Oulu

Last Friday when we needed to take Pii to the animal hospital I realized I have not told you about Oulu. I have told you about Rovaniemi. Oulu locates approx as far away from me as Oulu. I live kind of between them. Anyway, now when we needed to take Pii to the clinic in Oulu we suddenly had 6 extra hours to spend in the city (because of Pii's unexpected surgery). I don't like to spend money and just to go shopping things I don't need.  That's why I asked my Facebook friends what they would do if they would be in Oulu right now and have 6 extra hours. Meanwhile waiting the suggestions we went to Oulu Art Museum. After that I had been suggested by several people that Pikisaari is a great place to go. It is all free and full of history and outdoors. Some museums have the entrance fee. Pikisaari locates just in the middle of the city. It is an island. You get there by foot or bike right from the Oulu market place and Oulu Theatre's corner. If you arrive by car there's a huge parking hall under the market place.

I must confess I've been in Pikisaari only once before but then had only a lunch there and had no time to look around. This time we first visited the Sailor's Home Museum. It has free entrance. It is a cozy small museum and worth of stopping even you would have only a little bit of time. I get the Pikisaari map at the Sailor's Home Museum.

I have not been walking around Oulu, not to mention Pikisaari a lot. Hardly ever. It really is worth of it because it has beautiful old historic architecture.

In Pikisaari old and new walk hand in hand. But for somehow it didn't seem to bother me at all. We had a very beautiful weather!

I had forgotten there used to be old Wool Mill. It stopped working in 1960's. What a shame it doesn't exist anymore. It would have been wonderful to visit one. 

The building is still there anyway. It is rough and industrial design. I was curious to see it at least outside.

There are a museum, a museum shop and private workshops in the building. In Pikisaari is many private artist workshops.

I almost can hear the sounds of the Wool Mill.

I love contrasts. Soft and rough. Ugly and beautiful. 

You can spot many nice spots in Pikisaari.

In Finland the water seems to be everywhere.

There's a walking route around the island Pikisaari.

And behind every corner you might see something surprising. Can you spot the small gazebo by the water? You can have a break and eat you pick up lunch there.

I have never seen this in a city but I think this is not an unique idea. They are reconstructing a meadow  and have put up a silent place sign there! 

On the market place are many cafe's and stands. But I suggest you to put your nose into those old store house buildings you see around the market place. From those buildings you can find many small boutiques run by local people. This time I visited the coffee & tea shop and this craft shop.

But I was not looking for crafts. I was looking if they had something special.

I bought 2 jars of Finnish Black Bee (Apis mellifera mellifera) honey. Bees are very important and getting more rare these days. Finnish Black Bee is even more endangered. 

If you are going around Finland and seek small boutiques to support local business, you can find some listing at Puotirundi. It doesn't include them all, just the ones that are involved.