Helsinki

I completely skipped Helsinki in the sequence of events.  We went there after St. Petersburg and before Copenhagen.  We took a short morning tour with a guide in which the pictures below were taken, and afterwards, we walked back to the Cathedral square where a wonderful flea market was in full swing (they were just setting up when we were with the guide), with live music by the oddly named rock group The Napkins.  We picked up lunch at a food truck and ate it at one of the many picnic tables which were set up around the square.  Lunch for Tom was smoked herring with salad and mine was marinated fish, kind of like ceviche.  Very good and local.  Then we perused the market, and listened to the music, while speculating on why the group decided to call themselves The Napkins. Yes, in English!  We walked back to the ship along a beautiful wide boulevard lined with shops and restaurants.  Along the docks was another outdoor market selling souvenirs and beautiful fruits and vegetables.  Helsinki is a lovely walkable city with elegant buildings and friendly people.  Maybe to dispel the stereotype of Finns as dour and unapproachable, the guide told us a joke about how to tell an introverted Finn from an extroverted one.  The introvert looks at his own shoes when he speaks to you.  The extrovert looks at your shoes.  We actually found them to be very pleasant.

The Cathedral of Helsinki--this cathedral was inspired by St. Isaacs in St. Petersburg which we visited.  Just for fun I looked back at the pictures of St. Isaacs, one of which is below.  One can see the inspiration, but the Helsinki Cathedral is far simpler and less grand than the Russian one with its golden dome and intricate bas relief.  And on the inside there is no comparison.  Maybe it's because the Helsinki Cathedral is Lutheran and thus typically understated compared with the ornate Russian orthodox. 

See what I mean?

The monument to Helsinki's own native son, the composer Jean Sebelius

The Sebelius monument sits in a lovely, sprawling park next to the water.  This charming little structure is a coffee house.

An open air market

The boulevard perfect for strolling and people watching.  Note the seagull perched on the monumental head, apparently also enjoying the fine day and watching the people.