Travelog for: Grouchy

Well, whatever! It's me. I don't like it here. They are being too nice and I don't know why.
Trying to take my picture... I just turn away, that'll teach them!

There's Lester. He's trying to be my friend. I kicked him out of this bowl! Stupid bear...

You know, I really miss Sweet Mimi. She left today. Going to Germany or whatever. She was nice....




Hi, this is Grouchy's 'mom'. Is there anyone who wants to take care of Grouchy for a while? Maybe he'll get a bit less grouchy...
Let us know!

Hi there at home!

Now here I am (here, where you sent me) in Finland town called Lahti with my host, what's her name......Susanna. I got out of  envelope and my host showed me around here. I went to balcony and saw what...................No snow, no polar bears, no Santa Claus and reindeers. Nothing!  Susanna told me that it's too early for snow, it's fall here, and polar bears live much further north. And yes Santa and reindeers really live in Finland, but norther place called Lapland. O.K this is it, can I travel forward now.

But this woman assured me there is lot to see here at Lahti too. I wandered around and found nice place just perfect for me. Then.....what is that furry beast??? Take it away from me. It's Susanna cat, and this is his place or it was until now.

Susanna wanted to introduce me to someone. Here he is; his name is Droopy the Dog. He is silent and melancholy dog. He just say Hi and Welcome. He doesn't talk too much and I like that. We even might get to be friends. So here we are melancholy dog and grouchy smurf and this woman still say we will have lots of fun.............we see about that.

Susanna wanted to make something special for me, so we bake some muffins. Here I am with paste and then we put muffins in the owen. I said to Susanna I really don't like muffins. But I tasted a little and then we (me and Droopy) eat some more and more.

Well I'm here now and I think I stay for a while, after all this woman bakes quite tastefull muffins.

Grouchy

Hi there at home!

It’s me Grouchy. Last few days have been very booooooooring here. We haven’t been able to go out, weather has been rainy, even stormy. And my host has studied for her Marketing exam. We tried to read her book too, but we just fell asleep.

Today Susanna decided, it’s time to get some fresh air. So we take a little walk to small lake nearby. We went by this forest road, and then we saw the lake. We saw some ducks too. There was no-one else at the beach just us and ducks. But Susanna told me, that in summer time there are plenty of people.

Then she told me, that in winter time when lake is frozen, people cut big hole in ice and swim in that icy water. Can you believe it? These Finnish people sure are crazy.  I said to Susanna, that I get blue from cold just to think of that ice. Susanna remind me, that I’m blue already, haha. This woman tries to be funny.

Friday we will travel to town called Seinäjoki (Wall River  ). My host will go to study there and she wants me to go with her. Well if she insists….

Hi you there!

Last weekend I was in Seinäjoki with my host. She attended some classes and took her Marketing exam. I mostly stayed in her bag. I tried to listen some lectures, but they were sooooooooo boring; mostly about how to find information from internet. In first picture you can see Susanna’s school, well at least one part of it. Next picture there is that river Seinäjoki. There were different art works all over parks in town, and here is one of them.

We have really nice hotel room. Double room for two of us, so I had my own bed, good. From window of our room we could saw this big building. Susanna told me, that it’s a church called Lakeuden risti (Cross of Lakeus). We didn’t have time go there this time. 

Since Monday my host has had bad flu, so we haven’t done anything. Don’t tell her, but I feel little bit sorry for her (she feels so bad). But don’t worry, I’m O.K. I’m much stronger. Hope my host will be better next week and we can do something, maybe find a mushroom for me.

Grouchy

Hi again!

Yesterday weather was quite nice and my host is feeling better, so we went to walk in forest near Susanna’s home. First we walk by small roads, we go uphill and downhill and uphill and downhill. There are lots of hills here in Lahti, I must say. We came across this small pond near the road. Then my host told me scary story about this pond. When she was a child (long time ago), her big brother told her this story; “there has been car accident on that road. Man drove his car in the pond. And then came the scary part, because that pond is very very deep, they didn’t get him from there, so man is still in the bottom in his car. Nighttime, when weather is foggy, that man comes out and tries to find person, who caused his accident.” Booooooo, I wasn’t scared at all. (Glad that the sun was shining though).

Then we turned to small path into the forest. Susanna told me, that she wants to find a mushroom for me. WHAT! Yes, we smurfs live in mushrooms, but I don’t want to move in this wet, dark forest all by myself. We found a mushroom, small mushroom. And only then Susanna told me, that he wants to find me a mushroom to sit on. One of my life missions, hah hah. We went on and on and on. Finally I was sure we were lost, this woman don’t have a clue, where we are. But she smiled at me, and said she have lived in this area for almost all of her life and knows exactly we are. So she did. Still I hope she takes me to town next time we go out.

Hi!

