Day 24: Finland, Rovaniemi

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Day 24: Tuesday 30th. May 2006: Clear day: 3 hour trip by bus to Rovaniemi, to Hotel Santa for the key to hostel. Our room was not ready so we dumped our cases and went for a walk into town. Found a cheap place to eat as much as you can - great for starving backpackers. Picked up our key and walked (up hill) to the hostel which is ex-hotel. Our room was ok (twin with own bathroom) but the kitchen so small and yuk and a sign by light switch said "DO NOT USE". Time to go shopping for:- cup, plate, knife, fork and spoon. Yes., one can provide a meal in a cup and small plate come bowl. A Japanese tourist carried her own burner for cooking.

Day 25: Overcast then raining and very cold max 6C: Today we visited the Santa Claus Centre - right on the ARCTIC CIRCLE. As Vera said "it is a big fib that one side is warmer than the other. We had our picture taken with Santa; the Post Office was open - the rest are souvenir shops. A bit disappointing. Back to the nice little buffet for lunch, to the library to send e-mails and then a walk to the beautiful Lutheran church which has a roof completely made of copper, beautiful etchings on the walls and a mural behind the altar. A stroll through the cemetery of course, and around the river and park. Fighter jets flew over every so often -apparently doing surveillance.

Day 26: 1st. June 2006: Rain then clear skies and COLD: It was another day to wrap up warm for our walk to the ARKTIKUM - a museum with a fabulous display dedicated to the culture and history of Finland, Rovaniemi and the people, through the ice ages then through the years of occupation by the Russians then Germans before independance in 1944. The building itself is interesting as the photos show with the walls in the corridor displaying maps, pictures and work by schoolchildren.

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