View of the coast from the Barents Sea, 7 October 20023.
I awoke hungry and with a settled stomach.
I really enjoyed sitting in one of the many comfortable chairs and being awed by the coast as we sailed by. The water was fascinating to watch as well. Occasionally, outside the window, a bird flies along with the ship. Every now and then, an announcement would let the passengers know what we might see on the port or starboard side of the ship. Buildings, islands, mountains, clouds, and waves. So much to see!
View from Barents Sea.The Barents Sea, 7 October 20023.Town on the Norwegian Coast, 7 October 2023.Coming into dock at Honningsvåg, Norway.Land, clouds, & Barents Sea.View of the coast from the Barents Sea.
The ship had an unscheduled stop during the night so it arrived at the various ports later than scheduled. There was still enough time at Hammersfest to disembark and walk around for a short bit before the Polaris went on its way again.
Hammersfest, Norway, 7 October 20023.Fishing off of the dock.The Havila Polaris docked in the distance.
The ship began to rock and roll again this evening. Maybe this will be typical each night as the ship tries to gain ground — or should I say sea…?
Havila Polaris docked at Kirkenes, Norway, 6 October 2023.
It was a 2-and-three-quarter-hour drive from Inari, Finland, to Kirkenes, Norway, with the ship setting sail at 12:15 p.m. I was not sure how we would make it on time since we left only a few minutes before 10 a.m. But, our guide and our bus driver seemed unconcerned, and so I sat in the front seat of the bus unworried.
One-and-a-half hours later, the bus driver stopped the bus, and our guide announced, “We are in Norway now, and you are in Finland.”
We all laughed and as the bus drove on, ur guide directed us to note our cell phones, which were registering a clock time one hour in the past. Of course…! We can make it on time to the ship because the time difference allowed us to. Now I am only ten hours ahead of Fairbanks, Alaska.
Before the ship, however, here are some tidbits from the road:
Norway has a rocky country, and historically the Norwegians came into Finland to steal timber, and so a ranger system was established in Norway. (The landscape did change from forests to rocky scrubland when we crossed the border.)
The road we drove on was the very road along which the Sámi people were evacuated, and the road the Germans traveled in their retreat from Finland, burning everything as they went.
The bus driver and our guide spoke in Finnish throughout much of the drive, with our guide stopping to divulge interesting information. For example, the road is often dangerous, and just that morning their was a serious bus accident. However, the sun had warmed the road by now and it was no longer icy.
I can feel the increasing elevation in my ears.
The Finns do not lay salt down on the road in winter because the reindeer will congregate on the road, licking the ice, causing more accidents and killing the reindeer, too.
Snow tendrils began to appear on the road as we drove, each kilometer the pavement was whiter and whiter.
There are up to 3,000 lakes in the region.
The drive is like an amusement park ride: the hills in the land, the curves of the road, the bumps and cracks in the pavement’s surface, the occasionally vehicle coming from the opposite direction on the narrow two-lane, unmarked road. Ah, there are flimsy red stakes marking the edge of the road, most likely there for the winter plow driver to guide by.
On the road from Inari, Finland, to Kirkenes, Norway, 6 October 2023.
And now to the ship!
The ship in sight! Docked at Kirkenes, Norway, 6 October 2023.
We boarded Polaris right on schedule and had a short briefing before sitting down to lunch.
The Havila line is first and foremost a working ship, carrying cargo and passengers from port to port. There are 34 ports on the Kirkenes-Bergen route. (We are traveling all of the way south to Bergen on the ship. I’m excited! My first cruise ever!) Except this is not a cruise line. They have cabins for passengers and they offer excursions for trips at select ports, but the ship has a job to do, namely keeping the coastal villages and cities connected. So, this means no entertainment, shows, or parties. I actually prefer this idea.
Our route southbound from Kirkenes to Bergen, Norway, 6 October 2023.
Every ship, like Polaris, in the Havila line uses LNG (Liquid Natural Gas), thereby reducing CO2 emissions by 25%. The ship also uses large battery packs, which helps drop the emissions to 35% of the typical output. One battery pack charges while the second is in use, and when the ship sails through the fjords, for example, it can run for four hours totally emission free.
Being eco-friendly is important to this ship line, and so they ask their patrons to use the recycling bins. Keeping everyone healthy is also vital, so everyone is asked to wash their hands at the sinks before entering either restaurant. I certainly appreciated this!
