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Saturday 13 May 2017

[2017]
[Friday 12 May 2017]

Helsinki, Finland

Scandic Grand Marina, Helsinki, Finland
SUOMENLINNA FORTRESS
Today, prepare to be transported back in time as we take a short ferry ride from the mainland to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Suomenlinna Fortress. Despite a tumultuous history, the fortress is now the epitome of peace and tranquillity. Our expert guide will bring the fort’s history back to life as we explore Suomenlinna’s four bastions, as well as a wealth of other attractions within the fortress walls, including deep and eerie connecting tunnels, a turquoise-topped dual use church/lighthouse, the ominous canons, lakes, gardens and even a beach. Outside of the crumbling fortress walls, we meander through the cobbled streets, across connecting bridges and in between old wooden buildings now home to quaint restaurants and artists’ workshops.
In the afternoon you’ll have some free time where you may choose to head back to Helsinki or stay on Suomenlinna.

Alexander had told us yesterday that we were to meet in the lobby this morning at 9.45am; so we’d decided to get up at 8am.… 1¾ hours seems a quite adequate time to get ourselves ready; nevertheless, breakfast was a bit rushed. Back up in the room, I remembered to transfer the 70 photos, taken yesterday, from the camera to the WD Elements HDD (09:34–09:36), before we made our way down to the lobby. Even though the summer-season waterbus was to depart from a jetty on Market Square, which you got to as soon as you crossed the bridge from Katajanokka, we all boarded a coach outside the hotel. It was a sunny, though cold, morning. Alexander told us the arrangements for tomorrow. Although breakfast would start at 7am, English breakfast would only be put out from 8am. He wanted us down in reception and checked out by 8.50am. He advised us to carry our passports; although Finland and Estonia were Schengen-area countries, there was a possibility that one be asked to show one’s passport. He also told us about returning to the mainland today: the tour would end in time for the waterbus due to leave at 1.25pm; and he suggested being at the Artillery Bay quay, ca.1.15pm. He wouldn’t be counting people onto the waterbus, though, and we were free, if desired, to stay longer on Suomenlinna and get a later one. Before we boarded the waterbus, I was surprised to notice, already aboard on the upper deck, a band of military-looking men wearing tricorn hats and dark blue uniforms. Because there were 51 of us, too many to be led by a single guide, Alexander divided us into two sub-groups, each to follow a different one. At some point, someone mentioned seeing flags flying at half-mast today; they were for Mauno Koivisto, former Finnish president and Prime Minister, who died yesterday, aged 93.


This map, from the Suomenlinna website, was the same as the one in a booklet that we were given.

We all boarded ca.10am, and Janet and I both went into the inner saloon, rather than go to the open upper deck. En route we were in conversation with another couple from the Riviera party, who’d also gone to the Rock Church yesterday while the cello ensemble was rehearsing. They’d also noticed thrush-like birds in the Esplanade park; and I ventured to guess that they’d been fieldfares. There were two stops before we reached our destination: at the island of Lonna to the north of Suomenlinna; and at King’s Gate on the east side of Kustaanmiekka, the southern island of Suomenlinna. Our destination was north of that, Artillery Bay, actually a strait between two Suomenlinna islands Susisaari and Iso Mustasaari. (Suomenlinna means “Finnish castle”, and refers to the bastions and other fortifications spread out over a group of islands.)


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 09:53:40
Men in early 18th century Swedish infantry uniforms


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:02:24
Boarding the JT-Line waterbus


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:15:24
Aboard the the JT-Line waterbus


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:17:48
Uspenski Cathedral and the Skywheel, Katajanokka, Helsinki, seen from the waterbus


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:18:50
Helsinki Cathedral, seen from the waterbus


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:20:06
Helsinki–Mariehamn–Stockholm Viking Line cruiseferry MS Mariella discharging her roll on-roll off cargo at Helsinki


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:20:06 (detail)
MS Mariella


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:25:52
A stop at Lonna island


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:29:38
Tallinn–Helsinki Viking Line fast cruiseferry MS Viking XPRS


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:29:38 (detail 1)
MS Viking XPRS


