On Finlandski station in St Petersburg you could buy Darwin stubbies (2.5l) of beer for $4,but here in Helsinki, the litre price is more like $6. Even so, alcoholism is a problem and we saw several drunks today. I gather the long dark winters are part of the problem.
However immediately we crossed the border, there were more cultivated fields and the blocks of flats looked much smarter.
Today we walked around the City Centre and then took a Circle tram ride. Helsinki has plenty of tram routes. There are lots of parks and people sitting in the sun. On our way to the tourist bureau, one of the first shops we found was Marrimekko. The fabrics are gorgeous, but at over $30/m would be rather extravagant for our tiny beach house Cuddle Doon.
Finnish design is rightly celebrated and there are lots of lovely boutiques with great clothes and household items.
In the market on the waterfront I admired the reindeer skin handbags, but bought only Portuguese strawberries and raspberries - both delicious and sold by the litre.
On our second day in Helsinki I found the herrings on the breakfast buffet, but there seems far less fish than I remember. We spent the day walking to the sights we missed yesterday.
I shall post this before we head North towards Lapland.
A different hotel window view!
One of many parks
Fountain in the park
and flowers in the park
Another park, another fountain
Typical elegant entrance
Helsinki trams are mostly much newer than this one.
Helsinki Central Railway station was designed by Eliel Saarinen, who later worked in Chicago
Finlandia Hall designed by Alvar Aalto, another famous Finnish architect
Sibelius monument
Cow fabric is in this year at Marrimekko
Some of the bolts of Marrimekko fabrics. I did buy a remnant to make cushions.
No comments:
Post a Comment