A little over a year and a half a go our first trip out of Berlin was to Copenhagen, Denmark. It was a wonderful trip which has stuck with us in many ways. I started to find my voice for the blog, Doreen and Logan had never been to Scandinavia, and it was a welcomed escape from a tumultuous time in our lives.

We have so many great memories but chief among them was when Doreen leaned over to me while we were having a drink in a little glass hut at Tivoli Garden and said, “Scandinavia is my spirit animal.”

Over Labor Day last year we got to experience Oslo along with the wonderful viking and food culture of Norway. This year it seemed only fitting to check out the other end of the region and head to Helsinki for a long weekend.

Finland has a storied history that dates back to the Iron Age. Around 1042 we saw the first mention of the original Finnish inhabitants called the Tavastians. The Swedish crusade of 1293 largely wiped these people out. In 1550 King Gustav I of Sweden established Helsinki as the town of Helsingfors. He intended it to compete with what is known as modern day Tallinn and relocated various Swedish villages to populate the area.

In the centuries since Gustav settled Helsinki it has been occupied by Sweden, Russia, Sweden, Russia, Sweden, Russia, and finally became its own country in 1917. You could easily argue that Finland’s identity is still developing.

On an early Thursday morning at the end of August we caught a flight to check out this exciting destination. Two hours later we arrived in Finland with the full day ahead of us. After a quick train ride we were in the heart of it ready to experience this wonderful city.

- Day 1 -

Hungry from our early morning travels, we set out to find some delicious fresh fish for lunch. We enjoyed the market halls in both Denmark and Oslo so Doreen found the quintessential Helsinki market located on the banks of the harbor.

Just before leaving Berlin Logan got a new scooter. His legs can’t quite tolerate a full city walking tour and he’s too big for the stroller so the scooter was a nice addition to our gear.

Old Town Market is a treasure trove of local delicacies, chief among them is the fresh salmon and shrimp caught just off the coast. Finland also has a large culinary culture of reindeer meat. It’s easy to find and is akin to venison in the states. Norway also had a robust reindeer culture but it was largely protected by the government in favor of the indigenous population.

We quickly learned about a popular local dish called Lohikeitto and found a wonderful little stand in the market serving just that. Lohikeitto is a salmon soup with other seafood and vegetables in a light cream sauce and it’s delicious. Not completely satiated, we milled around the market until we stumbled upon some street food selections of shrimp and salmon on some local ruisreikäleipä [Finnish rye flat bread].

Satisfied for the moment we continued to explore Helsinki. Logan wanted to pick the next activity and it wasn’t hard to figure out he would want to go for a ride on the Helsinki Skywheel. A staple of the skyline, the 40m [~130ft] wheel provides a wonderful view of the city. In typical Finnish fashion you can upgrade your car to a working sauna for an added cost.

After a brief rest in the afternoon we headed back out to see more of Helsinki. One of the things you quickly notice is how diverse the food culture is. It’s a direct reflection of the tourists who typically spend a day or two in the city while their cruise ships are docked. However, the culinary scene isn’t comparable to most port towns. Here it’s about importing regional authentic delicacies. One of these restaurants caught our eye even before we left Berlin. *Maya* is an authentic Baja style cantina that looked amazing online and tasted even better. It’s hard to find any Mexican food in Europe in particular Baja style so getting to sample some legit dishes was an unexpected treat for us.

- Day 2 -

Our second day in Helsinki pretty much summed up the baseline of the culture. The various Swedish and Russian occupations left their marks on the cities architecture; the remnants of which are embodied in the various religious landmarks.

The most famous of these landmarks is Helsinki Cathedral; a staple of the skyline and pictured in every poster and post card.

The church was built between 1830-1852 and was a tribute to The Grand Duke of Finland and Tsar Nicholas I of Russia - the tribute to Nicholas was later dropped after Finland gained independence. The cathedral was built to replace the Ulrika Eleonora Church, a place or worship dedicated to the queen of Sweden by the same name.

The first impression you glean from this massive structure is how pristine it is. The beautiful white stone combined with the hard angles and the soft curves stand out amongst the surrounding buildings. The elevated typography is slightly daunting while drawing you in at the same time.

In a stunning juxtaposition, the interior is meek, understated and yet similarly pristine. The roundness of the building is inviting while the grand dome celling leaves you humbled. We quietly walked inside and observed a magnificent organ playing a melancholy tune that was fitting for the overcast Finnish day.

Equally beautiful is the square that surrounds the cathedral. The understated architecture and the vastness of the space perfectly set up your psyche to accept the message delivered by the clergy as you approach the building. As you exit you are treated with the lifeblood of the culture as you cast your eyes on the bay and surrounding islands.

