First Full Day in Helsinki
As to be expected, we were quite sluggish during our first full day in Helsinki. We had jet lag big time and I for instance slept at 12 midnight the night before and woke up at 4:30 am, just after 4.5 hours of sleep. We decided to just walk around the city center and get a good idea of the lay of the land. One really excellent advantage of staying in a centrally located hotel is that attractions and sights are within walking distance.
The Parliament of Finland
The Helsinki Music Center
Kiasma Museum of Modern Art
The Kiasma Museum of Modern Art
Another view of the Kiasma Museum of Modern Art
A fuller view of the Kiasma Museum of Modern Art
Marc and I passed through an underground passageway after buying some food for breakfast in SOKOS Supermarket. Along the way, I saw these colorfu posters encased in glass.
Inside an underground walkway
Inside an underground walkway
Art Noveau bldg. I knew beforehand that Riga was full of Art Noveau buildings. I just didn't expect Helsinki too have some too.
In front of the Stockmann Department Store which has a superb supermarket and restaurant. We ate here a couple of times. The food was very reasonably priced considering Finland is painfully expensive.
With a reindeer at the Feel of Finland, Stockmann Department Store
Although I came to like Stockmann a lot, I found Helsinki not much fun to shop in. It was so expensive here. I guess no country can really beat the US in terms of fun in shopping.
A reindeer in the Feel of Finland section of Stockmann Department Store, Helsinki
Elvis at a restaurant
The Main Railway Station
Although the train station was right next to our hotel, the Holiday Inn Helsinki City Center, we hardly visited this attraction in the capital of Finland.
The National Library of Finland
Taken on the grounds of the Lutheran Cathedral with the National Library in the background
Art on the side of a building close to the Forum Mall