Midsummer cruise / Crucero de Hogueras de San Juan / Croisière de la Saint-Jean

August 5, 2011

Midsummer cruise / Crucero de Hogueras de San Juan / Croisière de la Saint-Jean

Filed under: Best places to go,Cruises,Lake cruising,Lake-Paijanne — Sartenada @ 06:53
Tags: Bål, Casa de verão, Chalet, cottage, Croisière de la Saint-Jean, Crucero de Hogueras de San Juan, Cruising, cruising on a lake, Europe, Falò, Fête de la Saint-Jean, Ferienhaus, Festa do Verão, Festa junina, Finland, Finnish lakes, finnish steam ships, Fogueira, Funkenfeuer, Gartenhaus, Hoguera, Hogueras de San Juan, Johannistag, Jonsok, Jyväskylä, Lake, lake cruises in finland, lakes in finland pics from lakes, landhuisje, letní slunovrat, medieval, Midsomerfees, Midsummer, Midsummer Bonfire, Midsummer cruise, Midsummer Day, Midzomerfeest, Mittsommerfest, Noche de San Juan, noche de san juan en finlandia, Nordic countries, Päijanne, photo, Photography, Photojournalism, Photos, photos from lakes, pics, Places, Resort, S/S Suomi, San Juan, Sankthans, Scandinavia, Sites, Sommerhaus, St John's Eve, steam ship, Summer cottage, summer home, summer house, summerhouse, Tourism, Town, Travel, Travel destination, Travel photography, Travel photos, Visits, Vreugdevuur

In English:

Midsummer is the most important festival celebration of the summer. When living in a country where hard, cold and dark winter lasts many months, then the celebration of summer with white nights is expected with full heart.

On Midsummer’s Eve “everybody” goes to countryside and especially to their summer cottage. In Finland there are about half a million of summer houses. That is a lot of them knowing that we are only about 5.4 million inhabitants. Many summer cottages are mainly situated by the lake. When one is on summer cottage, then to warm Sauna is a must, then to swim in the lake, back to Sauna and back to swim. Drinking and good eating, mainly barbecue, belong to the pleasures of cottage life. In addition to these, rowing the boat, fishing, hiking, biking, relaxing, recharging batteries for the job, make summer cottage life so important to people.

The culmination Midsummer’s Eve is Midsummer Bonfire burning. People are gathering together to some nice place for this. In many cases that nice place is an open-air dance pavilion. During summer open-air dance pavilion with live music are very popular. Can You imagine this: young couples in the darkening night, by the glimmering lake at moon light under weeping birch (Betula pendula), Bonfire and atmospheric music. That is life.

We took our Midsummer cruise in the city called Jyväskylä. Jyväskylä can be reached from Helsinki by car in less than three hours. It has nice port with few cruise ships which serve water traffic between Lahti in the South or making cruises lasting few hours as ours did of Lake Päijänne. Päijänne is the second largest lake in Finland.

Our cruise ship was called S/S Suomi. Suomi is Finnish word and means Finland! Suomi was built in 1906 and it meant that our cruise ship was 105 years old! The other ship in my photos is Suometar. Both ships departed at 7:30pm lasting 3 and half hours. Both ships took same route, but we preferred the historic ship Suomi.

What my photos show to You? Well, mainly summer cottages of ordinary people and one luxury summer cottage. Also You can small islands, canals and people who have gathered to admire Midsummer Bonfire burning. Welcome to make a cruise with me onboard of S/S Suomi on lake Päijänne!

Resumen esn español:

Bienvenido a tomar un crucero de fiesta de San Juan a través de mis fotos en el lago Päijänne en Finlandia!

Résumé en francais:

Bienvenue à prendre une croisière de la Saint-Jean à travers mes photos sur le lac Päijänne en Finlande!

Midsummer cruise / Crucero de Hogueras de San Juan / Croisière de la Saint-Jean

Off three weeks / Ausente tres semanas / Absent trois semaines

Comments (45)

45 Comments »

What a lovely journey you’ve taken us on today Matti, it would be so nice and peaceful to sit down by the water in one of those little houses and just relax…in Australia we all flock to the beach in summer, but of course then they are all very crowded!

