Savonlinna, Finland

Savonlinna, Finland

     On Thursday, we slept in attempting to recover from the previous day.  However, our travels were not over as we had to catch a 5-hour train ride north to Savonlinna (wedding location). While waiting on the train, PDub asked me if I thought they would allow him to drive the train; I guess he thought his degree in engineering meant more.  Thankfully a true engineer (conductor) drove us through the rocky hills, forests, and lakes of Finland and landed us in the beautiful Savonlinna, which happens to be a chain of islands on several lakes.  We checked into our room at the Sokos Seurahuone Hotel that overlooked the lake.  Downfall: we had two twin beds, which made us feel like we were back in the 50's questioning if we should push them together.

"I got my degree in engineering...Let me go ahead and take the wheel.  Plus I look pretty snazzy with this cup of coffee."  Thankfully I've trained him out of using the pinky-up drinking technique.  Great improvement, PDub.

Our first train ride....ever.

The view from our room.

     After only having some mini homemade donuts at the train station in Helsinki, we were starved, so we headed to the lakeside Restaurant Kalastajan Koju for some fried muikko fish, a recommendation from the bride and a local favorite.  Just like the newest KFC commercial with the dad saying, "I ate the BONES!" you actually did eat these bones; something strange for both PDub and I, but you couldn't even tell they were there.  I am not a seafood fan by any means, but these were pretty good.  After a walk by the lake and stumbling upon a castle (that we visited the next day), we ate some ice cream and headed to bed to watch some Finnish television (highly populated with tall blondes), a Julia Roberts movie, and finally deep sleep.  Unlike anywhere in the continental USA, Finland does not find darkness in the summer nights and instead only a dusk color if and when the sun goes down.  It makes you feel like you can stay up into the late hours and by far does not help with those of us who have issues with time changes.

Bbbbbeer.  Koff....a Finnish thing.

More beer....and a photo bomber in the background.

Fishie!

At the restaurant overlooking the lake.

Our scenic walk.

More scenery....and I'm not referring to PDub.

I found a Castle!