Our next stop was another church which couldn’t be more opposite to the Helsinki Cathedral. Uspenskin Katedraali, is an Eastern Orthodox cathedral built by Russian architect Aleksey Gornostayev between 1862–1868. Gornostayev is famous for several magnificent Russian Revival buildings in St. Petersburg and other parts of Russia. The church is dedicated to Dormition; the celebration of Mary’s death and resurrection before her assent to heaven.

Built on a rock, at one of Helsinki’s highest points, is this standout Russian place of worship. Uspenskin is dark, daunting, and uninviting at first glance. It’s as if it was visually designed to illicit fear and shame.

The interior is similarly opposite to the Helsinki Cathedral. It’s furnishings and finishes are ornate and it takes a significant amount of time to drink in the beauty and details that have been hand crafted. At first it appears to be a hodgepodge of decor but once you sit and really see the interior you begin to notice the art, decorations, furniture and placement of everything works perfectly in the limited footprint of the chapel. We sat for a moment to soak it in.

As we were walking to our next destination we stumbled across a military graduation ceremony which included the prime minister and his entourage as they marched in front of the dignitaries residence.

We observed the parade and then headed to a place that Logan had wanted to visit. Moomin are fantasy creatures specific to Finland. They are pictured all over the county, have their own cartoon series, and a few movies. Doreen introduced Logan to them before we left so he was super excited to visit the official Moomin Cafe for a homemade hot chocolate and some lego play.

Feeling refreshed we headed to our lunch spot but not before stopping off at one of Helsinki’s more memorable sites, the modern art museum. This beautiful and world renowned museum resides underground for the most part. In order to get as much natural light as possible, they constructed some unique funnels that poke well above the surface which allow light to bend and wash over the art below. People are encouraged to climb and play on these structures in an effort to make modern art more accessible to people of all ages. It was a really cool way of incorporating art and design into a practical and tactical experience.

The influx of Asian tourism to Scandinavia has made way for some delicious fusion restaurants. One of these was a great dumpling spot where we were treated to a fantastic and authentic lunch in what’s becomes a standard of Scandinavian dining - the high end food court. These aren’t typical fast food destinations but rather well designed artisan booths that specialize in gourmet cuisine.

After lunch we split up since motoring around the city was taking it’s toll on Logan’s little legs and he needed a nap. As Doreen and Logan headed back to the hotel I continued on to visit the third noted church of Helsinki.

Built in 1969, Temppeliaukio Church is the newest of the three major places of worship in Helsinki. It was originally planned to be finished in the early 1940s but due to WWII the plans were delayed several decades. Architect J. S. Siren, who also designed the Finnish parliament, won a design competition in the 1930s after the Lutheran community secured a piece of land. By the time the community was ready to revisit the church plans in 1961 J. S. Siren had passed away. It was decided to hold another competition and this time two brothers named Timo Suomalainen and Tuomo Suomalainen won. The land came with a unique obstacle, a massive amout of rock that was set to be excavated until the brothers struck up a conversation with a conductor by the name of Paavo Berglund. Berglund shared his extensive knowledge of acoustics with the brothers who then modified their design into what you see today.

Of all the churches we’ve seen in Europe this was the most understated, smallest, and least ornate we’ve seen. Yet, there was something about it that felt like home. It had an American feel to it.

As I was guided around the rock wall into the the main hall the church revealed itself with a humble majesty that can only come from a perfect blend of manmade and natural materials. The rock, wood, and steel come together allowing the perfect amount of light and shadow to cast their glow. I was lucky enough to have perfect timing as a choir was just getting ready to practice, giving me a chance to hear those beautiful acoustics Paavo had talked about. The sound washed over the audience creating a meditative experience that was simply divine.

With a refreshed soul I headed back to the hotel to gather Doreen and Logan for our next activity, *Linnanmäki Amusement Park*. Linnanmäki [Castle Hill in Finnish] sits on a hillside just North of the city center and is akin to a *Six Flags*. They have rides for all ages and some really intense roller coasters. The park opened in 1957 and is run by a non-profit organization called Lasten Päivän Säätiö [Children’s Day Foundation]. They have many free rides for children up to age 10 and donate all profits to The Finnish Child Welfare group that helps children in need. In 2017 they donated 4.5M€ to aid the welfare of Finish children across the country. It was really remarkable to see how well taken care of, well staffed, and clean this modern amusement park was while simultaneously operating as a non-profit.

