|
Helsinki
Here's how the Slide Show
works:
Click on the thumbnail pics that appear in a row above the enlarged pic
(the
first thumbnail). Click on each of the thumbnails and the enlarged
version
will appear below.
After you've looked at the 4 thumbnails, click on the right arrow 4
times,
bringing up 4 new thumbnails and then click on each of the thumbnails
and the enlarged version will appear below.
Then click on the right arrow 4 times, bringing up 4 new thumbnails and
click
on each of the thumbnails and the enlarged version will appear below.
And so on.........
|
|
Helsinki, August 22
We had a good night's sleep, in familiar surroundings, even though we lost an hour for the time zone change from Stockholm to Helsinki. We went to the Grand Dining Room for breakfast and afterwards, Daryl did a quick load of laundry and some ironing, since no one would be in the laundry that early in the cruise. Then we went to the Wine Bazaar. Anton had introduced us to Loredana from Romania, the cellar master, the night before and she told us they were having a sale of wines that they had too few bottles of to keep on the wine list. They discount them from the list price, so we bought enough for a week or so, and they store them in the ship cellar for us. Then, when we go to dinner, we give them our list and they go find the wine that we have chosen for that meal.
The ship docked in Helsinki at 11am and our excursion was scheduled to leave at 12:45. We had signed up for a walking tour of Helsinki. The bus took us to Sibelius Park and then we walked for 4 hours through the city to see the major sights, like the Stone Church and the Concert Hall, etc. We had a break for coffee and blueberry cake about 2/3 of the way through. There were about 25 of us, all with headsets so we could hear our guide, Hanna. The tour ended at the Food Hall and outdoor food market, so we were happy. You can see as many churches, etc. as you want, but for us the local food is interesting, lots of reindeer sausage, etc.
We got back to the ship in time to relax in the cabin with a glass of wine before dinner and then headed to Red Ginger, the Asian Fusion restaurant at 8pm. We knew that Lynette, who had been maitre d' there last year, was gone, so had to make friends with Wauranee from India. She seated us with John Michael from the Philippines and Kareichon from India and we had our favorite meal (Rob: duck and watermelon salad and beef stir fry this time; Daryl: Thai soup and Lobster Pad Thai.) We met a couple from Vancouver Island, who were seated next to us, Rob and Elaine. They also have a home in Mexico and regularly drive down with their 2 dogs. It was Elaine's birthday, so everyone sang and they brought a cake. Afterwards we dropped by the Grand Dining Room as we knew from others that our friend Marius from Romania, who we have known since our Panama Canal cruise, had been promoted to Head Waiter there. More hugs!
