After completing our ski on Day 6, we took the bus to Kemi where we would stay the night at the Hotel Merihovi. Dinner consisted of a buffet including meatballs in heavy gravy, whipped potatoes, salad, bread, and a wide array of cookies. I quickly ran through two plates and headed for the front desk to get suggestions on a direction for a walking tour ahead of the evening’s informational meeting at 8:00. The desk clerk suggested heading straight toward the Bay of Bothnia as the sun was about to set, then cutting across to the snow castle before looping back.
The views at the waterfront were awesome!
I understand Kemi's economy centers on a couple paper and wood pulp mills as well as the only chromium mine in Europe. Walking the town, it seems densely populated with quite a number of four and five story apartment buildings or condominiums.
It was getting dark out as I reached the snow castle and it was interesting to see its maze which I am sure has to be a lot of fun for young children due to its tall, thick walls.
I looped back to the Hotel Merihovi by way of a Lutheran church designed in a gothic revival style and built in 1902 which was cool to see as day was transitioning to night.
I returned to the hotel for the informational meeting and afterwards enjoyed talking to one of the Finnish skiers, Matti, about Remote Workforce Keweenaw and genealogy. He had an interesting story about his grandmother who had come from a very large Swedish family where the mother had passed away and then one of her older sisters brought her to Tornio where she was left to be raised by a wealthy Finnish family. Matti also made me aware of a shopping mall in Tornio that opened to Finland on one side and Sweden on the other. I decided I would need to check that out.
I was feeling incredibly gimpy as I turned in as the over two mile walk I had taken did not positively impact on my condition. It would be a game time decision on distance in the morning.
Here’s where you run out of Keith or skiing. I’m betting on a well earned journey for Keith.