By this Author: irenevt

Hafnarfjordur Harbour

Hafnarfjordur.

Arrival.

We took the Graylines bus from the airport to Hafnarfjordur. We were staying in a strange hotel called the Viking Village. We arrived very late and had some problems getting in.

The Viking Hotel.

Actually I want to rate this hotel as good. Average is too low; very good is too high. We stayed here for four nights. The hotel is located in Hafnarfjordur, a pretty little town 25 minutes away from Reykjavik by bus. We got to the hotel from Keflavik Airport on a Graylines bus. Both Graylines and Flybus to Reykjavik pass right next to it. We arrived late at night ­after midnight. We had stated on our booking we would arrive late. The outside door was locked. We pressed the night bell -­ nothing. We tried several times. A sign told us to try the restaurant if the hotel door was locked. We did, but the restaurant was also locked. There were phone numbers on the door to phone if you could not get in. We phoned all of them but could not get through. I was ready to sleep outside, but my husband had the sense to knock the door. The receptionist appered immediately and had been there all the time, but the night bell did not work. We checked in and went up to our room -­ room 13 on the first floor. Our cards would not open the door. We tried and tried, then tired and just a little fed up we returned to reception. The receptionist let us in and fixed our cards. We had requested a double bed but got two separated singles. No big deal. The room was clean, comfortable, but basic. It was like a Viking themed Ibis. We were in the cheapest priced room. The bed had Viking style bed spreads and pillows. There was a small TV, an open style wardrobe, a couple of drawers, a kettle, 2 coffees, 2 teas, 2 sugars, 2 creamers. There was no fridge or safe. We cooled all our drinks on the window ledge. The bathroom was very small. The shower was reasonably powerful with excellent geothermally heated water ( slight sulphurous smell, the same as all hot water in Iceland. As an eczyma sufferer I loved it). The bathroom was so small, it was awkward getting in and out of the shower. Liquid soap was provided in a fixed container by the wash hand basin, none was provided in the shower. Fortuntely we had our own soap or that could have been awkward. Breakfast was from 7am to 10am. It was pretty good. There was a coffee machine, water, orange juice, bread, a toaster, crispbread, herring, cheese, cold meat, tomatoes, cucumber, boiled eggs, fruit, yogurt, cereal. The breakfast room was decorated in Viking style. Outside the buildings ­ hotel and restaurant were Viking style and there were lots of interesting Viking statues, sculptures around. The restaurant offers Viking style feasts. We did not visit it. The staff at the hotel were friendly and helpful. They stored our luggage for us, helped us find out where to buy a day pass for the bus and confirmed our return bus to the airport for us. I was annoyed by the fact our room was not cleaned on our second day, even though we had put up the please make up the room sign. We found that in the middle of the corridor and the room untouched. Not too happy about that.

The hotel has a free to use hot pot and sauna at the back. You just have to ask. The menu for the restaurant was not advertised anywhere, which was bad planning and put us off using it. Mainly the hotel was quiet at night, but it depends on your neighbour as room walls are thin. Getting into Reykjavik is easy on the number one bus from outside Fjordur Shopping mall. Price 350Isk per person. Buy the ticket from the driver. The Fjordur also has a supermarket and alcohol shop and a place to buy day passes for the bus (closed at weekends). The hotel provides free wifi, again just ask. I would stay here again as I liked Hafnarfjordur.

Viking Hotel. - Hafnarfjörður

The Viking Village.

Our hotel was part of the Viking Village. There is also a restaurant which does Viking feasts. We did not take part in one of these. The Viking Village buildings are designed to look like Viking structures. There are lots of little Viking statues and rune stones etc in the grounds. Quite interesting and good for photos.

The Viking Village

The Viking Village

The Viking Village

Beware Drunken Vikings In Hafnarfjordur.

This warning sign is on the outside wall of the Viking Hotel restaurant. We found that most Icelanders had a great sense of humour and an ability to laugh at themselves. On the whole the people we met in Iceland were very laid back, friendly and relaxed.

Beware Drunken Vikings In Hafnarfjordur.

Next Day.

Next day we had a look at Hafnafjordur and went to Reykjavik. Hafnarfjordur is a very pleasant place. It has a harbour and a seaside walkway with old pictures of Hafnarfjordur. The whole town is situated on a lava field so the colourful houses are nestled behind interesting rock formations. There is a little rock filled park which is a favourite dwelling place for elves. There is an outdoor sculpture park. There are several colourful, old wooden buildings belonging to Hafnarfjordur Museum. There are three thermal swimming pools.

Hafnarfjordur Harbour.

Hafnarfjordur has an interesting, colourful working harbour which is worth a look. It also has a long walkway/cycle track along the seafront. The seafront walkway is lined with photos of old Hafnarfjordur. There are lots of seats where you can relax and enjoy the view. The light was wonderful here in summertime.

Hafnarfjordur Harbour

The harbour. - Hafnarfjörður

Hafnarfjordur Museum.

Hafnarfjordur Museum owns several colourful, old wooden buildings which have been made into museums. Admission is free. We only went in one, but they all looked good from the outside and took good photos.

The buildings are:

Pakkhusid at Vesturgata 8 which has an exhibition about toys.

Sivertsen's House at Vesturgata 6 which is the oldest house in Hafnarfjordur.

Bookless Bungalow at Vesturgata 32 which was built by a Scottish fisheries company in 1918 and houses an exhibition on fishing.

Siggubaer at Kirkjuvegur 10 the home of a labourer dating from 1902.

Beggubud at Vesturgata 8 which dates from 1906.

Gutto at Sudurgata 7. We did not see this. It is the Good Templars Hall dating from 1886.

These are all open daily from 11am to 5pm in June, July and August.

Hafnarfjordur Museum.

Hafnarfjordur Museum.

Hafnarfjordur Museum.

Hafnarfjordur Museum.

Hellisgeroi Park.

Hafnarfjordur is located on a lava field and has colourful houses nestled next to weird rock formations. Lots of stories about the hidden folk - ­ elves, ­making their homes amidst the rocks around. This little park has lots of interesting lava formations, a little pond with a statue, a small waterfall and lots of flowers, not to mention a centre for elves!! We just looked at the park by ourselves but you can book a tour with local resident, Sigurbjorg Karlsdottir. Tuesdays and Fridays at 14:30 during the summer or by request. Price 3900 Isk. Duration one and a half hours. The guided tour was going round as we walked round and she must have been quite entertaining as a guide judging by the laughter we kept hearing.

Hellisgeroi Park

Hellisgeroi Park

Hellisgeroi Park

Hellisgeroi Park

Hellisgeroi Park

Wild flowers. - Hafnarfjörður

Vidistadatun Sculpture Park.

This sculpture park contains 16 sculptures created by artists from around the world. Some of the works were interesting, some not depending on your taste. There is a campsite here and a lovely church. A thermal swimming pool is nearby.

Vidistadatun Sculpture Park

Vidistadatun Sculpture Park

Vidistadatun Sculpture Park

Sculpture Park ­ Viking Themed Play Park.

We loved this great little Viking play park in the sculpture park. I think it is a lovely idea to have all the play things in traditional Viking style. It exposes children to traditional art and also really looks attractive and interesting. It also gives me something else to photograph.

Sculpture Park - Viking Themed Play Park.

Sculpture Park - Viking Themed Play Park.

Churches.

There were several pretty churches in Hafnarfjordur. We passed the first one in the pictures daily when we walked into the centre of the town from our hotel. It was not ever open so we did not manage to look inside the building. Churches here tended to be quite simple and plain but still interesting and attractive.

Churches

Churches

Geothermal Swimming.

Although we love swimming we did not have time to visit Hafnarfjordur's geo thermal pools. Apparently there are three. We just went in the hot pot in the Viking Hotel. Obviously that was too small for swimming, but the waters leave you feeling great. My eczyma disappeared after a day or two in Iceland.

Geothermal Swimming

Kopavogur Church.

We stopped off to look at this odd looking church in Kopavogur. The number one bus from Hafnarfjordur to Reykjavik passes it. We noticed it from our bus journeys and were quite intrigued by its shape and location.

Kopavogur Church.

Kopavogur Church.

