After almost 29 solid hours of traveling, kikkan and I passed out in our tiny dorm-like room in Lahti, Finland at 2:30am this morning, 9:30am Sapporo-time.

Despite my short time so far in Lahti I've decided that I really like it. Some things I've found so far on my wanderings:

Huge moose statues
A window display dedicated to the skier Saarinen
A craft store with a whole section of ribbons
A bakery
Excellent chocolate selection
A large ice skating area
Huge ski jumps
Uphills
Playgrounds everywhere
Ski area within walking distance
Muesli, yogurt and lingonberries for breakfast
Museums
Peugeots
Skis in people's cars

Basically, Lahti is moving right up on my list of favorite cities.