The Magic of the North

We finally took a journey on the “big green train” as Little Man calls the sleeper trains. We had planned to be back in the States this September, visiting family, and introducing them to Young Miss. But of course, in light of the pandemic, we stayed in Finland. On the bright side (because if you know me, you know I always try to find the bright side), we took this opportunity to explore Finland a bit more, and go somewhere I’ve been dreaming about since we moved to this wondrous northern country: Rovaniemi.

Let’s start with the pronunciation: rove-ah-knee-amy. Good. Now, just what and where is this place you may or may not be able to pronounce? It’s located about 815 kilometers, or 506 miles north of Helsinki. If you’re like me, and distance doesn’t mean much to you, that’s a nine hour drive, or approximately 12-13 hours on the train. We opted for the train because, one, we don’t have a car, and two, Little Man loves trains, as you all know by now. Plus, if we took the night train, we could travel while sleeping, and not have to worry about packing restrictions in the same way as flying. Win-win!

Little Man settling into our accommodations

So, to the train station we went! Hefting much more luggage than usual, and pushing a broken-at-the-last-possible-second stroller. I kid you not, I released the break to push the stroller out the door, and one of the wheels jammed. Not about to let that deter us, I pushed it on three wheels all the way to the station, cursing the fact that it was the left back wheel, as my left arm is my baby carrying arm and already overworked. Nevertheless, we made it! We found our rooms easily enough, and settled in to wait for the conductor. We had booked two rooms with a connecting door which the conductor had to open. It worked out nicely as each room has two beds, a sink, and plenty of storage space under the bottom bunk. The toilet was a short way down the car, and never busy when we needed it.

Young Miss was quite content

We ordered dinner in the restaurant car, which we brought back to the rooms (there were no seats left in the dining car). Little Man had no interest in eating as he was so excited to finally be on this train. He took ages to fall asleep, then apparently woke up Hubster at 4 am to go to the toilet. That was the one time I was actually sleeping, so I missed the whole thing. It was easiest to keep Young Miss on the bed with me as she was waking up every two to three hours. I figured this way, I might be able to squeeze in some amount of sleep. It wasn’t much, but I wasn’t too bleary-eyed when we rolled to a stop in Rovaniemi a little after 7:00 the next morning.

Happy to be in Rovaniemi!

It was chilly and threatening to rain as we figured out where to pick up our rental car. Once we had that sorted, we filled the trunk with all our luggage, installed both car seats, and drove to the city center to get breakfast. Oh, and find new accommodations as our Air BnB reservation had been cancelled. Not exactly how we wanted to start vacation. At least we had breakfast pre planned; we went to the Scandic hotel, where non guests can enjoy the breakfast buffet for 19€ per person (children eat free). Amazingly, as we ate, Hubster messaged with our Air BnB hostess, who said she would be able to host us after all, as long as we arrived no earlier than 5 pm. That solved, we finished breakfast and drove to Santa’s Village to see what that was all about. (I’ll be honest, I was in it for the baby reindeer.)

Display inside Santa’s house

The petting zoo didn’t open until 11, everything I wanted to do was outside, and the weather was 100% against me. It was pouring down rain by the time we parked. Have you ever had one of those vacations where everything just tanks and you feel like you would’ve been better off staying home? That’s how this felt. If this was how the weekend was starting, it did not bode well.

Luckily, having a car opened possibilities we don’t normally have. We drove back to the city center (only 15 minutes by car!), and paid a visit to the forestry museum. The reviews said it was good for kids (it is!), and at only 7€ per adult, well worth a stop. As is typical with Little Man, I didn’t get to spend much time learning about any of the exhibits, but he had fun exploring everything, from the huge tractors you can climb in, to the wooden train tracks, and the dark woods. It was a nice way to escape the rain for an hour, and Hubster fixed the jammed wheel on the stroller! That made the rest of the trip much more enjoyable.

LM investigating one of the giant tractors at the forestry museum

After the museum, we decided it was a good time for lunch. Having located a promising-looking coffee shop, we drove the short distance there and quickly figured out street parking (you can download one of three apps to pay; the one we used let you check in and check out, so you only pay for the actual amount of time you parked). Once there, Little Man enjoyed some chocolate cake, Young Miss had a squeezy pouch, and Hubster and I refueled with hot drinks and a light snack. I don’t know about you, but I always feel better after a cappuccino. By the time we’d finished, the rain had let up and the sky had cleared, so we decided to venture back to Santa’s Village.