Restaurants:

Gamla Vinhusid:

Avoid the burger. This restaurant's name means the old winehouse. It is located at Vesturgata 4. It is an attractive looking restaurant and service was pleasant and friendly. I had quite a tasty pizza, but my husband had a burger and found it really fatty and awful, so we did not eat here again. The gull beer was good, though and the restaurant is nicely decorated with wine bottles all round the room. Next to Hafnarfjordur Museum.

At least the beer was good. - Hafnarfjörður

Shopping:

Fjordur Shopping Centre: Handy Shopping Centre.

This shopping mall had a supermarket, an alcohol shop, a place to buy day tickets for the bus, closed at weekends and a cafe. The bus station was just outside. This shopping mall is very centrally located.

Handy Shopping Centre.

Transport:

Buses To Reykjavik.

There is a small bus station outside the Fjordur Shopping Mall. Bus 1 in the direction of Hlemmur goes to Reykjavik. Bus tickets cost 350 isk and can be bought from the driver. Ask for a ticket if you want to transfer buses. The ticket is valid for use on other buses for an hour after purchase. Time into Reykjavik is around 25 minutes. Buses run till round 10 at night. They do not start early at weekends.

Buses

Keflavik Airport To Hafnarfjordur.

The Graylines and Flybus buses from Keflavik Airport can drop you in Hafnarfjordur. For pick up, at least on Graylines, phone up to confirm. The drive from the airport passes along the coast and through several lava fields. The landscape is blackened and dead looking but interesting all the same.

Scenery in Thingvellir National Park - Reykjavík

Iceland.

I've nagged my husband for years about wanting to go to Iceland and this year, since he found a great flight deal to Reykjavik with Iceland Express, he decided he'd take me there as an early wedding anniversary treat.

Things we liked:

I loved Iceland almost straight away. One wonderful thing in the summer is the extended period of light. In August it remains light until around 11 pm at night,­ lots of extended sightseeing time. Of course, in contrast, it will get dark early in winter. Also the light is quite magical. I would describe Iceland as a land of light; fresh air and wide open spaces. So much room, the absolute opposite of Hong Kong where I live.

A second wonderful thing is the Icelandic accent. Everone has a very gentle, soothing accent. Listening to Icelanders speaking English is majorly relaxing.

Thirdly, in my opinion, Icelanders have a lovely understated sense of humour and a very relaxed approach towards life. I also loved all the volcanic aspects to Iceland, lava fields in various stages of activity, geysers, geothermally heated water, volcanoes. And of course the fantastic lava jewellery.

Our stay:

We were based in Hafnafjordur for our short stay and went into Reykjavik a few times as well as on the Golden Circle Tour.

Solfar Sun Voyager Sculpture.

We walked along the front from Hlemmur Bus Station into the centre of Reykjavik in order to pass this lovely sculpture. The sculpture is a kind of skeleton of an old Viking ship and it blends wonderfully with its setting and looks fabulous and different from every angle. If you want to reach the sculpture from the old town, walk along the coast from the lovely Harpa building away from the harbour.

My husbnd at Sun Voyager. - Reykjavík

Sun Voyager - Reykjavík

The Harpa Building.

This magnificent concert hall was completed in 2011. I am not a fan of modern architecture but this glass building on the sea front near the harbour area is truely lovely. The walls and roof of the building are made of glass, some of it clear, some of it coloured. As the light shines on it, the walls sparkle. There are great views over the marina from the back of the building. Inside Harpa you can wander around more or less freely, there are lots of comfy seats to relax in and an abundance of clean, free toilets. Definitely worth a look. There are souvenir shops and a restaurant here, too,

The Harpa Building

The Harpa Building

The Harpa Building

The Harpa Building

The Harpa Building

Reykjavik's Harbour area.

The harbour area is close to the Harpa Building. It is a picturesque harbour with lots of boats. You can book a cruise here; you can go whale watching. The old warehouse buildings of the harbour have been converted into restaurants and shops. The steam engine that once delivered materials to build the harbour is on display as a monument. There is another monument for Iceland's brave fishermen. There are also photographs on display, showing the harbour in bygone years.

Reykjavik's Harbour. - Reykjavík

The harbour looking towards Harpa. - Reykjavík

Reykjavik's Harbour. - Reykjavík

Fishermen's statue. - Reykjavík

The old steam engine. - Reykjavík

The Catholic Church.

We walked inland from the harbour and ended up at the Catholic Church. This lovely building was beautiful on the outside and serene and peaceful on the inside.

The Catholic Church. - Reykjavík

Interesting Sculpture And House.

We passed this sculpture that looks like a whale's tail rising out of the ocean. It is located near the Catholic Church. I thought it was quite striking looking and certainly worth stopping long enough to photograph.

Interesting Sculpture And House.

The Old Town.

Reykjavik's old town is made up of several streets and squares. The streets are lined with colourful houses and the squares are filled with people enjoying the open air. There are many restaurants and bars. The oldest street is Adalstraeti and number 10 Adalstraeti is the oldest building. The House of the Falcons with falcon statues on its roof is in this area, too, as are the parliament building and Domkirkja. The old town is also home to the parliament building and the Domkirkja. If you are ever in Reykjavik, make sure to take a stroll through the old town.

The Old Town

The Old Town

The Old Town

The Old Town

The Old Town

The Old Town Continued.

The Old Town Continued.

The Old Town Continued.

The Old Town Continued.

Tjornin Lake.

This lovely lake is close to the parliament building and Domskirkja. We walked right round and watched people feed the gulls and ducks. There were many interesting sculptures, flowers and lots of seats in which to take a little rest. The city hall is on this lake. We found a cat that looked like it was about to leap in, have a swim and return with a few fish. The gardens around the lake had pretty and colourful flowers. There were great views from the lake over various other parts of town.

Houses on the lake. - Reykjavík

Statue of poet Tomas Gudmundsson. - Reykjavík

Hungry seagull. - Reykjavík

Flowers near the lake. - Reykjavík

Church on the lake. - Reykjavík

View towards churches. - Reykjavík

This cat had its eye on the ducks. - Reykjavík

Statue near the lake. - Reykjavík

The City Hall. - Reykjavík

City Hall again. - Reykjavík

Sculpture, Reykjavik - Reykjavík

Laekjargata.

This lovely street had a lot of restaurants and bars on one side and beautiful buildings such as Government House on the other side. Arnarholl Hill and the statue of the first settler in Iceland,­ Ingolfur Arnarson, is also here.

Laekjargata

Laekjargata

Laekjargata

Laekjargata

Hallgrimskirkja.

This huge church with its tall tower is visible all over the city. The church was started in 1937 and finished in 1986. The church is named after Hallgrimur Petursson who wrote many Icelandic hymns. The building is very impressive from the outside and very plain inside. There is a statue of Leifur Eriksson in front of the church. Entry to the church is free but it costs 600 kroner to go up the tower. You go up in a lift with a few stairs at the end. There are lovely views from the tower.

View from Hallgrimur's Church - Reykjavík

View from Hallgrimskirkja. - Reykjavík

Hallgrimskirkja and Leif Eiriksson statue - Reykjavík

View from Hallgrimskirkja. - Reykjavík

Sculpture outside the church. - Reykjavík

Above the front door. - Reykjavík

Perlan.

Perlan means the Pearl. We got here from Hafnafjordur on the number 1 bus and walked from the Kringlan stop. You can also get here on the number 18 bus from Hlemmur. We walked back into the city centre and it was not very far. Perlan is on top of a hill. It is a building on top of six hot water tanks. It contains souvenir shops, a restaurant, a cafe, the saga museum and a viewing platform which is free and provides wonderful views over Reykjavik. There are artificial geysers both inside and outside Perlan. There are also many walking trails on the hill Perlan is situated on. There are wartime bunkers among the paths. We walked down the hill and right from Perlan to reach Nautholsvik Thermal Beach.

Perlan. - Reykjavík

Inside Perlan. - Reykjavík

Perlan. - Reykjavík

Dancers statue outside Perlan. - Reykjavík

Manmade geyser outside Perlan. - Reykjavík

The woods around Perlan. - Reykjavík

View from Perlan. - Reykjavík

View from Perlan. - Reykjavík

View from Perlan. - Reykjavík

Nautholsvik Thermal Beach.

