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While most people don't know much about Finland other than that there are some decent rally and Formula drivers here, it is the home of Nokia and it is cold AF most of the time - a lot of people grew up with something quite Finnish unknowingly - the Moomins, created by Tove Jansson.

A few days ago, the family visited Moomin World in Naantali, Finland. It is a little island which has been developed for kids big and small to get their dose of Moomin culture. While @smallsteps has never seen a cartoon, she knows them all from the books that we read her and her favourite is Niisku Neiti which in English is Snorkmaiden.

Here are some of the pictures from our adventure through Moominvalley. 

First stop was Moomin house (Muumitalo) which is fitted out as the books describe.

https://i.imgur.com/pJJSpZ0.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/hTy3qoQ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/GuNdCYp.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/n1KBTo0.jpg

@smallsteps was happy to sit down where Niiskis (Her made up nickname for NiiskuNeiti) looks in the mirror. 

https://i.imgur.com/hCSyfFl.jpg

MuumiMumma's atelier.

https://i.imgur.com/Upn0xh1.jpg

And of course where MuumiPappa writes his poetry...

https://i.imgur.com/A0CAVT3.jpg

and @smallsteps worked on her next post.

https://i.imgur.com/LEGl0Pv.jpg

She was scared of how big the Moomins are in real life though and didn't want to have a bar of giving them a hug. You can see the disappointment on MuumiPappa's face in this pic as he was really wanting to get a picture with a Steem celebrity. *Denied.*

https://i.imgur.com/NmBrJav.jpg

Even one of her favourites, *Nipsu* wouldn't get the time of day.

https://i.imgur.com/ASsutAE.jpg

And no way in hell for MuumiMamma!

https://i.imgur.com/vHkkAvl.jpg

However...

She plucked up the courage and made the effort to give PikkuMyy (Little My) a hug after explaining that the other ones are too big to hug. PikkuMyy was pretty chuffed that she got to hug a Steem influencer and the others didn't.

https://i.imgur.com/7kgpmXQ.jpg

And a high-five to boot! PikkuMyy will remember this moment forever, I am sure. 

https://i.imgur.com/P7K0xC5.jpg 

We then went for a walk around the island a bit but didn't explore it all as we had a pram with us and some parts are only accessible via walking as there are stairs over the rocks. We did go to the pier though and @smallsteps went into the change room to see what she could see. Which wasn't much.

https://i.imgur.com/9cJJv3D.jpg

But there was a dragon.

https://i.imgur.com/LjIyBHk.jpg

And what was a bit of a worry was she seemed to be quite at home behind bars in the Valley jail. I don't really understand why there is a jail there but I guess that since it is a Finnish story, the Moomins needed a place to sober up after drinking too much of the witch's potions. 

She seems to have the jailhouse expression down pat too.

https://i.imgur.com/rthhaxc.jpg

There was also plenty of singing and dancing going on which was all performed in Finnish, however they also do shows in Swedish. There is a screen at the theatre with English and Japanese subtitles because for some reason, the Japanese love the Moomins. 

https://i.imgur.com/SocEutQ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/3IZGned.jpg

After that, it was time to say goodbye to Moomin Valley and move on.

https://i.imgur.com/iqpyPPi.jpg

We went to eat a quick dinner before the long drive back home in Naantali, which is a pretty, little harbour town on the west coast of Finland, near Turku (the old capital).

https://i.imgur.com/wZPKhOD.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/0SbExzx.jpg

Well, that was our Moomin adventure as a family this year, thanks for joining in for the pics. :)

https://i.imgur.com/S1UiVqF.jpg

Taraz
[ a Steem original ]

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