Ash flight restrictions extended...

Noooooo! Oh well, nothing we can do until Saturday.

Attracted to Helsinki

Sunday, and what a roaster today! It looked cloudy at brekky, how wrong we were! I believe the temperatures were in the mid 70s with a hint of a breeze, wonderful. We went on a bus trip this morning and took in lots of sights, including the Cathedral, the Senate Square, the Presidential Palace (he wasn't taking visitations today), Finlandia Hall, the Parliament Building and Market Square. What did we learn today then about Helsinki and Finland? 60% of HE students are female, students start school at the age of 7, all students learn Finnish, Swedish and English as a compulsory measure, with a drop of French, German and Russian should they so wish, Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809, the language of the elves in the famous movie based on Lord Of The Rings, is based on Finnish, the UN voted Finland as the second most stable country in the world and lots of other facts that I have since forgotten! Best part of the day? For me, seeing the Uspenski Orthodox Cathedral, a reminder of Helsinki's eastern heritage. It has 13 gold cupolas which represent Jesus and the twelve disciples. Amazing outside and in, no question. Anyway, time to log off as it is nearly tea time and we have an early start at the College tomorrow. We hope all is well back home and look out for more blogs directly.

Music with dinner is an insult both to the cook and the violinist.

Greetings again loyal followers. We had intended to visit the local off licence, aptly named 'The Alko' to purchase a couple of cheeky Cabernets to imbibe on our terrace, but for some reason it shuts at 6pm on a Saturday, quel domage! We had a wonderful meal and have attached a couple of pics from the restaurant. Issie had some spinach nests and I had garlic soup in bread. I had to drink the soup and eat the bowl, an interesting bamboozler, for when in the Sinki and all that! It is noticeable that in the restaurant, a Czech / Finnish fusion, there was a scuffle in the bar. Yes, that's right, it was a young lady who had clearly had too many Blue Nuns in the afternoon sun and was causing a disturbance. The point you say? She was Scottish, oh the shame of it all! I can confirm that neither of us were involved by the way! Anyway, it is hyvää yötä from me and it is hyvää yötä from her, hyvää yötä!

There is no moment of delight in any pilgrimage like the beginning of it."

Hei kaikki peräisin Suomi! (That's hi to everybody in Finnish...at least that is what ´the charming hostess last night said it meant!´) Taxi arrived in Polwarth at 3.45 am Saturday and the flights from Edina to the Dam and then on to Helsinki were on time. Quick taxi to the hotel (a wonderful Art Deco influenced building) and out we went scouting for some Scandic charm. We enjoyed an educational cruise taking in the extensive archipeligo. A scorching May day on the water - what better way to start our trip to Helsinki! We did a recce of the Market, visited some churches and spilled out across the cobbled quayside, not literally you understand! Tomorrow we look forward to some more sightseeing and engaging in some meaningful academic discourse over a few cups of water...