We walked to this beach from Perlan. Walk down the hill away from the city centre, past the manmade geyser then head off right when you reach the water. Or take the number 19 bus from Hlemmur. This beach is free to use. It has changing rooms, toilets, showers. You pay 200 kroner if you want to lock away valuables. There are two hot pots to soak in at this beach, heated by the overflow from Perlan, I believe. The hot water also runs into the sea and it was wonderful to swim there as the top of the water is warm with a chill undercurrent underneath. Interesting. A few brave people swam at the non-­heated beach next to the Thermal Beach then warmed up in the hotpots. There was a little cafe here and some play activities for small children. We thought this beach was great.

Nautholsvik Thermal Beach.

Nautholsvik Thermal Beach.

Graffiti Area.

There was an area between Lagavegur and Hverfisgata which was covered in pretty artistic graffiti. It is allowed to graffiti here in the hope it will cut down graffiti elsewhere. There was music here and people were dancing. There were also kids skateboarding and playing on scooters. One man was painting over a vast area of graffiti to create a blank wall to graffiti again, so I guess the 'decor' is always changing. A place to sit and relax or people watch.

Graffiti Area

Graffiti Area

Graffiti Area

Golden Circle Tour.

We prefer to use public transport if we can but really enjoyed this organised tour. We booked it through a company called Bustravel, Iceland. It cost 6500 isk each. Cheaper than other tours we saw advertised. It lasted around 6 hours. We were picked up at midday by car surprisingly, then taken to the coach (no toilet on coach). The driver/guide was informative and very funny. The tour was thoroughly enjoyable and I strongly recommend it. I will describe the places visited below.

Marvellous scenery on the tour. - Reykjavík

House all on its own. - Reykjavík

The Golden Circle Tour ­stop one. Crater Lake.

We passed over lava field after lava field. Our guide explained that the older ones are covered with vegetation, the younger are charred and the first thing to grow on the lava is grey moss. Our first stop was a wonderful crater lake. So beautiful!

Crater Lake. - Reykjavík

Crater Lake. - Reykjavík

Crater Lake. - Reykjavík

Stop Two ­ Geysers.

Stop two was at some of Iceland's most famous geysers. The guide explained that geysers took their name from the most powerful geyser here but that it seldom spouts nowadays. Instead Strokkur is the most likely to gush. The area has a giftshop, cafe, clean, free toilets. There are several geysers. Only Strokkur gushed when we were there. There was a lovely bubbling Little Geyser. One geyser had a wonderful volcanic blue crater and there was sulphurous steam rising everywhere.

You have to be patient to see a geyser spout. People stood with cameras poised for what felt like forever to get a shot of it. Some impatient people left without seeing it at all. We saw Strokkur gush several times. Each time was incredibly brief. As we were leaving my husband said, 'Time to go back to the bus and I said, 'No look it is about to blow.' but he did not believe me and we walked from our safe spot to the area it gushed into, only for it to give a massive burst which sent water all over us and resulted in us shamefacedly returning to the bus absolutely soaking. I took a photo as we got drenched. I think it is really funny. It is like an underwater shot.

Strokkur in action. - Reykjavík

Our comeuppance. Run!!! - Reykjavík

Wonderful scenery. - Reykjavík

Volcanic blue geyser. - Reykjavík

Stop Three ­ Gullfoss Waterfall.

Again there is a souvenir shop, cafe and clean, free toilets here. From the parking lot you can see a huge glacier in the distance. There are several paths here. You can go very close to the waterfall. You will get covered in spray. You can walk down the stairs then walk away from the falls to get a good shot with most of the falls in. Or you can view the falls from the path above. I did all of these. You get very wet very close and can only photo gushing water without a sense of the scale of the falls, though I suppose you very much get a sense of their immense power. Better shots can be taken further away. The light forms a huge rainbow through the spray from the falls.

Gullfoss rainbow. - Reykjavík

Gullfoss. - Reykjavík

Gullfoss. - Reykjavík

Stop Four ­ Thingvellir National Park.

We stopped at an area where you could view a deep fissure where the American and European continental plates are starting to drift apart. There was also a viewing platform with superb views over the lake.

Stop Four - Thingvellir National Park.

Stop Four - Thingvellir National Park.

Stop Four - Thingvellir National Park.

Stop Four - Thingvellir National Park.

Restaurants and Bars.

Svarta Kaffid: Fantastic Soup In Bread.

This restaurant is situated on Laugavegur which is a street with lots of restaurants. We were lured in by the menu which advertised soup in bread. In fact they were doing a special where you could get soup in bread and a pint of gull beer for 2200Isk. The restaurant was offering two kinds of soup: meat soup or cauliflower cream soup. I had the meat soup. It comes inside a thick crusty loaf of bread. The inside of the bread is scooped out and placed next to the soup filled bread bowl. It was delicious. There were several other things on the menu. My husband had chicken schnitzel with salad. We were full after the main course but some people had some rather tasty looking cakes, too. The food was excellent. The service was pleasant, friendly and efficient. I would strongly recommend it. We sat inside but there was a little beer garden out the back. Directions: On Laugavegur which joins onto Bankastraeti not far from Hallgrimskirkja.

Fantastic Soup In Bread

Olsmidjan Pub: Best Value Beer In Reykjvik.

This friendly upstairs pub offered polar beer on draft at 490Isk per pint. Excellent value for Reykjavik. We went in the early evening and watched Iceland v France Olympic handball. The bar did not do food, but the barman gave us salt sticks with each pint. Very good.

Keflavik Airport.

Keflavik Airport is the airport for Reykjavik. Reykjavik is around 40 minutes away by bus. There are two bus companies: Flybus (1950Isk one way; 3500Isk return) and Graylines (2200Isk one way; 4000Isk return). Graylines includes transfer to hotels, Flybus has an additional price for this. There was an ATM in the airport in the baggage reclaim area. Duty free at the airport had a great saving on spirits compared to purchase in Reykjavik itself. Iceland makes its own vodka and various flavours of schnapps. There were a couple of nice sculptures at the airport, too.

Keflavik Airport

Keflavik Airport

Keflavik Airport

Folk Dancing at Rosenborg Castle - Denmark

Denmark

For some reason when I was a little girl and had never even been out of the UK, the place I really wanted to go to was Denmark. I even used my pocket money to buy a Collins Guidebook to Denmark and I would look through the pictures deciding where I wanted to go. My favourite places were Jelling Kirke with its Viking runestones ­and I did make it there ­and Mons Klint on the Island of Mons with its towering white cliffs.­ I've not made it there yet.

I've been to Denmark twice. My first visit was in 1986. I had spent a year working in Finland as an au pair and was intending to fly back to the UK at the end of my contract. My boyfriend of the time, who is now my husband, said why don't we get the train, so I bought an interrail card and used it to travel from Helsinki to Stockholm, Stockholm to Helsingborg, then across to Helsingor with Hamlet's Castle. After that we travelled to Copenhagen, then Hamburg, Amsterdam. Hook of Holland to Harwich then home. We arrived in Helsingor at some ungodly time of the morning. Being summer it was light and we looked at the castle before travelling on to Copenhagen. We planned to spend two nights in Copenhagen but extended it to three because we liked it. We visited the Little Mermaid, the Nyhavn, The Carlsberg Brewery, the Tivoli Gardens, Rosenborg Castle. I remember going to a huge department store and trying on the hats then laughing at how ridiculously expensive they were. I also remember the wonderful open sandwiches and delicious cakes and pastries.

Our second visit was in 2002. We flew to Esbjerg with two friends. They hired a car and we drove off to Ribe, ­Denmark's oldest town. Later we visited Silkeborg to see the lakes and the bog body. After that we stayed in Aarhus for a couple of nights then drove to Jelling to see the church and rune stones. Next we spent a couple of nights in Odense. After Odense, to everyone else's disapproval, I insisted we went to Legoland and guess what, we all loved it. We also visited two beaches: one on the Baltic and one on the North Sea. We did not actually see Esbjerg at all, except the airport, which was a bit of a shame. Oh well next time.

Helsingor.

We arrived in Helsingor by ferry from Helsingborg in Sweden. It was very early in the morning but we wanted to see the famous Elsinore Castle ­used as the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet. The castle's real name is Kronborg Castle. Kronborg Castle was built in the 1420's by King Erik of Pomerania. The castle was located at the narrowest part of the Øresund and charged cargo ships a toll for sailing past. In 1585 Frederik II enlarged the castle. In 1629 the castle was destroyed by fire. It was later rebuilt by King Christian IV. The Swedes occupied Kronborg from 1658 to 1660 and plundered its treasures. From 1785 until 1924 Kronburg Castle became a barracks; then it became a museum. The castle was not open when we visited as we were very early. We walked around the sea barriers next to it. With no­one around in the early morning, we half expected to see the ghost of Hamlet's father walking the battlements. Helsingor is a port city only 3 miles sail away from Sweden. It has a population of just under 50.000 and is located in the north eastern corner of the Island of Zealand.

