  In this paper we consider flat metrics (semi-translation structures) on
surfaces of finite type. There are two main results. The first is a complete
description of when a set of simple closed curves is spectrally rigid, that is,
when the length vector determines a metric among the class of flat metrics.
Secondly, we give an embedding into the space of geodesic currents and use this
to get a boundary for the space of flat metrics. The geometric interpretation
is that flat metrics degenerate to "mixed structures" on the surface: part flat
metric and part measured foliation.
