Helsinki, Finland

Photos

• Friday, July 17, 2015: Sunrise: 4:50 am, Sunset: 10:14 PM, Cloudy 18/13 C, Noon - 6 PM (time change to Eastern European, UTC+2)
  
  - Helsinki is like a gigantic architecture exhibition with its different building styles.  The city features Empire style architecture from the first half of 19th century, Art Nouveau from the beginning of 20th century, and complex, modern buildings.  Finland has always been particularly interested in arts, especially, music.  Much of country's population lives in the south part, mostly Helsinki.  Everything up north is wilderness - with Sweden on the west, Norway in the north, and Russia on the east.
  - We had six hours in Helsinki - cruise ships have figured this timing out very well.  That meant we had plenty of time to do everything we wanted to do, without hurry, and still come back well before the mad rush at the end.
  - As soon as you get off the ship, showing just your Costa Card, your first stop is the Information Center, where there is usually a gift shop, restroom, and free WiFi (when it works.)  After passengers leave for the day, crew members congregate here for free WiFI (it is 15 euros per hour on the ship.)
  - You pick up map, get directions to town - walking or by public transport, and you are on your way.  Here, we were told to cross the road just outside the port (Hernesaari 2), turn left and catch Bus 14.  Just as we crossed the road, Bus 14 arrived.  The stop was further ahead, so everyone ran.  Boarding was slow because everyone had to purchase a ticket - usually with a credit card.  Bus left completely full.  One way ticket was 3 euros, and Day pass 8 - any more than two trips makes it worth it.  So we got the Day passes.
  - No one really knew where we were going, the bus didn't exactly go where we wanted to go - about 3 blocks away.  We got off where many people did, and followed them to the right.  As usual, we had maps.me with points of interest pinned, and had some idea as to the direction and distances.
  - Three blocks later, we crossed a major street and stumbled up on the Esplanadi Park.  This one block wide, four blocks long park has big shade trees and statues, people and children walking/playing around, assortment of street performers,   And of course, tourists.

Are statues made for Seagulls to perch? The Esplanadi Park

• Our first order of business was to find some place to print paper copies of our Tour Tickets for tomorrow in St Petersburg - electronic copy on the phone won't do.  Our best bet was to find tourist information center who could direct us to the nearest "Kinkos."  In the middle of the park, we ran in to two girls wearing "How may I help you?" vests.  They told us to go to the end of the park and find the Center on the left.  The center also made copies (50 cents a page) right there, in addition to maps and directions.
  - With that taken care of, we walked one block further to the left (north) and reached the Senate Square.  Right in front is Lutheran Cathedral,  There was a stage at the bottom of the steps with some dance competition going on.  Steps were filled with spectators.  Tourist buses were lined up on sides, and tram and car traffic was all around.  A statue in the middle of Senate Square provided a parking spot for another seagull.

Lutheran Cathedral from Senate Square

Statue in Senate Square - Lutheran Cathedral behind

• Tram stop for 7B was nearby.  It makes a counterclockwise loop around the city (7a goes clockwise.)  We decided to take the tram and get off if we find something interesting along the way.  We went by the 1952 Olympic Village, and got off at the Rock Church (Temppeliaukion Church)  Several tour buses were unloading people when we reached.
  - Built in rocks (a bomb shelter?) with a flat copper top made of thousands of miles of copper strips makes you wonder what sound quality you will get, but the acoustic is great.  Inside the church, a glass panel separated the entrance (and noise) from the interior.  This very spacious church has rock unevenly carved on three sides (75%) with glass in front.  You can also go upstairs for a different perspective.  Slanted glass windows made the place bright.  Giant pipe organ was playing soothing music.  Sitting in the back and enjoying the music was a wonderful experience,  Even with large groups of people moving in and out, it was quiet enough to enjoy.  At the entrance, there was a line to the left with a sign €1.  We wondered if there was an entrance fee to the church.  Well, the line was for restrooms.

Large pipe organ in Rock Church

Rock Church with copper top and surrounding windows

Candles in Rock Church

Pulpit at Rock Church

Rock Church

Copper top of Rock Church

• We continued on tram 7B back to Market Square. Crossing the market full of berries and fish, and fast food lunches, we walked past the Presidential Palace, Uspenki Cathedral is set upon a hillside across the bridge on the Katajanokka peninsula overlooking the city.  On the back of the cathedral, a plaque commemorates Russian Emperor Alexander II, who was the sovereign of the Grand Duchy of Finland during the cathedral's construction.  Less popular than Lutheran Cathedral, may be because of the climb, it is definitely worth a visit.  Inside is very impressive as well.

Uspenski Cathedral

Uspenski Cathedral

Inside Uspenski Cathedral

Dome of Uspenski Cathedral

View of Lutheran Cathedral from Uspenski Cathedral

• With that, we had covered all of Helsinki's highlights.  The tram had taken us past the Railway Station.  Had we taken tram 4, we would have passed by the Opera House, Parliament and Museum.  We walked back past the Esplanadi Park back to where Bus 14 had dropped us off.  That was a one way road, so we had to walk another block beyond, but we didn't know where the bus stop was.  Because of road construction, buses were rerouted.  So we kept walking in the direction of our cruise terminal.  We got on Tram 6 going in that direction, which took us part of the way.  We then walked another 15-20 minutes back to the ship.
  - A lot of crew members were at the gift shop, but no one was getting WiFi signal - our emails would have to wait for another day.