Shrove Tuesday part 1

Finnish students do really ridiculous things.. but these things are usually crazily fun! Yesterday was Shrove Tuesday.. the day before the season of Lent.. 40 days before Easter.. Traditionally, Christians in Finland descend into fasting, but Finns take the word descend too literally.. they descend downhill!!

A bunch of us decided to head down to join in the fun... Laskiaisrieha 09!

We're in an engineering university.. and there are more girls than guys.. I'm so not used to this =)

We knew that there will be sledding.. but we weren't expecting this.. it was a HUGE gathering of colourful overalls!

Everyone brought sleds of all shapes and sizes


On our way up.. we encountered someone who needed help.. =) So Ri Hao and Kevin lent a helping hand..

The steep slippery slope =)

Happy human chains sliding downhill..

My first attempt was with this tiny one.. haha.. it was unbelievably fun!

Seng Gea and Tuukka having a go..

Antonia and Cindy as well..

Wei Sing hold on tight to Shu Shan!

And then some guy in black.. the MC.. made some announcements and the people stopped sliding down.. and gathered at the sides.....

It was competition time!! Teams then came forward with their specially made sleds.. points for showmanship.. smooth sledding and entertainment etc! Here are the funny ones.. =)

Cow with udders.. crashed and flipped halfway through.. Ouch!

Beer tap with fireworks.. spectacular but very slow.. hehe

The platform is a Twister board with coloured circles.. they were playing as they were sliding down.. had good steering!

Peas in a pod.. didn't slide very well..

Crazy sailors in a life boat.. too heavy.. couldn't slide at all..

The words at the back of their twin-armchair-sled said "Mack and Jack".. very smooth..!

Pretty in pink!.. i dunno how they ended up.. haha

I got hold of this round one.. click on the video to join me on my journey down!

Our final slide.. was a everyone together attempt.. on a punctured inflatable swimming pool.. Samuel my tutor.. he went down with his back facing down.. =) The slide wast not very successful.. someone crashed into us while we were stuck halfway.. and now i have a backache!

Totally whacky these Finns..

Part 2 of Shrove Tuesday coming up soon in the next entry..