Helsinki Bound

I’m finding it difficult to play Schrodinger’s sourpuss when describing Helsinki. I really can’t think of anything snarky to say about the city except that it’s cold and dark in the winter time. But then you already knew that, didn’t you. And even that doesn’t amount to much. Being locked in cold storage for the winter doesn’t diminish the charms of this city, because in the midst of  mid winter’s chilly darkness the government and the Finnish people themselves work hard to battle the night  and transform it into something comfortable and interesting. Cozy restaurants, well curated cultural festivals, professional concerts, interesting museums, stunning architecture, a healthful sauna culture coupled with bracing outdoor activities and a party hearty mindset all make Helsinki a fine place to work and live no matter what season it is. I love Helsinki. I’d like to live there, except for the fact that I’m too old to learn much Finnish, and the Finns don’t really encourage immigration.

Oh, wait a minute! I do remember something I didn’t like about my excursion to Finland: the boat ride getting there.

Unlike Helsinki, the ship provided only tawdry boredom. The duty free shop was lifeless, and soul crushing. Something just feels wrong about joyless people lining up to buy bagfuls of cheap booze. And why do duty free shops sell so much candy? Is it really cheaper on the boat? Does any country really charge a duty on candy? The only other food available was limited to coffee and plastic wrapped sandwiches, salads, and deserts. The entertainment was an older fellow playing an acoustic guitar while singing Johnny Cash songs. The rugs and seats looked tired and faded, and I sat in the midst of all this waiting for something interesting to happen. It didn’t. Godot wasn’t on this trip. Maybe the next one. Alright, enough of this pointless carping. The trip was quick, ( a little over 3 1/2 hours), and wasn’t too expensive. It was, after all, just a way to get from one place to another like a bus or subway, only this was over water.

My brain quickly switched into search mode when I arrived in Helsinki. I thought finding my hotel was going to be a snap. The weather was sunny and cheerful, my backpack was light, and the air was fresh and clean. Since I had previously visited the city, I was already familiar with parts of it.  What could go wrong?

When I had previously visited Helsinki, I had, like this time, arrived by boat. I knew my hotel was only 3 blocks from where I had disembarked  before. Unfortunately,  the boat I was on this time docked on the other side of the city. With no map, (I didn’t think I’d need one), I was lost the minute I stepped onto dry land. I tried to remember how the city was shaped according to the maps I used when planning this trip. In my mind’s eye I could only see the city as through a glass darkly. I chose to enter a street that I thought would cross the city in the most direct line to my hotel. Nope. I ended up in a part of the city I didn’t even know existed. After an hour and a half of worry and frustration, I finally surrendered and asked a young girl with a cell phone to direct me to my hotel. Asking young women for directions had worked several times earlier on this trip, and this time was no exception. (Young women are always the most helpful of any age or gender group.) Using her GPS she led me to the block where my hotel was located and pointed out its facade. I thanked her and turned my positive attitude back to “on”.

I checked in to a nice but rather busy hotel catering to business people who, since  they spent a lot of time in the bar and restaurant, must have been traveling on liberal expense accounts.

After unpacking I  walked down to the harbor area where I had landed the previous time I was in Helsinki. It hadn’t changed much. There was still a farmer’s and fish market that I think was primarily set up for tourists coming  ashore from the cruise ships. Between the farmer’s market and the cruise line terminal is a long building that functions as Helsinki’s version of Boston’s Quincy Market. Small food stands and shops selling treats and souvenirs line the building’s long aisles. Be advised that you can acquire better quality and cheaper items  in Helsinki if you by pass this well placed  tourist trap.

After London built “The Eye” nearly every important European city has set up its own big Ferris wheel. Helsinki’s sits on the harbor’s edge, and it is a nice one,

Almost across the street from the Ferris Wheel sitting atop a hill was the Uspenskin Cathedral looking a bit forlorn and unforgiving.

A short walk from there led to the gleaming Tuomiokirkko Cathedral.

From there I wandered downtown to explore the busy business district, and a few of the interesting monuments located there.

I looked around for a shop that had previously sold sauna products the last time I was here, but it had apparently gone out of business. That was a shame. It sold wash brushes and scrubbers that I have not been able to find anywhere else in the world.

I then entered a busy restaurant for lunch, where for a reasonable fixed price I could order one of three hot items, (I chose broiled fish), plus have unlimited access to a healthy salad bar that included several types of yogurt along a variety of salads. Once I had selected my food a waitress brought over a pitcher of ice water.  After I finished I felt strong and healthy. I eagerly headed back out onto the street to explore more of Helsinki’s downtown.

I started panning out from the central part of the city in wider and wider loops to see those parts of Helsinki I missed the last time I was here. Many neighborhoods were rather pretty.

