The lake at Esse

Finland a retrospective look

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April 11th 2004
We had come to Finland to visit our son, wife, granddaughter and family. Esse is a village near Jakobstad, which is about 300 miles north of the capital Helsinki opposite Sweden, across from Umea. First impressions were of vast areas of forest with cleared areas of farmland. I was to learn about the 188 thousand lakes and the interesting weather, it can be -30c. in winter and +30c in summer ... read more

Europe » Finland » Uusimaa » Helsinki

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Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its f... ... read more