Breakfast at the Hosteling International cost 7.70 euros. For this we got a
range of two cereals, yogurt, one meat, two cheeses, cucumber, tomato, little
sausages and scrambled egg, plus a grainy roll and brown sliced bread. Not a
bad selection actually as hostel go, although some have almost provided this
variety in the accommodation price. Also the hotel next to our hostel put on a
wider spread for just six euros.
One interesting thing is that they provide marmalade beside the cereals so that
you can use it as a topping on your yogurt. It actually works quite well too.
I had discussed with hostel desk staff locations of various things and I was
recommended to consider a trip to a group of islands. As I had bought a three
day travel pass, the ferry would cost nothing. I had noted a few things for the
day in the "What's On" booklet. On the island was going to be a band parade
and a band concert. That sounded interesting especially as it was free.
This is Helsinki Week. It is the time the city celebrates its birthday. The only
strange thing is that the 'week' actually goes on for three weeks.
I wandered out around 11am and caught the tram which runs past the hostel. As I
had time and a pass, I decided to ride the tram to the end of the route and
back again. It was a good one to do this on as it traveled through the middle
of the city and it helped me identify a few places which I needed to know about
– like the railway station. When I looked down a side street the imposing
building just had to be the railway station and so it proved to be.
On the ride I passed the opera house, several museums and the Olympic stadium
although it did not stand out as being all that imposing, but then the Olympics
here were a long time ago.
The tram took me through a mixture of light industrial or more likely,
commercial and a variety of residential areas. The route ended in a loop beside
the sea. There was a small park there, some grass areas and a sandy beach. No
one was swimming.
Well I just sat and continued back the way I had come. I got off in front of the
great cathedral which I had obviously noted in a mixture of awe and amazement on
the way out. More about that later.
I walked from there down to the harbour and to the ferry landings. It didn't
take long to be on one heading out to Suomenlinna Sveaborg or Sea Fortress. It
was about 25 minute trip during which we passed the international ferry
terminals on both sides of us. Each ferry company seems to have its own
terminal somewhere in the harbour. I was fortunate that Viking Lines had
there's just a few minutes from the hostel. From all the others I would have to
had used a combination of tram routes to get to the hostel. It would not have
been such a great problem now that I have been and seen the set up, but a bit
daunting arriving for the first time.
We passed some islands of various sizes. One had a couple of churches and some
houses, another just one house and others were too small for anything. The all
had areas of exposed smoothed rock and they reminded me of some we saw a couple
of years ago in Stockholm harbour.
Soon we were approaching an island with a tall square church tower on the
highest point. Once we had actually landed I realised that there were about
five actual islands linked together by short bridges. The other obvious feature
that I notices were the strong fortifications and military looking buildings.
I can tell you that the fortress has been around for a long long time and so is
particularly historic. It was begun in 1748 when Finland was part of the
Swedish Kingdom. Quite soon it was an important base in the Swedish Russian war
in 1788. Russians and for the next hundred and ten years it remained in Russian
control.
Once the Russian Revolution started Finland declared independence and they have
controlled the the fortress ever since. In the 1970's most of the Finnish
military moved out and the place was opened up to the public as a park.
Judging from my visit, the locals obviously love to go there for picnics, to
wander or to lay on the smooth coastal rock faces. Actually that aspect
reminded me of scenes from Bergman's film 'Summer With Monica'.
A lot of the old military buildings have been converted into cafes, galleries
and museums. One even into a brewery. I went into a gallery which was
exhibiting a series of large colour photographs of dolls. Well largely the same
doll – one of those old plastic ones were you could pull off the arms and legs
from their sockets. Some had be carefully lit others had sets built for them to
pose in and some were rather bizarre. In the middle of the room was a large
table filled with individually made and baked gingerbread men. They formed a
design. In another darkened room, the wall had black gingerbread men shapes
covering the wall. From a video projector animations of gingerbread men went on
top of the painted ones so that the pattern in the centre of the wall was
constantly changing – but on a loop.
An interesting few minutes. Then I followed the flow of the crowd and headed
through an arched gateway and up a small hill. This took me to the church, a
Lutheran military chapel and as I looked the sound of drum beats came towards
me. A few moments later a military parade, lead by two officers on horses came
marching by. I took a short cut across the hill side as many were doing, and
got to the parade ground in time to watch the parade march on, flag flying and
band playing.
