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Archicture in Helsinki (rather, nature and food mostly)
2007.10.07
The sun setting as we were on the cruise ship leaving Stockholm for Helsinki. It was overnight, so we got to watch crazy, wasted, and/or middle-aged people dance to cheesy American songs performed by Scandinavian cover bands.
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The sun setting as we were on the cruise ship leaving Stockholm for Helsinki. It was overnight, so we got to watch crazy, wasted, and/or middle-aged people dance to cheesy American songs performed by Scandinavian cover bands.
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Emma and Caitlin as we were leaving. Bye Sweden! We'll miss you!
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Emma and Caitlin as we were leaving. Bye Sweden! We'll miss you!
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I bought us some vodka for the trip. Alcohol is taxed heavily in Sweden to try to control alcoholism and its consumption in general, but on the ship it was tax-free! And very strong (this kind of vodka is usually 37.5%)! Anyway, it's a decent vodka although very strong. We enjoyed it though.
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I bought us some vodka for the trip. Alcohol is taxed heavily in Sweden to try to control alcoholism and its consumption in general, but on the ship it was tax-free! And very strong (this kind of vodka is usually 37.5%)! Anyway, it's a decent vodka although very strong. We enjoyed it though.
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One of the first things we did in Helsinki was go to this market where Caitlin and I had reindeer sausage. It was really tasty! This was at an outdoor cafe, and obviously a lot of tourists come because lots of the signs were in English, or close to it! I love this sign "Wery good, Reindeer Meetball." It was a pretty cute place.
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One of the first things we did in Helsinki was go to this market where Caitlin and I had reindeer sausage. It was really tasty! This was at an outdoor cafe, and obviously a lot of tourists come because lots of the signs were in English, or close to it! I love this sign "Wery good, Reindeer Meetball." It was a pretty cute place.
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This little bird was very cute, he went inside the tent of the outdoor cafe and we fed him little pieces of bread.
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This little bird was very cute, he went inside the tent of the outdoor cafe and we fed him little pieces of bread.
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At another outdoor market, an old man selling really pretty flowers.
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At another outdoor market, an old man selling really pretty flowers.
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Another day, another outdoor market. We bought delicious fried cheese (although cold), croissants, and coffee and sat outside/under a tented cafe. Good food, but it was a little chilly that day!
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Another day, another outdoor market. We bought delicious fried cheese (although cold), croissants, and coffee and sat outside/under a tented cafe. Good food, but it was a little chilly that day!
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Candles at the Church in the Rock--I lit one! It's the third one lit from the front. This is a church that was literally carved out of rock, and it's quite big and topped with a glass dome. It was really beautiful but difficult to take a good picture of, so I stuck with the small stuff mostly. In my next entry (we're only allowed 1 per day with 20 max photos), I'll post some bigger-scale photos, since these are all detail-oriented.
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Candles at the Church in the Rock--I lit one! It's the third one lit from the front. This is a church that was literally carved out of rock, and it's quite big and topped with a glass dome. It was really beautiful but difficult to take a good picture of, so I stuck with the small stuff mostly. In my next entry (we're only allowed 1 per day with 20 max photos), I'll post some bigger-scale photos, since these are all detail-oriented.
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Hymnals in the Church in the Rock, actually called the Temppeliaukio Church.
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Hymnals in the Church in the Rock, actually called the Temppeliaukio Church.
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Day 2-we went to an island our Australian and American friends at the hostel told us about. They also told us that the squirrels were ridiculously friendly. This proved to be true, as one ran up to me and actually climbed me like a tree, went onto my arm and stayed there just long enough for me to comprehend what the fuck was happening. I think Emma got a picture, I hope so.
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Day 2-we went to an island our Australian and American friends at the hostel told us about. They also told us that the squirrels were ridiculously friendly. This proved to be true, as one ran up to me and actually climbed me like a tree, went onto my arm and stayed there just long enough for me to comprehend what the fuck was happening. I think Emma got a picture, I hope so.
