Trip to Finland (Click on any image to load a larger copy)
Introduction
I arrived in Turku, Finland after taking the overnight ferry from Stockholm, Sweden (See Trip to Sweden) where I had spent the previous week. I planned to stay in Finland for six days
- two in Turku and four in Helsinki. While in Helsinki, I would take a day trip to Tallinn, Estonia, a 90 minute
ferry ride away.
My ship arrived in early on a Sunday morning. After checking in my hotel and taking a nap, I began to a long walk to the center of town. When I arrived in town, I first stopped to visit the Sibelius Museum. (Sibelius is Finland's most famous composer). Then I visited the Ett Hem Museum (a turn of the 20th century home) and the Pharmacy Museum & the Qwensel House. After a quick lunch, I went to the Forum Marinum (a Maritime Museum). The next day I went to see Turku Castle in the morning and spent the afternoon resting in my hotel.
On Tuesday, I woke up early and caught the train to Helsinki. After dropping of my luggage, I head off to see C.E. Mannerheim's house. It was free that day as it was his 125th birthday. Mannerheim was Finland's leader in World War II and play an import role in making Finland the country it is today. After visiting his house, I headed off to Helsinki's harbor to catch a boat tour of Helsinki. The only time on my trip that it rained or was over cast was while I was on that boat ride. I ended my day by visiting several sites near Senate Square. The first was the Sederholm House (Helsinki's oldest house) - which had an exhibit on marriages in Finland. The second was the Tuomiokirrko, a Lutheran Church. I then headed off to my hotel for the night.
The next day I started my journey at the Uspenski Church, an Orthodox Church. I then headed off to the Finland National Museum where I learned about the history of Finland. Near by was the Temppeliaukio Church, a strange church that was made by blasting a cave in a large rock. After seeing the church, I went by Finland's Parliament and stopped at a branch of the Helsinki City Museum. I finished the day by visiting the Koff Tram. This is a private tram car that has been converted to a pub. It circles the city and give an interesting way to tour Helsinki.
Thursday, I took the ferry to Tallinn, Estonia (See Trip to Estonia) for a day trip.
My last full day in Finland, I spent on Suomenlinna - an Island Fortress located a few miles from Helsinki. There I visited several military museums and the local micro brewery. I found the military museums quite interesting as I had studied about the Winter and Continuation Wars in my Military History course when I was in University. To actually see the equipment used in the sever conditions of the war was amazing.
My ship arrived in early on a Sunday morning. After checking in my hotel and taking a nap, I began to a long walk to the center of town. When I arrived in town, I first stopped to visit the Sibelius Museum. (Sibelius is Finland's most famous composer). Then I visited the Ett Hem Museum (a turn of the 20th century home) and the Pharmacy Museum & the Qwensel House. After a quick lunch, I went to the Forum Marinum (a Maritime Museum). The next day I went to see Turku Castle in the morning and spent the afternoon resting in my hotel.
On Tuesday, I woke up early and caught the train to Helsinki. After dropping of my luggage, I head off to see C.E. Mannerheim's house. It was free that day as it was his 125th birthday. Mannerheim was Finland's leader in World War II and play an import role in making Finland the country it is today. After visiting his house, I headed off to Helsinki's harbor to catch a boat tour of Helsinki. The only time on my trip that it rained or was over cast was while I was on that boat ride. I ended my day by visiting several sites near Senate Square. The first was the Sederholm House (Helsinki's oldest house) - which had an exhibit on marriages in Finland. The second was the Tuomiokirrko, a Lutheran Church. I then headed off to my hotel for the night.
The next day I started my journey at the Uspenski Church, an Orthodox Church. I then headed off to the Finland National Museum where I learned about the history of Finland. Near by was the Temppeliaukio Church, a strange church that was made by blasting a cave in a large rock. After seeing the church, I went by Finland's Parliament and stopped at a branch of the Helsinki City Museum. I finished the day by visiting the Koff Tram. This is a private tram car that has been converted to a pub. It circles the city and give an interesting way to tour Helsinki.
Thursday, I took the ferry to Tallinn, Estonia (See Trip to Estonia) for a day trip.
My last full day in Finland, I spent on Suomenlinna - an Island Fortress located a few miles from Helsinki. There I visited several military museums and the local micro brewery. I found the military museums quite interesting as I had studied about the Winter and Continuation Wars in my Military History course when I was in University. To actually see the equipment used in the sever conditions of the war was amazing.
Photo Info
This is the first trip I used a digital camera and was quite happy with the results. I used a Toshiba PDR-M81
4.2 Megapixel Digital Camera. The images were cleaned up a bit with Adobe PhotoShop Elements (To correct the
color balance). Additional Camera Information
Turku, Finland
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| Turku's Cathedral | A typical house in the old section of Turku | The Soumen Jostsen, an old sailing ship |
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| The outside of Turku Castle | The outer courtyard of Turku Castle | The Kings chamber in Turku Castle |
Helsinki, Finland
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| The Kauppatori (Fish Market). The white building is the President's House | Some apartments on the shore of Helsinki | The Tuomiokirrko, the Lutheran Church in the Senate Square |
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| The Senate Square | Sederholm House (Helsinki's oldest house) near the Senate Square | The Uspenski Cathedral, an Orthodox Church |
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| The interior of the Uspenski Cathedral | The dome of the Uspenski Cathedral | The Temppeliaukio Church, a church built in a rock |
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| Finland's Parliament | A statue of CGE Mannerheim | Mannerheim's House. Mannerheim was the President of Finland during World War 2 |
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| The Koff Tram. This is a tram that has a pub inside and gives tours of the city | The front of the Koff Tram | The interior of the Koff Tram |
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| Suomenlinna, an island fortress near Helsinki | An airplane in Suomenlinna's Military Museum. Finland used the swastika before the Nazis | The Vesikko - A World War 2 Coastal Submarine |