Day 8: To Rovaniemi – by train.



Hermanni Hostel, Kuopio

 After a good sleep, we were ready for another day.  Emma sent us a text and we set up a Skype session - just before we were leaving.  We made use of the kitchen facilities and had our breakfast of muesli and bread and cheese.

All packed up and ready to leave the Hostel Hermanni

It was great to get to talk with Em & M and MissE – tho she soon got tired of us prattling on. 




So we packed up and rode back to the train station, bought the tickets for our bikes and decided to catch the express train which was leaving at 10:43 instead of the Intercity train leaving at 12:47.  The later train had 2 transfers which are such a hassle with the bikes and arriving 2 hours later, so express it is.

Busy Kuopio streets on a Sunday morning

It is the Railway Station only in Finnish.....

We rode to the church and photographed around the outside and I ducked inside for a quick gander.  It was a bit disappointingly bland inside.  Modern lamps, no stained glass – just plain white wall, which contrasted with the beautiful old stone work on the outside. 

They do look after their cemeteries here

Squirrel on patrol - oops, someone else's tree!

Then back towards the train station where we checked out the old cemetery nearby.  It was really quite beautiful in there, tall sombre pine trees and lots of tidy gravesites covered with bright annuals.  Karina spotted a squirrel and we followed it up and got some photos (maybe not so good) of it racing around as squirrels do. 

Looks like an interesting road to ride

Safely out of range of other squirrel now

And so to the train station.  It wasn’t a modern variety, so no wi-fi or powerpoints but it rocketed along only stopping now and then at the major towns along the way.  Forests and farmlands for scenery – no wildlife so far!


Quick getaway

Birch trees outside, Karina playing Suduko on phone inside

Karl Fazer Chocolate rules!!




We both managed to have little catnaps along the way – but sitting on a train with the scenery just flashing by is quite tiring.  

or eating Suku Laku - yummo!

We were a tad late getting into Rovaniemi, but we loaded up the bikes and headed out to the Santa Claus Village.  It seemed to be uphill all the way – not steep, but never-ending.  But eventually we made it to the top and found the village – well you can’t miss some things!! 







So now we are in Santa Claus land



And the Mossie say Welcome too - in hoards!

Cabin 7 - very cute!

The main reasons for travelling to Rovaniemi were: to visit Karina’s roots – her father was born here before migrating to Sweden at the age of 2.  The other reason was that the Arctic Circle cuts through the Santa Claus village where we stayed and that’s pretty far north!!

Will the bikes be able to rest in this
midnight sun?

Our little cabin – No7 – was so cute – red curtains, xmas candles and reindeer antler chandeliers – hopefully I remembered to photo them!!  There were white murals of pine trees and reindeer on the walls which lit up beautifully when the lights were turned on.  And our very one personal sauna!  But no time for any of that – the kitchen closed at 8:30 and already it was 8:15, so dash back for tucker!

Pretty damn fine
hot chocolate

Nice tall Finnish beer

Karina is doing a good job of chowing thru the reindeer population – reindeer burger this time while I stuck with what I know – vegie pasta!  which was damn tasty.  We tried dessert also – blueberry cake and Sami hot cheese dessert with cloudberry jam – very yummy, sorta haloumi, but not salty and a bit more melted but still chewy!!  (not sure why I forgot to take photos of the food - maybe too hungry??) Yes we will use all those calories – one day surely J

Facebooking in the midnight sun!

Here is Santa's Village - Welcome!

Found there was no laundry facilities and a quick google search came up with the info that this is a major issue in Rovaniemi – no coin laundries at all – and other laundry places don’t do same day delivery!  Gad – we have no clean clothes so a quick wash of some essentials is required.

Sauna in en suite - good for drying
a few clothes

The Artic Circle crosses Here!

By the time we got back to our room, blogged and emailed a bit it was time for a quick shower, a sit in the sauna – temp 70C!! – especially gasping when water is splashed onto the hot rocks.  Townsville is not hot enough for training, tho KK thought that riding in the summer time and stopping at the traffic lights is sorta familiar!!



On the Artic Circle line

Can you see?  It is just after midnight!

We then took a walk around the Village.  All the shops were closed and all the tourists were tucked in their cabins or in their motor homes, so we had the place to ourselves.  Actually I don’t think its that busy during summer – it appeared to be a good time to be building more cabins and generally doing lots of maintenance.  We could see that the sun was shining behind the bank of clouds on the horizon, so we couldn’t actually see the midnight sun, but it was still bright light – just like an overcast day.  We stood on the Arctic Circle line and thought about how far we were from home!!  Can’t get much further away, actually. 

So we strolled back to No 7 – closed the very thick curtains and hit the sack!  Another day gone!