Home sweet Karelia

Finally, this is where our journey ended: in Ilomantsi, Karelia, close to the Russian border. And the purpose of the whole trip was to take part of Martiskainen family reunion. Something that I haven't done before but could do again. My mum's side is from Suojärvi, part of Karelia that belongs to Russia now, and that's where the Martiskainen family originally comes from, my grandma included. At the reunion, there were beautiful views, nice food, great ambience and interesting people, some of them drove all the way from Siberia, so our journey was a short one in the end.

Martiskainen family jewellery, now I own one, too.

My beautiful grandma on the right and her lovely sister on the left.

 Had to do some modelling with my mum.

Ilomantsi Orthodox Church.

Read more of the journey in Finnish, and see a bunch of great pics, also on my mum's blog.