It was a cloudy, rainy day for our guided tour of Helsinki today. It didn't stop us from enjoying ourselves. Our group went on a tour thru Helsinki visiting the Jean Sibelius monument - he wrote the concerto Finlandia - you'd know it if you heard it. It was meant to represent the struggle of the Finnish people.
Havis Amanda Statue is a nude female statue represents the rebirth of Helsinki (sculpted in Paris in 1906) located in the Market Square
Helsinski's main department store - Stockmann - and notice to the left they even added another name - Stockwomann - how apropos!
Jean Sibelius Monument in Sibelius Park
Kamppi Chapel - a very unique modern church in the middle of Helsinski's hectic shopping district - you go in and experience total silence from all the outside noise. No windows just a little bit of light some thru from the slits in the ceiling on the roof.
We took a 15 minute ferry ride from Helsinki to the island of Suomenlinna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built as a maritime fortress . The name Suomenlinna means castle of Finland. It was originally called Sveaborg (when Finland was a part of Sweden).
View from the ferry approaching the Island Fortress
Entrance into Fortress
View of Helsinki's Old Market Hall from the Ferry
After our ferry ride we went to visit the Old Market Hall where there were so many wonderful food stores and restaurants - a must to visit!
Over the Baltic Sea flying from Helsinki to Paris DeGaulle for our connecting flight (which we barely made, and then had to wait for other flights that were coming in late).
Another GREAT trip - so fortunate to be able to see so much of the world!
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