On the very last day of 2012 I woke up early, made sure Mr. U had breakfast in bed and then set out in search of some Helsinki history. Suomenlinna Sveaborg is but a fifteen minute ferry ride away from the market square, a five minute walk from our hotel.
On the way to the island, I exchanged a few words with a very sweet older couple from the Bordeaux region of France. The wife was adorable and when she found out I was from Canada she declared us family and I was their little cousin. She found the cold here in Helsinki simply “terrible!” being from the south of France and all. I could tell as she was wearing a fur-lined hat and was shivering away. I was wearing a silk scarf, light fall coat and leather gloves and was fine. They had visited Montreal in the past and hope to go back. They were “très bien accueilli” and one day hope to visit again and stay with “les habitants” because, after all, that really is the best way to get to know a city and its people. I giggled. I didn’t know we were still back in the Seigneurial times. Upon parting, I wished them a happy new year and she in turn wished me a year filled with “beaucoup de voyages et de bonheur”. She was very sweet. We landed at the dock and went our separate ways. I couldn’t help but smile.
The official website does a great job explaining the history of the fortress so I won’t bother trying to compete with it. I could never do it justice, anyway.
http://www.suomenlinna.fi/en
Instead, here is a photographic essay of my time on the small island.
On the way to the island, I exchanged a few words with a very sweet older couple from the Bordeaux region of France. The wife was adorable and when she found out I was from Canada she declared us family and I was their little cousin. She found the cold here in Helsinki simply “terrible!” being from the south of France and all. I could tell as she was wearing a fur-lined hat and was shivering away. I was wearing a silk scarf, light fall coat and leather gloves and was fine. They had visited Montreal in the past and hope to go back. They were “très bien accueilli” and one day hope to visit again and stay with “les habitants” because, after all, that really is the best way to get to know a city and its people. I giggled. I didn’t know we were still back in the Seigneurial times. Upon parting, I wished them a happy new year and she in turn wished me a year filled with “beaucoup de voyages et de bonheur”. She was very sweet. We landed at the dock and went our separate ways. I couldn’t help but smile.
The official website does a great job explaining the history of the fortress so I won’t bother trying to compete with it. I could never do it justice, anyway.
http://www.suomenlinna.fi/en
Instead, here is a photographic essay of my time on the small island.
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