Sortavala is located in eastern Russia along the boarder with Finland. The history of this city is tumultuous as the area has not been particularly stable over the last four hundred years.

An observant visitor will notice many architectural differences in the small houses of Sortavala. This stems primarily from the dissimilar approaches Russians and Fins take to construction and general upkeep. The two houses featured in this picture were built by the Finnish. This picture was shot in the fall of 2005.

Ever wonder what Sortavala means? ...Spence