Karaoke Bar

Two of the Fulbright girls have this idea of holding regular dinner parties, where we all invite our friends, so that we can meet each others friends and make more friends. So anyway, we began with Indian food night on Saturday. I ended up missing most of it because of a feud with Expedia, but the food was delicious, and I was able to make it out to a karaoke bar with them afterward.

The bar, Paja, was filled with old regulars, who were really excited to see us. The bar wasn't packed, so we didn't have to wait for hours to get a song in, and they were so welcoming... "New blood, that's why," Erika told me. :) In fact, one elderly lady bought Alex and me each a blueberry shot with whipped cream for singing "You're Still the One" by Shania Twain, because she wanted us to have more fun. They spoke broken English, and we spoken negligible Finnish, but it was great. During a few of the songs, one couple waltzed around the bar counter, as the rest of us standing - the Americans - swayed in various directions. Another blond lady, probably over 60, pulled off her hairtie to shake her hair around her shoulders and dance with us. We want to go back and perhaps become regulars, too.

------

Other happenings...

My uncle, or second uncle I suppose, visited Helsinki on a business trip from China. It still sort of blows my mind that after only seeing family about once a decade, I've gotten to see an uncle for the second time this year by being in Helsinki.


The Herring Festival. :) Fish pastries, super dark and rich Finnish bread, cloudberry jam, and all sorts of pickled herrings.



One of the best cheeses I have had thus far, maybe even the best.