This time was much more successful. I had a list of all the touristy things I wanted to do there, so we set about checking them off. First up was the Arctic Circle crossing. We didn’t bother getting the certificate (I can only be so touristy), happily settling for a photo instead.

Crossing the Arctic Circle! And smiling!!

That done, we continued walking toward the petting zoo. Little Man was showing signs of an impending meltdown, and saying that he did not want to see reindeer. We happened to come upon a nice-looking play ground and Hubster offered to stay there with LM while Young Miss and I went in search of the baby reindeer.

Fabulous play ground in Santa’s Village

So, with YM asleep in the stroller, I kept walking, and we soon came to Elf’s Farmyard, the petting zoo with the baby reindeer. This also had a 7€ entrance fee, which I thought was very reasonable. Aside from reindeer, there were alpacas, rabbits, ducks, guinea hens, and a few other animals. Mostly, I just wanted to see the baby reindeer. He was born in August which is quite rare; reindeer calves are typically born in May, so this little guy was quite the surprise!

Reindeer at Elf’s Farmyard

I enjoyed these beautiful creatures for a while, before walking around the rest of the farmyard. When Young Miss woke up, I took it as our cue to return to the playground.

Just hanging out in the Arctic Circle

Reunited, we made our way back to the car, stopping briefly so I could take a look at the Roosevelt cottage. This was constructed in less than two weeks in 1950 for the arrival of Eleanor Roosevelt, who wanted to cross the Arctic Circle.

The Roosevelt Cottage

Having crossed everything off my list for Santa’s Village, we stopped for a late lunch, picked up a few groceries for dinner, then headed to our Air BnB. I love having a homey place to return to at the end of the day, where we can all relax. Little Man always enjoys exploring his new residence, and it was nice to let Young Miss move around after being in a car so much. Not to mention, it was beautiful.

Our home away from home

We had a relaxed evening, finally getting both kids to sleep a bit later than usual. According to the forecast, this would be the night we were most likely to see the Northern Lights, so, once it was well and truly dark, I went outside to see if I could see anything. I came back inside, jittery with glee, as I told Hubster they were happening. We both grabbed our cameras and headed back outside.

It was incredible

We stood out in the cold, taking turns with the tripod, completely in awe of the dancing lights. It was breathtaking to watch them move and shift across the sky.

The Northern Lights

They varied depending on where we looked, lighting up the sky and dimming the stars. That being said, it was so dark that the stars were incredibly bright. Hubster even got an amazing shot over our cottage with the big dipper in it.

Look at those stars!

It was such a fantastic end to what started out as a pretty awful day. It felt like Rovaniemi was saying, “see? I really am wonderful. You should stick around.” I couldn’t agree more.

Savonlinna

Oh my goodness, we went somewhere!! Since travel is so crazy right now, we decided to stay in Finland and have a long weekend getaway while Little Man’s daycare was closed for staff training. Alas, I still have mom brain and got the dates mixed up, so Little Man will have a four day weekend at home this week. I’m sure I’ll find something fun to keep him occupied. *fingers crossed* 

Back to the travel! After much deliberation, we chose Savonlinna as our destination. Aside from hearing about how beautiful it is, and the fact that there’s a castle there (linna is Finnish for castle), it’s easily accessible by train from Helsinki. We would’ve been happy to rent a car, but something like 90% of them were sold out, and we’re iffy about our licences being valid here, so we went for the safe option. Besides, LM loves trains, and it seemed easier with Young Miss. (She’s never actually been in a car so we have no idea how she’ll react to a car seat.)

LM went to daycare as usual on Thursday, then Hubster, YM, and I picked him up a bit early, and we all walked to the train station. We took the normal commuter train to the Helsinki Central Station, then boarded a long distance VR train bound for Jouensuu. The family compartment had already been booked when we looked at tickets, so we reserved seats in a business compartment instead. It seats four and has a closing door, so it was pretty easy to keep LM contained. As YM didn’t require a seat, there was one extra. It only remained vacant for one stop before we were joined by the chattiest Finn I had ever met. He was very nice, incredibly interesting, and helped pass the three hour journey enjoyably.

