Last night we had the honor of attending a Finland Independence Day Banquet. We were the guests of a very remarkable family here in Imatra. They graciously invited us to celebrate this solemn and joyous occasion with them. It was a formal affair in the hotel I call the "castle hotel". It was fun getting dressed up and seeing how people from another country celebrate their independence. It was very different than the backyard barbecues and fireworks that Americans are accustomed to. The self reliant Finns are very proud of their independence and rightly so. It is no small feat to stand up against their hulk of a neighbor. I was able to get a better understanding of just how exceptional this feat was after watching the movie "Fire and Ice". It is a movie that details the Winter War between Finland and Russia. This year marks Finland's 94th year of independence from Russia. Each year of independence, another link is added to this chain. A distinguished member of the community has the honor of hammering the link together.
While sitting at the dinner table, I couldn't help but recall the first time I was in that very room. It was the same room where we had dinner our very first time in Imatra. We were in Imatra for a whirlwind trip to decide whether we could move to Finland. Now, sitting amongst our new Finnish friends, I could not have predicted a better outcome.
It is with sincerity that I wish Finland a Happy Independence Day. I am grateful to have been a part of the celebration and for the opportunity to celebrate in the company of such great people.
Here another link is hammered together.
The "Castle Hotel" has a special place in our history :)
A picture of "downtown" and the "Italian" restaurant we eat at all the time (Rosso)
Here is McDonald's. My apartment is in the building behind McDonalds. I can see it from my balcony.
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