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Moss--it was really nice to get out of the city and hang out with nature for a while; I guess I haven't really done that since Summer 06.
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Moss--it was really nice to get out of the city and hang out with nature for a while; I guess I haven't really done that since Summer 06.
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Berries
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Berries
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At the end of our journey hiking around this island, we fed birds! The birds on this island were ridiculously tame, just like the squirrels. This is Caitlin feeding a Gold Finch, I think?
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At the end of our journey hiking around this island, we fed birds! The birds on this island were ridiculously tame, just like the squirrels. This is Caitlin feeding a Gold Finch, I think?
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Bad picture, but this is me feeding a bird. She perched on me, but this picture looks like she is weirdly hovering. Not so.
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Bad picture, but this is me feeding a bird. She perched on me, but this picture looks like she is weirdly hovering. Not so.
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Close scale shot of the Sibelius monument. Sibelius is, like, the only Finnish composer that's made it big. Finland is not exactly Austria, so it was tougher to get training, get good, or get recognition.
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Close scale shot of the Sibelius monument. Sibelius is, like, the only Finnish composer that's made it big. Finland is not exactly Austria, so it was tougher to get training, get good, or get recognition.
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More of the Sibelius monument. I liked it from far away (pictures tomorrow) but I like the detail work a lot more.
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More of the Sibelius monument. I liked it from far away (pictures tomorrow) but I like the detail work a lot more.
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Back to another outdoor cafe, where we had coffee and 'sweet buns', which were essentially raspberry-filled doughnuts. But it was a good way to kill the time before we went back on our boat to make the overnight trek across the Baltic Sea, back to our beloved Sverige. Also, we didn't go the same cafe, we went to three different ones but they all have these same tablecloths.
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Back to another outdoor cafe, where we had coffee and 'sweet buns', which were essentially raspberry-filled doughnuts. But it was a good way to kill the time before we went back on our boat to make the overnight trek across the Baltic Sea, back to our beloved Sverige. Also, we didn't go the same cafe, we went to three different ones but they all have these same tablecloths.
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A giant Meringue that Emma bought--seriously, huge.
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A giant Meringue that Emma bought--seriously, huge.
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When I came back, there was a package slip for me in the mailbox! I walked to a convenience store, picked it up, and found some of the most beautiful earrings hand-carved for me inside! I love them, a lot.
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When I came back, there was a package slip for me in the mailbox! I walked to a convenience store, picked it up, and found some of the most beautiful earrings hand-carved for me inside! I love them, a lot.
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Me wearing them--don't mind my shiny ear, I just oiled it (it's good for stretched lobes, I know it sounds weird).
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Me wearing them--don't mind my shiny ear, I just oiled it (it's good for stretched lobes, I know it sounds weird).
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Well, Helsinki was fun, although we quickly noticed that it's just like Swedes told us before we left: "Oh, Helsinki...it's nice...it's not Stockholm, you know." We dismissed these remarks mostly because Sweden is really incredible, but Swedes know it and we weren't really worried lowering our living standards for less than a week. But we noticed the difference (and felt a little ashamedly snobby for doing so)--the trams are so slow compared to the Tunnelbana (which makes sense, because trams are above ground and have to follow general laws of traffic whereas the T is underground and is much faster and more efficient), the city is a little dirtier, people are dressed up less (both a relief and an oddity), everything was very expensive. Pricing was confusing though--everything seemed so cheap! When you're used to spending 20:- for bread, seeing if for 2.50€ is shocking and excellent until you realize you're actually spending more money in Euros than you would be SEK. Whatever, though, we were very frugal except when I bought a beautiful Fair Isle hat for a nice sum, but it was hand knit in Helsinki and was worth it. I also bought a bottle of Jack Daniels which is now sitting lonely in a glass cabinet. I forgot how much I love whiskey (a lot)!
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Comment
I love you EmcB!!! Your pictures are beautiful (just like you). I'm so happy you got your blog up and running. You look like you are having a wonderful time, keep the pictures and the stories coming! Tell Miss Emma I say hi.