Comment by convictstock — August 5, 2011 @ 08:41 | Reply
- Hello Convickstock.
  
  Thank You for Your visit and making a cruise on a lake with me. Although the weather was not at its best, people seemed to enjoy midsummer.
  
  Happy Friday!
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 5, 2011 @ 11:59 | Reply
Firstly I adored how the cruise boats actially have trees on them at each end.. Fabulous idea!
I was staggered as to just how many holiday houses you could photograph just in one boat trip… and to have an ISLAND all to yourself? WOW wow wow!!!
The holiday homes look wonderful, question and very clearly well loved and used: do people go to their holiday homes by car (not the island ones obviously), and then just use their boats for recreation? or is the only access to the holiday house by boat?
I’m in two minds about those bonfires, New Zealand has had it’s share of bushfires, a bonfire this size makes me nervous… BUT they are spectacular (and *look* at the size of the crowd by one of them… I keep saying “wow” all the time LOL)
Have an excellent holiday yourself yes?

Comment by kiwidutch — August 5, 2011 @ 08:59 | Reply
- Hi Kiwidutch.
  
  Thank You. Many people use their own boats when visiting their summer houses. Those who are coming from far away, of course by car and then by boat. It is true that in many cases too, people have own small roads leading to summer cottages, if they are not on some island.
  
  I am so glad that You too enjoyed the boat trip with me.
  
  Happy Friday!
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 5, 2011 @ 12:04 | Reply
I really enjoyed the trip down the lake. The idea of a cottage on the lake for the summer, is exactly the same here in Canada. Some are very simple cabins, but others are luxury homes, but they all have the lake to swim and boat. The sauna idea hasn’t developed here, more the hot-tub, for snowy nights. Thank you for the exciting visit.

Comment by jackiequeen — August 5, 2011 @ 14:08 | Reply
- Hi Jackie.
  
  Thank You for Your visit and comment. Sauna is very practical here. Think it: hot sauna, swimming, back to sauna, swimming etc. This summer has been an exception what comes to the temperatures. We had really hot summer and it means that also water in lakes is warm according to our standards. I checked from Internet and on some lakes the temperature of lakes is 23 ºC / 73.4 ºF. Well is it much or not does not matter here, because sauna is warm, no it is not warm, but hot.
  
  Happy week-end.
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 5, 2011 @ 14:53 | Reply
Hello Matti,
Merci à toi (et à St Jean ! ) pour cette belle balade.
Les maisons rouges sont mes préférées, surtout la 53 perdue pami les arbres, la 53 entourée de prairie, et la 17 avec son abri à bateau !
Bises et à bientôt !

Comment by Marion B. — August 5, 2011 @ 14:17 | Reply
- Bonjour Marion.
  
  Tu as faite une bonne sélection de vos photos préférées. La photo La maison d’été numéro 53 est située vraiment idéalement. Je suis si heureuse que tu as prise la tournée avec nous. Je serai de retour après trois semaines; vacances, vacances.
  
  Bon week-end.
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 5, 2011 @ 14:45 | Reply
Oh, such a lovely trip you’ve taken me on, again! I can almost smell the scents of the forests and the water, andhear the crackle of the bonfire on shore. Delightful!!!! Janet

Comment by harpingjanet — August 5, 2011 @ 14:54 | Reply
- Hello Janet.
  
  Thank You. I am glad that making a cruise on one of our thousand lakes pleased to You. We love to make cruises on lakes nowadays. It is a little bit “funny”, that we “re-found” our country thru photographing. Well, it happens and I am happy.
  
  Happy week-end.
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 5, 2011 @ 15:09 | Reply
hello matti
thanks a lot for sharing these fotographies. finland is really a beautiful country . i hope you are doing fine.
have a nice weekend.

saludos
sonja

Comment by Gogole Gogolinchen — August 5, 2011 @ 19:47 | Reply
- Hello Sonja.
  
