Pyhäjoki Literally holy river (read Holy Cow!!)

Here we are again with the tours through the deepest of the Finnish culture, not this you learn by the travel agencies, not that part they want to show, but the real one. This is the side of a big part of their culture.

We might call it “the joys of the loneliness”

I would never call it grumpiness, because Finns are notoriously welcoming people, but they appreciate their privacy.

So, last week we were in Raahe, where we met the musketeer statue (the statue of the founder of the city). If we drive for other 20 km south, we reach the two communities of Siikajärvi (Literally Lavaret lake) and Pyhäjoki (Literally Holy River).

One thing to be noticed is that the name of many of the towns are very practical and tells exactly the reason why people decided to settle in the area.

This time I will tell you something about the town where I am forced to stay for the next five months; Pyhäjoki. A sleepy town in the middle of nothing with just 3 199 inhabitants with a density of 5,9 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Once again, the need of the people to have no neighbors on sight or having them at a due distance. The only exception is made by the center where the life is bustling.

One thing that surprised me was that for only 3199 inhabitants you have at least four grocery shops (and they are not even small ones) in my opinion two would have been enough, considering that the real place where people go for big shopping is Raahe.

Regardless this, the place is an oasis of peace, immersed in the nature. If it weren’t for the harsh winter weather and temperatures (reaching easily the -30 C), I would have considered to move there on a steady basis.

The town itself, looks like coming from a fairy tale,

yes this is the main part of the town, the center, where the life seem to bustle, and you cannot have some privacy.

What am I doing there? You will ask.

Well the place is going to be expanded by the construction of a new power plant. The people do not seem to have bad feelings about it, and particularly the business owner hope that this will revive their businesses.

I am there working to the preliminary investigations.

Enough with what I am doing there let’s continue the tour of this lovely town, which has its beauties even though it is not a city and does not have all the sort of entertainments many people think they need. 

This is the center of the town, where the main shops are.

Yet, I know what you are asking, where are the people?
I was asking myself the same question. However, despite a couple of youngsters that passed by, I haven't seen anybody during my stay there so far. If you go in the grocery shop, you might find a couple of people, but on the streets, it is quite difficult.
I do not think it is mainly related with the freezing temperatures, mainly on the fact that to gather 3199 people in the same place might be challenging.
So two or three people walking on the street is the most you can expect during a stroll around the town.

And this, ladies and gentlemen is the river, the Holy River that gives the name to the town. I know it is totally frozen and covered by a thick level of snow, which we all hope it will melt totally in April, when the winter will give space to the Spring, and hopefully to the Summer too.
With this I give you appointment for the next week and see what the Wandering Writer has in it for you, guys.
STAY TUNED!!