Thu 03/05/09 (Day 33) - Melting Snow

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It's pretty sad. The snow is melting. Talk about a heat wave, it was a whopping +2 deg C today. I think I'd prefer it if the cold comes back. I'm sure it will.

Nothing special to report today. Pea soup n' pancakes at lunch and some good conversation with a coworker. Discussed the education system here in Finland. They definitely have us beat, free or not. There just seems to be more incentive to get an education here. For example, the shop guys I work with here all have 3 years of schooling. Even chefs at restaurants go through 3 years of school. My observation is that it makes them take their jobs more seriously. It just seems to me that everyone is more professional at all levels of the job family.

I packed up tonite since I'm checking out to go visit a nearby town, Jyväskylä, tomorrow night. Mostly packed, I dropped one bag off at the car and then met Dave and Laura for dinner. They'd chosen the Piazza Bar in the Scandic Hotel since Dave had some really good reindeer there last time. The Piazza Bar has a pretty diverse menu, including some interesting tapas. I settled on a couple tapas to start, a mushroom in pastry thing and a Greek leaf wrapped thing. Both were pleasant, but nothing amazing. My main course, however, was amazing! A cheese ravioli in pesto with sauteed fennel. I've never had fennel more perfectly done. It was sweet and tender, but still had that al dente bite left to it that I prefer for my vegetables. The ravioli were enormous and also cooked al dente with an obviously fresh made pesto. Paired with the house wine, a Chilean red that was the right spiciness, it was an excellent dinner. Dave was similary pleased with his second taste of the reindeer and Laura enjoyed her chicken pita.

Another successful pea soup day.

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