Day 7: No better place to be than right here!

With the lake like this, it's hard to drag yourself away!

Occasionally over the years, I've wondered if it's worth the bother of adding all these photos day by day to new blogs each time we visit Finland, but days like today make me certain that it's a great thing to be doing. Looking back through some of the posts I have written, and some of the photos from earlier years brings so much back, so many lovely memories that can never be forgotten.

 Relaxing up by the church this morning.

 A spot of rock climbing!

 Beautiful floral displays are all over the centre of Jyvaskyla.

Looking down the pedestrian precinct.

And today brought the opportunity to take lots more wonderful photos. The day turned out to be the best of the holiday so far, with warm, then hot sunshine from the word go, and lasting right until a few minutes ago as the sun has finally come lower in the sky. It won't go down for quite a long time yet, and of course, it'll be back up again very shortly after that, as there are no real nights here at the moment. Incredibly, the temperature of the water has risen to 21C, which is a rise of 4C since yesterday morning, meaning it felt so much more agreeable!

We headed into town this morning, and wandered around here and there in the warmth, while Anna's family spent the last of their money in various department stores. It seems difficult to believe that it's actually considerably cheaper to shop here in Finland than in Russia, but with various sanctions being waged against Russia over the past year, and with things set to (more than likely) worsen what with the stationing of thousands of NATO troops close to the Russian border being agreed just a few days ago, it would appear that bargains are easier to find here in Jyvaskyla than in St Petersburg.

 Heading back to our place - wonderful scenery!

 Sandy's way out in the lake, Olivia is much closer. Keith was in the sauna!

 After much persuasion, Anna finally swam out to the platform!

And she couldn't be kept off it once she was there!

Once back home, we simply sunbathed and swam, enjoyed the sauna for hours on end, and repeated the process again and again. I barbequed some pork this evening which was delicious, and we swam and sauna-ed more until a wee while ago when we decided to stop to get ready to watch France take on Portugal in the Euro final.Tomorrow, we have the morning here, before we take Anna's folks back down to Lahti for their train home. The week has gone quickly!

 Dragonfly by the sauna.

Olivia dives in well to the lake.

Down by the jetty.

My turn to dive in once again!

A side view of the sauna, with Anna's dad fishing.

Relaxing in the evening sunshine.