Scandinavia

After we got up we didn't have anything for breakfast, so Arjan and Ciska went to the camping-shop to buy some. But the shop doesn't have many supplies and there wasn't any bread. It was still in the oven and it would take at least half an hour for it to be ready. So they took some knäckebröd for breakfast. After breakfast we packed our things for this day and we headed for Tampere. First we went to the Toyota garage to have our radio repaired. The fuse is blown and when we replace it, it blows again immediately. It probably has to do with the cigarette lighter, which is behind the same fuse as the radio. At the garage they told us it would last two hours before they could help us, we may leave the car behind if we want. But we may need it today so we agreed that we will come by again between 3 and 4 this afternoon. From the garage we went to the center of Tampere and after some driving around we found a parking place on which we were allowed to park for more than one hour. At most four hours, but that is ok, as in four hours from it will be three thirty and by that time we have to go back to the garage. First we went to the Tourist Info, they had a map with a number of city walks. They also had an internet PC so we were able to send some email. Unfortunately, here it was also not possible to upload our website. We did a walk along the banks of the river flowing through the city during which you come by the former waterfall. The falling water nowadays is used to generate electricity. There are a few power plants in the city that use the running water of the river to generate electricity. The center of Tampere has a lot of Art Nouveau buildings, but in a few hours you have seen the most interesting parts of the city. There are no really old, historic buildings in the city. So around half past three we went to our car to return to the garage. We had to wait a while and then a mechanic went to search for the cause of the problem. Quickly he determined it indeed had to do with the cigarette lighter, but he had no idea what was wrong with it. So he decided to replace it with a new one. After half an hour both the radio and the cigarette lighter worked again. So we are again able to recharge Hillekes mobile phone, as we didn't bring her recharge unit, only a cable to recharge it using the lighter of the car. The total amount of the bill was €75.50, which we will declare with the lease company back home. From the garage we drove by the supermarket to do some shopping for dinner and breakfast for tomorrow. Back on the campground Hilleke and Ciska went for a swim in the lake. While they were doing so it suddenly started to rain. The first rain since long and it really poured down. But it didn't last very long. And during dinner it started to rain again, not such a shower as the first but it lasted a bit longer, but still not long enough to saturate the nature yearning for water. We'll try to go to bed early this evening as we have a very long drive ahead of us tomorrow to Oulu.