Scandinavia Trip Day 10: Helsinki

 

After 15.5 hours of voyage across the Baltic Sea (with only 2 hours dedicated to sleep), we finally dock in Helsinki, the capital and largest city of Finland.

But first, the most important meal of the day.

 

The breakfast buffet spread at Serenade:

 
                                      Breads                                                                               Bacon

 

 
          Empanadas, meatballs, hotdogs                                             Baked rice and eggs

 

 
           Cold cuts, pates, smoked salmon                             Yogurt, fruits, cereals, berries

 

My breakfast plate 1

 

My breakfast plate 2

 

Our tour guide literally had to drag us down the bus for this group photo

 

According to him, the Finns are very simple people. They enjoy nature and every summer, the men wash carpets. Yes, scrubbing rug carpets with traditional pine soap is such an enjoyable activity for them that the town council built this carpet washing station equipped with water outlets, basins and tables for scrubbing. It is very relaxing and you can make new friends while you scrub your carpets side by side. Maybe I should give this a try.

 

Families hang out here

 

Children play in the park

 

That’s our tour guide. He likes to wash carpets.

 

Our first stop, much to Auntie Babie’s delight, is Anne’s Souvenir Shop

 

There is supposed to be a church across from the shop but it is currently under construction. All I can see is a pile of rocks.

 

Next stop is the Sibelius Park

 

The Sibelius Monument, a series of more than 600 hollow steel pipes welded together
in a wave-like pattern, is dedicated to the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The designer
Eila Hiltunen wanted to capture the essence of Sibelius’ music through this work of art.

 

Creative shot by Vibson.
Careful, Vibson, that’s 24 tonnes of steel waiting to crush you!

 

I just had to. Hehe.

 

Jean Sibelius

 

There is a lot of construction going on in the city

 

Love the design on this bus

 

Helsinki Central Railway Station

 

Finnish National Theatre

 

Big red brick building

 

Yellow building

 

Probably the most focal point in Helsinki is the Senate Square.
And because of this, our tour guide insists we take another group photo.

 

And I insist to have a photo taken with the Finnish boys

 

To the west of the Senate Square is the main building of the University of Helsinki

 

To the north is the enormous and pristine Helsinki Cathedral

 

If Denmark has the Little Mermaid, Helsinki has Havis Amanda. Urban legend says 
this nude lady patronizes men’s sexual potency. If a man washes his face with the water from the fountain and shouts "Rakastaa!" (Finnish word for love) 3 times, his sexual
ability will magically increase. I know a lot of men who would die to do this.

 

Frances takes a photo with the piano accordionist

 

Uncle William takes the piano accordion and the accordionist takes a photo with him. Ha!

 

Finnish fashion

 

Uspenski Orthodox Church

 

Lunch is at Aleksandria Restaurant inside this building

 

While the place is gorgeous, the food leaves much to be desired

 

 
                             Tasteless bread                                                         Salad with no dressing

 

 
              Mushy white fish in cream sauce                    Vanilla ice cream with strawberry syrup

 

Auntie Babie, Uncle Frank and what is the picture of Santorini doing in the background?!?

 

Because Finland has two national languages, all signs must be in these 2 languages, too – Finnish and Swedish

 

Bilingual signs. What about Viking Line?

 

Helsinki Olympic Stadium

 

Stockmann Department Store

 

“Please Help Me Identify This” Building

 

We have the rest of the afternoon free so we board this ferry that will take us to Suomenlinna

 

Ernest, Erwin, Frances, Me, Felisse

 

The UNESCO World Heritage Site is popular with both tourists and locals. It attracts about 700,000 visitors every year.

 

Suomenlinna was built as a sea fortress during the Swedish era.
It was constructed on six islands which now form part of the city of Helsinki.

 

Nowadays it is a living community with 900 inhabitants and a popular
picnicking spot of the Finnish people

 

Suomenlinna Church

 

Great picture spot. We spend quite some time in here taking some cool shots.

 

 
                            Felisse the geek                                                             Ernest the gigolo

 

 
                              Jin the fatso                                                         Vibson the photographer

 

 
                     Frances the crazy bird                                            Erwin the Kung Fu Panda

 

One of the cannons in the Bastion Zander

 

Ta-Da!

 

It is really beautiful out here. The photos do no justice.

 

No wonder Suomenlinna is a place for lovers

 

Brotherly love

 

Fatherly love

 

Sisterly love. Or actually, too much love for thyself.

 

And the kind of love everyone wishes for

 

Vibson, Me, Felisse, Frances, Ernest, Florence

 

As for me, I go to the food store for some lovin’

 

Hot chocolate and cinnamon roll love

 

While Ernest seems to be deliriously in love with his bag of minipussi potato chips

 

I spot more lovers back on the ferry

 

Ayayay!

 

Not one to be left out, I try to find myself a suitable partner.
Errr… No, thank you.

 

Errr… NEXT!

 

YES!!! to the Tom Cruise lookalike

 

We go back to Aleksandria for dinner, and dinner turns out to be worse than lunch.

 

 
                                        Salad                                                                 Hard as rock pork chop

 

                Vanilla ice cream (what, no strawberry sauce this time?)              

 

We retire to bed early and with a heavy heart, finding it hard to believe that the trip is finally coming to an end.

Oh, Tomorrow, please don’t come.