Eventually I ended the first day back at my hotel. The restaurant was full and people were packed shoulder to shoulder at the bar, so after a quick shower I decided to go out and find another place for drinks. I stopped in a down town craft beer pub that was conducting a trivia contest. I’m a pretty good trivia player, but all the questions were in Finnish. If Facebook friend Rollo Poynte had been there to translate I would have competed. Instead I watched a rather spirited game, (apparently the pub awarded some nice prizes), and listened to the cheers and moans which I didn’t need an interpreter to understand. When the game was over nearly everyone left to attend another trivia game at another nearby tavern. I was told that a number of establishments would space out their games so that the crowd could pass from one to another so as to spend a full evening in trivia competition.

After the crowd left, a group of Portuguese tourists took the table next to mine. A couple of the men were lawyers and one was a businessman who I believe was in the garment industry. One of the men introduced his wife as a princess of the Portuguese royal family. Since he was laughing when he made the introduction, and since most of my inhibitions had at that point been dissolved in craft beer, I asked her if she really was a princess. She looked at me regally and said, “Portugal no longer maintains any princesses. They are officially extinct.” They invited me over to their table and bought me a beer. I remember that they were all immensely funny and all liked Helsinki a great deal. I also remember that we discussed Trump and they all felt he was a hilarious fool. We seemed to see eye to eye on pretty much everything, though they may have been just too polite and gracious to openly disagree with me. They were a lot of fun, but I felt like I was intruding on a private party and would never be able to understand any of the “inside” jokes that were flying around, so after finishing my beer, I excused myself .  I went back to my hotel where I checked to see if all the  beer I drank in any way affected my medical condition. I chose an early bedtime since the next day would be a busy one..

The next morning I felt energized and ready to roam.
My first stop was the train station.  I felt it  deserved to be photographed because it looked like it would be more at home in Batman’s Gotham City rather than Helsinki.

I then started searching for the Temppeliaukion Church. It’s a large church built partially underground. It was hard to find because it possesses no spires. Only a low dome rises above the ground. One of my Facebook friends has told me that the church is magnificent inside while not containing many overt or ornate religious symbols.

I can’t say that I know what it looks like inside myself. My patience has not improved with  age, and since a long line stretched around the base of the church, I decided to walk on rather than wait.

Several blocks down hill from the church I found  the Suomen National Museum, which specializes in Finnish history and art . I spent several hours inside viewing exhibits illuminating the various periods of Finland’s past. They were well presented and maintained. I highly recommend the museum for anyone visiting the city.

I became hungry sometime after lunch and made my way to the museum’s cafeteria located in the basement. I’ve spoken several times in this blog about how much I like museum cafeterias. They usually offer quality food at reasonable prices, and often serve authentic versions of the local cuisine. This museum’s menu was one of the best. I dipped out a stew made from reindeer meat and root vegetables into a generous sized bowl. On a separate plate I placed fresh salad greens on top of three kinds of yogurt/kefir. I grabbed some rolls made from oats, and poured myself a large glass of juice made from wild blueberries. It was all delicious. Sitting in the warm and steamy cafeteria while eating tasty and healthy food was the high light of the day up to that point. Around me rose a quiet murmur of people enjoying good food and pleasant conversation. It all felt very civilized and timeless.

I eventually tore myself away from the cafeteria’s man made Nirvana , and exited the museum to explore the streets again. As I was looping back towards the railroad station I came across the Helsinki Opera House and later the Helsinki Music Center where the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra performs. The Helsinki Opera House is an immense white building that juts out into the bay, while the Helsinki Music Center is a ultra-modern building with a prodigious electric sign that advertises which concerts will be playing there next.

Darkness was casting its many veils upon the city when I headed back to my hotel. I sat on my bed to edit the day’s photos, but  gave up after an hour. I was very tired and fell into a deep sleep around ten o’clock.

I awoke late the next morning, and was soon walking toward the dock where my boat to Stockholm, Sweden was waiting.

I was early. The ship wouldn’t sail for a couple more hours so I wandered around the dock area taking photos. Helsinki is remarkable in that Finland’s rural nature penetrates well into the city’s core in a manner similar to the way veins of Brevibacterium linens flow into blue cheese. Nature can pop up anywhere in Helsinki, even in its busiest port.

After I boarded the ship and got settled in my cabin I went out onto the top deck for my last views of this marvelous city, and its harbor islands.

As the ship was leaving port I looked back on a city that had belied its cold and gloomy reputation. Instead it proved to be both raucous and cultured, comfortable and bracing, interesting and above all, fun. It offered me a variety of experiences I’ll never forget. In this sense I will be forever Helsinki bound!