Helsingor

Helsingor

Copenhagen­

The Little Mermaid.

I don't have a lot of photos of Copenhagen. My travel style in the past was: turn up knowing nothing, get a free map, use that to find the sights that interest me, take about 8 photos, go home. The only sight in Copenhagen I knew about before I arrived was the Little Mermaid Statue.The Little Mermaid is, of course, the symbol of Copenhagen and even the whole of Denmark. In 1909 Carl Jacobsen, the son of the founder of the Carlsberg Brewery, comissioned the sculptor, Edvard Eriksen, to create a statue of the Little Mermaid from the Hans Christian Anderson fairytale. It is believed he came up with this idea after watching a ballet based on the fairytale. Ballerina Ellen Price was used as the model for the statue. The sculpture was unveiled on the 23rd of August 1913. The Little Mermaid Statue sits on a rock by the waterside at the Langelinie Promenade. It is 1.25 metres, about 4.1 ft, tall and weighs 175 kilograms, about 385 lbs. The statue has, unfortunately, been the target of vandals and political extremists from time to time. It has been decapitated and even blown up, but is always restored. In the fairytale the unfortunate mermaid fell in love with a prince that she rescued from a ship wreck. She then gave her voice to a seawitch in return for human legs. She wanted the prince to love her as much as she loved him and endured agony in every step she took just to be near him. When he married another, the sad mermaid sought her own death. The statue rests on a rock, gazing sadly out to sea dreaming of her handsome but fickle prince.

Copenhagen- The Little Mermaid.

The Carlsberg Brewery.

Carlsberg, ­ possibly the best beer in the world, ­ originated in Copenhagen. We visited the Carlsberg Brewery and took the brewery tour. The first thing we noted were the elephant statues at the brewery's impressive entrance. The elephant is one of Carlsberg's symbols and they brew beer called after these animals ­ elephant beer ­in some parts of the world. The swastika was also one of their symbols until the 1930's. They used it because the swastika was originally a symbol of auspiciousness in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. With the rise of the Nazi Party the swastika was dropped by the Carlsberg Brewery who wanted no association with right­wing extremists. It was here on the tour that I first learnt the original meaning of the swastika. Now that I live in Asia, I see this symbol on Buddhist temples all the time and understand why it is there. The tour was interesting and on it we learned a lot about making beer. At the end we were given some free samples to try. Another thing we learned on the tour was that due to government regulations in Denmark they are able to brew strong beers for export, but are not allowed to sell them in Denmark itself, as the government is or at least was trying to clamp down on drunkenness. The Carlsberg Brewery was founded by J.C. Jacobsen. The first ever brew in this brewery was ready on the 10th of November 1847. Export of Carlsberg beer to other countries began in 1868. Brewing Carlsberg under license in other countries began in 1968 with the opening of a Carlsberg brewery in Malawi. Now Carlsberg is brewed and enjoyed in many parts of the world. J.C. Jacobsen, the brewery's founder, was a philanthropist and enthusiastic art collector. With the fortune he amassed from brewing beer, he gradually built up an impressive art collection. This is now housed in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Central Copenhagen.

Copenhagen - The Carlsberg Brewery.

The Nyhavn ­ New Harbour.

The Nyhavn is also a world famous sight and I had, now that I think of it, heard of this and seen pictures of it before I visited Copenhagen. Nyhavn means New Harbour. It stretches from Kongens Nytorv, King's Square to just south of the Royal Playhouse. This waterfront area is lined with brightly coloured 17th and 18th century townhouses. Nowadays the area has many bars, cafes and restaurants. There are also many historical wooden ships on display here. The Nyhavn was constructed during the reign of King Christian V. Construction began in 1670 and continued for three years. The Nyhavn was built as a gateway from the sea to the old inner city at Kongens Nytorv. This was a more convenient location to off­load cargo or fish. The Nyhavn was dug by Swedish prisoners of war who were captured during the Dano Swedish War which lasted from 1658 to1660. This area was once notorious for bars, rowdy drunken sailors, and prostitution. Hans Christian Andersen was a famous resident who lived at Nyhavn for 18 years. Nowadays you can do boat trips from here and it's interesting just to wander around looking at the ships, old houses, restaurants etc.

The Nyhavn - New Harbour.

Rosenborg Castle.

When we visited here, we were fortunate enough to watch some folk dancing taking place in the gardens outside the castle. Rosenborg Castle was built in 1606. It was originally used as a summerhouse during the reign of Christian IV. It was built in Dutch Renaissance style and was designed by architects Bertel Lange and Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger. Later it was expanded and used as a royal residence until 1710. After this it was lived in by the royal family only twice: once when the new royal residence, Christiansborg Palace, burned down in 1794 and once during the British attack on Copenhagen in 1801.

Rosenborg Castle.

On our second visit to Denmark we began by exploring Ribe.

Our travel companions enjoying a swim. - Denmark

Ribe Town

Ribe is the oldest town in Denmark. It is a lovely historical town, dominated by a huge cathedral. We visited the cathedral and also went up its tower for lovely views over the town. The cathedrals bells are incredibly loud when you are inside the tower, as we found out. After visiting the cathedral, we wandred the picturesque streets of the old town with their lovely timbered buildings and strolled down to the Ribe River. Ribe Cathedral is actually called, Vor Frue Kirke ­The Church of Our Lady. There has been a church at this location from around 860 when Ansgar, the Apostle of the North, was given permission to build a church here. The church became a cathedral in the year 948 when Ribe got its first bishop. Borgertårnet, the 52m high Commoners’ Tower, which dates from the 14th century, used to be the town’s watchtower and storm tower. You can go up here to enjoy lovely views over the town and surrounding countryside. The cathedral’s carillon bells play 'Now found is the Fairest of Roses'­ a hymn by Brorson at 08.00 and 18.00, and a folk song about Queen Dagmar at 12.00 and 15.00. There was folkdancing outside the cathedral when we visited.

Ribe Town

Ribe Town

Ribe Town

Ribe Town

Ribe Town

Silkeborg And The Tollund Man.

Since I was the one that wanted to come to Denmark, I was told to do the research and work out what to go and see. My friends were a bit shocked when I told them we were going to Silkeborg to see a dead body. That'll teach them to put me in charge! Silkeborg is a lovely town surrounded by lakes. Some of the lakes have fountains in them. Silkeborg Museum contains two bog bodies ­ the Elling Woman and the Tollund man. I recommend you see the Elling woman first as it is not as well preserved as the Tollund Man and will come as a disappointment if you see her after seeing him. The Tollund Man is the mummified corpse of a man who lived during the 4th century BC. He was found in 1950 buried in a peat bog by some people who were cutting peat. The high tannin content of the bog had preserved him. His features were so well preserved that the people who found him thought he was a recent murder victim. What makes him so amazing is the detail on his face: the lines, the facial hairs. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the degree of preservation was astonishing. Twelve years before Tollund Man's discovery, another bog body, Elling Woman, was discovered in the same bog. The Tollund Man is believed to have been the victim of a ritual sacrifice. He has a noose around his neck so was clearly murdered. He was found buried under about two metres of peat. His body was curled up in a fetal position. Despite his violent death, he looks remarkably peaceful and is not at all disturbing. We were so impressed by him that we tried to visit another bog body ­ Grauballe Man in Aarhus, ­but he was out!

Silkeborg And The Tollund Man.

Silkeborg And The Tollund Man.

Silkeborg And The Tollund Man.

Silkeborg And The Tollund Man.

Aarhus.

