So, we planned a trip for the whole family a bit back and with some help from my mom (economic that is) we booked a boat for six people and four bikes to Åland, and the cabin and tent space in Mariehamn.

Departure was Friday morning (31st of July 06:15 at the harbor)) so we took the bikes and bags to my workplace on Thursday.

Waiting to get on the boat, passengers to Åland goes in last but out first!

Breakfast buffet with the view of the archipelago of Stockholm and our view for the next few hours (play room for the kids, so much fun…)

Boat takes five hours, mostly we sat in the buffet restaurant or the big play room, but we also spent some time getting snacks at the tax free.

Åland here we come, Day 1 unpacking, shopping, bathing, chilling!

So, once of the boat we had like a ten minute ride to the camping where our cabin was waiting, a small red thing that would serve as home base for the next 4 nights (Friday to Tuesday). after getting there we set up camp, unpacking and raising tents and stuff like that, followed by a quick trip to the store.

The cabin from the outside and from the inside, we got room for more than what we ordered, but that’s always nice, and might come in handy..

The tenting starts, rolling out my ultralight and the the regular self supported two man tent for the boys to sleep in.

More pictures of tents in different stages, my tent is up, the boys are getting there.

Some pictures of the area, the main office and cafe/bar/reception and the green service house (toilets and showers).

After store there was time to check out something more fun, THE BEACH!
The girls love the beach, almost as much as me, so that’s always a good way to end a day!

Going to the beach, don’t mind the ghost around me, just back light and “smart camera”

The girls enjoying some sun, sand and sea!

Me and Mathias playing around on the floating deck, doing some jumping and diving.

Random pictures of family time on the beach, Saga and Viljami digging in the sand, me and Saga in the water, Saga, Mathias and Viljami digging some more in the sand.

The girls enjoying the freedom of outdoors, going to the play spot with daddy and the big brothers!

Climbing in the web, Viljami left and Mathias to the right.

The girls again, this time sitting on the swinging/turning things at the play spot.

That was the end of our first day, and the beginning of the first night, where I slept in a tent with Siiri and the boys shared the other tent. more about that soon™.

Day two in Åland, castle touring and factory sales.

Woke up after a pretty horrible night, turns out Siiri is not ready to sleep in a tent yet.
Oh well, breakfast and packing before heading out for todays 25km x2 (or there about), destination Kastelholm Castle.

The boys, the girls and me (not pictured) waiting for Elli to come back after getting cash from the ATM.

A view on the way, I love sea views, like seriously it’s the best!

Proof that Elli was actualy there and biking, on the bridge with a view and speeding down the last hill before the castle!

The ride to Kastelholm took about two hours, not as quick as I am used to but not bad at all!
The area around Kastelholm has a few museums actually, the old prison museum (we skipped that this time) and the open old building museum that is free to look at (Jan Karlsgården)Lunch in the gardens at Jan Karlsgården, sandwiches, water and grapes (theluxury)

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The girls and Mathias riding some kind of home made creature

More riding, this time the big wooden horse by the old stables.

One of the few picture where Mathias is not trying to strike a silly pose..

Mathias and Viljami both got to try their hand at Archery, old school style..

Lots of pictures from around the Castle…..

 
There is a place where you get to try on clothes and armors, we all tested something..

On the way home from Kasterholm we stopped by the Taffel factory shop (Taffel being a large Finish manufacturer of chips and stuff). all the kids got to choose some candy or chips they wanted for the trip.

Girls and the boys posing with the taffel mascot, after buying some snacks for them selves.

After the trip it was back to the camping for more playing and bathing!

Day 3 – Mall and bath house!

We actually didn’t take any pictures this day, but we went to the big mall, called Maxinge and then later we went to Mariebad.
Mariebad seemed like a good idea on paper, but in reality it’s a nightmare when you have four kids, where one is suicidal!

Day 4 the scenic route south of Mariehamn.

This was the day Elli wanted to go check out Stickstugan a small knitting shop and cafe ten kilometers south of Mariehamn, so we took the girls in the wagon and biked there, the boys got some teen alone time at camp, they didn’t want to bike this day..

    
Scenery on our trip to Stickstugan, some amazing sea views and some cute cows!

Stickstugans cafe, they had good kladdkaka and some nice Ålandish pancakes!

The girls got Icecream before a little play time in the small sand box at the cafe.

I had some apple cider (non alcoholic of course), it was nice! to the left is the pancake that Elli had, she said it was good.

 
The greenhouse that was built with 100% reclaimed stuff, looked nice, so we went in and took some pictures.

When leaving the cafe we saw the local cat, the girls obviously needed to say hi, so we lured it out for some cuddles!

Said girls and me, and said cat getting lots of cuddles

Later in the evening, it was time for what we always do, bathing in the sea!
This time the boys found some common jellyfish, it had to be played with (or more like harvested and put in a small pond before released, and anything that they found washed up was showed to the girls to..

Party time by the water, fun indeed.


Top pictures: me holding a Jellyfish, Siiri holding a jellyfish, Saga holding a jellyfish and the last one is the jellyfish farm the boys made.

Day 5 – Departure for home day.

Well, it was one of those days I guess, get up early, stress with cleaning and packing and stuff like that, but we got all done in time, and we only forgot three items, two of which we got before leaving!

The bikes packed and waiting for the short trip to the boat, we stayed by the camping the last hours, for the kids to play and the use of facilities..

  
Siiri and me Selfies, oh and I made a new friend, a dragonfly landed on my finger!

Waiting for the boats, check in is one hour before boat, so there was some waiting, thankfully not that bad really.

The last boat trip, stacked up and ready for our lunch reservations.

 
Two princesses playing air hockey, everyone was a winner at that table o.O and Saga showing of her Silja line seal thing.

That’s it for our vacation, we biked home from the boat, which went good for 2/3’s of the way, then Saga woke up with a vengeance so we enjoyed lots of screaming until home.