On to Helsinki

Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen. - Benjamin Disraeli


June 17, 2009, Wednesday, Tallinn City Camping, Tallinn, Estonia, to the ferry to Rastila Camping, Helsinki, Finland.
We found our way down into the city of Tallinn and out to the docks to the Silja Ferry. The ride on the boat to Helsinki was just two hours. Driving off the ferry in a new city and being directed off the pier… things get confusing…which way to turn? This is the time to trust our GPS, and “Matilda” came through with flying colors. Soon we were at the Rastila Campground, 16 kilometers from Helsinki. It is located next to the Metro, so it is easy to get back and forth.
We got the Metro System down quickly and started for the city of Helsinki. Helsinki is the only European capital with no medieval past. It seems to be a mix of Swedish, Russian, and, of course, Finish influences. Helsinki has been the capital of Finland since 1812. Finland was part of Sweden until 1809, then it was under the Russian rule for over a century. In 1917, Finland won its independence from Russia. After WWII Finland was made to suffer for fighting against the Allied Powers, Russia. It was forced to cede eastern Finland to the USSR and to accept Soviet naval bases.
Our first stop was the Helsinki Central Station with its lantern-holding musclemen statues outside the station. We walked past the Neo-classical Helsinki Cathedral and down to Market Square part souvenirs, and crafts, part fruit and veggies, part fish and snacks.
Back to the campground and it is getting crowded, it is a holiday weekend. Midsummer’s Night Festival.

June 18, 2009, Thursday, Rastila Campground, Helsinki, Finland.
The Suomenlinna Island Fortress, the Swedes constructed this island fortress between 1748 & 1772 and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After the Swedes, the Russians took over for a century, then Finland got it and today it is a Helsinki tourist destination. This island is large, actually it is four islands connected by bridges. It was called the Gibraltar of the North. The fort, built by 15,000 workers also took the lives of many miserably treated slaves, serfs, whatever. Fancy Monuments, Palaces, Fortresses, Churches were all built on the backs of the poor working class person with no rights…a familiar theme repeated over and over. Finland’s Naval Academy is also housed on this island. It is a lovely spot for a picnic and a walk. It even has its own brewery. And yes we did sample the beer of Panimo brewery.
One very popular activity is the sauna, we did not have the opportunity to experience this. But given the harsh winters it is a refuge for the folks here.
We keep noticing the price of everything going up, up and up…welcome to Scandinavia!

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