Handsome Helsinki

We arrived in this lovely seaside city after a 30-hour ferry crossing from Travemunde in Northern Germany.  We couldn’t have asked for smoother seas – very little wind and gorgeous sunny skies allowed us to sit/lie out on deck in the sunshine.  The buffet style food was delicious and the beds comfortable – a nice introduction to Finnish culture. 

The Helsinki campsite (Rastila) is a 20 minute ‘Metro’ ride from Helsinki city centre.  We carefully bought a three-day ticket, which allows travel on ANY mode of public transport – Our tickets were never checked.  Locals assured us that they do spot checks from time to time, but rarely during summer holidays! 

Helsinki boasts a good variety of churches.  The Cathedral dominates the central square – built in 1852 its architecture is very much in the simple Lutheran style.  The outside is being cleaned this summer, so visitors are greeted with the sound of high-pressure machines. 

Kampii Chapel was a real treat.  Known as the Chapel of Silence, this gem is very modern, and treated as a place for peace and quiet in the middle of a busy area in the city.  Its unusual conical shape overlooks one of the many city squares.  Three different types of wood were used – the external walls are spruce – the beautiful internal walls are of alder and milled into the curved shape – fittings and doors are made of ash.  The ceiling contains plasterboard which adds to the sound proofing effect – you could have heard a pin drop . . . until the next tourist rustled in! 

The Helsinki public move about by tram – tramlines are everywhere and their metallic rumbling sound makes for part of the city experience.    

Bicycle is the other mode of transport – one has to be VERY MUCH on the lookout for bikes hurtling past carrying suited gentlemen on their way to work!  There are literally thousands of shops and restaurants and all seemingly doing good business.  The Finns pride themselves on healthy eating – lots of fresh produce – open sandwiches, local cheeses, local fish and the cinnamon buns are to die for!  Wonderful large floral tubs grace every corner.  Finns really enjoy the summer months, as winters are long and very cold.  Every request for help, whether in a shop or the street, has been greeted with a smile and an eagerness to help. 

Helsinki has 330 islands in its archipelago, making up 130 kilometres of coastline.  Gorgeous weather inspired us to take a 20-minute ferry ride to Suomenlinna Sea Fortress, which was built by the Swedes in the 1740’s, later captured by the Russians, and in 1918 taken over by the Finns. It is now a Unesco World Heritage Site.  Old military barracks, gun powder stores and cannons are dotted amongst the rocky outcrops that make up the island.  Some 800 residents live here throughout the year – their houses cleverly hidden from the marauding tourists.  Miles of pleasant paths, and lots of good sunbathing areas make this a popular place for both locals and we tourists who fancied getting out of the city buzz for a while.

Uspenski Cathedral is the largest Orthodox Church in both Northern and Western Europe.  After the simplicity of the Lutheran churches,  the extensive décor of Uspenski is almost overwhelming.  Consecrated in 1868, it is built on a hill, overlooking the harbour – its golden cupolas are symbolic of the Russian impact on Finnish History. 

We could not visit Helsinki without seeing the Sibelius Monument – set in one of the many beautiful parks, the monument consists of some 600 hollow steel pipes welded together in a wave-like pattern – apparently the sculptor’s aim was to capture the essence of Sibelius’ music.  I’ll let you decide what you think . . . . . . .

One last church  (this really is the city of churches!) that we wanted to visit is known as the Church of the Rock – and with good reason.  It was excavated and quite literally built into the rock.  Natural surrounding rocks were used to extend the height of the walls, huge skylights atop the walls and a copper plate covered dome makes up the roof.  The internal ceiling is finished with 22 kilometres of copper thread.  The acoustics are marvellous – no microphones necessary!

All in all, a great city to explore. It would be fun to visit again in the winter, to experience the chilly climate and see the harbour frozen over.

A quick admin message to you all – I know some of you struggle to see the photos. I’m assured that you need to look at the blog on your computer to see the photos at their best – a quick glance at the blog on your phone will not highlight the photos.

We’re heading north-east tomorrow – more anon.