2 Jun 2012
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Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Yakima WA
Posts: 146
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5/31
Today is museum day. Rovaniemi has a good museum, the Arktikum, that covers life in the far North and the local area.
Mike at the Arktikum
Rovaniemi was a major military post during the 2nd world war period and the area was under siege from Russia. Russian wanted use of Northern Finland land strategically because Germany’s expansionism. Finland wanted to maintain their neutrality and said no. In 1939, Russia attacked Finland but Finland fought back to the point of humiliating the Russians. But the Russians came back the following year and attacked the Karelian Isthmus in North Finland. This time the Finnish army was on the verge of total collapse. Finland was saved only by agreeing quickly to Soviet terms in a “peace agreement.” Russia got a lot of Finland land and 400,000 refuges had to be moved out of the ceded territories. Russia kept pushing Finland beyond the terms of the agreement. Finland didn’t trust the Russians so they allied with Germany. German forces moved in to help protect Finland…that is until England declared war on Finland for allying with the Germans. US didn’t declare war but still, Finland was forced to kick the Germans out of their country. The Germans were very pissed off. They mounted an attack in Northern Finland that wiped out almost every building in Rovaneimi. The museum has two models of the city: one before the attack and one after the attack. There are only a few structures remaining after the attack. There are other twists and turns but that is the short version of their history. When we talk to people there is always mention of “the war.” And although the feelings appear not to be gone Finland understands its vulnerabilities and emerged from the war determined to establish a new and constructive relationship with the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union got the Korelian Ithmus plus more valuable Finnish land. The Finns refer to the shape of their country as resembling the Finnish maiden. But the maiden lost one of her arms in the deal.
The museum also had quite a display on the effects of global warming on the Arctic Circle.
And a special exhibit with dolls – special dolls with interesting faces, poses and some sayings. Here is one that was appropriate for our travels.
The museum covers among other things, the history and culture of Lapland. The Sami people are the indigenous people and are close relatives of the Inuit people of Canada. Lots of good information on the Arctic and its people.
There are no historical buildings in Rovaneimi and the town looks a bit non-descript. It is a center for adventure travel in the north with hiking, dog sledding, and the like.
Then we got on the train.
Loading on the upper deck
The car car on the train to Helsinki.
Our berth.
Black out blinds. Yeah! There wasn’t much going on in the diner car but we had a drink before retiring to our berth. The scenery was just thousands of small birch trees so we closed our black-out blinds for a night’s sleep.
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Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...
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