I made sure to spend some time exploring the ship in the evening…
View of Havila Polaris from deck nine, 6 October 2023.View of the Barents Sea from Havila Polaris, 6 October 2023.View from Havila Polaris, Barents Sea, 6 October 2023.View of Havila Polaris and the Barents Sea from deck nine, 6 October 2023.On deck nine aboard the Havila Polaris, Barents Sea, 6 October 2023.View from Havila Polaris, Barents Sea, 6 October 2023.
Back to the ship briefing: The presenter asked us all to be on time for our restaurant booking because this could help them reduce food waste. This goal drives their decision to not offer buffet-style meals. (I think it is also to help reduce the spread of infection onboard because buffets are not always the most hygienic way to select one’s food!) Therefore, we will order everything we eat off of a menu and it will be prepared à la carte. I like this idea. My meal will end up being fresher, too.
A factoid the crew member shared: Havila has been able to bring food waste down on their voyages to 70g per person per day. Wow! (All of the food onboard throughout the trip was also delightfully delicious!)
View from the ship. Note the relative treelessness of the land as compared to Finland. On the southbound voyage from Kirkenes, Norway, 6 October 2023.
The ship set sail as we sat down to lunch and it was exciting to see the landscape float by as we sampled the small dishes we selected from the varied one-page menu. The recommendation of three dishes to start with was a good one. Perhaps the dishes might be considered tapas or meze in America, but I think, properly, they are the actual serving sizes we should be eating. Three choices plus a slice of bread and a small slice of chocolate strawberry cake was plenty ~ and no food waste from me.
After the meal, I unpacked my suitcase and organized my room. The waves might not be abnormally high for this time of year, or uncommon for the crew or other guests, but it sounded like the hull was pounding into the water: the deck rose up and down. I had a difficult time staying upright as I walked. It was kind of fun, and I went on with my planned afternoon calisthenics activities. Doing the downward dog and the cat/cow poses were surprisingly challenging as the boat rocked back and forth. It felt like those brief moments of weightlessness in the airplane that I enjoy so much, except these repeated over and over, yet without any clear pattern.
Pulling away from the Vardø dock, Barents Sea/Norway, 6 October 2023.
I took a shower, and the water swished back and forth at my feet like waves in my own private tidewater, and I had to use the bar on the wall a couple of times to grab for stability. I realized as I stepped out of the bathroom why everything in the small room had been suspended from the walls (and raised off of the floor). Even the door sill was raised by three inches (~8 cm). The water bounced one way and the other on its way towards and down the two drains. It made sense now why the floor was heated: that would help the water that spilled out from the square, concave shower floor to evaporate.
I realized that I would not have made a good astronaut. I found myself swallowing hard a lot and needing to sit down on the bed. I did not like the feeling in my stomach at all.
I solved this in three ways. First, I opted not to eat dinner. Third, I lay out on the bed: stretched out on my back, the movement was much less unpleasant. I fell asleep surprisingly fast and did not bother getting up, even when an announcement signified the Northern Lights were out. (It would turn out that this was the only cloudless night aboard the ship, but that had to be: Getting up right then definitely would not have gone well…)
Water churns outside my cabin window as the ship pulls away from a dock, Norway, 6 October 2023.
We flew on a short flight into Ivola, the northernmost airport, and got on a bus to the hotel. Our new guide is taking over from our previous Finn. He will travel with us through the rest of the tour, onto the ship, the train, and into Oslo. But that is in the future…
The day after arriving in Ivola, we rode the bus to Inari, the capital of the Sámi people and the location of Siide, the official museum of the Sámi people, where we had an excellent tour by a local Sámi guide.
Our adequate guide told us a bit about the area on the bus ride, with the local input from our friendly bus driver:
There are several mines in the area, which were sought after by Norway and Germany throughout the years. The mines produce metals, minerals, and radioactive substances.
In 1944, at the end of World War II, Germany had to retreat (they had been holding the mines that are in this part of the country at the time). As they withdrew, the Germans burned everything as they went, leaving no structures behind, including traditional Sámi buildings. So stomach-turning that humans from many parts of the world have chosen to take actions like this!
