Erasmus in Kuopio, Finland

  The Finnish lakes Upon arriving in Kuopio in January, we witnessed something we had never seen before: all the lakes were completely frozen, with a layer of ice on the surface exceeding one meter, allowing us to move across them without fear. However, it was not immediately possible to skate on them because a thick layer of snow covered the lakes. We could engage in cross-country skiing or some passages were cleared for cars. Cross coutry skiing on a lake in Kuopio Around the beginning ebruary, some lakes were cleared, allowing us to skate on them, such as during the Kuopio skating marathon that we participated in.   Snowmobile on a frozen lake It was also possible to swim in them, in specially maintained holes with motors churning the water to prevent it from refreezing. It's an experience worth trying to swim in a lake at 0°C. Hole to swim in the lake Just before our departure, we witnessed the melting of this layer of ice, making walks on the lakes quite frightening. We ...

Easter in Finland   Easter, known as "Pääsiäinen" in Finnish, is celebrated in Finland much like it is in many other Christian-majority countries .   Palm Sunday Seven weeks before Easter, Finland observes Palm Sunday , known as "Palmusunnuntai."  It marks the start of Holy Week, blending religious observance with cultural traditions. Many may engage in fasting as a form of spiritual preparation for Easter. Meanwhile, others take advantage of the remaining snow by enjoying downhill skiing, embracing the outdoor activities that come with the arrival of spring.   Virpominen Virpominen is a Finnish Easter tradition similar to the custom of "trick-or-treating" during Halloween in some other countries. It takes place on Palm Sunday, which is the Sunday before Easter Sunday. During Virpominen, children dress up as Easter witches or "virpojat" (palm twig boys) and go from door to door in their neighborhoods, carrying decorated branches of willow twigs a...