DAY 150 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 22 TAMPERE

We validated our Eurail Pass in Brussels on May 25 and it lasts 3 months so expires on Friday 24 August. We took our last trip on it today and as usual had no problem hopping on trains and showing it. We have not had a good look at the famous lakes of Finland which are the most expansive of any country.  Our Europe by Eurail book recommended Tampere, Finland's 3rd largest city at 200,000, as it is situated at the junction of two huge inland lakes.  We caught the 9.07 train and arrived at 10.52 in time for morning tea at the station and some good advice at the i office.  We followed the self-guided walks on the map and suddenly came across the town cathedral.

Wow.  The brochure claimed it was the most beautiful church in Finland and we believed it. It is not a particularly old town but old enough to boast a puffing billy.

It has always been an industrial city so this turbine acted as a symbol for them.

No idea what it was used for. There was a difference in height of 30 or more metres between the two lakes and 6000 years ago the water broke through the isthmus and set up a permanent line of rapids and the town was established around this.  Now they have some dams that regulate the rapids.

One of the bridges across the river is used by lovers to publicise their link by attaching a padlock.  Not as many as in Paris.

Like most countries in Europe they love their flower boxes in summer.

As we walked around the edge of the lower lake we saw this ship MV Tampere.  It was about to take off on a one and a half hour lunch cruise so we hopped on just in time at 12.30.

This was the best way to get to see the lake and appreciate its size.  Here are two photos along the way.

Nice place to live or have a summer house.  The ship had an entertainer who sang "Ring of Fire".

A delicious buffet lunch with berry dessert was very enjoyable. All this for 33 euros. Shortly after landing we found this gingerbread house which seemed typical of the town's feelings about cakes.

We explored the town further and worked our way up to the higher lake to take these pictures.

 Walked back to our nicely decorated train,

and got back to Helsinki quickly.  As we walked home we had a conversation with this man from Guyana who was playing his Reggae CDs in the square and walking a rope. He gave us a postcard.

Calls himself the Black Superman.  Also dresses as the Black Santa, which is very appropriate here. Today was our closest position we have been to the Arctic.