Inari is one of four Sámi provinces. There are 7,000 Inari Sámi people, with 10,000 native Sámi in total. Lapland is the region where the Sámi people live, extending from the Norwegian Sea mostly above the Arctic Circle: the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and a small area of Russia, too. The Finnish government support the Sámi in preserving their culture. Yay!
There are about 100,000 reindeer in the area, a big industry for the region and the Sámi people. I saw only one reindeer (which was in the road, staring straight at the bus) and had a glimpse of another in the trees to the side of the road. This is the time of year for the round-up, when the Sámi gather their herds, select the ones for slaughter (and for sale) and drive the rest up into the mountains for the winter months. The Sámi use all parts of the reindeer, from nose to tail, hide, hair, and bone. We had the chance to meet a Sámi woman, a wonderful artist, and a very hard worker! She made new reindeer-hide boots every year for her family, for example, among other items. These are items that are always made by hand and always used within the culture and never sold. Beautiful traditional works of practical art.
The Sámi Museum Siida in Inari, Finland:
Exhibit at the Sámi Museum Siida, Inari, Finland, 5 October 2023.Display at the Sámi Museum Siida, Inari, Finland, 5 October 2023.Display at the Sámi Museum Siida, Inari, Finland, 5 October 2023.This art work built into the floor of the Sámi Museum Siida was created with objects common to the region, signifying the seasons and the available natural resources, Inari, Finland, 5 October 2023.Display at the Sámi Museum Siida. The comb-looking items on the left are looms used to make the beautifully ornate belts worn by the Sámi people. Inari, Finland, 5 October 2023.
The Open Air Museum at the Sámi Museum Siida in Inari, Finland:
An outdoor kitchen, Inari, Finland, 5 October 2023.The interior of an outdoor kitchen, Inari, Finland, 5 October 2023.A hearth in a cabin with a cleverly engineered design to keep fingers from being burned when heating up the kettle, Inari, Finland, 5 October 2023.View of two rooms in a cabin, including the ‘tent’ over the bed, likely to both keep off insects in the summer and to contain body heat in the winter for a more comfortable sleep, Inari, Finland, 5 October 2023.One view of the Open Air Museum section of the Sámi Museum Siida, showing aspects of the cultural and architectural heritage of the Sámi people, Inari, Finland, 5 October 2023.
Masted ships at dock in Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.
10,000 years ago, at the end of the last Ice Age, the glaciers retreated leaving lakes and a lot of visible bedrock. The Finnish people were hunters and fishermen.
The area was an eastern province of Sweden from 1200-1809, and even now the two official languages of the country are Finnish and Swedish, which I could see frequently in the dual-language road signs. Finland was never occupied by Sweden, but it was part of the same cultural heritage. Sweden had frequent wars with Russia, with the Finnish people securing the border. The modern country even now has a very long border with Russia.
In 1808-1809, there was a long war between Sweden and Russia, ending with Finland becoming a Grand Duchy of Russia in 1809. Tsar Alexander I decreed that Finland could retain their old Finnish laws and the Lutheran religion. The Finnish senate made laws, which then were ratified by the Tsar to become officially valid in the Grand Duchy.
The Russian Revolution occurred in 1917, the rebels doing away with the entire royal family. There was no longer a tsar. Finland took the opportunity to declare independence from Russia, and Lenin signed off on it. As of December 6, 1917, Finland was an independent nation. To celebrate this, every December 6, at 6 p.m., many Finns place two lit candles, one blue, one white (the colors of the Finnish flag), in the windows of their homes.
Interesting facts I learned from our guide Leena:
One of the stalls at the outdoor market on the pier. Look at those fresh fruit! Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.
* In regard to grain and milk, Finland produces 80% of their own food.
* The sea is only 1% salt, so it freezes in the winter. The ice breakers are already prepped and ready for deployment, waiting for winter at the Helsinki port.
* Helsinki is in the top ten of the most livable cities. It touts itself as the most functional city in the world (or at least it will be). Helsinki is undergoing a stage of renovation, to be fully complete in 2030. The new residential areas have apartments for sale at €900/square meter (approx. $900/square yard, i.e., $300/ft2).
* The typical high-rise building in Helsinki is seven stories. Currently the tallest building is 32 stories.
* The current population of Helsinki is 650,000 people.
* Finland’s population is 5.7 million people.
