Helsinki, Finland
Through the night and into the early morning, we sailed west through the Gulf of Finland, leaving Russia behind and setting Scandinavia in our sights. Dark clouds hung low in the sky at dawn and the puddles on deck reflected their image back to the heavens as the sun fought its way above the horizon.
The weather here in this part of the Baltic changes quickly and frequently, but it looked to be turning in our favor as the islands of the Helsinki archipelago came into view. We were eager to make landfall for our first port of call on this voyage across the Baltic Sea. Helsinki may not be the first Scandinavian capital to come to mind, but with a full afternoon and evening at our disposal we set out to discover the city’s charm and unique style for ourselves.
Caught between the Swedish lion and the Russian bear, Finland and its people have long had to rely upon their quiet, but determined resolve to carve out and maintain their own identity. As we walked the streets of Helsinki, we could see some influences of both; the distinctive Russian architecture of the Uspenski Cathedral (seen here) and the formidable island fortress of Suomenlina, a Swedish-designed marvel that has attained UNESCO’s World Heritage Site status. And yet, we also see results of Finland’s own sense of style, the “sugar cube” office building sitting next to the ferry terminal, the strikingly clean white and green Lutheran Cathedral, and of course, the Art Nouveau facades of many of Helsinki’s most photographed buildings.
Having so much time at our disposal, we all set off in search of our own desires by mid-afternoon. Some opted for a more extensive exploration of the aforementioned Sveaborg. Others wanted more time and cooperative light conditions for photography. The colorful market attracted more than a few euros and a handful of us even hopped a local ferry for a visit to Korkeasaari, Helsinki’s island zoo. There we explored the quiet grounds and enjoyed some delightful observations of some of northern Europe’s most elusive and threatened animals such as the infamous wolverine.
Our day eventually came to an end with the National Geographic Explorer sailing out of the harbor, aglow in the lights of the city’s skyline. By the time our heads hit the pillow, we each had found something memorable in this quiet world capital, tucked away in the far northern corner of the Baltic Sea.