After visiting Silkeborg, we drove to Aarhus where we stayed the night. Aarhus is the second biggest city in Denmark. We had a look at Aarhus's lovely cathedral, took a stroll around the busy town centre and down by the waterfront and headed off to The Old Town, ­Den Gamle By,­ a wonderful open air museum with restored buildings from all around Denmark. On the day we left there was a festival of street entertainment taking place in Aarhus city centre. Aarhus Cathedral was built in 1201 and later enlarged in 1450 and 1520. It is the tallest and longest church in Denmark. It is dedicated to St. Clemens. St Clemens was the Roman Pope in 100 A.D. He became a martyr when he was drowned with an anchor tied round his neck. He is now the patron saint of sailors. We loved the beautiful frescoes on the cathedral walls. The cathedral also has a marvellous altar piece which was carved by the famous Lübeck sculptor and painter Bernt Notke. Den Gamle By, The Old Town Open Air Museum,­ was founded in 1909. It has around seventy-­five historical houses from all over Denmark, arranged to form a Danish town as it may have been in the 1800s. We had a great time visiting here. It is fun and informative.

Aarhus.

Aarhus.

Aarhus.

Aarhus.

Aarhus.

On the walls of Aarhus Cathedral. - Denmark

Jelling Kirke, Burial Mounds And Rune Stones.

I saw the pictures of carvings on rune stones in a guidebook I owned as a child and decided I'd like to go and see them. It took me a good few years but I got there in the end. The remains at Jelling consist of two flat­topped burial mounds made of peat. The mounds are 70 metres in diameter and 11 metres high. Nearby is the smaller of two runic stones with the inscription "King Gorm made this monument to his wife Thyra, Denmark's ornament". When Gorm's son, Harald Bluetooth, introduced Christianity to Denmark in the 10th century he built a wooden church next to the burial mounds and placed a larger runic stone between the mounds. The stone has the inscription "King Harald bade this monument be made in memory of Gorm his father and Thyra his mother, that Harald who won for himself all Denmark and Norway and made the Danes Christians". The inscription is written beneath a Nordic dragon. On the southwest face of the stone is the earliest depiction of Christ in Scandinavia, with an inscription about the conversion of the Danes to Christianity between 953 and 965. The burial mounds and smaller stone are pagan, the larger stone and church are Christian, so the whole sight represents Denmark's transition from Paganism to Christianity which was brought about by Harald Bluetooth. The present church is made of whitewashed stone. The earlier wooden churches were destroyed in fires.

Jelling Kirke, Burial Mounds And Rune Stones.

Jelling Kirke, Burial Mounds And Rune Stones.

Jelling Kirke, Burial Mounds And Rune Stones.

Jelling Kirke, Burial Mounds And Rune Stones.

Odense Birthplace Of Hans Christian Andersen.

Odense is Denmark's third largest city. It is located on the Island of Funen. It was the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen. We went to see the house where he was born in the picturesque old town of Odense. We also visited the cathedral and the market near the town hall. Also on our itinery was a visit to a museum dedicated to Danish composer, Carl Neilson. Odense Cathedral is also known as St. Canute's Cathedral. It is named after King Canute IV. There has been a church at this location for more than nine hundred years. Outside the church there is a statue of Hans Christian Andersen. The old town of Odense where Hans Christian Andersen was born is filled with clourful wooden buildings and is a very pretty place to visit. There was a market going on near the town hall when we visited. In the square outside the market there was a large statue of a reclining giant. This statue is called Oceania.

Odense Birthplace Of Hans Christian Andersen.

Odense Birthplace Of Hans Christian Andersen.

Odense Birthplace Of Hans Christian Andersen.

Odense Birthplace Of Hans Christian Andersen.

Legoland

I was the only one of us who wanted to go to Legoland. The others were against it because you could see this in England so why come to Denmark to see it, but I held firm, stating that this was the original legoland and lego was invented in Denmark. Ole Kirk Christiansen invented lego in 1949. When he died in 1958, his son Godtfredt took over the family business. Godtfredt built the first legoland theme park next to his father's factory in 1968. We loved legoland and were really impressed by the lego models of world famous sights, animals and the humorous depictions of people. Legoland is located in Billund.

Legoland

Legoland

Legoland

Legoland

Legoland

Beaches.

We love to swim and as well as getting one hotel with a pool, we went for a dip in the Baltic at a beach near Aarhus ­which was very nice, but there were rather a lot of jellyfish. Our best swim was at a lovely long white sandy beach near Esbjerg where we had a refreshing swim in the North Sea.

Beaches.

Beaches.

Havis Amanda, Upenski Cathedral in background. - Helsinki

A Special Place For Me.

Helsinki is a special place for me. I met my husband here in 1985 when I was just 19. We married in 1988 and have spent 33 happy (with the occasional fight) years together. In 1985 he was a teacher in Inlingua, Helsinki and I was an au pair living with a Finnish family in Espoo. We went back to Helsinki for the first time in the summer of 2009 and there was a feeling of coming home. We walked straight from our ferry to the hotel without once consulting a map. We revisited all the sights again without consulting map or guidebook. We stood and gazed on our former homes from the street. It all had a wonderful nostalgic feel to it.

Around Helsinki.

Helsinki is a city with some beautiful architecture, wide open streets and clear, blue skies. It is small enough for the main sights to be managed on foot. It has several interesting islands around it which make great day trips ­ Suomenlinna for its fortress, Korkisaari for its zoo, Serusaari for its skansen of old Finnish wooden buildings. Helsinki has plenty of greenery and lots of seascapes, too.

Sights worth Visiting.

The harbour area is very pleasant and its market is worth a look. When I was there in 1985 to 86 it used to have a Baltic Herring Festival,­ maybe it still does. Lots of stalls gave free herring and black bread samples ­ -delicious. There is a beautiful Russian cathedral; a lovely green and white Lutheran cathedral which towers over Helsinki. There are several interesting statues: check out Havis Amanda at the end of Esplanadi, the three smiths outside Stockmann Department Store and the slightly further afield Sibelius Monument. I love the railway station in Helsinki. It must rate as one of the most beautiful in the world. Visit Templeaukkio Church ­- a church carved into the rocks. From the outside it looks like a UFO. Inside it's like being in a cave.

The Markets.

The markets in Helsinki are certainly worth a look. They are beautifully set right on the harbour front. There is an indoor market hall and lots of outdoor market stalls. It's a wonderful place for photography as well as for shopping, because there is always lots going on here. Address: Kauppatori. Directions: At the east end of the Esplanadi Boulevard.

Harbour front looking towards cathedral. - Helsinki

Havis Amanda Statue.

This beautiful statue stands between Esplanadi and the Market Square. It was sculpted by Ville Vallgren in 1906 in Paris, and placed in Helsinki in 1908. The statue is of a naked woman surrounded by four water spouting sea lions. It has gradually become the emblem of Helsinki. Every Vappu - May the first, when the population of Finland wear their student hats, Havis Amanda is washed and then a hat is placed on her, too.

Havis Amanda - Helsinki

Havis Amanda - Helsinki

Havis Amanda - Helsinki

Seal fountain. - Helsinki

Upenski Cathedral.

This beautiful orthodox cathedral is set at the edge of an island close to the Market Square. It was built in the 1860s. Have a look inside and see the many beautiful icons which cover the altarpiece. Good views from directly outside the cathedral, too. Address: Kanavakatu 1. Directions: Further east after the market square about 300 metres.

Upenski Cathedral - Helsinki

Upenski Cathedral - Helsinki

Upenski Cathedral - Helsinki

Temppeliaukio Church.

Temppeliaukio Church is one of the most beautiful and unusual churches in Helsinki. It was built into the rocks and has a circular glass roof. Viewed from the outside it looks like a UFO. Inside it is like a cave. It's famous for having excellent acoustics so concerts are sometimes held here. The church was built between 1968­ and 1969. It was designed by two famous architect brothers, Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen. Very beautiful and peaceful. Address: Lutherinkatu 3.

Peter at the church. - Helsinki

Above the church. - Helsinki

Me on the roof of the church. - Helsinki

The Sibelius Monument.

This monument was built in honour of Jean Sibelius, Finland's most famous composer, who wrote,among other things, The Finlandia Suite. The monument came about as the result of a competition held in 1906/1907. The winning design is made of steel and cosists of 2 parts:­ tall silver pipes that look like organ pipes and the composer's head. The monument is beautifully set among trees and close to the water.

Sibelius monument. - Helsinki

Me at the monument - Helsinki

Where did all those people go. - Helsinki

Sibelius gets to know a Japanese tourist - Helsinki

Toolonlahti Park.

