Holiday in Finland 8 - Visiting friends in Kuopio (Week 1)

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A wonderful reunion - after 25 years - with my old friends Ritva and Tapio in Kuopio. They live by a large body of water called Kallavesi: from their place you could sail to Florida (where they have a holiday house), or to our place in Australia, at Sydney's Bilgola Plateau! Not in their dingy though, that we used for sightseeing (see photos below)!

A new housing estate.

Male bonding in a sauna.

Storm approaching.

Mental massage.

Morning swim at Kallavesi lake.

Holiday in Finland 7 - Olavinlinna Castle in Savonlinna (Week 1)

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Olavinlinna in the town of Savonlinna is the venue for the world renown 

Savonlinna Opera Festival, which was on during our drive-through. No time for 

stopping though for the night, unfortunately.

Holiday in Finland 6 - Driving through Punkaharju (Week 1)

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These photos are of the medieval road connecting the two castles, Olavinlinna 

and Viipurinlinna. It's on an esker between two beautiful lakes. It was a rainy 

morning - the afternoon we spent at Retretti, a unique summer art exhibition 

venue in a man made cave.

Holiday in Finland 5 - Imatra (Week 1)

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Imatra, Valtionhotelli, Imatrankoski:

Holiday in Finland 4 - Porvoo (Week 1)

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Left Helsinki for Kuhmo, first stop Porvoo: