Before one starts banging on about Helsinki, I keep forgetting to write about the so called “white nights” phenomenon that we have had the pleasure of experiencing over the past few days. Basically this is when the sun sets at some ungodly hour (think it’s around 12:30am) only to rise again 2/3 hours later hence effectively you are sleeping in broad daylight!
Anyway, Helsinki, for some unknown reason when one visualises the city, modern architecture springs to mind. This is partly true, however, there are sights i.e. old brick churches mixed in also working surprisingly well.
As usual, one docked at the port around 2 miles from the centre so decided to scrap the “walking into the centre” idea and simply stroll around the various harbours. Despite this, it turned out said the road that one was rolling on along ends up in the centre anyway.
One thinks that it has been said 2 or 3 times on this trip alone, however, the city is home to it’s own tram network, just like all the rest, it depends upon the rolling stock as to whether it is accessible for wheelchair users.
One was also lucky enough to be in Helsinki on market day, this not only provides fresh fruit and vegetables but also a wide range of souvenirs, not appealing when one had a million seagulls swooping up and down!
Tomorrow is yet another day at sea before we dock at our final port of call, Gdynia in Poland (the porting city for Gdansk, however, attempting to source a wheelchair accessible taxi company who speak English is impossible, Gdynia looks nice though!