National Museum of Finland
A Memorable Event
The delightful receptionist at our apartment made a booking at a classy restaurant called Restaurant Kappeli. This restaurant was established in 1867 and is housed in a beautiful old building on ‘The Esplanadi’, a tree lined esplanade in downtown Helsinki. We took a chauffeur driven stretched limousine to the restaurant! Our table for two was in a unique semi-circular atrium away from the rest of the diners. Our three course meal with matching wines for each course was sensational and a great way to celebrate the big day.
A Short Cruise
Next day we took a sightseeing cruise around the Helsinki Archipelago. This is a magnificent area for holiday homes on the numerous islands, for pleasure boating, swimming and relaxing. The only problem is the short season. All boats have to be taken out of the water in winter as the ice can be up to a metre thick and would crush the hulls of pleasure boats. We then had lunch in the ‘Old Market Hall’, a unique food market with small cafes, plenty of food shops and salmon to die for. After lunch onto a Panorama Bus to see some of the outskirts of Helsinki and to visit the Arabia Design Centre.
The Temppeliaukio ‘Rock’ Church – Built into solid rock with a magnificent domed roof and filtered light
Restaurant Kappeli in downtown Helsinki
Our private atrium table in Restaurant Kappeli
Holiday House on one of the islands in the archipelago
Old Market Hall – Small cafes and many food shops
Continuous Daylight
What we are struggling to get used to is the continual daylight. Whilst the sun is setting at 11:00 PM and rising again before 4:00 AM it never gets dark. Between 11:00 PM and 4:00 AM it is like dusk in Melbourne. People are still out in the park opposite our apartment having picnics at midnight. Winter is different, only 6 hours of daylight. Light at about 9:15 AM, dark at 3:15 PM. An interesting sideline. In Croatia there are ATM cash machines on every corner. In Helsinki we could only find 6 in the entire city and none in the tourist areas. Finland is almost a cashless society.
A Ferry To The Fortress
An early start with the tram to Market Square and a ferry to the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress. A video presentation and the museum gave a good understanding as to why the fort was built. We then went on a guided tour of the fort giving a great insight into the history. Back on the ferry and lunch at the Old Market Hall. Delicious smoked salmon on rye bread. Then onto the hop-on hop-off bus for a tour around Helsinki. This really is a beautiful city with some stunning architecture along with usual crappy buildings all cities have. A stop at Senate Square where we disembarked to walk up to the Helsinki Cathedral and then descended into the Crypt where Liz became an “angel” for a minute! What a magical place.
Downtown Helsinki
Downtown Helsinki for our third day, first to the Amos Rex Private Art Museum, a walk around the city and then to the Ateneum, The Finnish National Gallery. This is a beautiful city with some sensational buildings. It is hard to believe that Helsinki only has a population of 650 thousand people and Finland a population of 5.5 million. On the way back to our apartment we called into the modern Helsinki Central Library and were blown away. This place is amazing. Not just a library, but a meeting place and learning centre for everyone. Hundreds of people in the library, children everywhere and two cafes. Over three floors, the top floor being the library, the second floor a learning centre with computers, 3D printers, robot labs and even sewing machines and ironing board. All for everyone to use.
Suomenlinna Sea Fortress
Suomenlinna Sea Fortress
Senate Square & Helsinki Cathedral
The Crypt at Helsinki Cathedral – An art display in the crypt
A Day in Tallinn, Estonia
Up at 5:00 AM this morning for our day trip to Tallinn, Estonia to visit the ‘Old Town’. Ferry departed at 7:30 AM and arrived in Tallinn at 9:30 AM. A 15 minute walk and you are in the ‘Old Town’. We wandered the streets searching out the main sights, the Gothic Town Hall, Aleksander Nevsky Cathedral, Toompea Castle and other notable sights. A late lunch in the ‘Old Town’ then we wandered back to the ferry via the Nautica Shopping Centre located close to the terminal. On the way back on the ferry we watched people going crazy buying clothes, food items and especially alcohol to take back to Finland. Duty free allowances are very high in the EU so people had trolleys stacked with beer, wine and spirits.
Amos Rex Private Art Museum
Ateneum – Finland National Gallery
Library 3rd floor – Book, reading areas and lots of children
Library 2nd floor – Computers, 3D printers, sewing machines, robot lab
Tallinn Gothic Town Hall in the centre of the ‘Old Town’
Aleksander Nevsky Cathedral
A Trip Out of Town
A slow start next morning due to the big day yesterday. We took a local bus to Porvoo about 50 km from Helsinki. What makes this town unique is the beautiful old wooden houses and shops painted in soft pastel colours. An excellent tourist walking map is supplied so we walked the streets and looked at the highlighted sights of the ‘Old Town’. The cobbled streets are a feature but certainly not good for wheelchairs, bikes or scooters.
A Moment of Silence
Back on the bus to Helsinki and our last tourist stop was the Kamppi Chapel or as it is known ‘The Chapel of Silence’. A non-denominational church built of timber and acoustically designed. You walk into this building and it is totally silent from the hustle and bustle of Helsinki. You can sit and contemplate life without interruption. At the entrance door are counsellors and a priest and if you are having any issues, they will confidentially talk with you and help if they can. Just a great way to finish our 9 week trip.
Porvoo Old Town – Unique wooden buildings in pastel colours
Porvoo Old Town – Cobbled Streets
Kamppi Chapel – The Chapel of Silence in downtown Helsinki
Kamppi Chapel – Total silence once you enter