Toolonlahti Park in the centre of Helsinki is a very pleasant location for a peaceful stroll. In the centre of the park there is a large stretch of water with fountains. Many geese can be found on or next to the water. In the distance you'll see Linnamaki Amusement Park. You can watch people play chess, take a stroll, enjoy the sun, feed the geese or just enjoy the tranquility here.

Toolonlahti Park - Helsinki

Toolonlahti Park - Helsinki

Toolon Lahti Park - Helsinki

Toolonlahti Park - Helsinki

The Lutheran Cathedral and Senate Square.

Helsinki's Lutheran Cathedral, Tuomiokirkko in Finnish, dominates Helsinki's sky line. It was designed by a German architect, Carl Ludvig Engel. He also designed the adjacent Senate Square. The cathedral was finished in 1852. It was built in honour of Grand Duke, Nicholas I, the Tsar of Russia, and was originally called St. Nicholas' Church. Its name was changed when Finland got independence in 1917. It is a beautiful building, but I've not forgotten that when I was a penniless au pair in Finland I got thrown out of here for reading a book. Senate Square is lovely. On May 1st people used to dance here after the Labour Day Parade. Perhaps they still do. Address: Unioninkatu 29.

Senate Square - Helsinki

Senate Square - Helsinki

The Lutheran Cathedral - Helsinki

Helsinki Central Railway Station.

The railway station was one of my favourite buildings when I lived in Helsinki in the eighties. I think its the carvings on the front of the building that make it so special. It was designed by Eliel Saarinen and inaugurated in 1919. Nowadays it is busier than I remember it. I used to occasionally buy hot dogs or cardamom buns from the food stalls here. Delicious. It is not just me who likes it, apparently it was chosen as one of the world's most beautiful railway stations by the BBC in 2013. I'm not surprised.

Helsinki Central Railway Station - Helsinki

Helsinki Central Railway Station - Helsinki

The Finnish National Theatre.

This building is located on Railway Square. The Finnish National Theatre is the oldest Finnish ­language theatre in Finland. The building dates from the late nineteenth century. At that time Finland was part of the Russian Empire, and the Finnish elite were Swedish speaking. Finnish was considered an inferior language. The movement to create a Finnish identity centred around Finnish language and culture ultimately led to the creation of an independent Finland in 1917. In front of the building is a statue of Alexis Kivi. He is a bit of a national hero as he was one of the earliest writers to write literature in Finnish. Before him Swedish was used for all written language and Finnish was considered an inferior language. His most famous work is a novel called 'Seven Brothers'.

The Finnish National Theatre and Alexis Kivi - Helsinki

Ateneum Art Museum.

This large Art Museum is located on Railway Square. I could be remembering wrongly but when I stayed in Helsinki during the mid eighties this museum was closed for renovation and part of its exhibits were housed in the Finnish National Museum. I remember being very impressed by the Finnish paintings housed there. The poster on the front of the Ateneum in my photograph is advertising paintings based on the Kalevala. The Kalevala is the national epic of Finland. It was compiled by Elias Lönnrot in the late nineteenth century using stories from Karelian and Finnish folklore. Elias Lonnrot did much to help instil a sense of national identity among the Finnish population. I personally saw the paintings based on the Kalevala in the Finnish National Museum. Address: Kaivokatu 2.

The Ateneum - Helsinki

The Finnish National Museum.

This building looks more like a church or a castle than a museum with its tall tower. This museum concentrates mainly on Finnish history from the stone age to the present day. It contains coins, medals, jewellery, weapons, silverware and archaeological finds. The museum's entrance hall has ceiling frescoes based on Finland's National Epic, The Kalevala. These were painted by Akseli Gallén ­Kallela in 1928. Address: Mannerheimintie 34. Directions: Tram 4, next to the Parliament Building.

The Finnish National Museum. - Helsinki

The Finnish Parliament.

This building is on Mannerheimintie near the Mannerheim statue. It was constructed between 1926 and 1931 by Johan Sigfrid Sirén (1889–1961). I have been inside here a few times as my employer worked here and sometimes I had to bring her child to her. It is possible to visit on a pre­booked tour, too.

The Finnish Parliament. - Helsinki

Finlandia Hall

Finnish people always seemed to be very proud of Finlandia Hall. I never found it all that attractive to look at, but that's because I prefer old buildings. However, I did attend several concerts there and the acoustics were wonderful. Finladia Hall was designed by famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto and was completed in 1971. Address: Mannerheimintie 13 e.

Finlandia Hall - Helsinki

Mannerheim Statue.

There is a statue of General Mannerheim on the road that is named after him. Mannerheim was a Finnish military leader and statesman. He was born on the 4th of June 1867. He fought against the Bolsheviks in the Finnish Civil War, helping to bring about Finnish independence. He was commander-­in­-chief of Finland's defence forces during World War II and later became the sixth president of Finland from 1944 to 1946. He died in 1951. He is regarded as the father of modern Finland.

Mannerheim Statue

The Three Smiths Statue is a sculpture showing three blacksmiths hammering onto an anvil. It stands at the intersection of Aleksanterinkatu and Mannerheimintie. It was created by sculptor, Felix Nylund and was unveiled in 1932. It is a popular meeting spot.

The Three Smiths Statue

The Tsarina's Stone.

The Tsarina’s Stone is Helsinki's oldest public monument. It was erected in 1835 in honour of a visit by Tsar Nikolai I and Tsarina Alexandra. The monument is topped by a globe and a double headed eagle which was one of the emblems of the Tsars of Russia. This monument was taken down in 1917 when Finland became independent, but was put back up in 1971. It is located in Helsinki's harbourside market place.

The Tsarina's Stone

Suomenlinna.

One of the enjoyable things to do when visiting Helsinki is taking a trip to the fortress island of Suomenlinna. Suomenlinna means Finnish Castle. Construction of the fortifications of Suomenlinna began in 1748 when Finland was still part of Sweden. It was built to defend the area from much feared Russian expansionism. Augustin Ehrensvärd drew up the plans for the site. He was strongly influenced by the ideas of Vauban, the most important military engineer at that time. On Suomenlinna there is a submarine called Vesikko which has been converted into a museum. This submarine was launched in May 1933 in Turku. It was one of the five submarines to serve in the Finnish Navy. Nowadays Suomenlinna is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is a lovely spot for a stroll or a picnic. In the eighties in the winter apparently the sea would freeze over and you could walk or drive all the way to Suomenlinna. I would not have been brave enough to try though I do remember walking across areas of frozen sea.

Suomenlinna

Suomenlinna

Suomenlinna

Seurasaari.

Another enjoyable day trip is a cruise to the island of Seurasaari where you can visit the Seurasaari Open ­Air Museum. This is a skansen type museum displaying old wooden buildings from all over Finland.

Seurasaari

Sculptures.

There were some sculptures in Helsinki I liked. One was "The Boxers". This shows two boxers fighting. It was modelled by Uuno Pitkä and Armas Wilkman from the Jyryn ­Nyrkkelijät boxing club. It was created by Johannes Haapasalo in 1930. Haapasalo was trained by Auguste Rodin. Another I liked is of a horse and her foal. It is called "Maternal Love". It was sculpted by Emil Cedercreutz. It dates from 1927. Then there is the lovely bear sculpture which sits at the entrance to the Finnish National Museum.

Sculptures

Sculptures

Sculptures

Snowy Weather.

When I lived in Finland in 1985 to 1986 the winter was freezing cold. The temperature dropped to minus twenty. The sea froze over and there was snow everywhere. People were used to it. They changed to winter tyres, central heated all the buildings, employed people to clear the streets (all the snow was piled up at the sides with the occasional opening.) People wore lots of clothes when they went out and stripped off several layers when they entered heated public transport or a centrally heated building. On our visit in summer 2009 we got into a discussion with a young Finnish barman about winter. He claimed nowadays their winters are no worse than the UK's and the snows and ice belonged to days his grandparents remembered. As well as making us feel old, this did make us wonder has it really warmed up so much? I don't know but I do know that the snow looked spectacular and added a bit of light to the long dark winter days.

Snowy Weather

Snowy Weather

Snowy Weather

Snowy Weather

Water City.

Helsinki is very much a city on the water as its located on the sea and various sea inlets. When we were here in the eighties these froze over in the winter and you could walk or even drive on them. Not sure if this is still the case.

Water City

Water City

Water City

Water City

Swimming Pools and saunas.

