Day Sixty Saturday 17th September

Leaving our strange little overnight place behind - the 'workers had arrived back in three identical pick up trucks yesterday evening, cooked in the 'summer kitchen' and gone again by the time we were up this morning, but not disturbed us at all - we drove along side roads to our next destination, Hanko, the most southerly town in Finland. By now the camper is used to getting dusty on rough unmetalled roads, and Geoff's eyes positively light up at the chance to get right off the beaten track. Pocket Earth is also proving more help so far in Finland than it was in Sweden.

We were surprised and very pleased to find Silversands Campsite, just outside Hanko and right on the coast, open for business. It is a big site, but there are few visiting units scattered among the trees. There are also the usual little cabins dotted around. We had coffee and cake in the little cafe, whilst doing the Internet stuff. Wifi, though free, is 'unreliable' - the owner's words,- and patience was needed.

Hanko is an interesting place. It was built as a Spa Town in the late 19th century, and was a popular place for the Russion nobility; there are rows of large, faded, once glorious, villas in tree lined roads to be seen. The centre of the town and the beach areas are also very attractive, with small green parks, tree-lined squares, and pleasant buildings. We visited a photographic exhibition in the TIO building, part of the Town Hall,The photographer and his wife live in North Karelia, and his photographs - some wildlife, some views- are taken near their home. We very nearly bought one, and would have done, I'm sure, had we not each fallen in love with different ones. We are planning to visit South Karelia, to the east of Helsinki, next week.

A quick walk up to the church, where a wedding had been taking place as we arrived, but was now closed, and a massive Water Tower, and we resolved to stay an extra night and explore more tomorrow.

Outside the areas already mentioned it is all quite drab and utilitarian. It very much has an Eastern Block feel to it, and is very different from the rest of Scandinavia - indeed Finland does not consider itself to be part of Scandinavia.The language is totally different. Most signs are in both Finnish and Swedish, as Swedish is also an official language. And whereas we found that pretty much everyone spoke English in the other countries we have visited, here those who do, do so much less fluently.

We shopped in Lidl, and cooked in the campsite kitchen near the beach, whilst watching the red sun set over the sea, and looking forward to a Sunday rest day here! Although we managed to eat in the outside covered area by the kitchen, it is decidedly chilly. On our return to the camper, (torches required to find our way through the trees in the dark) a. quick blast of the heater was very welcome, and hot water bottles may be required.