Favorite Trips: Helsinki, Finland

I love to travel.  I have always loved going on trips, seeing something new & different from my day-to-day life.  I get this from my Dad.  Trips to go camping, vacations to Disneyworld, and even weekend family trips to a hotel where my brother & I would swim in the pool all weekend (Sharon, PA!).  But travel became an meaningful part of my life during my pre-teen & teenage years.  During this time, our family visited a number of cities in the Northeast, often including a MLB game.  We went to Boston, Baltimore, Washington DC, Toronto.  I loved these trips!  Seeing new places, trying new foods, escaping everyday teenage life.......

As I've gotten older, I've been fortunate to be able to travel beyond the US & start "seeing the world".  The more you travel, the more you realize that there is so much more to see, to learn, to experience.  So I hope I've only just started this journey.

I also love solo trips.  As much as I enjoy traveling with my husband, friends, or family, I really do love to take a trip all by myself.  You can do what you want, when you want to do it.  You can plan you trip or just wing it.  You don't have to worry about accomodating anyone.  And it's a great time to think. 

Two weeks ago, I took a solo trip to Helsinki, Finland.  There is a high-speed train called the Allegro that travels several times a day between St. Petersburg & Helsinki.  The train is very convenient because passport control is completed while you travel (3 1/2 hours), saving a lot of time & hassle.

This is the Helsinki Cathedral, in Senate Square.  Built in 1830-1852, as a tribute to the Grand Duke of Finland, who also happened to be Tsar Nicholas I of Russia. 

Helsinki has a great open market in their Market Square.  They sell traditional & local foods, crafts, furs, and souveniers.  It's open year round & is a great place to explore in the summer.  In the winter, it's much smaller but still interesting to walk through.  The sign on the tent says that it's 18C in the tent!

Man on the marina.  It was 15F outside.  I saw him running down from the building on the left, most likely from a sauna.  He got in the water & swam around for a few minutes before going back.  Crazy!

Esplanade Park, right in the city center.  I love the lights.

Hotel:
I stayed at the Hotel Haven, which I'd recommend for anyone interested in being in a very central location.  But there are lots of different options at different price points.   

Food:
I had some great meals at Ravintola Aino (traditional Finnish food) and Havis (seasonal Finnish & Scandanavian seafood, and a great blini & caviar menu), which is in the Hotel Haven