We deliberately chose a hotel with a swimming pool in Helsinki and were shocked to find the pool only opened around 2 hours per day. This is because the pool is part of the sauna experience. Finnish people love relaxing and cleaning themselves in the sauna. The sauna is expensive to run so will only be warmed up for a couple of hours each day. You'll find the swimming pool next to the sauna is ice cold. This is because it is acting as a substitute lake. The Finns love to get hot in the sauna then leap in an icy lake to cool down. Try it; it's an exhilarating experience. You'll be wide awake the rest of the day. Finally found a photo to go with this tip. It is taken on our ski trip to Jyvaskula in 1986.

Sauna in Jyaskula - Helsinki

Ice And Snow In Advertising.

We were amused by this promotion for a soft drink. Cans of the drink, frozen solid into huge blocks of ice were dumped on the square near the bus station along with piles of snow and people were provided with hard hats and chisels and invited to try and get them out.

Ice And Snow In Advertising.

Ice And Snow In Advertising.

Ice And Snow In Advertising.

Cleaning Carpets.

Every Finnish house I ever visited was always scrupulously clean. In winter I had to place all my employer's rugs in the snow, let them harden a little, then beat them with a carpet beater. In summer women don their bikinis head to the beach and give their carpets a wash.

Washing Carpets - Helsinki

Washing Carpets. - Helsinki

Vappu.

I was fortunate enough to be in Finland for Vappu ­- May the 1st. This marks the beginnings of spring after a long, cold, dark winter and Finns wear their summer clothes for it, even if it's still snowing!!! On the Eve of Vappu the Havis Amanda statue gets a bath and a student cap is placed on her head. On May 1st everyone wears their student caps and there are lots of street festivities. It is a time to be outdoors after being stuck inside all winter. As it is also Labour Day there is also a Communist parade. Some Finns make a special lemonade called "sima" for the occasion from lemons, brown sugar, and yeast.

My husband celebrating Vappu. - Helsinki

Alcohol.

My husband always says two old photos sum up Finland for him. In this first one he is leaving an Alko shop with a big grin on his face having just bought some beer. I'm not sure how it is now, but in the eighties you could only buy alcohol from Alko shops for home consumption unless you bought weak alcohol from supermarkets. Every year the Alko shops would go on strike for a while leaving many of us desperate for a drink.

Alcohol

Winter.

The second photo that sums up Finland for him shows him dressed to go out at minus thirty degrees on a bitter cold winter's day in the mid­ eighties. Apparently Finland is not as cold as it used to be due to global warming.

Winter

Espoo.

Espoo is not actually in Helsinki. It's one of the towns next to it. I lived here at one time. There's not much to see in Espoo though it does have some nice scenery and sea inlets and a lovely old cathedral. Espoo Cathedral is a mediaeval stone church in Central Espoo. It dates from the 1480s. The church became a cathedral in 2004. There is a pretty graveyard around the cathedral. There are some interesting frescoes on the cathedral walls.

Espoo

Espoo

Espoo

Espoo

Espoo

Take A Day Trip To Porvoo.

Porvoo is a beautiful town about 50 kilometers east of Helsinki. It is located on the River Porvoo. It is filled with lovely old wooden buildings. It has a wonderful cathedral and a picturesque town hall. There are buses to Porvoo from Helsinki's Central Bus Station approximately every 15­ to 30 minutes. Tickets cost around 12 Euros one ­way and the journey takes around an hour. Porvoo is Finland's second oldest city.

Take A Day Trip To Porvoo

Take A Day Trip To Porvoo

Take A Day Trip To Porvoo

Take A Day Trip To Porvoo

Take A Day Trip To Porvoo

Day Trip To Turku.

Turku is Finland's oldest town and was at one time the capital of Finland. You can get here from Helsinki by bus or train. It will take about two hours one way. Turku has an impressive castle dating from the thirteenth century and a large Lutheran Cathedral. Turku is located on the Aura River and the Baltic Sea.

Day Trip To Turku

Day Trip To Turku

Supermarkets: Eating In Helsinki.

If, like me, you find Helsinki rather overpriced and end up buying from the supermarket instead of always eating out, treat yourself to some sliced Finnish black bread and some maksa makkara sausage spread. This is what kept me alive in 1985/19­86 and it was still delicious last year. For dessert grab a punnet of fresh berries and life suddenly does not seem so bad.

Eating In Helsinki

Wooden Buildings, Stockholm. - Stockholm

Stunning Stockholm.

Strangely enough I have been to Sweden four times, but have only ever visited Stockholm. If we return, we must try and venture to other parts of the country. Having said that though, Stockholm is very beautiful. It is a city of islands and water. My first visit to Stockholm was in November 1985. I was living and working in Helsinki and decided I would visit for the day. I kept delaying the trip as a Finnish friend kept saying she would come with me, but then could not make it. Eventually I gave up on her and went there alone. I took an overnight ferry from Helsinki to Stockholm; spent the day exploring the old town, I particularly remember the narrow old town lanes with tall buildings on each side, and took an overnight ferry back. I enjoyed the trip but felt there was more to see and that I would return and stay overnight.

On visit number two I did just that. It was February 1986. I sailed from Helsinki to Stockholm. The sea was frozen over and for the entire journey I could hear the ice breakers at the front of the ferry cutting their way through the ice. When I arrived I went in search of the Af Chapman Youth Hostel on a boat as someone had recommended that to me. The boat part was closed. I stayed in the building part of the youth hostel. The hostel is located on the Isle of Skeppsholmen. This time I visited the town hall, the old town and the museums island. On the museum island I wandered the skansen in the snow and had the place almost to myself. I also visited the extremely impressive Vasa Warship Museum. When I returned to Helsinki my employer was very upset and told me that Swedish Prime Minister, Olaf Palma, had just been assassinated. He died from a single gunshot as he walked home from the cinema with his wife around midnight on 28th February 1986. No-one has ever been charged with his murder.

Visit three was when my husband, then boyfriend, and I were leaving Finland by train. We returned to the UK via Stockholm, Elsinore, Copenhagen, Hamburg and Amsterdam. It was the first time I had been to Stockholm in the summer and the atmosphere was different with more people around and more outdoor activities going on.

Visit four was in 2009. We flew to Stockholm, spent a couple of nights. Then we flew to Vilnius, Lithuania, from where we took a bus to Riga, Latvia. From Riga we took a bus to Tallinn in Estonia. From Tallinn we took a ferry to Helsinki, Finland. In Stockholm we spent quite a lot of time at the city hall, then visited Riddarholmen, then Gamla Stan, Sodermalm, Djurgården museum island, and had a boat trip.

Stockholm is located in the south east of Sweden. It is the capital city of Sweden and Sweden's most populated city. The city is spread across fourteen islands and various peninsulas and is nicknamed the Venice of the North. Yes, yet another one. Sweden's parliament is located in Stockholm and Stockholm is also the home of the Swedish monarch. The oldest part of Stockholm is called Gamla Stan. This occupies an island where the Baltic Sea meets Lake Mälaren. This area was first occupied by the Vikings who lived here around 1000 AD.

Sculpture Stockholm - Stockholm

Stockholm's City Hall.

This is an attractive place to visit. While the building itself is not stunning, it is set in a beautiful waterfront location and its grounds are filled with statues. Stockholm City Hall dates from 1923. If you go on a guided tour, it is possible to go up the City Hall's 106 Metre high tower for views. Stockholm City Hall is located on the island of Kungsholmen. Its grounds look out towards Riddarholmen and Södermalm. The views towards these places are lovely. Stockholm's City Hall is used as the venue of the Nobel Prize banquet. Address: Hantverkargatan .

Stockholm City Hall. - Stockholm

Dance Statue in front of the City Hall. - Stockholm

Song Statue in front of the City Hall - Stockholm

View towards Riddarholmen and the City Hall. - Stockholm

Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson Column. - Stockholm

Riddarholmen

Riddarholmen means the Knights' Islet. It is located in a part of Gamla Stan that faces towards the City Hall. There are several palaces here. It is also home to Riddarholmskyrkan, the church that has housed all the tombs of Sweden's monarchs since the sixteenth century. Here you can also find a statue of Birger Jarl, the founder of Stockholm, in a square that is named after him. There are good views towards Stockholm City Hall from Riddarholmen.