* Forestry was the biggest industry up to the 1970s, making 80% of Finland’s exports. Now, timber makes up only 25%. Currently, Finland’s largest industries is the production of machinery for forestry and shipbuilding, and of course high-tech electronics.
* The Gulf Stream tempers the climate, allowing for 50% of Finland to be forests of pine, spruce, and birch.
* Finland has a conscript army, men joining up a 18, and women volunteering.
* German was taught in schools until the 1950s, and now English tends to be the one that is taught as a third language. Most Finns typically know 2-3 languages.
* Finland recently entered NATO. Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 80% of Finns were to interested in NATO. Many minds changed over night, opting now for NATO. Finland has been a member of the EU since 1995.
* Red is a typical color for traditional homes in Finland. The color is derived from a mineral from the ground and helps protect the house from humidity. Yellow houses, are finer, and often larger, with the color signifying that the resident owns the land surrounding building (an estate).
Beautiful Kansalaistori Square in Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.
* There are ten tram lines and one metro line in Helsinki. Helsinki has had trams since the 1890s, although at that time the first trams were puled by horses. The current electric trams are all built in Finland, specifically designed for the northern climate.
* Helsinki was founded in 1550 and moved a more accessible location in 1640, so visitors will not find any buildings within city limits now from the 16th century.
* The industries that were housed in the city center, moved to other locations in the 1980s, so the remaining factories and office buildings were converted and are now residences.
Market hall in Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.
View of the Sky Wheel and a stone market hall on the dock at Helsinki, Finland, 3 October 2023.
* There are 3 market halls in Helsinki. These are stone buildings, inside of which are many small shops and cafes.
* Almost every family in Helsinki has bicycles and a watercraft.
Unused boats might be turned into cafés, like this red one. You can see Uspenski Cathedral in the background, Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.
* Areas of the shore are designated for public swimming, and you might see Finns dipping into the sea during any season. In fact, winter sea dipping might be what a Finn does to cool down after visiting one of the public saunas along the shore.
* Every apartment building has a sauna, and residents can book a slot to use the sauna for one hour each week. Some homes have their own private saunas.
Art Nouveau homes, Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.
* The pastel colored buildings in Helsinki are Art Nouveau houses, with decor inspired by the flora and fauna of the region. The exterior of the buildings must be kept authentic.
Pulpit in the Lutheran Cathedral, Helsinki, Finland, 3 October 2023.Organ in the Lutheran Cathedral, Helsinki, Finland, 3 October 2023.Chandelier in the Lutheran Cathedral, Helsinki, Finland, 3 October 2023.
* The Lutheran religion is the largest practiced faith in Finland. <1% are Greek Orthodox Catholic. Uspenski Cathedral is the Orthodox church in Helsinki.The Helsinki Cathedral is the main Lutheran church in Helsinki, located on Senate Square.
Uspenski Cathedral, Greek Orthodox Church, Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.Apse of the Greek Orthodox Catholic church, Helsinki, Finland, 3 October 2023.Dome of the Greek Orthodox Catholic church, Helsinki, Finland, 3 October 2023.
* Senate Square, the main historic square in Helsinki, was commissioned by Tsar Alexander I.
* In 2012, the National Library was built, consolidating all of the books and knowledge of the various departments into one location.
* One-third of Helsinki is made up of green spaces.
The pink granite railway station. You can see two of the statues which guard the entrance. The other two stand on the opposite side of the door, Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.
* Snow generally arrives in November, and is firmly on the ground by the end of December. Snowy winters last about three months.
* The Railway Station was constructed in 1919 out of pink granite. The four stone men that guard the entrance participate in celebrations and large events. For example, they will be wearing scarves or flags, for example, during holidays or sporting events.
* The Rock Church was designed by two brothers who played a lot as children on the exposed bedrock of their town. The church was built in and part of the bedrock. The copper wire ceiling is made of copper from Finland. The building took two years to construct, and was inaugurated in 1969. Because of the spectacular acoustics, there are often free concerts. The Rock Church is an active Lutheran church. It was getting so many visitors that the congregation decided to start charging an entry fee. The number of visitors increased. The congregation uses the funds to support youth programs in Helsinki.
