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Just a quick note to my fans, (all 3 of you, thanks!!!!) that I have been keeping a blog at the Scientific American community also, which explains a little some of my absence here, (Although I am pretty infrequent there also!!!)
If you want to check out my ramblings on Space and Science then visit me at
http://science-community.sciam.com/blog/Loonymans-Blog/300002210
love to you all
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Hi folks,
Its Sunday evening and we have just returned from what is a Swedish rite of passage , the Finland boat, I will try and explain it as best I can for my English friends and family, the Swedes already know as it is compulsory to go on a Finland boat when you are 17 and a half, as enforced by the Swedish authoritys.
Firstly you book your cabin, preferably for the Saturday evening after pay day (25th of the month),
this is the picture of our cabin from the brochure,
It actually looked a lot like this when we first got there, only smaller, Its an "A" class cabin, I just wonder how small a "C" class can be?!?
Anyway, after drinking a beer or 2 in the departure lounge , you get on the ship, then you drop off your bags and head for something to eat , perhaps taking in a beer on the way to the restaurant. This being Malins birthday treat we ate in the poshest restaurant on the boat, I had reindeer steak which was delicious, but cold, I ate it anyway but when the waiter threw my card back at me telling me it didn't work (with real bad attitude !!) I complained to the manager and got the meals for free!! The only down point was some gay dude from the table next to us informing me "Its SO cheap to complain AFTER you have eaten the food", then blowing me a kiss and flouncing out! I still feel like I won though, free food is free food, even if cold and served by a waiter with the male version of PMT.
Anyway, after eating you go and catch a quick beer somewhere before going back to your room to get changed for the evening, I was very impressed with the bars opening hours 
we just managed to squeeze a beer in before the bar continued to be open.
After this we checked out the disco, and ended up in the live music bar where we had a little dance, and retired for the night.
Aparently, at some point before we woke up this morning we had docked at Åbo in Finland, let some drunk people off the ferry and let a few thirsty people on, but this is irrelevant to the point of the Finland boat and we shall speak no more of it.
The first thing I saw when I walked out the room to find breakfast was a guy stagger down the hall clutching a can of beer, respect to him as it was just past 9am, anyway, we went and found breakfast, which was expensive, but did come with a shot of whisky for your coffee, and free refills (unfortunately, only on the coffee) then it was time to check out the duty free section
Swedes being the civilised folk that they are supply you with all you need here, (see picture...)
unfortunately, having a pregnant Woman with me resulted in a loud "AND YOU CAN PUT THAT DOWN!" but we stocked up on a few essentials and headed back to the room (which by this time looked more like this.....)
I went out and took a beer or 2 while Malin got a little rest, and watched the world sail by, I spotted what I would like to be our next apartment while out on the deck, some might say its a little impractical, but no problems with noisy neighbours
The rest of the journey continued in the same fashion, with dodgy guys playing Credence Clearwater Revival covers on guitar and a multitude of drunk Fins and Swedes singing along. We also took a Sauna which is the only method known to man of sobering up while still drinking, and relaxed a little in the jacuzzi, (unfortunately, no photos to show this). All great fun.
All too soon it was time to say an emotional goodbye to all the new friends we had made over the weekend and I took a last photograph in the Lobby of deck 6
As you can see it was all too much for some people, and we had to take a final beer to calm the nerves.
All in all an educational and interesting insight into an important part of the Swedish culture, I just wish I didn't have work in the morning.......
Love Lee
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