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:29:38 (detail 2)
MS Viking XPRS


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:37:08
King’s Gate, Kustaanmiekka


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:37:08 (detail 1)
King’s Gate, Kustaanmiekka


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:37:08 (detail 2)
King’s Gate, Kustaanmiekka


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:37:22
King’s Gate, Kustaanmiekka


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:38:22
Bastion on the Susisaari side of Artillery Bay


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:38:58
Fortifications on the Susisaari side of Artillery Bay

We went ashore, and our sub-group of 25 or so was introduced to a young man called Lauri, who took us to a map mounted on the wall of the visitor centre there; we gathered around him, and he outlined to us the history of Suomenlinna.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:41:36
Going ashore at the quay on the Iso Mustasaari side of Artillery Bay


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:41:46
Going ashore at the quay on the Iso Mustasaari side of Artillery Bay


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:43:06
Artillery Bay


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:43:06 (detail)
Detail showing the 18th century Swedish infantrymen


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:45:08
Our guide Lauri


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:45:08 (detail)
Map of Suomenlinna


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 10:52:20
The 18th century Swedish infantrymen marching across the bridge to Susisaari

Lauri led us south, over the bridge crossing Artillery Bay onto Susisaari, where 60 yards or so on we turned left; then on reaching the bastion wall just ahead of us, we went to the left through an arch in it. We didn’t proceed immediately to the other side of the wall; we turned left again and entered vaulted chambers within the wall. Not the most salubrious quarters for the soldiers stationed there!


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:00:00
On Susisaari


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:00:52
Entering the bastion wall


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:01:56
“Tunnel” within the bastion wall


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:04:34
“Tunnel” within the bastion wall

We emerged on the other side of the wall into a courtyard, on one side of which was a museum, which we visited principally to see a model of how the courtyard would have looked before many of its buildings were demolished. Then we looked at the tomb of field marshal count Augustin Ehrensvärd (1710–1772), Swedish military officer, military architect, artist, and creator of the Suomenlinna fortress. The monument had a “rostral” feature (ship bows sticking out of opposite sides of the monument), which called to mind the two columns either side of the Spit of Vasilievsky Island, St. Petersburg, that we saw on 12 September 2012.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:10:20
Square on the other side of the bastion wall


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:11:32
Model in the Ehrensvärd Museum of the square as it formerly appeared


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:15:52
Augustin Ehrensvärd's tomb in the square


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:16:28
Augustin Ehrensvärd's tomb in the square


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:16:50
Augustin Ehrensvärd's tomb in the square


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:17:50
Views from Augustin Ehrensvärd's tomb: east


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:19:32
Views from Augustin Ehrensvärd's tomb: west


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:28:26
Views from the bastion wall: dry dock


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:28:36
Views from the bastion wall: dry dock


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:28:46
Views from the bastion wall: dry dock, and observation deck on the adjacent tenaille

From there Lauri led us west from the courtyard; and almost immediately we turned right through an arched doorway, which led on to a cobbled observation deck overlooking a dry dock. I’d already seen the dry dock by looking over the bastion wall from the courtyard. Disappointingly, there were no ships under repair to be seen there. It reminded me of the opening scenes of the 2012 movie Les Misérables, where Jean Valjean with a gang of convicts hauls a ship from the heaving sea into dry dock.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:32:36
Proceeding to the observation deck


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:34:18
The doorway of the observation deck


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:34:52
Observation deck


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:39:08
Suomenlinna Church to the north, on Iso Mustasaari

From there we went southwards as far as the isthmus between Susisaari and Kustaanmiekka.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:43:30
Cannon


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:47:26
Wooden house to the south of Susisaari


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:47:34
Another wooden house to the south of Susisaari


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:47:52
Interesting feature on the second wooden house

Just there I noticed a stone pillar with the word “Mortuis” carved on it, and some dates, which didn’t correspond to any history that I knew; e.g. “1917–1918” fell within the period of World War I, but didn’t define that period. (I’ve since then found the significance of the dates on the Finnish Wikipedia, using Google Translate.)


