We are leaving Helsinki tonight to travel by the overnight train to Rovaniemi so pack all our bags and head out - first stop, the markets for bratwurst! The markets of Helsinki are nowhere near as good as other European cities - especially in Germany. We head down to the water and take a 15 minute - Euro 5 trip to Suomenlinna, a UNESCO listed historic site. Two hours in total, but again, not as impressive as other forts in the world. Fab Italian restaurant serves as a great late lunch venue (Il Siciliano) then we head back through the shopping precinct to the hotel. Still have a few hours to kill and I am feeling wrecked! Out for another walk and decide to go up to the church where a concert is about to start. Seems like a good way to spend a couple of hours and GC buys the most expensive tickets (E65 ea) - though I suggested E15 would be OK - don't know what he thought he was buying into - I figured J.S.Bach Christmas Oratory would have given it away .... but no. The choir settles, the orchestra take their places, the tenor, baritone, soprano etc all wait expectantly ... and when it all starts, GC is gripping the back of the pew like he's trying to hold himself up in a bad storm! That lasted about an hour and we left :( .
Back to the bar - a little later GC is accosted by a very large and very friendly Finn - not interested in talking to me at all!! :) . GC finally starts to question his feelings of ill ease so we leave to get our bags .... Mr Finn follows us out and insists on taking us to the station in his car ... No thank you as GC grabs the bags, and without so much as a quick look back, bolts out the door with me in hot pursuit! At the staton he is accosted by another gentleman who wants to regale him with stories of the secret Russian attacks on Finland .... a girl comes over babbling something to him - not even sure what :( ...he's on fire! Finally the train pulls in and when he sees the size of the room ..... well .... all the romanticism flies out the door. Next time we'll FLY! Ahhh .... it's an adventure! :)
NOTE: Helsinki is very clean, but seems to lack a 'soul'. Remember most art galleries and museums are closed on Mondays in Europe.
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| At the market - bought a beanie Euros35 - ouch! |
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| At the port |
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| These people must be mad! One pool is heated to 28 degrees others cold and it is freezing! |
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| This ferry also takes two cars |
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| In the fort |
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| A reminder of past battles |
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| Shopping precinct |
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| Looking across the markets at the 'white church' |
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| Looking down from the top of the church over the markets |
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| This is our accommodation for the train ride ..... |
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