  Thank You commenting my post. I am sure that in every country there are beautiful sceneries. That what we have is water, lakes and small islands.
  
  Happy Saturday!
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 6, 2011 @ 06:56 | Reply
Wow! I’m breathless!

What gorgeous photos! What stunning scenery!

And the houses are sooo delightful.

Everything’s spectacular.

Just looking at your photos made me feel that I was there in the boat with you and Matti.

Wow!

Comment by Deli Lanoux, Ed.D. — August 5, 2011 @ 19:55 | Reply
- Hi Deli.
  
  Thank You. You said it so nicely. I am glad that You got the feeling to be with us on this cruise thru my photos.
  
  Happy Saturday!
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 6, 2011 @ 06:58 | Reply
Thanks for taking us along with you on the cruise. I was surprised to note the tree branches attached to the two ships. I’m sure there is some reason behind this, and I would enjoy learning more about it.
The cottages are neat. They are all very well cared for. The bonfire was huge.

Comment by George — August 6, 2011 @ 01:18 | Reply
- Hello George.
  
  Thank You. You have “sharp eye” when seeing those young birches on both boats. To put and to gather young birches is an old tradition at midsummer in Finland. I remember very well when my father fetched small young birches from the nearby forest and put them on both side of our porch. This was general habit at those days. Nowadays it is not so general, but that on boat, it delighted me and reminded me that custom.
  
  Happy Week-end!
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 6, 2011 @ 07:07 | Reply
What a wonderful series of photos, Matti! The Suomi is in incredibly shape for its age: I wouldn’t have guess it was anywhere near that age!

I can see why folks would want to have cottages there: it’s a very beautiful place! I would want to stay a long time!

Comment by Montucky — August 6, 2011 @ 04:57 | Reply
- Hi Montucky.
  
  Thank You. We have a lot of old steam ships in use for cruises on our lakes. These old steam ships bring to modern human a breath of the past. It has an important role to be played in these hectic days. I think that nowadays cruises on lakes are coming back to the public.
  
  Happy week-end!
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 6, 2011 @ 07:14 | Reply
What a lovely cruise you had here, I must put such a cruise on my (long) list of what I will do when i visit Finland again
I love your description of Midsummer in Finland too – and your culture of summer-houses. We have much water and many summer-houses here too, our coast-line is is as long as the distance from Denmark to Cuba! – but yours must be even longer!!!

Comment by truels — August 7, 2011 @ 00:34 | Reply
- Hi Truels.
  
  Thank You. I am glad that I succeeded to create in my post an image how people spend their summer evenings by lakes and especially at midsummer evening. This lake called Päijänne is the second biggest lake in Finland, Its area is 1080,63 km² / 417 mi².
  
  The number of lakes is 187888. This number is depending the way of calculation; depending of the size of lakes. Anyway this number is true. The length of coast line is 314604 kilometers / 195485 miles including sea, lake and river lines. From this number the costal line is 46200 kilometers / 28707 miles. These numbers I found in Internet.
  
  Happy Sunday!
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 7, 2011 @ 08:06 | Reply
  - Interesting numbers!!! I think I will check some more numbers of Denmark. They can provide good (and sometimes surprising) information – in addition to our photos
    
    Comment by truels — August 8, 2011 @ 00:12 | Reply
It must have been a great trip… And with such a nice weather… A very nice series of boat photos also, I really like it. Enjoy the weekend Matti

Comment by Tamara — August 7, 2011 @ 12:16 | Reply
Hello Tamara.

Thank You for Your visit and leaving nice comment.

Weather was at first rainy, then drizzl9ing rain and finally partly sunny. Last photos are taken nearly at 23. Although quite in the South, there was daylight enough. Tomorrow we start our holiday and we are visiting in Lapland by our car, far beyond the Arctic Circle.

Happy Sunday!

