Monday, July 20, 2015

Lonna and Suomenlinna, Finland

 The ferries at the market square never stops. They just run between Helsinki and the nearby islands. The big cruise ships doesn't stop either, one comes in for a few hours then leaves again and another and another. The port of Helsinki is quite small but the traffic it sees is tremendous. My hostel is next to the Viking terminal. There are ships going to Tallinn, St Petersburg, Stockholm and maybe Oslo. I took a ferry ride to the nearby islands, my last thing to do before I leave tomorrow for Oslo, Norway.
 First island, Lonna, its a small island. I spent about half an hour then jumped back on the next ferry to the bigger island of Suomenlinna. Suomenlinna was used by the Swedish to prevent Russia from taking Finland. The place is full of bunkers, cannons and other war machines.

 I found some wild strawberries on the island of Lonna. I ate them. They weren't very good, kind of dry, not juicy at all.
 Then it was on to the island of Suomenlinna.
 Someone started a garden here and seemed to have given up.

 I started the morning in Helsinki and had one of these gigantic cinnamon buns.
 Lunch in Suomenlinna were these Karelian pasties. They are quite good. I'll make them when I get home.
Its Oslo, Norway tomorrow. Goodbye Finland. Thanks for the hospitality. Maybe I'll be back some day.

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