This was the conscripts and their band. They had started their training in
January and had to do a nine month compulsory period. Next from the same
direction came the band and some troops of the permanent army, the Helsinki
Guards.
For the next 25 minutes we were entertained by the various bands playing and
doing drills and and soldiers did gun routines with their rifles. All very
entertaining and the conscripts did very well indeed.
Then they marched off. The Helsinki Guards Band went to a stage under the trees
and put a concert on with a female singer who proved very popular with the
crowds by singing the ABBA song, 'Waterloo'.
I left the concert and went walking over two islands. There were lots of pretty
little lanes and all the buildings were of a past age, perhaps two hundred of
more years ago. So, it was a bit like walking back in history except for the
modern looking crowds also out walking. I did see a group of teenage girls who
had set the scene by wearing historical costumes and having a historical style
picnic on the grass. Quite picturesque and they were having a fun time.
At one point there is the oldest working dry dock in the world, which is mostly
reserved for working on wooden sailing ships. It was large enough to have
several dry docked at the same time. Everywhere there seemed to be tall wide
protective walls. Most had arched passage ways through them and often there
were tunnels and rooms in the walls to visit. All dark or dim with only tiny
windows, for the soldiers to shoot at of I suppose. I was standing by one of
the doors when a couple ladies came out. Without looking one used my arm to
help steady herself before her friend told her it was the wrong arm. She was so
apologetic, but I told her that it was the most exciting thing to happen to me
today, and they both went off laughing and laughing.
I made my way to the furtherest walls which guarded the main channel. Along the
walls there were still many old canon in position and in places more recent
guns as well. The bases of World War Two guns are still there, but not the
guns.
In sheltered little bays lots of couples and small groups were lying in the sun
or having picnics on the smooth rock. The rock would of course be radiating
stored heat so it would be a nice warm area to be in. Only in one area did I
she a family of abut six actually in the water. Others were picnicking in spots
amongst the grass and yellow wild flowers.
As I made my way back I noticed a large cruise liner heading apparently,
straight for the island. But no there was a very narrow passage between this
island and another and the large ship just steamed through without a slowing
down at all. I could see all the passengers up on the top deck – not close
enough to shake hands though but almost. I then remembered coming in on the
ferry from Tallinn and looking out and seeing a rocky island very close and
wondering if there was an island on the other side as well. This would have
been the spot.
Well I made my way slowly back to the jetty to wait for a ferry. One arrived,
let its passengers off and the waiting crowd got ready to board. But no, the
crew put up the gangway and sat and
waited on board. Finally 20 minutes later they let us on and the ferry left at
its scheduled time.
I sat on the open top deck and enjoyed the trip back and the views. Lovely
sunshine but a slight breeze made the temperatures cooler.
Back at the harbour I had a large thick frankfurter in a Balkan Hot dog. This
included a fried egg as well as the usual toppings. Very nice and filling.
Then it was just a couple of blocks walking to the square with the big Lutheran
Cathedral. The square is wide and open with a fountain in the middle. Then a
series of wide steps lead up the slope to the top of the hillside to where the
cathedral was located. It was white and the sun was picking up the shape and
making all the detail sharp and clear.
I was going there for a free concert by a choir and organ. It was one of those
Lutheran churches where each row of the pews has little door or gate at each
end. So I chose a spot and waited. There was a good crowd there and right on
time the organ sounded. As usual it came from the back and high up. I always
find this experience to be a bit odd and I am not used to having church music
come from behind me. Then the choir started and I got the impression of an
adult mixed choir singing with power.
So during the concert when the choir came down and processed up the aisle to the
front came as a surprise. It was a boys' choir with lots of young boys. I was
impressed that they could sing so well. However, I am not an expert on boys'
choir. Actually I have rarely had the chance to hear one live. I worked out
that there could be about 75-80 singers.
I could not understand a single word and didn't really recognize any of the
tunes either. However, it was a very pleasant evening and it was still light
when I left the church. A short tram ride and I was back at the hostel.
It had been a very full and pleasant day and just a little tiring.
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