Helsinki

Tänään Stanley (kanadalainen vieraamme, joka tuli 3 viikoksi kyläilemään palatakseen sitten Corner Brookiin kertomaan koululuokalleen, mitä kaikkea näki ja koki) ja minä menimme junalla Helsinkiin pienelle kaupunkikierrokselle.

Today Stanley and I took the train to Helsinki to do a bit of sightseeing. Helsinki is the capital of Finland and has about 600 000 inhabitants. You can read more about Helsinki here.

Heti aseman vieressä Stanley bongasi luisteluradan ja pakkohan hänen oli käydä kokeilemassa. 

Right next to the railway station in Helsinki, Stanley noticed the skating rink and we just had to stop for a few rounds on skates. Most Finns learn skating in school or even before going to school. 

Kiertueella kävimme tietenkin Senaatintorilla ihailemassa Helsingin tuomiokirkkoa auringonlaskussa.

We went to see the Helsinki Cathedral, which is one of the most noted sights in Helsinki. It get's about half a million visitors yearly. 

About 76 percent (2012) of Finns are Lutheran (Christians).

Seuraavana vuorossa oli tietenkin Presindentinlinna. 

We also saw the President's palace but were not invited in. Next time, maybe! Finland is a republic and the President is the head of State. Currently the Finnish President is called Sauli Niinistö, who became the president a year ago after two terms of Tarja Halonen, who was the first female president in Finland.

Ja riitti meillä onneksi aikaa vielä iltateelle Fazerilla.

And to warm up after we went to Fazer cafe. Fazer is one of the largest manufacturers of candy and famous mainly of their chocolate. I will try my best to fit some samples in my envelope-luggage...