thinking of åland pt. 2 (finnish islands)
Finally, here’s the second part of the memoirs from our visit to the autonomous islands of Åland of Finland (see part 1 here) – the historic bits: the Kastelholm castle, Jan Karlsgården outdoor village museum and the ruins of Bomarsund fortress. All definitely worth visiting – and do take a picnic to go as every one of these places have great spots (and even tables) for enjoying good food and great views
Kastelholm castle dates back to middle age
The castle has been partially restored. Apparently for cost reasons many castles had only wooden structures inside, so they were easily burned down
Top floor of the castle
Castle courtyard. People dressed in old costume tell stories of days gone by
Lined walkway from the castle to the hill-top museums
A visit to the open-air village-like setting of Jan Karlsgården museum is a must and the location is very scenic, and conveniently right next to the Kastelholm castle
Reminder of the midsummer – still looking nice despite the flowers being dry and wilted
Rustic countryside views
Good old-fashioned see-saw in well appreciated
Who says that horses need to be alive to be fun to play with… wooden ones are lots of fun too!
Passing on the childhood skill of walking on stilts to Miss A.
Exploring Bomarsund ruins. If this fortress were in place I recall it would be one of the largest in Europe
Walk along the Bomarsund ruins, and you’ll find a little sandy beach toy our left…
The Russian fortress of Bomarsund was strategically placed at the tip of an island (now of course there is a bridge)
The sights of capital Marienhamn
Ship-building craftsmanship is well-maintained in these islands
Adorable finds from a little artisan’s shop