Do the Solstice Swing

OTEPÄÄ SLIM

Ah summertime, and the livin’ is easy. Monday will mark the first full day of summer; it could not have come soon enough.

But Estonians, for some curious reason, wait three days to party, on jaanipäev. All night long, brewski after brewski, singing and dancing. The slender one has never been in Finland on that day, but has been told that Juhannus is quite the frolic, even our dour northern neighbours are happy. Curious though, even allowing for germanic and other cultural influences, that the date, initially dedicated to St. John the Baptist, is really a Catholic holiday. Just consider that Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day is marked with the same fervour as exhibited by us Finno-Ugrics. Over 4 decades ago the slimster was in Québec on that day. The bonhomie was extraordinary as were the cheap beers, Brador especially packed a kick. Wonder if that is still available? Sure worked on the short-term memory, the splinter recalls only waking up in a strange place with a major case of mal aux cheveux.

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