A Bird's Eye View of Rauma

On Thursday July 7, 2011 Anne proposed that we take a walk to & check out the view from the Rauma Water Tower.  I'd walked from my B&B and it was quite hot & sunny today, so I wore a big hat.  Aleksi & Jenny were sleeping in their super stroller when I met Anne near the kirko (church.)

First we walked through the park-like section of Vanha (old) Rauma where the old church ruins and a small old cemetery is located.  I had seen this before, snow-covered in winter, when we were here for Anne & Saku's wedding.  The site now glows with the greens of midsummer.  Very shady and peaceful.

The twins were still sleeping, so we continued to walk to the current Rauma cemetery with its nice memorial chapel, which was open, so we  we could look inside.  There were people tending to graveside plantings and though it was very hot & sunny, the shade in the cemetery was welcome and the trees muffled conversations.

Our walk continued through a residential neighborhood until we got to the water tower.  The twins' double stroller just fit in the elevator and they continued to sleep as we rose up twenty floors or so (?) to the café and observation deck.  Here was what we saw:

 Holy Cross Church (white structure on L) 

At horizon:  Pulp (L) and Paper (R) Factories 

I liked viewing the sea and the port.  The breeze up there felt great!
Then we had coffee and cake.  When the twins woke up they had some pullah (coffee bread) and strawberry flavored baby milk in their bottles.  They got cranky stuck in the stroller, so for a few minutes Anne let them crawl around the floor of the café.  At this point we were the only customers, and the twins were happy but then their excited chortling alternated with angry yells told us it was time to move on.

This was the perfect field trip with the twins.   Cheap (2€ per adult, children in strollers, free) and close to home.   They even liked the ride down the elevator.  From there we roamed around Vanha Rauma a little bit more.  Found the Rauma Lace Society's shop (on the corner of Kauppakatu and Itakatu) where they sell distinctive Rauma lace at better prices than the gift stores.  Will go back there soon to purchase a couple of lace hankies.

Also found a potter with the cutest ceramic cats.   Would like one of those but fear the "extra" suitcase I brought for presents is getting pretty fully and heavy!    Just a few more purchases are planned, like the Marimekko bedding I'd like to bring home for my daughters.

This weekend we are going to Pori for the Jazz Festival.   Anne hints she may need to tie me up to keep me from shopping too much there!