Passage between nave and living rock in Temppeliaukionkirko, the Rock Church, Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.From the clerestory balcony you can take a closer look at the ceiling supports atop the stones atop the living rock, Temppeliaukionkirko, the Rock Church, Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.Looking down from the clerestory balcony you can see the beautiful shapes and colors in the living rock, Temppeliaukionkirko, the Rock Church, Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.The rounded nave/pulpit/apse of Temppeliaukionkirko, the Rock Church, Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.
* The city residents were asked what they would like to have or do to celebrate their centennial in 2019, and the people wanted a place where everyone was welcome and could enjoy working and relaxing. So, €300 million was allowed to the design and construction of Oodi, an absolutely spectacular library: made up glass, wood, and stainless steel, the three floors, each with its own purpose and atmosphere, made me wish we could spend all day there.
This spiral staircase at Helsinki Central Library Oodi is inscribed with the names of all of the types of people who are welcome here: namely, everyone. Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.The stacks in the Helsinki Central Library Oodi, Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.The angled reading area in the Helsinki Central Library Oodi, Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.A view from the angled reading area at Helsinki Central Library Oodi, Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.Speckled windows at Helsinki Central Library Oodi help cut the glare of the sun and prevent birds from flying into the glass, Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.Looking out of a specked window at the Helsinki Central Library Oodi, Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.Look over and past the stacks to see an angled reading area in the Helsinki Central Library Oodi, Helsinki, Finland, 4 October 2023.
We rode through a terrain of flat landscape and gently rolling hills to Porvoo, the oldest existing town in the area. Even so, the buildings are not as old as they could have been. In 1720, a woman who had been cooking dinner in her kitchen thought the fire was out and went to bed. The flames crackled to life, igniting the house on fire, which spread throughout the entire town. Porvoo had to be rebuilt.
I wonder how the inhabitants at that time reacted to the woman’s simple mistake. I hope there were no lives lost.
Still, the buildings in the old section of town are about 200 years old, far older than anything in Fairbanks, Alaska, or even in much of the United States.
Por is Finnish for castle, and Voo means river, so Provoo means River Castle, or Castle-by-the-River, but the castle no longer exists so we visited only the town.
View of the Porvoo River, with the hill in the distance where the castle once was, Finland, 3 October 2023.
Finland had been part of Sweden at this time, but in the early 19th century it came under Russian rule. I had not fully realized when I booked the trip that Finland shared its eastern border with Russia, and it has been very interesting to learn more about the relationship between the two countries from a Finnish perspective.
Riverfront, Porvoo, Finland, 3 October 2023.
In 1809 Tsar Alexander I visited Provo and, in Provo’s church, made a statement that although he was now head of state for Finland, he would not make any governmental changes, such as mandate which religion needed to be worshipped. Finland would remain an autonomous state. While he was there a beautiful local noble, Katharina, caught his eye, and he returned often to visit her and Porvoo. Even though Katharina was nobility, she was too low in the ranking system to be considered a suitable match, and the pair were never wed, and their son was never in line to become tsar of Russia. The boy died at 5-years old in any case, and our guide said there was no further mention of Katharina in historical documents. I wonder if she and Alexander I remained an unwed couple up to or through his officially sanctioned marriage, or if she married a Fin after their son had died.
View of the Porvoo Church from the shore of the river, Finland, 3 October 2023.
We walked up a steep, cobblestoned road to the 15th century church. It had not burned because it was built of stone. I enjoyed absorbing the architectural and decorative beauty of the church’s interior.
Interior view of the nave of the medieval church in Porvoo, Finland, 3 October 2023.
View of the clerestory of the medieval church in Porvoo, Finland, 3 October 2023.
Looking through a candelabrum to the pulpit in the medieval church in Porvoo, Finland, 3 October 2023.
A boat hangs from the ceiling near the transept of the medieval church in Porvoo, Finland. Wives came to pray for their fishermen husbands. I enjoyed looking at the details on the dome’s intrados, the clerestories, and the walls. Do you see the unicorn on the pendentive? 3 October 2023.
It was also fun to walk through the medieval town center, taking in the colors and shapes of the buildings, feeling the variation of the cobblestones beneath my feet. The sounds of the modern area did not reach this far. I wondered what it would be like to be one of the residents who lived here, caring for one of the buildings in this Heritage Site.
A view of the plaza in the medieval section of Porvoo, Finland, 3 October 2023.
A cobblestoned street in the medieval section of Porvoo, Finland, 3 October 2023.
There is a small, sweet yarn shop next tot he corner shop where th owner sells knitted and painted items along with locally dyed or sourced yarn, Porvoo, Finland, 3 October 2023.
Buildings in the 18th century section of Porvoo, Finland, 3 October 2023.
A narrow cobblestoned staircase street in Porvoo, Finland, 3 October 2023.
Bees are still visiting blooming flowers in Porvoo, Finland, 3 October 2023.
Plaza cobblestones, Porvoo, Finland, 3 October 2023.
Although my watch noted the time was about 4 a.m. on October 1, in Finland it was already 3 p.m. — we had flown towards the sunrise, and the current local clock time was eleven hours ahead.
At the airport, I met Kristian, a man with the Finland-based tour company 50º North Nordic AS, who was holding up a sign that read “University of Alaska Fairbanks”. Other members of the tour group I had signed up for joined us soon after.
One view of Helsinki, showing the Sky Wheel and the Greek Orthodox church with its green and gold roofs, Finland, October 2023.
Kristian drove us to the hotel where we had a free rest of the day. We had to meet for an orientation and dinner the following day, Monday, October 2, so had until then free as well. Most people headed out into the city on Sunday after checking into the hotel, but I was exhausted from getting ready before I departed for the trip and had unwisely not slept except on the plane. I swayed as I walked and it felt like gravity was repeatedly pulling my eyelids down. I knew I needed to sleep if I was going to not get sick on this trip. I was in bed by 6 p.m. local time.
Monday, 2 October 2023
I woke refreshed and ready for the day on Monday. My plan had been to just wander around the city taking in the sites, but a couple of other group members had a specific goal in mind, and invited me, and others, along.
Helsinki, Finland and Anchorage, Alaska are at similar latitudes: Helsinki at 60ºN and Anchorage at 61ºN. Fairbanks, Alaska is at 64ºN. It is warmer here in Helsinki than it was in Fairbanks when I left. I enjoyed being comfortable in a short-sleeved shirt again.
One of the skylights that allow light to reach the subterranean gallery’s entrance hall, 2 October 2023.
We crossed tram tracks and walked on cobblestone sidewalks to Amos Rex, a museum with an underground gallery that currently had a modern art exhibit by Japanese artist Ryoji Ikeda. When paying for the entry fee, my credit card was declined (of course).
I said ‘of course’ because, in my 13-year experience of having this company’s credit card, every time I attempt to pay with my card in a different city for the first time, the fraud department flags the charge and my card is declined — even though I had used that same credit card to purchase the flight or train tickets to take me to that new city! Argh!
Another view of the skylights that allow light to reach the subterranean gallery’s entrance hall. I do not know the purpose of the tower or if it is even connected to the museum Amos Rex, 2 October 2023.
My friend L. had gifted me 20€ before I left, however, so I had cash to pay the entry fee. And after the museum visit I called the company to tell them it really was me who had used the card.
The art exhibit was in an underground gallery with walls and ceiling painted black, and the room was so dark that a person could run into a wall. It took a while for my eyes to adjust. White arrows of light were projected onto the ground at doorways to show which way to walk through the exhibit. It was a combination of art, technology, and science that I had not expected.
The path of my exploration on Suomenlinna, an island group Heritage Site near Helsinki, Finland, 2 October 2023.
This massive stone wall shows that Suomenlinna’s original purpose was as a military fortress, 2 October 2023.
After that, one of the women and I headed out on our own to find the Helsinki City Transport Ferry that would take us over to a fortress island. During its 270-year history Suomenlinna Sea Fortress was ruled by Sweden, Russia and Finland. The Baltic Sea island once housed a Fortress that was designed in 1748 to help fight off Russian invaders, but in 1809 the island became a Russian military base before it was ever truly finished. Russian merchants helped build the island and fortress, adding beautiful buildings. Russia transferred the island to the Finnish government in 1919. Now, the island is not a military base (although I did see a couple of “keep out: military zone” signs on the island). About 800 people live on the island, which has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1991.
One of the buildings on Suomenlinna, 2 October 2023.
Massive chains decorate the courtyard around the church on Suomenlinna. The chains once were used by the Swedish to block the Baltic Sea so no other ships could pass. Photo taken 2 October 2023.
Here you can see remains of anti-aircraft artillery that were used during World War II. Photo taken 2 October 2023.
