Back to Turku

 We left Sorensons about 10 this morning for the 2-hour drive back to the bach in Turku.  It was a beautiful drive through the countryside.  We can really see a difference in how colorful the trees are now compared to when we arrived, although there isn't near the variety we have at home.  Here it's mainly birch trees turning yellow/gold amid the pines, but it makes for a beautiful view, especially when reflected in the mirror-glass waters of the little lakes/ponds that are scattered everywhere.  Today's trip was mainly through farmland with the occasional little village.  But usually the villages are off a side road, hidden from view by the thick trees along the main road.  Alas, the moose still weren't cooperative and none were to be seen.

 One thing I haven't mentioned is that not only do most houses have ladders on the outside walls from upstairs rooms, but I noticed a lot also have a ladder on the roof.  Mavis says those would be wood-burning homes, and the ladders are for the chimney sweeps!  If there isn't a roof ladder, the chimney sweep will refuse to come to that house.

Mavis suggested lunch at Ikea as we were coming into Turku, so we stopped there.  Then it was time to unpack, sort, organize, repack, and...voila!...it's all in, squeaky cheese and all!  Once we had our bags ready to go, Laura took us for a hike through the forest area near their apartment building, where she found a few wild blueberries for us to enjoy and we saw a variety of mushrooms...some edible and one that is very colorful...red with white spots...but quite deadly.

 Yes, it's "Fall" here too!


When we got back, Mavis had supper ready for us...chicken, cheese, and bread...then it was time to load up the car and head to the port, and here we are.

Our  cabin was on the bottom deck of the ferry boat and we tried just not think about the hundreds of cars and semi-trucks filling the entire floor just above us!   Most of the area was actually two layers of cars, both decks 3 & 4!  It really was a weird feeling to be way down there under all that.  Very crazy how they pack all those vehicles on there...We could barely get the car doors open wide enough to get out.  It was 4 lanes wide,  two sides, then a layer above us too. (They drive onto the lift, then when it's full, they raise it for the bottom layer to fill)  These ferry boats are the "highway" between Finland and Sweden.

 We spent several hours in the main cafeteria room on the ferry-writing, reading, blogging and talking with our computers.  Yeah....and some chocolate & Pringles.  And I might as well admit that Laura and I ate most of the pringles or Ruth will tell you that.  It was kind of like an attack thing?  Mindless?  Next thing we knew they were just gone!

Only one more day on our trip before we leave for home!  Tuesday back in Stockholm.



We arrive in Stockholm at 6:30am.  We have the car with us, so we won't need to be met by someone that early in the morning and then Mavis  Laura will have the car to take us to the airport Wednesday and then they'll head back to the port for their return to Finland.