Happy in Helsinki

We caught a shuttle bus from the ship and began our walking tour through Esplanade Park to Market Square on the river which was full of market stalls selling food, local handicrafts and souvenirs. From there we climbed up the hill to Uspenski Cathedral, a beautiful church, and back down to the CBD for the impressive Lutheran Cathedral in Senate Square.

After a good walk around the city we were in need of sustenance so we stopped in at Kapelli Café for a delicious lunch and were serenaded by a group of teenagers performing from an adjacent bandstand.

On our way back to the shuttle we came across a wonderful indoor fresh food market that carries everything from meat to cheese and pastries - it reminded us of the QV markets in Melbourne. And we witnessed the destruction of a shopfront window as a customer tried to walk through it, instead of the door.

Helsinki is a lovely modern city with remnants of its historical past. It has beautiful gardens and an attractive waterfront precinct. And with all the jokes on board the ship about the Titanic, Jim decided to call Helsinki 'Hevnfloati'...