Whilst yesterday was a quick journey, today we would be driving most of the day, nearly five hours (without breaks) to get to Vaasa.
About an hour into our trip we came across the Järvelänjärvi Rest Area. It was a lovely spot and the water was so clear that we could see the bottom of the lake with little fish darting under the lily pads.
Our first scheduled stop was a rest area in Himanka on the banks of the Lestijoki River. We plugged the kettle in and enjoyed a coffee at a picnic table nearby.
Fifteen minutes outside the centre of Vaasa is the Ruins of Old Vaasa.
Vaasa was a densely built town predominately built from wood and was almost utterly destroyed in 1852. A fire started in a barn belonging to the district court judge in the early hours of 3 August, 1852. At noon the whole town was ablaze and by evening most of the town had burned to the ground. Out of 379 buildings only 24 privately owned buildings had survived.
The ruins of the church, belfry, town hall and the school are maintained and are now a popular tourist destination on the outskirts of the newly established town.
After looking around the ruins, we made our way to our hotel, located on Vaskiluoto Island on the banks of the Gulf of Bothnia. After a long day in the car, walking along the beach was so refreshing and a perfect way to end the day.
Cool Stuff We Did 