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:49:54
Mortuis, stone designed by architect Elsi Borg (1893–1958) and erected in 1951 in memory of the dead in various disasters on Suomenlinna


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:50:04
Mortuis: “1808” The Finnish War, Siege of Sveaborg; “1855” The Crimean war, bombardment of Sveaborg by an Anglo-French fleet; “1906” Sveaborg rebellion, Russian military mutiny; “1917–1918” Finnish independence and Finland Suomenlinna prison camp; “1937” explosion in the ammunition depot on Vallisaari

I noticed a ferry ship passing through the strait between Kustaanmiekka and the non-Suomenlinna island Vallisaari to the east.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:58:30
Tallinn–Helsinki Viking Line catamaran car/passenger ferry MS Viking FSTR, passing through Kustaanmiekka Strait

We didn’t proceed onto Kustaanmiekka, but Lauri pointed out the Russian-era wall and artillery mounted on the sand bank there. He also mentioned King’s Gate on the opposite side of Kustaanmiekka, saying however that one would see it from the waterbus, as indeed one would also see the submarine Vesikko on Susisaari at the mouth of Artillery Bay. (It seems strange to me now that I missed seeing that on the inward journey.)


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 11:59:28
Russian fortifications on Kustaanmiekka

Our route back northwards took us, not through open terrain as outward, but through the bastions of Susisaari.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:01:40
Heading back northwards through the bastions of Susisaari


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:02:54
Heading back northwards through the bastions of Susisaari


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:03:48
Heading back northwards through the bastions of Susisaari


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:06:36
The bastions of Susisaari seen from Artillery Bay

Janet and I wanted to see the church-cum-lighthouse on Iso Mustasaari, but before we crossed the bridge to do so, we visited Café Chapman on the Susisaari side for refreshments. But they had neither Jaffa Light nor any decaffeinated coffee, so it was I only who had a drink: a beer (€6.30). Janet had a Jaffa Light afterwards from a nearby kiosk.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:34:50
Heading northwards on Iso Mustasaari to Suomenlinna Church


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:37:54
Suomenlinna Church

There was a fieldfare on a grassy area near the church; and unlike those of yesterday it didn’t seem shy, so I was able to get a couple of photos.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:38:30
Fieldfare with a worm in its beak


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:38:30 (detail)
Fieldfare with a worm in its beak


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:38:38
Fieldfare with a worm in its beak


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:38:38 (detail)
Fieldfare with a worm in its beak


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:40:10
Suomenlinna Church (front)

The door of the church was open, but there was a notice posted saying that there was a “mass” in progress and advising tourists not to enter. The use of the word “mass” in a Protestant-church context seemed strange to me, but I’ve noticed it more than once in connection with Lutheran church services. The use of cannon, in the surrounding chain-fence, with muzzles stuck in the ground for posts, reminded me of the similar use for bollards in Havana, Cuba.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:41:40
Environs of Suomenlinna Church


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:42:28
Oystercatcher


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:42:28 (detail)
Oystercatcher


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:44:08
Suomenlinna Church (rear)


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:48:00
Suomenlinna Church: church and lighthouse combined


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:51:14
Fieldfare


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:51:58
Fieldfare


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:52:06
Fieldfare


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:55:00
View west from near Artillery Bay quay


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:55:14
View slightly north of west from near Artillery Bay quay


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:56:32
View south-east from near Artillery Bay quay


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 12:58:56
View south-east from a slightly different viewpoint


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:00:16
Canoeist seen from the same location as “12:58:56”

We went in the visitor centre, where there was a café and a gift shop. On the wall of the café were two large aerial photos of Suomenlinna, one taken in summer and the other in winter. There were copies of antique maps of Scandinavia and of the Gulf of Finland, poster-sized, on sale in the gift shop, but the problem with these would have been packing them and getting them home undamaged; so I contented myself with ca. 7¾" x 6½" ones.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:03:26
Aerial photo of Suomenlinna (summer)


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:04:12
Aerial photo of Suomenlinna (winter)






Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:18:24
Boarding the JT-Line waterbus at Artillery Bay quay

