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These photos are of our week in Kitee. We found the area to be beautiful, the ice finally breaking up on
the lakes and the trees beginning to bud everywhere. You can see from these photos that we had a busy week.
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Our visit to a school in Kitee proved very interesting. Here you can see how the students leave their shoes and
book bags in the halls as they attend classes. We had a chance to visit some classrooms and talk with the students and
of course a very healthly school lunch in their cafeteria.
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The municiple sports center in town includes a 4 station ski jumping facility. We were able to climb up the stairs
and observe the view from very near the top of the jump ramp. These ramps are covered with a plastic material that allows
the jumpers to use the ramps in the summer as well as in the winter.
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One night, we were treated to a demonstration of how trained border guards are used to search for hidden drugs and persons
in vehicles as they pass through the border crossing point. The dogs bark when a person is sensed, and scratch the cars
where they smell drugs, and they seem to be having fun doing it too.
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We have visited many old Lutheran churches during our stay here so far, but this church turns out
to be the largest standing wooden church in the world. There is room for 3000 in the pews and another
2000 standing room. The church is only open in the summer do to the costs and mechanics of trying to heat it in
the winter.
The castle below is in the town of Savonlinna. It was built along the banks of one of the narrowest points
between the lakes of the region where ships had to pass to get to the see. The castle was made of stone and also must
have been very cold to stay at in the winter.
Here, Jacque and Christine check out the views from the castle tower.
Bob is not much of a shopper, but he poses here for a picture in the Marimekko outlet store that the rest of the
team could not pass by.
The Kitee area has many fine wood workers and artists. We stopped at this shop and had a demonstration of how pine
logs are turned into toys and pieces of art.
Here Christine discusses the fine are of Moonshining with her host. The Kitee area was known for it's illegal brew
in the past. Today the powerful potion is made legally and sold in the state stores.
Below, typical Finnish sunset.
A team photo resting on the dock over the melting ice.
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Rotary District 7370 GSE Team - Contact Bob Lombard - Team Leader with comments.
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