Second Stop: Helsinki, Finland

This Lutheran Cathedral, finished in 1854, was very stately from the outside. The inside was interestingly the opposite - austere and unadorned, meant to emphasize the preaching and the music.

We enjoyed our next stop in Helsinki.  It was a pretty typical day of touring: walk the town market, grab some local snacks, do ol' Rick's walking tour, see some churches, grab a beer, and do a bit more shopping around (ok, that was just us girls).

We also took a ferry out to the very cool Suomenlinna Fortress and did some walking around there. It was a nice relaxing day until we almost missed the transportation back to the boat.  But those sorts of things are bound to happen, right?

Gorgeous flower stand at the Helsinki Market

The berries looked so delicious!

But why eat berries when you can try this local treat?  Mini fried anchovies.  You just pop them in your mouth and crunch on the mini bones.  David's also holding another local delight: reindeer balls.

Three Blacksmiths statute with three stooges... sometimes you have to create your own entertainment during Rick's walking tours....

View looking down from the Lutheran Cathedral, which sits above the town.

Upenski Cathedral - Built in 1868 when Finlandl belonged to Russia, this Orthodox Cathedral also stands above the town and across from the Lutheran Cathedral.  The onion dome represents the sacred heart of Jesus.

Beer Break at Kapelli Cafe on the Esplanade. 

 Built by the Swedes in the mid-1700s to counter Russia's rise to power, the Suomenlinna Fortress had 5 miles of walls and hundreds of cannons.  It is situated on an island guarding Helsinki's harbor and was a strategic fortress for Finland, Sweden and Russia. 

Always a ham....always a ham.