Summary of a truly outstanding holiday.

Once again, we had a truly fabulous holiday in Finland. We returned to one of the cottages we also stayed at in 2012, and it has been extended and further improved by its owner this year. It's not far from the town of Jyvaskyla, but it offers total peace and seclusion, and has a really wonderful sauna next to its lake, Palvajarvi. Having been to Finland now for a total of seven holidays, we think we have found the most beautiful place yet to stay. It has everything. With that in mind, we have already decided to return to the same cottage in 2014.

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Photos from Saturday

Tomorrow, we leave this fantastic cottage and setting to head home to Scotland. It has been a really wonderful fortnight here, for the second year. We love it. And we plan to return again in 2014.

Anna's folks left for St Petersburg earlier this afternoon, and they too enjoyed their stay here a lot.

Here are some photos from our last full day here:

Olivia made this salad with help from her Russian grandad.

In the garden.

And by beautiful Lake Palvajarvi.

Thumbs up from Keith!

Looking out to the lake :-)

Sandy chilling out.

What a setting!

We love it here!

Keith has swum many miles in this lake over the past 2 weeks!

Just before Anna's folks left to return home.

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Swimming here is heavenly!

Earlier today we went to Jyvaskyla to do some shopping. It seems the sales here in Finland are much more attractive than the prices in St Petersburg- and I believe it, as I bought a couple of shirts in H&M which were originally €20 each but were reduced to €5 each. So I shouldn't have been surprised that Anna's mum and Olga spent a long time this morning searching for bargains! Keith meanwhile bought himself an Angry Birds cushion, which should look just great in his living room! He has already bought a T-shirt and a cap on previous shopping trips, so he has had fun buying things here.

Keith loved the swings at the zoo-park!

This afternoon we returned to the zoo up the road for a while before coming back and getting a quick dinner ready and eaten, as the weather was now the best of the day, with warm sunshine meaning the spectacular setting on the lake was back. I have said it before, but it's simply stunning here in the sunshine, and we sat out, enjoyed the sauna and swam until just about 9.30pm.

Scissors dive into the lake!

Anna surveys the setting here!

Getting some height!

What a setting!

My turn to leap into Lake Palvajarvi.

Enjoying the late evening sunshine.

Supper for the ducks!

Time for bed!

Tomorrow, we're planning a visit to the spa at Peruunka where we'll enjoy the swimming and slides. 

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Central Finland Aviation Museum

Yesterday, with the weather being a bit cooler and more showery, we decided to visit the aviation museum that is a little to the north of Jyvaskyla, in Tikkakoski. It was a 30 minute drive from here, but was easy to find once we got there.
Once there, we came across a large number of aircraft that dated back right to the start of flight, and it was very interesting to read about the history of flight from a Finnish perspective- having already been recently to the Museum of Flight close to our home. To be honest, I really enjoyed the museum here, as did the others- with a large number of German aircraft from the war being displayed, it was different from our own museum!

In the evening, back home, we heated the sauna and had some swims in the lake, which felt very warm- unsurprising, as the air temperature was significantly cooler than the water temperature. :-)

Blueberry picking in the morning yesterday.

This weekend past, many Finns watched the annual Tango dancing championships from Seinajoki. Here, Anna captured a couple of trees engaged in a tango!

The crop is plentiful as usual!

Back home, Keith enjoys the bounty!

Olivia training to fly...

Fighter pilot Keith...

The whole group.

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A late evening swim last night

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, we planned to head to the nearby lake where the public diving board is situated, to have a little swim there. We were only there for a short time, but took a few pictures.
Olivia, as usual, was the most daring on the diving boards, leaping from the top level this time!

Walking down to the lake, Keith beside Anna's dad. 

Sandy diving from the low diving board.

That's me from the middle board.

Olivia plummets from the top!

Back home later, watching the live speedway on my laptop by the lake here.

Today, we plan to visit the central Finland aircraft museum which is close to Jyvaskyla.  

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Visitors from the east arrive!