Young Miss’ first long distance train ride!

Hopping off the train at Parikkala, we boarded the next (and final) train to Savonlinna. This was only about an hour ride on a smaller, and much older, train. It was nice though, because the windows opened so we could catch the scent of the forest as we plodded along. The scenery was beautiful. From the Savonlinna station, it was about a twenty minute walk to our Air BnB. We checked in, got settled, then YM and I went to the nearby grocery store to get a few things for dinner. Little Man was not too pleased that we’d messed with his routine, even though we’d been talking about this trip for at least a week, and Young Miss had never been away from home for so long, so they both took a while to settle, finally falling asleep at 9:30.

Zzzzz

At least I have babies who sleep well (for the most part); Young Miss woke up at 5:30, and the two of us enjoyed some quiet girl time, complete with coffee and copious amounts of spit up.

She finally wore herself out again.

After the boys got up, we walked back to the market square to find breakfast. There were a few food stalls and we picked one with lörtsy, the local dish, to try. Lörtsy is a half moon-shaped pastry with either a sweet or savory filling, and was invented in Savonlinna. We got both sweet (apple, which is the most common, and blueberry with vanilla) and savory (reindeer). I have to say, while I’m usually a sweet pastry person, that reindeer lörtsy was absolutely delicious and I’m pretty sad that we didn’t go back for another one later.

Reindeer lörtsy. Served warm and folded in half.

Happily full of pastry and coffee, we set off in the direction of Olavinlinna Castle, walking along the waterfront. It was a bright, mostly sunny morning, perfect for enjoying the rippling water, and a long stop at the playground that was on the way.

The beautiful Saimaa lake.

After almost an hour at the playground, during which LM thoroughly enjoyed climbing all over and going down the tunnel slide, and YM napped, we continued to the castle. We were aiming for the guided tour in English at noon, but hadn’t taken into account that it’s still tourist season, and quite a few people were visiting Savonlinna. By the time we made it to the front of the line, we had given up on the tour, and decided to just explore on our own. (Normally, the tour takes you to towers you can’t access on your own, but those were under renovation, so we weren’t missing much, other than information.) I’m not sure if castles are intentionally built to be confusing, or if this one was simply lacking directional signs, but we walked through the same three rooms a handful of times trying to get outside. When we finally made it, we decided it was a good time for lunch and stopped to eat along an outer wall.

Lunch at Olavinlinna Castle

After that, we decided to call it quits (I had carried a sleeping baby through most of the castle, including some fairly treacherous staircases because I had forgotten to bring the carrier), and headed back to the entrance to pick up the stroller. As we were walking through the courtyard, it began to rain. This is where I tell you that we had zero rain gear, other than Little Man’s rain coat and an umbrella each. We then made the decision to go back inside and have some coffee in what was once the great hall, and wait out the rain.

When it eventually let up, the sun came out long enough for us to get a few nice photos outside the castle, and stop for ice cream. It was my favourite part of the afternoon, and I think LM would agree.

Thoroughly enjoying our ice cream

The rest of the afternoon was spent trying to guess the weather. We successfully made it to a restaurant near the square, where we enjoyed some drinks (beer for Hubster, a latte for me, and a huge glass of milk for LM), and a bread plate, before deciding to chance it and walk home. Of course, it started really raining the closer we got to the apartment, so we ducked into the grocery store to pick up some things for dinner. Unfortunately, the rain hadn’t let up any by the time we finished, so the ten minute walk to the apartment was pretty wet. LM didn’t seem to mind, and YM was quite cozy with the rain cover on her pram (though not happy; she cried the entire way home). We stayed in for the rest of the night, happy to be in a home setting and able to relax.

Coffee in the most adorable mug in the house

Saturday morning was a slow start, with Hubster making a run to the store for breakfast, followed by the two of us trying to convince Little Man to go on a steamboat. He was adamant about not going on a boat, for whatever reason. Finally, we figured out that he wanted to go back to the tunnel slide. After that, it was easy to say that we would go on the boat first, then go to the playground.

