Some more Finnish Things

So, I'm back in Finland, on a mini-tour, and have, for you:

Two more great Finnish things:

1) Running along an isolated road deep in the dense pine-and-birch forest, I am passed by a red car. Not long later, the car has turned around, driven back to me, and stopped. Inside: an older man (70s? 80s?) and a dog (beagle). The man rolls down the window and says something to me in Finnish. I say one of the very very few things I can say in Finnish: "I don't speak Finnish. Do you speak English?" he laughs and says he doesn't speak English and proceeds to get out of the car...

So. In a lot of places this would be the scary bit. For me, it was the hilarious bit. Even though he knows I don't speak Finnish, the man goes on to talk to me about...stuff in Finnish. Shakes my hand, gets excited and says "Arteles!" in a happy way. We establish, through gesticulation, that I am here as a musician and, through gesticulation and the fact that his suspenders have hunting scenes on them that he is here hunting. He laughs a lot, shakes my hand again, and drives away with his dog.

Finland is awesome. Imagine driving back to introduce yourself to every stranger you saw in LA.

2) The "recycling shop" which is a lot like our charity or second-hand shops except...everything is free! What? Yeah! House-hold items, clothes, toys, furniture, whatever. The government provides funding for the rent, heating, etc, and, in turn, people throw away a lot less stuff and waste a lot less money! I got two toques, ten buttons, and some really nice mittens. All for free!

All this is reminiscent to me of a book Charlie was reading once, called "The European Dream" . I think these countries may be on to something ( ahem ). And I think I like it.