We rode all the rides we could and worked up quite the appetite so we headed to dinner. The restaurant was an accidental find. Doreen had done some research on great fish and chips in the area and we thought we were at the right place when we arrived. It would be days later when we realized our mistake. However, it was a welcomed mistake based on the wonderful experience we had.

We shared the Lohikeitto and the fish and chips, both of which were delicious. The Lohikeitto had some Katsuobushi sprinkled on the top that appeared to dance with the steam rising above from the broth below. Katsuobushi is a dried and smoked tuna that is popular in Japan, Spain and Italy. The added flavor of this delicacy was a taste explosion in your mouth in addition to a fun pre-dinner form of entertainment.

- Day 3 -

One of the most amazing parts of our hotel stay in Helsinki was the breakfast buffet that came with the accommodations. Each morning we got to treat ourselves to a selection of hot and cold dishes, fresh fruit, awesome pastries and some local fresh picked berry juices. The standout feature was the made-to-order reindeer omelets - considered a delicacy in Finland.

Stuffed and delighted we headed to the harbor to catch the morning ferry. Our destination for the day was Suomenlinna Fortress.

About 4KM [2.5 miles] off the coast sits 8 strategic islands that have been used to wage war for 100s of years. Today it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to many local residents. From the early part of the 18th century until the end of WWII this fortress was anything but the peaceful picnic grounds it is today.

In 1703 when Peter the Great founded his new capital of Saint Petersburg, the Swedes needed an answer for to the growing naval threat the Russians presented. Suomenlinna, then known as Sveaborg, was perfectly positioned to protect Swedish interests in Helsinki and beyond to the rest of the Swedish kingdom. This was a lesson learned the hard way after the the Great Northern War; specifically after the Hanko Peninsula was attacked in 1714. For several hundred years to come this set of islands would be a focal point between the waring nations as the area would exchange hands over and over again.

Today these islands are some of the most visited areas for tourists and locals. The vast open space on the Baltic Sea is a wonderful outdoor experience complete with modern amenities. There are several cafes and gift shops lining the walkways as you meander over the land down to the Southern point of King’s Gate and then back to catch the ferry at your leisure.

The sheer beauty of this place is unmistakable. As the seasons were changing and fall was setting in, the grass gave way to a golden brown hue while the air had a crisp bite. It’s hard to explain but you feel like you are closer to the top of the Earth. Helsinki is actually further North than Anchorage and slightly further North than Oslo. The Northern pull combined with the historical significance of this place was palpable. There were hundreds of people on the island as we were walking around but the silence was deafening. It’s easy to forget the power and significance places can have. It’s easy to show a picture and to tell the story but sometimes it’s impossible to explain the feeling.

We enjoyed walking and exploring the area but after a wonderful lunch it was time to head back to the mainland for some much needed R&R.

After some rest time we headed back out and walked around some new parts of the city. Our dinner spot turned out to be a bust so we filled it up again at the restaurant from the night before; we even ordered the same delicious dishes again.

At dinner we struck up a conversation with one of the waiters who was curious about our travels. We talked about what it was like growing up in Finland. Most of the young people eventually leave the outlying villages and head to the city for new adventures. Like in much of the world, country living is rarely appealing to the youth.

One of his comments caught us by surprise. We learned Swedish is still mandatory in schools and all of the traffic and information signs in the country are in both Finnish and Swedish. We started to notice that all of the brochures also had this dual language comparison and it got us thinking. Finland is beautiful but unlike Denmark, Norway, and Sweden it’s missing that standout quality that separates it from the group of other Scandinavian countries. What does it mean to be Finnish?

We’ve seen this duality exists in other colonial occupied areas of the world but Finland seems to struggle with a uniform identity. It’s a territory that was formed due to constant war and a country that only recently broke free of its occupiers. It’s an inclusive culture with deep roots but none that are original to the soil it inhabits. It feels comfortable, perhaps because it was a melting pot before the US was.

Maybe that inclusion will be the lasting legacy of the Finnish people. Today Finland remains one of the happiest most well adjusted places to live. It’s far more diverse than its neighbors and hasn’t suffered from the same nationalistic tendencies. The migrant population seemlessly folds into the fray making it one of Europe’s ultimate success stories. Yet, it carefully balances its EU relationship equally with its ties to Moscow.

Typically we observe enough of the people, the art, the architecture, and the culture as a whole to understand more about the places we are visiting. In this case we are left not knowing what it is to be Finnish. We’re left wanting to know more and to see more. Helsinki is a cool place with a complicated history and a complicated relationship with the present. Our experience in this Northern city was rich, exciting and we will be back to see and discover more of this beautiful country.

Until Next Time,

The McNeills