Steamboats in the harbour

It was supposed to rain off and on all day, so we weren’t in any rush to get out. Of course, that meant that it was gorgeous and clear all morning. It was a bit windy and starting to drizzle by the time we made our way to the harbour; the perfect time to go on a boat tour. We got there about fifteen minutes before departure, right as they were boarding, but early enough to get an excellent seat inside. We parked the pram on the deck and Young Miss proceeded to sleep for the entire hour and a half tour (and longer, taking a two and a half hour nap in total). I think the gentle rocking of the steamboat, along with the rhythmic chug-chug-chug of the engine kept her asleep.

The perfect spot for a nap

We enjoyed some refreshments along with the views. Little Man was happy watching a movie on the tablet, only occasionally glancing out the window. (I didn’t expect a four-year-old to be excited about scenery.  As long as he was content, I was happy.)

How to successfully travel with kids

That being said, the scenery was spectacular. Having grown up near the ocean, and often spending time on rivers and various lakes, I love being near water. It soothes my soul.

My happy place

We cruised around the archipelago, content to be inside, while also admiring the many islands and signs of life on them. I always like to imagine what life would be like in these places, probably romanticizing it to the extreme (that’s what I do best). I then forced myself to remember that this is Finland, and, knowing what winters are like, realizing how nice it would be to have a summer home here, but not loving the idea of the icy wind and meters-deep snow. Sigh. 

As promised, after disembarking from the steamboat, we made a beeline for the playground. It was ugly windy at that point, and lightly raining. I continued a short way passed the park to the public bathroom; Young Miss had finally woken up and needed a diaper change. Normally, I’d be fine to do that in the pram, but with the weather, it was nice to get out of the elements. Little Man happily spent 45 minutes at the playground before we gave in to the cold (I should also mention that the only “coat” I had brought was a lace sweater with three-quarter length sleeves. Apparently I have no idea how to dress for Finnish weather), and went back to the same restaurant as the day before. 

Amazingly, it was packed. At 5:30, we had expected the dinner crowd not to have arrived yet, but we were lucky to get a table. We all enjoyed burgers and a nice atmosphere before once again making the trek back to the apartment. Both kiddos fell asleep pretty easily which was nice, as they both slept in the living room: LM on the pull out sofa bed and YM in a travel cot.

Sunday was our travel home day, so we spent the morning cleaning the necessities in the apartment and doing last minute packing. Our train left at 12:30, but we went into town a bit early so we could try another dish that is well-known in Savonlinna: muikku. A friend of mine had suggested a restaurant on the square that serves them, so we went there when they opened at 11:00. Also known as vendace, muikku is a white fish commonly found in Finland and other northern European countries. Here, they are served fried and eaten whole, minus the heads. The bones are soft enough to not be a problem, but every now and then, I’d get a poker. Still, they were quite delicious. Even YM wanted to try some.

After that, we stopped for one last ice cream before hopping back on the train.

Our shortest day had the best weather!

It was so nice to get away for a few days and see another little part of Finland. Hopefully we’ll be able to explore it more before we move.

Turku Castle

If you thought we were capable of sitting still, you’d be mistaken. Two weekends after coming home from our two week whirlwind trip, we took a train to Turku. (The only reason it was two weekends is because last minute train tickets for a Sunday were almost twice the price as the following Saturday.) Nevertheless, we boarded the “big train” at the station ten minutes from our apartment (it has two levels and therefore looks pretty massive compared to the regular commuter trains). We had booked seats in the family compartment for no extra cost and were able to stretch out a bit more than in regular seats. (This compartment has four standard seats, luggage racks, coat hooks, and electrical outlets. There are also two little stools for kids next to a play table, but I’m not sure there’s a limit to the number of kids allowed; they don’t need a ticket until the age of 7 and don’t show up in the booking.) Plus, Little Man had more room to play. The family compartment is also located just below the play area, so we could easily climb the stairs to the slide.

