Takinkääntöviikko @ Mallusjoki

An interesting local event at Mallusjoen Seuraintalo that lasts for the whole week! Every night they have some bands playing live music, and offering beverages and bratwurst with tasty sauerkraut at an affordable price. I was there on Thursday night and it was a bit quiet - it felt as the place and amount of people was like "Nakukymppi times two", but most of the older people didn't seem to enjoy the music that much and left early. Or perhaps they were just loading batteries and getting ready to rock harder on Friday and Saturday nights.. ;)

Porvoo (Kungsbacka's farm)

This is a laid back update, as it happened already before my trip to Hanko. Well, ladies and gentlemen, here is Kungsbacka's farm, Noark "miniature world" and a few pictures from Porvoo, in any case!

A beautiful sunset in Mäntsälä

LIVE UPDATE! Regards to my wife for noticing this. :)

Tour de Road 25: Påminne

This is actually between Billnäs and Fiskars Ironworks, but just to note that this trip wasn't just about rushing to take photographs about tourist attractions.. It's great fun to take a trip down the hill with a car that doesn't have anything but a steering wheel and a brake pedal (and safety belts, of course)! :)

Tour de Road 25: Billnäs & Fiskars Ironworks

On day #2 of this trip, it was - alas - already time to start heading home. I took yet another small detour (roads 104/111/186), to visit to very beautiful industrial sites that have some historical value.

These two are among the locations that have great historic importance regarding the development of iron industry in Finland. Especially Fiskars Corporation (founded 1649) is globally known by it's brands (among others): Fiskars, Iittala, Buster, Arabia, Hackman.

Fiskari is very beautiful area in the summer time.

Tour de Road 25: Hanko

My final destination for this trip. And for this city I would use phrasing "extremely beautiful", at least during the summer days. Too bad I didn't have a boat, nor time to take a cruise to visit the lighthouses - Bengtskär, Russarö and Gustafsvärn.

Oh yes - do notice my accommodation. :)

It's most amazing that this kind of place is just approx. 170-180 kilometers away from where I live, but it feels like I'm in a whole different country..

Tour de Road 25: Tammisaari (Ekenäs)

A very, very beautiful town in the summer time.. well worth stopping by.

Tour de Road 25: Raaseporin linnanrauniot

The Raseborg Castle Ruins is a nice sight to stop by. It's interesting that this part of the coast is Swedish-speaking area (all the roads signs have Swedish before Finnish texts).

Along the castle ruins there is a cafeteria.

Tour de Road 25: Mustio

The Mustio Mansion was a bit off the Road 25 (Road 186 towards Salo), but it's a very beautiful summer resort and therefore well worth to mention.

Tour de Road 25: Lohja

I've been on summer holiday now for two weeks, and due to family situation I can't make much plans for longer trips at the moment. So I decided to take "Tour de Road 25", with a simple target that I will spend at least one night in Hanko.

Road 25 (Route 25) is also called "Kehä V", it's a circular road from Hanko to Hyvinkää. From Mäntsälä to Porvoo it is called Route 55. Some bigger cities along the road are Porvoo, Mäntsälä, Hyvinkää, Nummela, Lohja, Raasepori.

I started from Mäntsälä in the morning, and my first stop was the Tytyri Mine museum at Lohja. Pyhän Laurin Kirkko is also very nice.

Hämeen linna

The Häme Castle is a beautiful sight, located in the city of Hämeenlinna. Construction was started sometime in the 13th Century, and it served as a jail for more than a hundred years, until 1972. It was then carefully restored to it's former glory as a museum. There are also several other museums (Prison Museum, Artillery Museum) in the castle's area.

Kaunissaari (Sipoo)

I finally had a chance to visit here, as I've been planning it for years. The island was nice and beautiful.. but also seems quite crowded by campers and boaters.. some of them drunk, and looking for a party rather than peace n' quiet..

It takes one hour to get here by boat from Vuosaari, and return ticket costs 20€.

Pukkila

A town approx. 20 kilometers from Mäntsälä. Too bad it started to rain before we really got the explore the sights, like views to the Porvoo river valley from Teikarinmäki. One of the local attractions is the "Japanese Inn" (Japanilainen Majatalo). There is also a bore farm (villisikafarmi) in Pukkila.

Wäinölä Gasthaus @ Sälinkää

THE local bar, with a nicely personalized look and feel, in a small village a few kilometers away from Mäntsälä's centre. They serve good pizza. During the weekend nights one can take "karaoke taxi" to here and back. The gasthaus section also offers a few rooms for travellers.