Janet had descended the ramp to the landing stage, where the waterbus was moored, when a gust of wind blew the paper bag containing the maps out of her hand and it fell into the water. I hurriedly went back to the shop and bought replacements, and got back just before the boat was due to leave. Janet entered the saloon; but I went up to the open deck above, for an unrestricted view. It was warmer by now than it had been this morning.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:27:34
Bastion on the Susisaari side of Artillery Bay


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:27:44
Finnish submarine Vesikko, which saw service in the Winter War and World War II


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:28:10
Finnish submarine Vesikko, which saw service in the Winter War and World War II


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:28:56
Approaching King’s Gate, Kustaanmiekka


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:29:38
King’s Gate, Kustaanmiekka


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:29:56
King’s Gate, Kustaanmiekka


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:31:14
Environs of King’s Gate, Kustaanmiekka


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:31:14 (detail)
Environs of King’s Gate, Kustaanmiekka


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:34:52
Suomenlinna Church


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:35:38
Suomenlinna Church and Russian-era Jetty Barracks (now a brewery and restaurant)


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:35:58
Approaching Lonna


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:36:46
Helsinki skyline (1)


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:37:04
Helsinki skyline (2)


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:38:18
A stop at Lonna island


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:39:08
An aerial travelling companion


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:41:20
Suomenlinna Church and Jetty Barracks

We passed a couple of islets on our port side with wooden buildings on them; one of them had “tails” projecting from the apices of its gables and a more or less central tower, and reminded me of a Cambodian temple.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:42:54
Saaristo restaurant on the islet of Klippan


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:43:30
Chemical/oil tanker Lotus, Helsinki Cathedral, the Skywheel, and MS Mariella


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:44:36
Chemical/oil tanker Lotus and MS Mariella


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 13:44:36 (detail)
Chemical/oil tanker Lotus

We landed just before 2pm, and had the task of finding and eating lunch, and getting to the National Opera House for 3pm. Alexander had suggested getting a №4 tram, but when we’d seen its location and the route to it on his tablet computer we’d decided to walk. We had lunch at Café Esplanad towards the far end of Pohjoisesplanadi. There was a glass case at the counter with food items in it to select. I had a long, crusty sandwich and a beer, and Janet had a mixed salad and some bread (€27.40). The place was pretty full, but we found a free table upstairs at the back.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 14:15:16
Café Esplanad, Helsinki


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 14:27:20
Café Esplanad, Helsinki


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 14:28:08
Looking more or less east along Pohjoisesplanadi (North Esplanade)


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 14:28:24
Looking west to the end of Pohjoisesplanadi (North Esplanade); the Swedish Theatre is on the left.

Then we went to the end of Esplanadi and turned right, going along Mannerheimintie. When we got to Finlandia Hall, we thought that might be it, but Janet asked someone and was pointed farther along. We increased our pace. We found it just beyond a quite extensive park, much farther than we’d imagined when Alexander had shown us on his tablet computer yesterday evening — ca.1¼ miles from Café Esplanad. We got there with just less than 10 minutes to spare.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 14:42:38
Finlandia Hall, seen from Mannerheimintie


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 14:51:00
Finnish National Opera House, seen from Mannerheimintie

The concert wasn’t in the main auditorium; it was in the main foyer to the left of that. It was well attended, but we found seats near the back. The programme was of several operatic numbers, only one or two of which were familiar to me to any extent, sung to piano accompaniment by various soloists, duettists, a female trio and a male quartet (with a “barbershop”-style encore).




“Musiikkia lämpiössä, Kansallisoopperan päälämpiö 13.5.2017”
Music in the foyer, National Opera main foyer 13 May 2017

I took a photo at the interval, then took photos at the final bow (though I think the last photo is before the “barbershop” encore).


