So just how much do you love her?!!
Why not go and participate (or watch) the annual championship for the ‘sport’ of wife carrying, held in Sonkajärvi, Finland every June? You could even get into the Guinness book of records (seriously!).
A male has to carry a female over a 254 meter track with obstacles (including waist high water). There are rules and regulations regarding the wife’s weight and she must be over 17 years old, but she doesn’t have to be your own wife! There are no regulations regarding the style of carrying – but the favoured seems to be ‘Estonian style’ whereby the wife hangs upside down with her legs around the husbands shoulders. The event is staged over a series of heats (only 2 ‘teams’ go at a time) and in addition to the fastest, there are also prizes for the most entertaining couple, the best costume and the strongest carrier.
Apparently the sport has its roots in an alleged custom whereby Finnish men courted women by running into their village, picking them up and carrying them off. Sophisticated! Presumably such shows of strength were an indication of virility?!!
The prize? The woman’s weight in beer!
Posted by Jill Bowen on Thu 22nd March 2007 at 09:25 PM, Filed in Europe, Naturism
Skiathos is one of the most cosmopolitan islands in the Aegean, and, with its lush green vegetation, glorious sandy beaches it must rank highly as being among the most beautiful.
It maybe small in area, but being in easy reach of other Islands and mainland treasures it certainly doesn’t feel claustrophobic. There is only one main road leading from Skiathos town all the way to the other end of the Island at Koukounaries, with small villages in between all having sandy (textile) beaches. As you look out to sea while driving or walking along the road your eyes will be draw to the picture postcard deep blue of the Aegean and the myriad verdant small islands just waiting to be explored.
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