5th and the 6th day

I guess the word of the day is RAIN, rain and more rain. Despite the rain we tried to walk around a bit and to see some lasts things before departure but no use...We just got soakin’ wet and had to return to the hotel. There was nothing else for us to do but to wait for Tiina (who had a business meeting in New Jersey) and then head to Highland Falls. Highland Falls is a small town in north from NYC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_Falls,_New_York). This is actually where our relatives have lived during their life in the States and where Tiina and Altti (Tiina’s brother) grew up.

The day when we got to Highland Falls was a bit stormy. Well, we took a train to there and according to Tiina, it is the most beautiful train ride ever....but because of a really thivk fog, we didn’t see a thing. When we got there, Tiina showed me around a bit – well, she gave me a tour of the town. As I was saying...it was a bit stormy...meaning there was a huge wind and the sky was grey and it was coldish. So my first impression of the town was as if it was a place that you normally see in horror movies:D Really, crazy big wind, no people, the feeling of an abandoned town, crow’s caw and a tangling electrical wire...to top it all, we took a “dead end” road to a cemetery. Oh, and there was only one person that we met and he was creepy too. But after getting back to the house, everything became normal again. And honestly, don’t take everything that I say seriously, it is actually a lovely town but you all know how my imagination works....

One of the bridges over the Hudson River

Salme's house

A really steep hillside

Painted after 9/11

One thing that I will surely remember of my stay in Highland Falls is Salme’s cooking! She really has an extraordinary talent when it comes to cooking. She can make a delicious meal out of nothing and every time everything is perfectly done...It’s safe to say that I won’t be stepping on a scale any time soon:D:D

The next day was just picture perfect! It was warm and chilly at the same time, the sun was shining brightly and we enjoyed the nature around Highland Falls. We went to the Bear Mountains and to the zoo that is there. This zoo was really interesting since only the animals who had injured themselves were held there...well except for the snakes and toads and stuff. This area was just amazing...exactly like you see in the movies. And to be honest, I don’t think that photos can really depict what I actually saw.

In the afternoon, Tiina took us shopping...what we had been waiting for so much! Well, she took us to Woodbury Common, which is a huge shopping area consisting of outlets...Haha, but this wasn’t exactly what we were looking for...so we walked around the whole day, finding only few things. But if anybody wants to go shopping for famous brands, this is definitely a place to go!!! But luckily, at “home” we were greeted by Salme’s excellent dishes that offered us consolidation for that we hadn’t found for what we were looking for.

PS: That night (I think) was when Altti demonstrated us his different self made outfits. I’ll give you an idea with a photo...

PPS: We discovered a plant (?!?) called “Squash” that can be used to prepare sweet as well as salty dishes and it’s delicious!