Helsinki pictures

Hi all

I'll upload a few more pictures that I have taken with my new camera. First of all, a couple of buildings all tourists take pictures of, the Cathedral and the Orthodox Cathedral called Uspenski. The Orthodox Cathedral was built in the 19th century when Finland was a part of Tsarist Russia. A German architect called Carl Ludvig Engel, who lived and worked in Finland from the year 1815 onwards, designed the Cathedral and many neo-classical buildings close to it. The railway station was designed by a Finnish architect.













This quotation is from a website called "Virtual Finland": In 1906 Finland's national assembly, the Eduskunta, became the first parliament in the world to adopt full gender equality. It earned that distinction by granting equally to men and women the right not only to vote but also to stand for election.



There is a tram in front of the museum. New tram lines are being built at the moment.


This tram is no longer used for public transport other than as a moveable pub! Anyone can enter and buy a pint of Koff, which is one of the largest-selling beers in Finland. Of course you don't know where the driver will take you but you can get off any time you like. The Koff brewery was established in the 1800s.









The swan, or rather a particular kind of swan, is the national bird of Finland. This isn't a picture of the right kind of swan but we only have these birds in Helsinki. The right swan looks more white and majestic and has a longer neck. It nests in the countryside only and avoids people. The one in the picture will eat from your hand. Food is what it wants!

Cheers, CB

Hi Doll

Yes, the Koff tram is the only one that sells drinks in Helsinki. You shouldn't drink too many, though, because there's no toilet on the tram! I have never taken a ride on it and I don't even know whether you have to buy a ticket too. Perhaps the customers can tell the driver where they would like to go, I don't know. The red colour scheme of the tram is the same that you can se on the Koff cans of beer, which makes the tram instantly recognisable to locals. I think this particular tram began its life commuting passengers in the late 50s and was taken out of regular service in the late 80s or early 90s. The modern trams are longer.

My camera is a Canon Ixus 75. It's small enough to fit into a case attached to my belt!

The boy in the 7th picture seems indeed to be looking at me. I hadn't noticed him when I took the picture.

A few more pictures.



A pedestrian street in downtown Helsinki at Juhannus, which is a midsummer celebration when at least one-third of the population of Helsinki go into the countryside to attend summer festivals of all kinds and to watch burning bonfires at lakesides. That's why there are very few people in the picture.


Karhupuisto, or Bear Park in English, has been so named because of the statue. There are about 1,000 bears in Finland. They shy away from people and the safest way to avoid encountering a bear in a forest is to make some noise  -  hum something or listen to a portable radio  -  so that the bear can hear you. It doesn't want to see you and will run away unless you happen to be between the bear and its young. That can spell big trouble. The bear will think its offspring is in danger and will do anything to protect it, including killing you. That happens extremely rarely, once every hundred years or so.


Part of the Opera House.


Finland's most famous long distance runner Paavo Nurmi won 9 Olympic gold medals. The Olympic Stadium is in the background. The 1952 Olympics were held in Helsinki.


The Kämp Hotel is one of the most expensive in Helsinki and a beer in its outdoor bar costs a lot. I don't know how much, I have never had a drink there. The walls are old but actually everything inside the building is brand-new and modern. The original building was torn down in the late 1900s, only the outer walls were left standing, everything inside was rebuilt. That seems to be a popular technique here. Stockmann, a big department store, used the same method when it had one corner of its site rebuilt at about the same time.


The name of this round building would be Ring House or Circle House in English. It is round in shape.


Finally, some pictures of the Suomenlinna sea fortress. The fortress was built on a few islands in the 18th century to protect Helsinki against attacks from the sea and the old cannons are still standing. Very popular with tourists even though in my opinion there's nothing much to see. It was built to protect Helsinki, not to appeal to the eye. Frequent ferries take you to Suomenlinna in 10 minutes from the Market Square, which is teeming with tourists in the summertime.







Cheers, CB

Cool Breeze

Finally, some pictures of the Suomenlinna sea fortress. The fortress was built on a few islands in the 18th century to protect Helsinki against attacks from the sea and the old cannons are still standing. Very popular with tourists even though in my opinion there's nothing much to see. It was built to protect Helsinki, not to appeal to the eye.

      

Come on CB! Just suppose that I came to Helsinki from Turkey, after spending a lot of money and a tiring flight. If they told me "yes, aaand this is the Helsinki dust but it is not so imp.." I would interrupt and cry "I want to see it!".

wow amazing photos. I think I need some more European countries

Oh! I love those gardens and their flowerbeds

Thanks for sharing CB!