It’s been very quiet here, because my host studies and studies all the time. Today I told her, I’m bored.  So she said, she has surprise for me. She told me to close my eyes and she put something on my ears. Headphones! And when music started, I was so surprised. Music sounded same time familiar and odd. 

Mom I didn’t know Smurfs have recorded music…..And I surely didn’t know Smurfs can speak Finnish, I can’t. Susanna told me that there are several Smurf records. Smurf sing hit music with their own, funny Finnish lyrics. Music was O.K, although I didn’t understand a word. Next week we are going to see some art, hmmm.

Grouchy

Hi again!

I forgot to told you something. Yesterday my host came home and she has small package with her. There was this little bear Bernie. Now there are three of us here, if you count Droopy in. I think little bit too crowded, but Susanna said more TV's means , more fun. Well O.K

Grouchy

Hi there!

Yesterday my host told me, that we are going to see some art. O.K, I’m not much into art, but I thought maybe we will get some appetizers to eat and even something bubbling to drink.  So we went town, after a while we arrived to this small lake. You can see big hill behind it and Susanna told me, there’s where we will go. Strange place for art gallery??? Up and up we went.

Then Susanna took me out of her bag. And I couldn’t believe my eyes: Another forest. These Finnish people sure are crazy, they put even their art work in forest.  My host explained to me that we were at theme park of artist Olavi Lanu and his sculptures are very big. So they were. Sculptures also have strange names; First picture “Hellä kivi” (Tender Stone), then “Kaksi kiveä” (Two Stones), then “Keko” (Stack), then “Kanto” (Stump of Tree) and in last picture “Iso kivi” (Big Stone). This last sculpture is the biggest, 37 tons heavy.

On our way back, we saw this fountain. My host told me, that it’s not only a fountain. It’s really water organs. Winter time they play shows with music and lights. So these people put their art in forest and music instrument in lake……

At weekend we are going to see something different. Until then!

Grouchy

Hello, hello, hello

Yesterday we went to see Lahti City harbor. Weather was little bit cold and windy, but sunny. First we saw this small lake called Pikku Vesijärvi (Tiny Waterlake). Not much of a lake, if you ask me. Then we saw “real” lake Vesijärvi (Waterlake). View was quite nice. Everyone in Finland wants to live by lakes, and behind the lake you might see those white buildings. They are the news apartment buildings in Lahti and apartments there are very expensive. 

We also saw famous music house The Sibelius Hall, and these restaurant boats, but they were all closed. So we went to this old wooden house and have coffee and cake. Cake was really good.

Now weather is getting really cold and we might have first snow by end of this week, not permanent snow, but still.

Grouchy

Hiiiiiiiiiii!

We haven’t been out much lately and in the first picture you can see why. Yes it has been snowing here. It is very early for snow, says my host and it won’t be permanent, but weather has been really cold for few days now.

There was enough snow at Susanna’s balcony for us to make snowballs. I wanted to throw it at somebody, but Susanna said, it wouldn’t be very nice. So we throw balls down from balcony (we check there was nobody below). 

This little bear Bernie wanted to go out, although Susanna said there is cold and wet. So we went out at yard for a short while. Snow was chilly and wet indeed.

Next week we will help Susanna to decorate her balcony for winter. I wonder what that means. 

Grouchy

Hello!

Weather is warmer and all the snow is gone. Now it’s only windy, rainy and dark. Today my host wanted some help decorating her balcony, just little something she said. Not a job for a smurf, I thought. I will give advices nothing else. 

She put some heathers in this big “tub”. At least we both think those flowers are heathers. Susanna said this kind of flowers will survive through winter time. Then she hanged up this small lantern and put candle in it. It looks very neat at dark, I must admit. Picture isn’t very good, sorry. 

Well tomorrow I will leave Susanna and Bernie bear and Droopy. They all said goodbye and wish me Bon Voyage. I will miss them (but don’t tell it to them). I have long way ahead of me, I will travel to Hong Kong. I’m sure everything will go smooth and at least I get some peace and quiet in my envelope. 

I write you from Hong Kong

Grouchy

Uhu! finally I can go out to have some fresh air!
But why taking me onto the Star Ferry? Don't this host know that I hate the sea?!?! 
And don't know that I just hate green?!

She should pay for this, I dare to sit aside and do nothing!

Maybe she can sense that how I dislike the ferry,
so she start taking me around and take some photos with me.
Actually she should do that at the very beginning, anyway,
I will forgive her and enjoy my time on the ferry and the view of Victoria Harbour.

The new host (I forogt her name and actually I am not going to remember)
told me that there's a underground railway system called MTR,
Mass Transit Railway, it's crowded every day.

She showed me those stupid add value machines and
ticket selling machines.
Can't she show me something more interesting? 
If she keep on showing me such bored things, I will leave!
Yes, leave here and go somewhere else!!