We went into Lappeenranta. The centre of the town wasn't at its best as there was major construction work going on. We were able to admire from the outside the wooden Lappee church, built in 1794, having a 'double cruciform' floor plan, the only one of this kind in Finland. It was locked, of course. It has a separate bell tower a short distance away.
We had planned lunch out today and made our way to the Wolkoff Restaurant, of which Lonely Planet says:
"This grand old-world restaurant utilises organic produce and seasonal ingredients to create gourmet Finnish cuisine with adventurous flavour combinations like reindeer tartare with Dijon mustard ice cream, and duck breast with plum, sweet potato and dark wheatbeer sauce. The laden lunch buffet is a veritable bargain."
Fortunately, the reindeer tartare wasn't on today. We went for their lunch buffet and the main course was chicken wrapped in saltimbocka on a bed of sliced runner beans and quinoa. Quite delicious.
The restaurant is named after a Russian merchant family who lived in the adjacent house from 1872 until 1986. For much of the year (until August) it is open to the public furnished as it would have been in the late 1800s.
Having been a cold, dull and overcast day, it had started raining while we were in the restaurant. We there drove over the cobbled road that passes through Linnoitus, a very large fortification which was begun by the Swedes and finished by the Russians in the late 18th century. On either side of the road, are galleries, craft workshops and museums, including the South Karelian Museum, Cavalry Museum and Lappeenranta Art Museum. Its Orthodox Church, pale blue with a green roof, Finland’s oldest church, was completed in 1785 by Russian soldiers.
Saimaa is Finland's largest lake but it has numerous islands within it. We took a delightful drive, a circular route across some of the islands. The autumnal colours of the trees added to the enjoyment, despite the rain.
I think that, at this point, we are probably at our farthest distance from home.
Amanda
Today it has been raining. We have been so
fortunate with the weather that we can't even remember the last time
we had rain! We had already decided that today would be a rest day,
i.e. minimal driving and two consecutive overnights in the same place.
Off late morning into Lappeenranta, only just over 2km away, but
we took the camper so that we could explore a bit further as well.
The town (or is it a city?) feels pretty big, and has a population of
72,000. We wanted to try lunch in a place recommended in Lonely
Planet. We have not found LP particularly helpful in the main, but
occasionally it comes up trumps. This was one of those occasions. It
describes Wolkoff Cafe and Restaurant as an old world traditional
Finnish Restaurant serving gourmet Finnish Cuisine from fresh local
organic ingredients. Although the main menu is a bit pricey, it
recommends the buffet lunch as excellent value at 15 euros. It was
indeed. Field mushroom soup with lovely crusty bread, salad buffet, a
main course of Chicken Saltimbocca on a bed of runner beans and
quinoa, and coffee and crisp biscuits to finish. The restaurant was
small, unpretentious and friendly, and clearly full of locals. A
very pleasing experience.
The main attraction in the town is Linnoitis, a fortress on a grassy mound overlooking the harbour, started by the Swedes and finished by the Russians in the 18th century. The old buildings now house a range of museums, craft shops and cafes, and it is all very attractive. We contented ourselves with a drive along the cobbled street running through the middle, and enjoyed viewing the buildings in the dry, feeling a bit wimpish!
The main attraction in the town is Linnoitis, a fortress on a grassy mound overlooking the harbour, started by the Swedes and finished by the Russians in the 18th century. The old buildings now house a range of museums, craft shops and cafes, and it is all very attractive. We contented ourselves with a drive along the cobbled street running through the middle, and enjoyed viewing the buildings in the dry, feeling a bit wimpish!
Emerging on the other side we continued north out of the town to drive a little circuit of about 20km across some of the islands in the lake, all linked by bridges. It was well worth it to enjoy a glimpse of this Karelian Lake District, which stretches on northwards and is renowned for its beauty. The islands are all densely tree covered, and the autumn colours absolutely stunning - brilliant golds and reds. Even in the rain, there were some beautiful views as we crossed each bridge.
Then back to the campsite to hunker down with mugs of tea and the heater on, and catch up with some reading. Venturing out for showers was a bit of an effort, but now we are settled again for the evening, with scrambled eggs on toast and a couple of episodes of Mad Men to look forward to.
No comments:
Post a Comment