Tervetuloa Helsingissa!! (Welcome to Helsinki!!)

Our flight was nice, and mostly uneventful.  We flew over Greenland, but it was dark and we couldn't see anything.  By the time the sun came up on our flight, (and the flight map), we were already over Sweden.  Crossing the Gulf of Bothnia separating the southern parts of Sweden and Finland, was a little strange.  It is a large body of water, but there are so many islands scattered across it, there is no clear coast, or border (at least from the air).  Often flying to a new place, you see ocean-ocean-ocean-shore-land-land-land.  You know exactly when you are over the new country.  Not so at all here.  The water between the islands became less, and finally disappeared, almost tentatively.  Mounds of earth (just like the islands) were surrounded by low channels of earth, like high water might return them to islands.  As we got close to Helsinki, I could see the land mass for Estonia across the Gulf of Finland.  It was reminiscent of previous trips standing on Gibraltar looking over to Morocco, and in Hungary looking across the river at Slovakia.

We arrived at about 8AM, and went straight to the hotel, and dropped our bags, and set off on a walking tour. We passed the University of Helsinki on our way to the Helsinki Cathedral, which was nice, but surprisingly plain on the inside. But, it seems to be the most used building on advertising posters for Helsinki.

 From the front of the Cathedral, one looks about 50 steps down on Senate Square.  There is a large statue for Tsar Alexander II, from when the Russians annexed Finland in the 1800's.

From there, we wandered over to the wharf, where we found an open air market with fresh fish (to take home and cook, and ready to eat), lots of berries, crafts, furs, knitted clothes, etc.  One vendor sold fish right from her boat.  It sort of gave the implication of fresh caught, but it also meant she didn't have to rent a space in the market!  There were some incredible furs, for hats, stoles, and throws.  It was odd seeing the natural use of animal hides, especially in today's stigma against them.  The reindeer fur is really soft, and there were other animals, but I wasn't sure what they were (guessing sables, but...?). 

We were getting hungry, and looking more for where to eat, when we found a nice little "soup kitchen".  I had visions of something between a homeless shelter and the "Soup Nazi", but it was actually nice little place, with free water and bread.  We got a bowl of the "false morel" mushroom soup, and another of the "smoked reindeer" and shared.  Both soups were really good, but starkly different.  The reindeer was very smokey and salty.  Theresa started with the reindeer (as pictured) and we traded halfway through.



After we left, right next door we found a market selling the false morels...with a disconcerting disclaimer!!!  :-o   I sure hope our soup chef is good?! 

   

Finally, we headed back to check into our hotel room, and take a much needed shower!  Our Hilton Home away from home!
We hit the Exec Lounge for some snacks, but not quite enough for dinner.  The McDonalds across the street is beckoning!

Throughout the walk, we saw a few of these.  I have to say, this is about the ugliest tree I've ever seen!  It is on all four corners of this 100 year old bridge right next to the hotel.  It might be stunning in full bloom, but out of it...Yikes!