Coffee in the family compartment on the train

Less than two hours later (and only four stops!) we arrived in Turku. We attempted a visit to the cathedral, but that was an absolute disaster. Entrance to the cathedral is free, and it looks stunning, but LM was having none of it. Silence was requested at the time we visited due to the choir practice taking place, but “silent” is a skill that LM has yet to master. After a total scream-fest while we bundled him in his outer gear (it had started snowing while we were inside), we finally managed to get outside and start walking toward the castle. Not long after we started walking, Little Man dozed off. Wanting to let him sleep, and not willing to risk another tantrum, Hubster and I decided to stop for lunch. We found a restaurant along the waterfront, and totally lucked out: There was a window seat available so we could park the pram outside and keep an eye on LM while he slept. (Leaving a sleeping child outside in a pram is such a Scandinavian/European thing to do! I still get a little worried, but it’s so normal here that no one thinks twice about it.)

One of the only ways to eat in peace these days

The food was delicious, if a bit pricey and…unique. I think we stumbled upon a higher end place without realizing it. I saw pizza on the menu and didn’t look much closer. Have you ever had strawberries on a pizza?! I hadn’t either, but it was surprisingly tasty.

Strawberry and goat cheese pizza at Nerå

If you’re ever in Turku, I highly recommend Nerå. Quite aside from the food, the cocktails are yummy, and the service is excellent.

Little Man woke up and saved me from a slice of mouthwatering chocolate cake. (Had he slept for another five minutes, he could’ve had some!) We finished eating and proceeded to walk the remaining ten minutes to the castle. As it was only a little after one in the afternoon, we planned to see the castle, then head to the maritime museum. Little did we know, the castle is HUGE. It took us two and a half hours to walk through the entire thing. At 12€ per person (and free entrance for Little Man), it was totally worth it.

Main Castle

A Little History

Construction on the castle began in the 1280’s. It was originally on an island, situated in an estuary of the River Aura. In the 1500’s, land uplift caused the island to expand and eventually connect to the mainland. Throughout the Middle Ages, the castle grew into a magnificent stone structure that guarded the sea route into Turku. Today, you can still visit the dimly lit rooms from the Middle Ages, located on the lowest levels of the castle.

The castle continued to expand throughout the Renaissance in the 1500’s. This can be observed in the bright, spacious rooms on the castle’s topmost floors. During this time, fortifications around the castle grew into the bailey. The bailey was used in the 1600’s as the Governor-General’s office and the center of regional administration. Later, it served as a prison up until 1891. Currently, the bailey houses exhibitions on the history of the castle, the Children’s Castle, and model rooms decorated to represent different eras.

The Tour

Okay, cool. But what does that all look like? Lucky for you, I took pictures.

Model of Turku Castle

This model shows the castle in its current state. The outermost section is the bailey, with the rounded bit being the prison. As you walk through the castle, that’s the last part you tour. At that point you’re astonished that there’s still more to see.

Middle Ages room

The majority of the castles rooms are empty and look a lot like this one. This is one of the older rooms, but to go further back in time, you have to go to the lower levels. Unfortunately, the lighting there is quite poor (as you can imagine) and photos don’t turn out so well.

Model of original Middle Ages castle

I love it when museums have models! I like seeing the whole picture, but oftentimes that’s hard to do when the building is so large. This is what the original castle looked like. This particular room had models of the different times of construction, even including the seasons!

The castle during the Renaissance

As is the case with most castles, the rooms were large and there were many staircases. Little Man had fun running around, but he was not in a mood to stand still or wait, so I was unable to read (any of) the plaques explaining what things were. According to Hubster though, most of the rooms did not have an explanation, which was a bit of a bummer when you want to know which era a particular room is representing.

Sitting Room

Unbeknownst to me, the map I was handed upon purchasing our tickets had all the explanations. Now it is not quite so useful as many of these rooms are listed simply as “Regency”. Still, it was fun to see how they could have been decorated at different periods in history.

Kitchen from the 17th Century

It was like walking back in time, which is my absolute favorite thing to do.

Gustavian Dining Room

I particularly enjoy the various outfits of the times.

Music Room

It wouldn’t be a museum in Finland if there wasn’t a part for children! They did an excellent job of including their younger visitors in the fun. There are interactive exhibits in the bailey and I believe there’s also a day when children can dress up as knights. Little Man didn’t stop long here, however. Apparently he was in a hurry to see the prison.

Model of the castle yard in the childrens area

I think we walked every inch of this castle. Some more than once, as LM ran back and forth as Hubster and I tried to take turns looking at things. There’s an exhibition of the full history, excavation, and renovation of the castle, but we were unable to stop long enough to see it. Needless to say, you can easily spend the day exploring the castle.

