Chilling at the Rauma Library

This is just a quick note about the GREAT public library in Rauma.  Did I mention that when I explained I was a foreign visitor who wanted to pay for temporary borrowing privileges, they GAVE me a library card at no charge!  Amazing. Being Finnish, the nice lady librarian pointed out that my 1st card is free, but there is a charge for replacements!  I said "Of course," and "kiitos!"  It is really pretty too with sailing ships from a 19th c. painting of the harbor here, I think.

Rauma Library

 Anyway.  They have great internet access, a nice, little, inexpensive cafe in the lobby, which is open with wi-fi, at least a half hour before the library and several shelves of English language novels.

I have gone there twice now to check out & return books and use the free wi-fi. I could stay all day.  I LOVE libraries!

On the way back to the B&B I found more of the Rauma "public art" in the form of statues of people doing ordinary things: 

Rauma Statue:  Swimmer Ladies

I think this is the artist!

These "swimmers" are very much like the ones I saw 2 years ago when we were in Rauma for Anne & Saku's wedding in February 2009.  Lassi (Anne's dad) took us on a civic tour and we walked through the town sports complex that included an indoor swimming pool with a large observation window.  Through that I saw three statues of swimmer ladies perched near the benches for watching competitions.  Maybe they move outdoors for the summer!  The Church of the Holy Cross in Rauma also has a statue of an older lady with a "bun" of gray hair, a modest little black hat and a prayer book.  She is seated near a pillar in a back pew!  Elsewhere in this blog you will see my photos of the "lady on a park bench" statue in Pori. 

I enjoyed the many public flower gardens in Rauma.  This one with the anchor was near the library:

Floral Coat of Arms, Rauma, Finland

This bed was near the entrance to Vanha (Old) Rauma near the "K" City Market and Post Office.