Lake Päijänne! Ken can finally swim in a transparent water! But now that Herbert is heading back home and the crowded Southern Finland has been left behind, there’s nobody to chat with on the beaches. However, it means that naked swimming is possible!
- I can’t wait to taste that cake, Kaarna says.
- Me neither! But can you finally tell me about yesterday? Any news?
Kaarna tells the good news:
-
I have a home! I signed the lease! The location is not perfect, but I
met some of the other residents and they had no complaints. I can move
in already on September the 15th, when the current tenant leaves. I’m
scared but this feels like a right decision.
- Oh no…. I’m so sad to see you go. But congratulations, I guess, Ken replies and feels devastated.
After three nights in the bushes, it’s usually mandatory to visit some town. Visitor boat harbors are great for road trippers too. There’s always free drinking water and big trash bins and often even recycling containers.
Ken goes to a couple of boutiques as well.
- I bought this for you. Put it on your front door in the new apartment and I will know which door to knock when I visit you.
- Sweet. Was it expensive?
- Haha, the cheapest thing in the whole shop! The same as this horse for my own souvenir shelf.
- Good! Smelly hippies shouldn’t even enter expensive shops like that!
On the next day a very horrible rain surprises the travellers! Nobody wants to cook outside, so Ken and Kaarna run to a cafeteria on the road side.
- Ken! This place looks suspicious! It’s probably full of truck drivers.- If that’s so, at least the portions are big! Get in or starve to death!
But to their surprise the the cafeteria is a wonderful and super creative mixture of vintage stuff. The interior is incredible and they just walk around feeling amazed.
There’s so much to see. And yes, there is also one truck driver, having an egg sandwich.
The place is so amazing that Ken wants to pour his money to the lovely Polish lady behind the counter.
- Let’s take a salty pie for lunch and some of that cherry cheese cake for dessert! And I want a huge glass of hot chocolate too!- With whipped cream and mashmallows?
- Sounds more than perfect!
The lovely lady @agnikoo at the cafeteria told about a local gallery where her art is at display right now. Kaarna gets jealous of her talent. Amazing aquarelles and cool sculptures!
Ken falls in love with an orange elephant sculpture and he just has to buy it.
- What’s wrong with me?! I’m spending money like I had some! Now, let’s get back to the woods where I can’t buy anything!
But they can’t return to the nature just yet. Even smelly hippies must do the laundry sometimes. The laundromats in Finland are insanely expensive. Ken reminisces the ones in Spain that are so affordable that it’s not even necessary to have a washing machine at home.
The next ITE art park ”Dorkin puisto” on their way is created by Vesa Väänänen.
Ken and Kaarna are having loads of fun with the statues made of scrap metal.
Suddenly dark clouds hide the sun and it starts thundering. Ken says while running:
-There! Gorgeous house! It’s a cafeteria! In we go!
- You don’t have shoes and I’m just ugly. That place is too fancy for us! Look, the waiter is wearing a lace apron!
- My money is as good as anyone’s who’s wearing shoes!
- Lovely place!
- Lovely prices too.
- I’m glad to pay a little extra for the atmosphere. Listen to this classical music. We are like princesses.
- Ken, you have to stop spending money like this. I’m suffering. You’ll go bankrupt.
This tower is called ”Vuorenpeikon näkötorni” and it’s once again a magnificent piece of the Finnish creative madness. It’s built on a top of a rock and it’s 28 meters high. 11 floors and over 120 steps.
- The voluntary entrance fee is two euros, and you donated seven! Stop wasting money!
Ken is checking his email.
- Kaarna!! Listen to this! I got a really big comission! So I’ll be sewing at least for the next two months! See how the Universe is taking care of her prodigal son!
- Universe?! Her?! Do I need to make you a tin foil hat now?!