and the scenery, I heard a familiar sound. I looked over and saw a mother and father speaking in Finnish with their daughter who was wearing a Finlandia vodka hat. Imagine their shock when I asked them in Finnish if they would like me to take a photo of them together. After talking to them for a minute, Mrs. TBF came down the stairs, heard me talking, and said:

"You've gotta be kidding me!"

She couldn't believe it, but she had to believe it because...it was true!

When you least expect it, EXPECT IT!!! Finns are lurking everywhere!

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.