The buildings are interesting to look at and the grounds are fun to explore. If we had not needed to be back at the hotel for the orientation, we would have stayed and explored more.
Did soldiers walk through this opening to move or operate this anti-aircraft artillery? 2 October 2023.
Entrances to fortification tunnels on Suomenlinna: fun to explore, it’s a good thing I had brought a headlamp with me! 2 October 2023.
The ferry getting ready to leave Suomenlinna for the mainland, 2 October 2023.
Riding the ferry back from Suomenlinna to Helsinki, 2 October 2023.
At the orientation, our local Finnish contact did not show up in person, but Zoomed in instead because she had come down with COVID. Oh, no! She and our group leader from Alaska were in the process of finding someone to take over for her so that 1) she could get well and 2) we would not be exposed to the virus.
Ready to get to know each other and to start our trip, we headed off to a tasty dinner in a local restaurant.
After dinner, three of us crossed the plaza to climb the steep staircase of high stone steps (about 50 of them!), walked around the enormous Lutheran church, and then walked back down the steps and headed ‘home’ to the hotel.
Lutheran Cathedral, Helsinki, Finland, Photo taken 4 October 2023 through a rained-upon bus window.
The view looking downwards from the top of the steps in front of the Lutheran Cathedral, looking out over the square on the night of 2 October 2023.
A view of the exterior of the Lutheran Cathedral, lit up on the night of 2 October 2023.
We have landed at the airport in Reykjavík, Iceland! 1 October 2023.
The plane took off from Fairbanks, Alaska Saturday morning and flew southeast towards Settle, Washington, a typical destination for anyone heading Outside (of the state). The transfer to Icelandic Air went smoothly and I read a book for most of the flight as the plane headed northwest, up over Canada where the curvature of the earth makes flight travel shorter. We landed in Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. I did not see any of the city — except for what I saw from the air — because I had about thirty minutes to transfer planes.
Yikes! Is that enough time? I still had to pass through customs…!
I made myself not worry: the airlines should know how much time I needed. The flights I am taking were suggested online by the airlines when I searched for flights.
I followed the signs towards customs. I had to officially enter the country by having the customs officials check my passport. I walked up to the window where the border guard sat.
“How long are you visiting Europe?” She asked.
My passport was stamped at customs in Reykjavík, Iceland, 1 October 2023.
“Ten days.”
She stamped my passport and wished me a good trip, and I officially walked into Iceland.
The walk to the gate was also short and I had plenty of time to wait for my boarding group to be called. This airplane had been parked a distance from the gate, so we all piled into a couples of shuttle buses. At the plane we all walked up the staircase and into the Icelandic Air cabin.
View of Iceland’s coast as we depart Reykjavík, 1 October 2023.
Another view of Iceland’s coast as we depart Reykjavík, 1 October 2023.
It was a comfortable flight, but because it was so long and I wanted to make sure my body was acclimated for the timezone difference, I slept most of the flight. Did you know that there is an eleven hour difference between Fairbanks, Alaska and Helsinki, Finland? This means when it was 1:00 p.m. in Alaska, it was midnight in Helsinki. So, I slept to trick my body and mind that it was night time just like it was in Finland.
The curvature of the Earth seen beyond the wing and engine of the Icelandic Air airplane, 1 October 2023.
First view of Finland, 1 October 2023.
First view of buildings in Finland, 1 October 2023.
The plane landed in Finland, and I walked through the airport, wondering where customs was. I was in a totally different country now, after all, and needed to have my passport stamped, right?
It turns out, no. Iceland is part of the Schengen Area, which is an area of 27 European countries that agreed to not check passports at their mutual borders. In other words, once I had my passport stamped in Iceland, I was free to travel to any of those other 27 countries without have to go through border control again until I left the area. This makes travel much easier, of course, but a little part of me wanted another stamp in my passport…
One more fun fact I learned: Finland has two official languages. This is why there are two languages listed on every street sign, and, as you can see here, on the airport signs too. Finns speak both Finnish and Swedish.
Saapuvat is Finnish for “Arrivals” and Ankomst is Swedish for “Arrivals”. The words underneath show the Finnish and Swedish for “No entry”.
Outside of the arrivals gates at the airport in Finland, 1 or 2 October 2023 (which time zone am I in now…?)