Comment by sartenada — August 7, 2011 @ 12:27 | Reply
Oh I am so jealous of you that your summer is so long!
People definitely can make full use of the daylight to do a lot of fun activities.
I saw a documentary about Midsummer festival in a village in Greenland.
Village people actually gather together to hunt whales, they would then share the meat among themselves, and preserve the meat for the cold winter.
I also saw people in Norway (?) preserve baby sea birds in salt inside a seal’s skin.
People in remote north of Scotland also have the same custom.
Do you have something similar in Suomi?

Comment by London Caller — August 7, 2011 @ 12:30 | Reply
- Hi London Caller.
  
  Thank You for commenting.
  
  What comes to summer evening lights, it is the contrary during the winter. In the most Northern part of Finland which is called Lapland, there are white nights and in winter no daylight, but twilight. In Utsjoki the endless night is between May 15th.-July 28th.
  
  Midsummer festivities are the only big one, when people are gathering together so widely. May Day is a big celebration on the first day of May, but generally people celebrate by drinking to celebrate the start of the summer. It is not for us, it is for young people. More exactly this happens on day before. In Helsinki plenty of students gather on a popular hill nearly in the middle of Helsinki to eat their own food.
  
  I think that we have a weekly happening in Finland which might not exists elsewhere, but I am not sure. Every week-end many people go for dancing in open air pavilions with live music! The sites where they are mainly, are on some beautiful place or by some river or lake. They are yet quite popular. The music which is played in these pavilions is dance music. People come to dance. Many times they might come from the distance of 200 km / 124 miles and this true. As I once mentioned to You, we are still dancing Tangos and we have Tango Festivals. We have our own tangos. Also many other traditional music is played in addition to some modern music. But for these people, to dance is just that what they are seeking, hmm, of course to meet other friends and unknowns which might not be unknowns after spending the nice evening in dancing pavilion.
  
  So have I also done. When I was young man, I went for dancing eight times in a week. Yes, You read it correct, eight times. That was made possible that we had at those days, night dances also on Saturdays; So twice on Saturday.
  
  Thank You also notifying that Finland is in Finnish Suomi.
  
  Happy Sunday!
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 7, 2011 @ 12:46 | Reply
Those are beautiful photos, and I love the wee cabins! Wooden houses always remind me of the Pacific Northwest… Did you know that the word for Finland in Scottish Gaelic is “Suomi”? I hadn’t realised that it was your own name for your country. Thanks for coming by my blog.

Comment by christinelaennec — August 7, 2011 @ 21:31 | Reply
- Hi Christine.
  
  I am so glad that You like my photos. That interesting to know that they remind those of Pacific Northwest although geographical distance is huge. Thank You giving this interesting info about the word Suomi in Scottish Gaelic; same meaning, wow.
  
  Thank You for Your visit and lovely comment.
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 8, 2011 @ 06:54 | Reply
This is exactly how I remember Suomi from when I visited years ago!

Comment by Tammy — August 8, 2011 @ 01:11 | Reply
- Hello Tammy.
  
  Oh, I am surprised that You have been here and remember that my country is in Finnish Suomi.
  
  Thank You very much leaving Your friendly comment.
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 8, 2011 @ 06:55 | Reply
What a lovely post, thank you for taking us, your readers, with you on this beautiful boat trip. The tourist office should pay you for these photos, they are so inviting. I love the small cottages.

Comment by Giiid — August 12, 2011 @ 14:02 | Reply
- Hi Giid.
  
  Thank You for Your visit and nice comment. Now I am back from vacation and will start my once a week posting.
  
  Happy Sunday!
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 28, 2011 @ 06:54 | Reply
I loved looking at all those cute little beach cottages. I’ve never heard of a midsummer eve festival, but it sounds beautiful, romantic, and peaceful…wish we had that custom here.

Comment by kateri — August 21, 2011 @ 14:57 | Reply
- Hello Kateri.
  
  It was so nice to read Your comment and at same time to know that my photos pleased to You and our habit.
  
  Happy Sunday!
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 28, 2011 @ 06:56 | Reply
Quelle belle croisière sur ce lac magnifique ! j’aime beaucoup ces petits chalets, chacun avec son style, à l’air si accueillant. La Finlande doit être un des plus beaux pays du monde, surtout à travers tes yeux ! Merci de toutes ces belles images et coutumes qui m’enchantent.

