A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That . .: 08/24/17

Day 1: JFK - Helsinki

I flew from JFk to Helsinki via Reykjavik. My daughter Laura was flying from Buffalo to there via Boston and we met in Reykjavik and took the same flight from there. My sister Tuula and her husband Reijo met us at Helsinki-Vantaa airport and we went to their house from there. They live in Vantaa so that trip was not too long. Their younger daughter Selma lives still at home and the older one, Emma, came to see us for dinner.

Day 2: Helsinki

We all got up early since I had some business to do with the passport office. I wanted to renew my Finnish passport while I was there. After that we all headed out to Helsinki and met Emma in the city near the Akateeminen bookstore. We walked to the market place area along the Esplanadi park. Then we took the ferry to Suomenlinna fortress. This used to be my favorite places to be in the summer when I lived in Helsinki.

Esplanadi, Helsinki

Market Square, Helsinki

Kappeli Restaurant, Esplanadi, Helsinki

Suomenlinna Fortress, Helsinki

After walking around the fortress and having something to drink we headed back to the city. First we went to see the Uspenski Cathedral. It is a Russian Orthodox church. We walked to Senate Square and went inside to see the Helsinki Cathedral, which is a Lutheran church. Right next to the squaare is The National Library. It was just recently renovated and is quite beautiful inside.

Market Square & the Cathedral, Helsinki

Uskpenski Cathedral, Helsinki

Market Square & President's Palace, Helsinki

Uskpenski Cathedral, Helsinki

Senate Square & Helsinki Cathedral, Helsinki

Helsinki Cathedral, Helsinki

National Library, Helsinki

We walked down Aleksanterinkatu and decided to go and have a quick lunch at the Karl Fazer Cafe. Fazer is very famous from their chocolates which you can get everywhere in Finland.

Helsinki Train Station

We took a tram to the Eira area of Helsinki and walked around there looking at all the beautiful old buildings. Before long we were on the coast and heading to the boat launch area. We had dinner reservations at Saari Restaurant. It is on an island and the only way to get there is by boat. Luckily they have their own shuttle boat. We ate outside on the patio overlooking the sea. Their food is a little bit different, more traditional Finnish cuisine, but with a modern twist.

Helsinki architecture

Ferry to the Saari Restaurant, Helsinki

Saari Restaurant, Helsinki

One of our appetizer trays,
Saari Restaurant, Helsinki

The view from our table, Saari Restaurant, Helsinki

Day 3: Helsinki

Today was a bit more easy going. Reijo had to go work so Tuula took her daughters and Laura sightseeing. They went to the National Museum, the Sibelius Monument, Temppeliaukion Church aka The Rock Church since it was built inside a rock and several other places. I on the other hand met a friend of mine for lunch downtown. We had a nice time catching up on everything.

At the National Museum, Helsinki

Outside the Music Hall, Kluuvi, Helsinki

Kiasma Museum, Kluuvi, Helsinki

Day 4: Helsinki - Porvoo - Imatra - Punkaharju - Savonlinna - Leppävirta

We have a long day of driving ahead of us. Only Tuula, Reijo, Laura and I headed out. Our first stop was Porvoo. We just looked around the old part of town before heading out again.

Old Town Hall, Porvoo

Porvoo

Next stop was Imatra with it's rapids which were not very spectacular that day. We did take a quick look at an old hotel resort that looks like a castle. Then we went looking for a lunch place.

No water on these rapids, Imatra

Hotel & a Resort, Imatra

After lunch we drove to Punkaharju. It has a natural ridge that goes through lakes with beautiful views and some historical sights, especially from the war time.

Punkaharju

a dugout, Punkaharju

Punkaharju

Eventually we ended up in Savonlinna with it's Olavinlinna Castle. We were able to get ticket for a tour of the castle. You can't just wander around on your own here. They also have opera festival during the summer. After the castle we walked to the market square in town before heading out again.

Olavinlinna Castle, Savonlinna

Opera Festival under the white sails, Olavinlinna Castle, Savonlinna

Olavinlinna Castle, Savonlinna

The Black Ram of Olavinlinna Castle, Savonlinna

An old steam ship Savonlinna by the market square in Savonlinna

We drove to Leppävirta where my sister bought the house/farm where our mother grew up. She has been renovating it the last 10 years. It was very interesting what they had done to the place. And it's all for the better :). Selma and Emma joined us there.

My sister's farm, Leppävirta

Sauna at my sister's farm, Leppävirta

My sister's farm, Leppävirta

Midnight sun, Leppävirta

Day 5: Leppävirta - Kuopio

In the morning we went to Kuopio which is about 50 km north. We went to the Market Hall, the Market Square, the harbor and the Puijo Tower. We had an excellent lunch on the top. The tower turns around so while you eat you can see all around. The restaurant is run by a culinary school so everything was top notch. After the lunch we went even higher to the open area for even better look around.

