Helsinski

We took a taxi from the airport to the Scandic grand hotel on the harbour, a classy hotel and nice to have a big room and breakfast included.

Dinner was a traditional soup called Lohikeitto a creamy salmon and potato dish …yum.

In our room we were shocked to find the tv had many Aussie shows that were and in English.

Day 2

Breakfast which was included in the hotel price and I tried a traditional Karjalanpiirakat, a pastry with potato in the middle ( not great ).

We walked via the harbour checked out the warehouse food hall (Kaatinkaupunki)

Then went to Senate square which features the Helsinski cathredral to take the free red umbrella walking tour.

after leaving the square and hearing about finlands history and wars with russia and sweden the country became its own identity with its own currency and language in 1917.

Our first stop was the library ( helsinginyliopisoto) which had a stunning ceiling and a beautiful interior. We learnt about

Kalevala, folk tales and the beginning of the finnish language.

Then we past the soldiers and Korvapuustit area

to head down to Uspenski orthodox cathredral but couldnt go in as a funeral was in process. However we did go inside another day.

Then into south harbour past the presidential palace and other buildings to market square where great traditional food was selling

then past the fountain and down Esplande park

stopping to admire some strange panjola architecture in town

into Rautatientori sq and central railway station

then thru a shopping centre where elevators are features

to another modern looking library and Finlandic hall

keitos thank you for a great tour

Things we also learnt

Hei is hello and Heihei is goodbye.

We learnt that finnish dont speak unless they have something to say and there are 5:6 mill people with three million saunas a traditional way of life.

Helsinski is a city of 300 islands.

Then foot sore John and I got a icecream and sat and rested at the bay of Toolonlahti.

Off again on foot across town to the rock church ( Temppeliaukio )

through the shopping areas and trams and saw the statues of the three labourers.

and back to Market sq where we took a cruise of the archipelago and islands. On the tour we past many islands, beaches and we saw the icebreakers in the harbour.

The cruise enters the Gulf of Finland and part of the Baltic Sea.

A dinner at the square of local seafood

We tried Vendace little fish( yuk) and the Muikkurove fish was ok

but settled on

Triplaherlsku without the Vendace

It consisted of scampi, salmon , veg, potatoes and was lovely.

Then back to the hotel after a huge day past the skywheel which has one carriage that is a sauna how weird.

Day 3

A rainy morning and so the washing was done and left hanging around the room .

Then a long walk to Kamppi bus terminal which is inside a building all very odd but totally understandable in the cold months, the temp in winter getting down to minus 27 .

We took bus 24 to Seurasaari island and looked at all the wooden houses and structures of houses , lutheran churches etc that date back to 1650 to the 1800s and brought to this island as a people space and part museum to depict old finnish times. It was really interesting.

day /4

Suomenlinna sea fortress

The ferry left from Market Sq to the island of Suomenlinna which was originally called Vapori Construction began when Finland was part of the Kindgom of Sweden and when war broke out with Russia and Sweden the fortress operated as a naval base.

In 1809 it was surrendered to the Russians for the next 110 years and Finland belonged to Russia

Now with Finland being its own country in 1918 the fortress is annexed by Finland and named Suomenliina.

It served as a artillery anti-aircraft and submarine base in WW2 and now mostly a tourist attraction but still has depots to repair old wooden boats.

The church built in 1854 served as a russian orthodox church now converted to a Lutheran church, and serving as a lighthouse too.