Wrangel Palace, Riddarholmen. - Stockholm

Riddarholmskyrkan. - Stockholm

Stenbock Palace, Riddarholmen. - Stockholm

Birger Jarls Torg, Riddarholmen. - Stockholm

Riddarhuset - the Knights' House. - Stockholm

Looking towards Riddarholmen. - Stockholm

View towards Riddarholmen and the City Hall. - Stockholm

Gamla Stan Stockholm's Old Town.

Gamla Stan is Stockholm's old town. It is located on an island. It used to be known as the town between the bridges. Gamla Stan dates back to the 13th century. Here you can find Stockholm's impressive baroque royal palace, where we watched the changing of the guard. Stockholm's Royal Palace was built in the 18th century to replace the previous palace Tre Kronor which had burned down. Nearby you can also find Stockholm Cathedral which has a statue of St George and the dragon. I think of Gamla Stan as lots of narrow lanes with towering houses on each side, plus sudden wide open squares with sculptures and fountains and colourful buildings. Gamla Stan's largest and prettiest square is called Stortorget . It is located in the centre of Gamla Stan. Colourful old merchants' houses surround the square. On our visit street musicians were playing here and some people were dancing. This square has not always been peaceful though. In 1520 it was the site of the Stockholm Bloodbath. This refers to the massacre of Swedish noblemen by the Danish King Christian II. Gamla Stan has lots of narrow streets. Its narrowest alley is Mårten Trotzigs gränd. This alley leads from Västerlånggatan and Järntorget up to Prästgatan and Tyska Stallplan. At its narrowest part it is just 90cm wide. In summer Gamla Stan has a lively atmosphere with tourists, locals, buskers and street entertainers. It also has lots of places to eat and drink.

Royal Palace, Stockholm. - Stockholm

The Royal Palace - Stockholm

Views over Gamla Stan - Stockholm

Views over Gamla Stan - Stockholm

Stockholm Cathedral - Stockholm

The Main Square - Stockholm

Street Musicians - Stockholm

The Narrowest Alley - Stockholm

Changing the Guard.

When you visit the royal palace, try to time it to see a changing of the Royal Guard ceremony. The Royal Guard are part of the Swedish Armed Forces. The ceremony is quite colourful and interesting and lasts about 40 minutes. From May to August the changing of the guard can be seen daily at 12:15. However, on Sundays and public holidays it is at 13:15. In April, September and October the changing of the guards can be seen on Wednesdays & Saturdays at 12:15 and Sundays at 13:15. April 30th is the King's birthday if you visit then, you may see horse displays as well. From November to March the Royal Guard changes on Wednesdays & Saturdays at 12:00. On Sundays at 13:00.

Changing the Guard. - Stockholm

Changing the Guard. - Stockholm

Djurgården Museum Island

Maybe it is a Scandanavian thing. In Oslo many of the city's museums are grouped together in one place and in Stockholm many of them are grouped together in one place. In Stockholm most museums are in Djurgården the museum island. On Djurgården you can find the Vasa Warship Museum, Junibacken, the Nordic Museum, two aquariums and a Skansen housing buildings from all over Sweden.

The Vasa Museum: I visited the Vasa Warship in 1986, but I actually still remember a lot about it, because I was impressed by what I saw there. The ship itself is magnificent and the museum houses objects which teach us about life on board a ship. At the time of my visit the current Vasa Warship Museum had not been built and the ship was housed in the Wasa Shipyard. Here is the story of the Vasa.

In 1625 King Gustav II Adolf asked master shipwright Henrik Hybertsson to construct four new war ships. One of these was the Vasa. Construction of the Vasa began the following year. On the 10th of August 1628, the completed Vasa set out on her maiden voyage, but she toppled over and sank in the middle of Stockholm Harbour after sailing just 1300 metres. Early attempts were made to raise the ship, but these failed. However, some of the ships canons were recovered. More than three hundred years later in 1959 after much preliminary work by diving teams, heavy cables were finally placed under the Vasa and she was hauled into shallower water. On 24th April 1961 the final lift took place and the Vasa finally resurfaced after 333 years at the bottom of the sea. The Vasa was moved into a temporary museum, the Wasa Shipyard, which is where I visited it. Between 1963 and 1967 a team of divers excavated the harbour bottom where the Vasa had lain and managed to recover hundreds of sculptures and thousands of other objects from the ship which provide us with lots of information about life on board a ship in the past. In 1988 the Vasa was moved from the Wasa Shipyard into the new museum.

Peter on Djurgården - Stockholm

Djurgården - Stockholm

The Vasa Museum - Stockholm

The Skansen.

I also visited this in 1986 in the depth of winter in the snow. Most of it was closed and I was freezing. The Skansen is the first open air museum and zoo in Sweden. It was founded in 1891 by Artur Hazelius. Buildings from all over Sweden are arranged here to form a town showing what life was like in Sweden in the preindustrial era.

Junibacken.

I have never visit this museum. It is a children's museum based on the stories of Astrid Lindgren.

The Nordic Museum.

I have never visited this either. The Nordic Museum is dedicated to the cultural history of Sweden from the Early Modern Age around 1520 until the present day. The museum was founded in the late 19th century by Artur Hazelius. Djurgården is also very pretty and green and is good for walking or picknicking.

The Nordic Museum - Stockholm

The Nordic Museum - Stockholm

Fjällgatan.

Fjällgatan is a street in the Sondermalm area. It is situated on the edge of a cliff and has wonderful views over the city and the harbour. Fjällgatan is lined with colourful wooden houses dating from the 18th century.

Fjällgatan. - Stockholm

My husband in Fjällgatan. - Stockholm

View from Fjällgatan. - Stockholm

Fjällgatan. - Stockholm

View from Fjällgatan. - Stockholm

Gröna Lund.

Tivoli Gröna Lund is an amusement park on Djurgården Island. It covers 15 acres and has over 30 attractions. It was founded in 1883 by James Schultheiss.

Gröna Lund - Stockholm

Jumbo Hostel.

When we were leaving Arlanda Airport heading into Stockholm, we passed a decomissioned jumbo jet which has been converted into a hostel and cafe. The Jumbo Hostel, as it is called, has twenty-seven rooms and a cockpit suite. All rooms have flat screen televisions so that guests can follow the departure times for all flights. The cafe is open to guests and non-guests. Jumbo hostel dates from 2008. We did not go get the chance to go inside, but it looks like quite an interesting and unusual place to stay.

Jumbo Hostel

Views over Gamla Stan and the harbour

There were some lovely views over Gamla Stan and the harbour from the Sodermalm area. These pictures were taken from the Katarina hissen elevator. You pay to go up the elevator and can take views from the viewing platform at the top.

View over the Harbour. - Stockholm

View over Sondermalm's Main Square - Stockholm

Stockholm Tidningen’s Clock.

We noticed this very unusual clock as we were wandering around near Sergel's Torg. It is known as the Tidningen clock and can be found on the corner of Vattugatan and Klara Södra Kyrkogata. The rather heavy looking clock is being carried on the stooped back of a man. The bronze sculpture of the man was designed by Gottfrid Larsson in 1903. The clock and sculpture used to be on the old Stockholm Tidningens building. This building was demolished at the end of the 1980s but the clock and sculpture were kept.

Stockholm Tidningen’s Clock

Katarina kyrka.

Favorite thing: Katarina kyrka is located in Sodermalm. It was originally built at the end of the 17th century, by French architect Jean de la Vallée. However, the Katarina Kyrka has been burnt down twice: once in the 1720s and once in 1990. The current church was completed in 1995. Katarina Kyrka was named after Princess Katarina. She was the halfsister of King Gustav II Adolf and the mother of King Karl X Gustav. Katarina Kyrka stands close to the spot where the victims of the Stockholm Bloodbath of 1520 were burned after being executed by Danish King Kristian II. As a result some people think the church is cursed and that is why it has been destroyed twice. Katerina Kyrka is a beautiful domed yellow building and well worth a visit. You can see it from many parts of the city.

Katarina kyrka - Stockholm

Katarina kyrka - Stockholm

As Stockholm is made up of 14 islands, one of the best ways to get around is by boat. We boarded a boat at the Royal Palace and went off to Djurgarden. Then from there we went by boat to Sondermalm.

Boat Trips. - Stockholm

Boat Trips - Stockholm

Boat Trips - Stockholm