Market Hall, Kuopio

Market Square & Town all, Kuopio

Harbor, Kuopio

Pikku Pietari shopping street, Kuopio

View from the Puijo Tower, Kuopio

Cousins on top of the Puijo Tower, Kuopio

Lunch at the Puijo Tower, Kuopio

Ski jumps next to the Puijo Tower, Kuopio

After driving back to the farm my brother Juha, his wife Tuija and their son Otto from Oulu joined us for the weekend. They have an RV so they drove it down and stayed in it.

Welcome champagne, Leppävirta

Leppävirta

Day 6: Leppävirta

Today was a day to reminiscence. First we went to the cemeteries to see our parents and all other relatives graves. Then to Unnukka stores, Leppävirta church where I got married, the museum and also the Konnus canals and rapids. I used to spend a lot of time there too when I was younger.

Sand sculpture competition at Unnukka, Leppävirta

I used to live there, Leppävirta

Leppävirta Church

Museum, Leppävirta

Barge Iina, Konnus, Leppävirta

The "new" locks, Konnus, Leppävirta

One of the old locks, Konnus, Leppävirta

Rapids at Konnus, Leppävirta

Playing mölkky, Leppävirta

Day 7: Leppävirta - Tampere

After lunch we said goodbye to Juha, Tuija and Otto. Only Tuula, Laura, Selma and I headed out to Tampere. Reijo and Emma and Otto went back to Helsinki.

Siblings, Leppävirta

Cousins, Leppävirta

Devil's Field, Sorsakoski, Leppävirta

An old windmill, somewhere on the way to Tampere

I have to admit that I have never been to Tampere before, so it was nice to see it. The downtown looked like a very nice area with river going through it with parks around it. Tampere used to be an industrial city with fabric factories. We stayed in Hotel Torni by the train station. It is new and very fancy.

Hotel Torni, Tampere

View from the top of Hotel Torni, Tampere

City Hall, Tampere

Tampere

Old Church, Tampere

Library Park, Tampere

Patosilta & Tammerkoski, Tampere

Patosilta, Tampere

Tammerkoski, Tampere

Day 8: Tampere - Turku

It took most of the morning to drive to Turku, seemed to be farther away than we thought. We did arrive to my Aunt Pami and Uncle Owe's place on time, since she had made a reservation for lunch. Both of my cousins arrived with their families also. They even had a little toast for us. My aunt had not seen Laura since she was a little girl. It was so nice for them to meet again.

Things you at gas station rest stop, Aura

The breadbasket of Finland, southwest

All of us went out to lunch to Hus Lindman Restaurant. It is in a historical building along the Aura River. Lunch was really good and my aunt was so kind to pay for everybody. After lunch we went back to her place for coffee and cake. Once we got there Otto was waiting for us on their driveway. He's moving to Turku for university in a few weeks and came there to pick up his key to his apartment.

Hus Lindman Restaurant, Turku

my aunt & uncle's house, Turku

Then it was time to go and do some very quick sightseeing in Turku. Otto came with us. First we went to Turku Castle. Since it was so close to the closing time we had time to see only half of the castle.

Turku Castle, Turku

From there we headed out to the Luostarinmäki area, but everything was closed already. We walked around then drove to downtown and dropped Otto off. He was heading back to Oulu. The rest of us drove back to Vantaa.

Luostarinmäki Handicrafts Museum, Turku

Turku Cathedral

Turku

Day 9: Vantaa - Espoo - Tuusula

First thing in the morning I went and picked up my new passport. Thank you Tuula for helping me and driving me around to all these places.

Tuula, Selma and Laura dropped me off in Espoo at my friend Aili's place. Aili and I have been friends since high school. Then they went to pick up Emma an headed for more sightseeing and shopping. I met 2 of Aili's 3 children and her husband. Then Aili and I headed out to Haltia Nature Center which is in the Nuuksio National Park. We had lunch there and otherwise a very nice visit.

Haltia Nature Center, Espoo

Aili drove me back to Tuula's house and the others came soon after. They had made a dinner reservation at Krapi Restaurant. There is a hotel part on it too but the restaurant is in an old building. It is a very nice area and the food was more traditional Finnish cuisine. After our dinner we drove around the area a little bit. We saw the house where Aleksis Kivi died. He was one of the great Finnish authors who lived in the 1800´s.

Krapi Restaurant, Tuusula

We got a private room at Krapi Restaurant, Tuusula

Day 10: Helsinki - JFK

Then it was time to say goodbye to everybody. Tuula dropped Laura and me at the airport. Laura had a flight to Geneva to visit with her brother for a few days before flying back to US. Her flight left a lot earlier than mine and since I was flying via Reykjavik and there were not too many flight the desk wasn't ready and I couldn't check in. I had a long wait with all my luggage but eventually I was able to check in and get on the plane. Changing of the planes in Reykjavik was tight with long lines in customs and security, but at least it is a small airport. It was great going back and seeing everyone, still lots of other people whom I didn´t have a chance to see. This was long overdue :)

A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That . .

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Thursday, August 24, 2017

Finland - July - Aug 2016