Let the holidays begin!

As the midsummer weekend approaches, Finlands favourite holiday weekend, it signals the start of summer. For many Finns this is when they start their summer vacation whether that be for a couple of weeks or even for months.

The children have finished school and will not return until mid August. Parliment finished yesterday and will not sit again in Helsinki until until 11 September.

Today sees the mass exodus out of the cities to summer houses throughout the countryside. This is the one day of the year when Finlands usually sedate road network will be struggling and travellers are facing the prospect of horrendous traffic jams!

The weekend ahead will be spent celebrating with family and friends. Eating, drinking, taking saunas and swimming in lakes. 

Maybe this is a holiday that we should be raising the profile of in the UK!