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Published: July 17th 2011
Continuing from last blog:
Fri 15 Jul: From Tallinn it was a pleasant 2-hour ferry crossing to Helsinki, on the MS Star, Tallink Line. The time passed quickly for me as I was near the end of an amazing book borrowed from my friend Imelda: Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, almost 1000 pages of fantastic story telling set largely in Bombay. Now Mac is reading it. I'd recommend it. But again I digress!!!
We decided to try and find the Radisson Blu Plaza on foot and it took about an hour, which was OK as although it was a little drizzly it gave us a good opportunity to get a first impression of Helsinki. I'd sum it up as big, wide streets with huge, imposing buildings varying in style, many art nouveau. It's very clean and easy enough to get around, definitely accessible for pedestrians and cyclists in addition to cars and the like. Of course, the bus from the ferry terminal stopped almost within eyesight of our hotel - but that would have been too easy!
We dumped our bags then had a wander around in the drizzle before stopping for a beer at Sir Eino, a
Street view
Showing Cathedral at the endpub. Beer is expensive here, 13 euros for 2 half litres! We tried a Karhu III and a Kukko Pils, both were good.
The barman recommended somewhere to eat as we asked for somewhere that had authentic Finnish food. It was a good recommendation - the restaurant was called "Hiisi", under a death metal place with pretty good music coming through the ceiling, punk as well as rock. This took me back to my (slightly misspent?) youth and made me think of the Dog and Partridge in Bolton, then I began to wonder what music my friends Jill and Sam's daughter Jemima, or Mima, is into today and if there is any influence from the music played by her parents?
(A bit random I know but I just remembered that I promised to mention Mima!!!)
So, back to Helsinki - we had a Koff III and a Koff Porter to drink; a mixed platter starter of smoked pate, bear sausages, cheese, broiled salmon, blackberry compote, rye bread and nettle butter (yum!); and two mains comprising large meatballs with creamy Jaloriina sauce and potatoes mashed with bacon for Mac and wild boar roast with dark garlic sauce and
Koskenlaskija cheese potatoes for me. We had a great waiter, the food was spot on and we left very full!
Sat 16 Jul: the breakfast buffet selection was impressive, so much to choose from - in fact we ate enough at breakfast to keep us going until evening. Cereals, fruit, yoghurts, hot and cold choices, various breads, about 20 different teas and coffees..... definitely something to suit everyone.
We spent about 8 hours wandering around the city - like Tallinn Helsinki is easy to navigate on foot. We saw Senate Square and the Cathedral, Sederholm House (oldest building in the city, containing an exhibition on women in Finland), the City Museum, a market by the port, Kamp Galleria and Forum shopping centres, Gallery Jangva, the Museum of Cultures with an amazing exhibition of Chinese photography themed around colours, the railway station and plaza near our hotel. We ate at Orchid Thai (my pad kapharo, or stir-fried pork with chilli and basil, was excellent, as was Mac's green curry). Later we tried some blackcurrant vodka bought in tallinn - OK but not a patch on Polish cherry vodka!
Sun 17 Jul: Visited theTemppeliaukio Church (quarried out of natural
Berries galore
Market near then port bedrock), the Sibelius monument and the Museum of Conrtemporary Art, which featured exhibits largely centered on Africa. Also saw other impressive buildings from outside. Tried some wasabi gouda - very nice!
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