Our plan was to grab some food and then drive to Kotalahti, where everybody was waiting for us.
Silly us. It was the eve of Juhannus.
One of the biggest holidays in Finland.
Nothing was open! We were finally able to find a gas station with some food.
However, we should not had even worried about eating because as soon as we got to Kotalahti, around 9 pm....the party was starting.
We grilled, swam, ate, went to sauna....all the good stuff, and finally got to bed around 2 or 3 am.
The mid summer celebration is for the longest day of the year. In Finland the sun hardly goes down at all. It never gets dark.
So, not only was it the longest day of the year on calendar...but it was definetely one of the longest days for us.
We left home on Thursday around noon, traveled to Finland, and then partied until 3 am Saturday morning. Once we got to bed, it was really Friday, 5 pm at Nevada time...but it had still made a very long day for us.
When we got to Kotalahti, where we were staying with the family, we were baffeled why nobody was going to bed. Around midnight it hit us...it is Juhannus, the mid summer holiday, when everybody stays up all night just partying by the lake side. We had momentarily forgotten it, since we were kind of worn out from our travels.
Oh, but it was so fun! What a perfect time to arrive to Finland.
This is a glow worm. Kids were finding them outside, and were facinated by them!
FOOD!
Niko is meeting his new cousin, Verona.
Kai is preparing banana and chocolate for grilling. I have to say, that this tasted heavenly!
Mushrooms filled with cheese, and wrapped in bacon....how can this be nothing but yummy!
Outside around 11 pm.
Markus and Kai relaxing after sauna and swimming.
Maija hanging out by sauna.
