Ben and I boarded a 6:54 AM train headed for Joensuu, towards the Russian border about a third of the way up Finland. From there we caught a cab for a 35km ride to a family farm just past Liperi (I know – never heard of these places either – look ’em up if you like!). Ben had found eighty year-old Rolf and his model train set with a Google search. Rolf retired about fifteen years ago from DB Rail in Essen Germany and moved with his wife to her family homestead in Finland. There, Rolf spent all of his time building a very impressive N-scale (small gauge) model railway. Over his lifetime he collected almost a thousand locomotives and railcars. The layout is in a two century old stable.
After we viewed the trains the family invited us into their farmhouse to join them for coffee and cakes. Parents, grandkids, and cousins had converged to celebrate Easter. Ben and I were warmly welcomed and treated to authentic Finnish treats. My favourite was the homemade fruit bread with sweet whipped butter/cream. Wow. Two of the young granddaughters gave us a ride to the nearest whistle stop and we got on a small local train to Pieksämäki for an overnight.
Waking up Easter Sunday morning in tiny Pieksämäki was a bit unnerving. NOTHING open. Cold, drizzling rain, and not a coffee in sight. Luckily, an odd looking cafe looked like it was going to open at 9:00. The sign in Finnish on the door was complete gibberish as far as we were concerned. We put in time walking around, and then, yahoo, open. The woman behind the counter was stern and efficient, pointing at her small collection of baked goods and stewed prunes. They were all delicious. Coffee good too. We were ready for our leisurely train departure at 11:40 to Oulu.
The weather began to get worse, with snow in the forecast. We walked from the Oulu train station to our hotel in a steady cold rain, while searching for a place to eat. Not good. After checking in, the rain reduced to a drizzle so I walked down to the harbour. Oulu would be a very happening place in the summer. Lots of outdoor pubs and restaurants, a beautiful setting of water and islands, and very unique marine type architecture. Not so inviting in cold damp early April. I took a different route home and saw a kebab joint that looked OK, so Ben and I gave them our business. Very good. Early to bed for another (!) very early departure in the morning.
We arrived in Tornio, at the top of the Gulf of Bothnia (the extension of the Baltic Sea), the border between Finland and Sweden. We tried to hail a cab, but ended up walking the 6 kms to the hotel in Haparanda, in Sweden on the other side of the Torne River. Not a pleasant walk – cold and wet, carrying luggage. The hotel is beautiful though, and being the Easter weekend, we were the only guests. They gave us the key pad entry code and left our keys on the reception desk. So nice. We found coffee and a snack at the tobacco shop across the street and spent the morning warming up in our rooms.
After an ice cream treat for lunch I walked back to the border and retraced to the hotel along the river shoreline. The river was still ice-covered, but the walk was pleasant in a very light drizzle. The Tornio Railway Bridge was built in 1919 and was a busy freight and passenger gateway incorporating both the Swedish standard gauge and Finland’s narrow. Passenger traffic slowly dwindled after road bridges were built so now the bridge carries only freight.
Tomorrow we board an early train for a 8.5 hour trip to Sundsvaal, through Boden and Umeaa. The train follows the rugged Baltic Sea coast of Sweden so should offer some impressive views.
Finnish Family Model Trains
Oulu
Haparanda
