Town | Travels in Finland and abroad

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

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July 1, 2011

Medieval castle of Olavinlinna / Castillo medieval de Olavinlinna / Château médiéval de Olavinlinna

Filed under: Best places to go,Castle-Olavinlinna,Towns-Savonlinna,Travel in Finland — Sartenada @ 06:12
Tags: Architecture, auberge, bastille, borg, burcht, burg, cabane, castello, castelo, Castillo, Castillo medieval de san Olaf, Castle, castle photos, castle pics, castles in finland, castles in summer, castles in winter, Château, Château médiéval de St Olaf, château-fort, church, citadela, citadelle, cittadella, détention, dentro castillo medieval olavinlinna, Europe, Festung, Finland, fort, fotos del castillo de san olaf, gnouf, Herrenhaus, historic, historic castles, historical, Historical castles, History, history of st olaf's castle, hrad, στενή, φυλακή, κάστρο, kale, kastély, kasteel, Knast, lapák, medieval, Medieval castle of St Olaf, Museum, Nordic countries, Olavinlinna, olavinlinna castle, old castles, opera festivals, opera festivals in savonlinna, palais, palota, Photography, Photojournalism, photos from medieval castles, photos vieux châteaux en finlande, Piece of metal, Places, Prison, Resort, san olaf, saray, Savonlinna, savonlinna sights, Scandinavia, schloss, sightseeing in savonlinna, Sites, slot, solar, st olaf, St. Olaf’s Castle, taule, Tourism, Town, Travel, Travel destination, Travel photography, Travel photos, Treasure, vár, violon, Visits, zámek

In English:

Olavinlinna is in English St. Olaf’s Castle and in Swedish it is Olofsborg, is a fortification. It was founded in 1475 by Danish born knight Erik Axelsson Tott. St. Olaf’s Castle is said that it is the oldest medieval stone castle here in the North. Its purpose was to protect Russian attacks from the East.

The castle is situated on an island in the middle of fast-flowing river. This did not finally help against the enemy which took it over in 1714. To me it was curious to hear from guide that did not have cannons. Solders were using bows and swords! The stairs of the castle were planned very narrow and steep. In those old days solders were right handed and that meant when attacking in stairs only left handed enemy could use sword with skill.

Originally Olavinlinna had four towers, but the fourth was damaged badly in 1714. Only three lowest were left, raised later and the fourth was dismounted. Water was on much more higher level and it can be seen in photo # 52. Photos 53 and 54 are presenting the ram of castle. It is said that once when the castle was attacked in the darkness of night, the ram came standing over wall and enemy was frightened it. Maybe they were superstitious and thought that they saw the devil, but who knows.

There is one interesting curiosity – world’s first water closet. Outside it can be seen in photos # 9 and # 10 Inside You can see it in photo #36. When a man went in the toilet, everything went straight into a river. At historic days the level of water was at more higher level. I have always been thinking what fishes thought about this.

By car from Helsinki it takes 3 hour and 30 minutes to the town of Savonlinna. It is open for public year round, but part (big courtyard) of it is closed during Savonlinna Opera Festivals which are held in July.
The castle is worth for visit, if I say it very simply. My series of photos are from 2006, 2007 and 2011, so You see that I love it. In 2011, I visited also in winter and then I took photos from big courtyard which closed during Opera Festivals. My photos are ending with winter photos and with three scale model to give better overview. I hope that my photos give to You good idea about Olavinlinna.

Resumen esn español:

El castillo de Olavinlinna se halla en un ciudadillo de Savonlinna y fue fundado en 1475. Es el mejor castillo preservado en Escandinavia entera. Durante verano allí hay Festival de Ópera de Savonlinna.
Résumé en francais:

Château-fort de Olavinlinna est situé dans une petite ville de Savonlinna et il a été fondé en 1475. Il est le mieux préservé château-fort dans toute la Scandinavie. Pendant l’été, il est le lieu de Festival d’opéra de Savonlinna.