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 15:41:26
In the main foyer of the Finnish National Opera House


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 16:23:48
The performers (1)


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 16:23:54
The performers (2)


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 16:24:02
The performers (3)


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 16:25:54
The performers (4)


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 16:32:32
Finnish National Opera House, lobby

Then we made our way back. Because my feet sometimes get inflamed, Janet wondered whether we should get a №4 tram back; but I felt fit enough to walk, which is what we did. It had become pleasantly warm. There was a carpet of flowers in the part of the park near the road, which looked to us like blue snowdrops.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 16:41:28
Carpet of Siberian squill (Scilla siberica)


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 16:42:14
Siberian squill (Scilla siberica)


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 16:50:58
National Museum of Finland on the other side of Mannerheimintie

We entered the large Stockmann department store, and looked on a number of floors for a suitable eatery. In the end, we decided to have drinks at a coffee bar there, and seek a restaurant on Esplanadi. By now my feet were beginning to feel sore, though. I ordered a caffè americano at the counter, but there was no suitable diet soda-pop there; not a problem: Janet purchased some at a nearby food hall in the store, and took it there to drink.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 17:07:24
Northern side of the Stockmann department store


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 17:23:12
Coffee shop within Stockmann

One of the restaurants we’d looked at yesterday lunch-time was Kappeli in the Esplanade park, but it had been heaving with people. (Part of it appears in the photo taken yesterday at 17:06:08, behind Havis Amanda to the left.) It was less crowded now, so we decided to go there. “Have you a reservation?” No. “Then we’ll have to seat you in the bistro; it’s the same menu.” So rather than be seated in one of the large-windowed wings, we were taken into the relatively dark central structure, where there was a bar downstairs, up some stairs to a landing at the back. It was comfortable, clean, and quite stylish, and possibly preferable to sitting in the bright restaurant itself. I had beer to drink, and a reindeer steak. Janet had lightly smoked grilled salmon with new potatoes and tender-stem broccoli. But they didn’t have Jaffa Light; and at that point, Janet was still eschewing cola, with its unproven but nevertheless asserted association with calcium loss from bones. “It was fine dining,” Janet commented: “not huge portions, but excellent food — and it was very quick service too.” (We were there for less than an hour.) If I’d realised that the portions would be quite small, I’d have had a starter. We paid €80.90.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 18:48:36
“Kappeli café • bar • restaurant” in the Esplanade park

Several times we’d had glimpses of a twin-spired church (more than a “glimpse” as seen on the skyline from the boat earlier). We’d had in mind to visit it, so turned right, up the road between Kappeli and Havis Amanda for ca.500 yards. But the church we came to had only one spire. Janet realised that she needed a loo urgently, so we decided to part company; she’d go back to the hotel, and I’d continue the search. “I returned to the hotel,” she wrote, “which was bloody miles away!” — ca.⁴⁄₅ mile, in fact, but far enough when you’re so desperate you dive into the loo in the lobby on arrival, rather than take a minute or two to get up to the room.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 18:55:42
German Church in Kaartinkaupunki, Helsinki

I realised that I’d glimpsed the twin spires northwards when we were in the environs of Mannerheimintie or Stockmann, so entering the park ahead of me, I turned right and headed eastwards; and it came into sight after a couple of blocks.


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 19:03:06
St. John’s Church in Ullanlinna, Helsinki


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 19:04:52
St. John’s Church in Ullanlinna, Helsinki


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 19:06:46
St. John’s Church in Ullanlinna, Helsinki


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 19:07:50
St. John’s Church in Ullanlinna, Helsinki


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 19:09:10
St. John’s Church in Ullanlinna, Helsinki


Saturday 13 May 2017 — 19:09:44
St. John’s Church in Ullanlinna, Helsinki

Then I went back. I liked the look of the park, so strolled through that before descending to the road which led around the harbour, and thence returned to the hotel (somewhat over 1 mile). Logged on to the hotel internet (19:56), checked e-mail accounts (19:58), had a consequent session on Facebook (20:01–20:07), and did lookups relating to sights seen and things heard today and yesterday (20:08–00:32, not continuously). Meanwhile, I transferred 110 photos, taken today, from the camera to the WD Elements HDD (20:25–20:30). Looked through them using Windows Photo Viewer, rotating 10 that needed it (20:32–20:37); then did the same with yesterday’s, rotating 11 (20:39–20:44). Janet had finished packing one of the cases, and we’d strapped it up; the other remained open for last things to be packed tomorrow. She went to bed ca.10pm, but I evidently didn’t get to bed till after 12.32am.

[Sunday 14 May 2017]



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