Comment by isathreadsoflife — August 22, 2011 @ 14:50 | Reply
- Bonjour Isa.
  
  Bien dit! Eh bien, chacun de nous essaye de trouver les plus beaux objets aux photos et donc je suppose, puis j’ai pu de le faire. Je suis heureux que mis photos t’as plues.
  
  Belle journée!
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 28, 2011 @ 07:00 | Reply
I’m amazed at both the similarities and differences between our pictures. You must come to Maine someday if you ever get the chance. I think you’d love it.

Comment by julietruekingsley — August 22, 2011 @ 16:32 | Reply
- Hello Julie.
  
  Really that’s true those similarities. Maybe we some day visit in Maine, who knows it. I am so glad that You left Your comment here.
  
  Happy Sunday!
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 28, 2011 @ 07:02 | Reply
That cruise looks like it was fun. The scenery is beautiful. I like the little rainbow in the sky in one of yur photos as well as that little red house on the tiny island. thanks for taking me along for the ride.

Comment by Carol King — August 25, 2011 @ 15:40 | Reply
- Hi Carol.
  
  The cruise was really great fun and experience at same time. Thank You leaving nice comment.
  
  Happy Sunday!
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 28, 2011 @ 07:03 | Reply
I’m a Brit living in Sweden and recognize midsummer… we don’t have bonfires though. We dance around the maypole.

These photos are lovely – such wonderful small cabins on these tiny islands.

Comment by ladyfi — August 28, 2011 @ 15:59 | Reply
- Hello Brit.
  
  Thank You giving this info. Although I learned Swedish in school about 50 years ago and used it once in my job, I do not know Swedish culture. So sorry.
  
  Lycklig söndag!
  
  Comment by sartenada — August 28, 2011 @ 16:05 | Reply
Your pictures are stunningly beautiful again. You capture so much within your pictures – the ripples of the lake, the reflections, the sun setting, and so much more. Pictures no. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 56 and 58 stood out and were really special. What kind of camera do you use?

Comment by luchaniktravel — June 13, 2012 @ 07:25 | Reply
- Hello Luchaniktravel.
  
  Thank You very much from Your lovely comment.
  
  About my camera. It is old Nikon D300 from 2008. As a lens I use with AF-s Nikkor 18-200mm 1:3.5-5.6 ED. Nikon is very reliable camera even in hard, cold conditions. My dream is to get Nikon D800. It is expensive, but awesome.
  
  I think that You might be interested to see more of those vintage steam ships which make cruises on our lakes.
  
  Here is a link to my old post:
  
  Lakeside ships
  
  Back to my camera. Here are some photos which I have taken in cold weather nearby the Arctic Circle:
  
  World’s biggest Snow Castle 2011
  
  I hope that You enjoy my photos.
  
  Have a lovely day!
  
  Comment by Sartenada — June 13, 2012 @ 08:07 | Reply
Just fabulous. Oh I believe if I ever came to your country I would need a month. I would definitely have to stay at one of your cottages shown here. Just love it.

Comment by kareninhonolulu — March 27, 2013 @ 23:28 | Reply
- Hello Karen.
  
  So it might be, one month. Anyway when coming from so far away to a not visited country it requires a lot of times. Every one of us has our personal interests and they are things which “determine the direction” on a visit. Happily man invented photo blogs to get better ideas of a country, because always there are things to be found which are not in travel books.
  
  Our country has invisible borders. On our Southwestern coast, there is old architecture with wooden historic wooden houses. On Eastern areas there are wilderness and close connection to the Russian culture.
  
  Here is an example that You can better understand my words:
  
  Imperial Fishing Lodge.
  
  In the North there is the magic enchantment of our Lapland. Wooden cottages, good hiking possibilities etc. Maybe You remember my series
  
  Beyond the Arctic Circle.
  
  Thank You for Your visit and comment. Have a lovely day!
  
  Comment by Sartenada — March 28, 2013 @ 08:18 | Reply