Pori JazzFest Outing Rained Out

Sat., July 9, 2011.  The day started out very sunny & hot in Rauma.  It was even hot & sunny in Pori before noon.  Anne took me to the Marimekko store there & I quickly found exactly what I was looking for to take home as gifts.

In the SUN by the "Lady on the park bench"

The Lady is not real, but the SUN was!

Sunny Pori Flower Market

Still sunny in Pori at noon-ish

View from the "Bar" Tent where we took shelter

But by the time we met up with Anne's sister Mari & nephew Topi, the sky looked very threatening.  By the time we got to the Children's Jazz Fest site there was ominous thunder rumblings all around the open park area (with lots of very tall trees!) where we were walking with two strollers & a total of three children.  We decided to bail and started to walk back from where we'd just come (to cross the pedestrian bridge over the river) and Anne told me she heard a PA announcement  canceling the next scheduled children's event, because of the threat of lightening.

As it began to sprinkle, the wind came up and we made a dash across the bridge ahead of the crowd.  Then there was lightening and loud thunder.  We ducked into a tent set up as a bar and took shelter with the three children just as the sky opened up with lightening and thunder crashes right over our heads!

Rain drops on the Twins

 That part of the city also got hail; we saw it on the tent floor where the tent opened for the river view.  At times we could not see across the river for the heavy rain.  I thought it was a good time to indulge, so I bought a round:  of cider (for Mari), a Coke (for Anne) and beer (for me.)  My companions are very responsible mothers, but I wasn't driving and indeed, none of us were going anywhere until the torrential rain subsided.  Anne broke out the baby food jars and fed Aleksi & Jenny their lunch, Topi had a snack his mom had packed and we were quite comfortable for about an hour, maybe longer.

Thunderstorm on river front in Pori.  

When twins got a bit restless and the rain had slowed to a steady drizzle, we said "Kiitos!" to the friendly bartenders and rolled out of there, not having heard any jazz music at all.  The shopping was good though...  We will try to get back here on Wed.  July 13, 2011.  In the meantime, go to Pori Jazz.fi