Yesterday afternoon Anna's family arrived from St Petersburg. The weather was boiling when they got here- about 27c but I was aware that thunder was forecast, so we encouraged them to enjoy the lake for a while before any rain arrived. In fact the taxi driver's wife was the first to dive into the lake- it must have been a long journey for her too!

It was very hot when Anna's folks arrived yesterday afternoon.

Sausages almost ready- just before a big thunderstorm struck!

After a couple of hours I barbequed some sausages down by the waterside, but just as we were about to eat them there, the heavens opened, and we took refuge indoors! The rain passed quite quickly though, and we were able to go out again later in the evening. I was watching speedway news appear from the 4 team tournament championship at Peterborough, and in fact my team Edinburgh won the whole event, so by the time it was all over, it was getting a bit late to put anything on the blog last night. And tonight, I will be watching more speedway live on my laptop, as Edinburgh rider Craig Cook is one of the riders in the team GB squad riding in the World Team Cup event at King's Lynn, so I am putting these pictures from yesterday and today on now, to avoid needing to do so late this evening again. There is a lot of speedway on this week!

In Jyvaskyla this morning.

Time for coffees.

On the way back home from town.

This morning we headed into Jyvaskyla to walk around the centre. Sandy and Olivia spent some of their money and we all had ice creams in the sunshine.

In the hot tub again!

Back home this afternoon, we did the usual thing in the sunshine- more sauna/swimming/sauna/swimming sessions! As the forecast for the rest of the week is very uncertain at the moment, it's important to enjoy the good weather while we can. After dinner in a short while, I will see who wants to go along to the nearby lake where the public beach and diving board is, before coming back for the speedway. This afternoon, my brother Keith has swum from 1.45pm until 5.40pm, with only short sessions in the sauna in between! Incredible!

Somewhere in there are Olga, Keith and Anna!

By the jetty.

Click on the picture and in the distance, it should be possible to spot Keith!

On the trampoline just before dinner. 

Dinner!

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Saturday 13th July

I took this at 12.25am- showing that it's not dark here even in the middle of the night!

I was following speedway on the net last night until late, so I didn't actually get round to writing about yesterday as I was tired when it finished, so I'm writing early about it now on Sunday.

Leaping again into the lake!

Sandy and Olivia with Alexsi and Alvar.

With Petri and Sari.

Fun in and around the lake.

Time to relax!

How to describe yesterday? Firstly, the weather was absolutely fantastic, the best day since we arrived! Cloudless skies, very warm, with the temperature hovering around 25c most of the day, no wind- just perfect! And the lake was noticeably warmer too again. It's just beautiful to jump into at the moment, after you come, sweating, from the sauna! Oh man- it's fair to say that we all really adore it here. 

And yesterday, we had our friends Sari, Petri, Aleksi and Alvar here too. They arrived at about noon and were soon exploring the place, admiring the cottage and the garden too. Then we were in the lake, before lunch and during the afternoon we were repeatedly in the lake, the sauna, the hot-tub, in between eating lunch and dinner. 

Sandy and his pal Alvar.

Keith loves it here. He is swimming an incredible distance each day in the warm sunshine. 

Olivia posing by the trampoline...

...and showing off!

By the local beach, about 3 or 4 km away.

Jumping off the small diving board.

And from the bigger one!

I think we'll return here again!

Once they left in the evening, we returned to swimming once again, and Olivia and I decided to drive along to the next lake, about 3 or 4 minutes away, where there is a public diving board and beach, just to check it out. While we were away Keith continued with yet more swimming here, with Anna and Sandy just jumping in and out. Petri commented while he was here that he had never seen someone swim as much as Keith- and we reckon he must have swum several kilometres yesterday! Anyway, at the neighbouring lake, Olivia and I found a good few folk still swimming and diving, even though it was now about 8.45pm. The water there was equally warm, so I think we'll maybe return there with everyone one day this week. 

Later today, Anna's family will arrive from St Petersburg, and it is already very hot there this morning...

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