Helsinki - Andrew, Jacqui, her Mum and friends - 2014

It would be nice to say that Helsinki greeted us with warm sunshine. But it didn’t. It was raining – again. The rain was a touch less torrential this day and the Band of Eight was back together for what would turn out to be our last Hop-on Hop-off bus experience.

I, personally, was a little bit sceptical about doing this again but the consensus was that this was the best way to do it. So off we went. The bus took us through some of the newer parts of Helsinki first, up past the Sibelius Monument and out to the Olympic Park.

The Olympic Stadium, Helsinki

I had been here before, of course, way back in 1999 when I had travelled to the top of the tower of the stadium. Then it had been lovely and sunny. Oh well!

From here we travelled back down towards the City Centre passing Finlandia Hall – Alvar Alto’s supposed masterpiece concert hall from 1971. However, the guide informed us that although it looked great and was designed from top to bottom by Alto it was actually very poor for acoustics and thus was rarely used for concerts!

 
Finlandia Concert Hall, Helsinki

The bus then took us down Mannerheimintie, the main shopping street of Helsinki before arriving at the Harbour Market.

 
Mannerheimintie, Helsinki

From the Harbour Market we drove into Senaatintori, the heart of the City, dominated by the Lutheran Cathedral.

 
Lutheran Cathedral, Helsinki

Here we all piled off the coach to experience a bit of Helsinki on foot. Some us climbed up the steps to the Cathedral and went inside to take in the stark white interior.

Senaatintori, Helsinki

Interior of the Lutheran Cathedral, Helsinki

Andrew and Jacqui in Helsinki,

After a brief bit of souvenir shopping we went back down again and spent a little time in the Square before getting back on the bus.

As we were leaving Senate Square the sun finally put in an appearance.

The Sun Comes Out in Helsinki

So off went the coach again and for the first – and only – time on this Cruise the bus became an open top one. We found ourselves back at the Ship again and two of our Band left, making us a Band of Six now as we headed back into Helsinki with a view to visiting the Rock Church (Temppeliaukio).

Outside the Rock Church, Helsinki

I had missed the Rock Church on my first visit to Helsinki and I was delighted to be able to visit it now. It actually was the highlight of the day – a place that is quite unique to the City and despite the crowds one which had a certain serenity.

 
Inside the Rock Church, Helsinki

The Rock Church, Helsinki

I had a quick spin around the church, climbing up to the balcony seating for a view down into the centre.

 
View from the Balcony, Rock Church, Helsinki

The Church was blasted into the bedrock of Helsinki in 1969 and then a copper and glass roof was place over the top to batch the interior with a rich, diffuse light. It is proof, if needed, that modern church design can be just as breathtaking as a medieval cathedral.

Detail of Rock Church interior, Helsinki

We left the Rock Church happy and much more content than we had been in Sweden. The sun was finally shining and the Finns were helpful and pleasant. Jacqui and I were now looking forward to visiting a flea market we had seen on our way around the tour.

 
Ravintola sign, Helsinki

Unfortunately this was not to be. The bus took some time going back around the City Centre again and we arrived back at Senaatintori where I took a couple more pictures of the church now the sun was out.

 
Back to Senaatintori, Helsinki

But here we waited and as time ticked by and the All Aboard time began to loom Jacqui and I made the decision that we’d have to miss the market. It was the only thing about our visit to Helsinki that we regretted, otherwise we finally seemed to have got a hang of the Hop-on Hop-off bus concept.

Naturally enough, as we left Helsinki, we would never get on another!

 
Looking Back at Helsinki

That night was the second formal evening on the boat and one of embarrassment as birthday celebrations went on – embarrassment because it wasn’t the person’s birthday!

 
Formal Evening Number Two

That evening the sun set over a still and serene Gulf of Finland as we headed with a growing sense of excitement towards St. Petersburg.

 
Sunset Over the Baltic

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