Once out in the sunlight again (it had stopped snowing and was now sunny, if a bit chilly; welcome to spring in Finland!), we checked out the rest of the courtyard. There wasn’t much besides cobblestones, but the facade had been neatly painted.

Impressive, even from the courtyard

Since there was not enough time to go anywhere else before we needed to catch the train home, Hubster found the quickest route back to the station. There’s a bus stop right outside the castles main entrance, and after figuring out how to buy a ticket on his phone (3€ for a single ticket; I went free with LM and the stroller), we waited about five minutes before boarding the bus to the city center. Turku is such a lovely city! Even on a sunny spring Saturday, the main shopping street was hardly crowded, there’s a plethora of restaurants, and it had a nice, relaxed vibe. Much slower paced than the bustle of Helsinki.

The train ride home was much like the ride there; although we had seats in the family compartment again, LM spent the majority of the ride playing on the slide in the children’s area. It’s a nice way to pass an hour and a half and soon enough, we were home, already longing to return to the calm of Turku.

Courtyard balcony

Question: What’s your favorite thing about castles?

Seven Hours in Turku

Rising early on Saturday morning, we headed to the train station to catch an 8:30 train to Turku. It was two and a half hours from Helsinki so we had booked tickets in the family car as Little Man is now super mobile and active. He’s still not walking (at 14 months), but insists on exploring everything. The family car proved to be a very good decision.

The seats are bigger than the main train car, and there’s a table and even some stools for kids.

My favorite part was that it only seats four. (Sometimes it’s nice to have a little privacy.) On the way to Turku, we were joined by a young couple who, luckily for us, didn’t mind the little one crawling everywhere. With only five stops along the way, we arrived in Turku at 10:30 am.

Of course, the main reason for visiting Turku was to see the Tall Ships!

These large, historical ships are touring five cities in the Baltic this year: Halmstad, Sweden; Kotka, Finland; Turku, Finland; Klaipeda, Lithuania; and Szczecin, Poland. I felt very lucky to be so close to one of these cities.

It was a beautifully sunny day, and the riverside was not yet teeming with people at the early hour. We meandered along the waterfront, slowly making our way toward the tall ships. They were breathtaking.

I’ve long had a fascination with pirates, which I think explains why I enjoy the ships as well. That, and they’re pretty.

Just look at those sails! We stopped for some food among the many vendors set up along the river as Little Man miraculously napped. It took about an hour to walk the full length of one side of the river. Before crossing to the other side, we decided to visit the castle. I think it’s something of an American obsession. Castles are like magnets for us.

Ironically, by the time we got there, we decided it was the perfect time for a beer. There happened to be a free shuttle bus in front of the castle that took us to the main square. Turns out, there weren’t a lot of options, so we stopped at Woolshed, a cozy restaurant and pub. All of the seating outside was directly in the sun (and by that time, it was actually hot!), so we found a table inside.

After enjoying a burger (mostly eaten by the little one; I love that he eats real food now!) and a couple of beers, it was back to the ships.

The one downside is that since the ships are so large, it’s difficult to get good pictures.

By this time, the riverside was quite crowded and difficult to navigate with a pram. We strolled the length of the far side of the river, then stopped at a grocery store for some snacks, before finding a park to relax in. All the walking in the unusual heat left us tired. Except Little Man, who was more than ready to play and explore.

He crawled around the park for a short time, before discovering the paved path and setting off in a determined escape. He’s so fast! The above picture was taken moments before half the yogurt in the container was spilled all over Little Man. That’s about the time we decided to call it a day and make our way back to the train station.

The train departed Turku at 5:30 pm, arriving in Helsinki at 7:30. Again, we had seats in the family car and were only joined by one other person for a short time. For the rest of the journey, our little monkey discovered how fun it is to climb over the dividers between seats. I think he did this for a solid twenty minutes.

Having arrived right on time to Rautatientori, or the central railway station, we made it home just before 8:30 pm. (It would’ve been sooner, but we needed to stop at the store for breakfast items for the following morning.) Little Man is usually in bed an hour earlier than that, so we put him down almost as soon as we walked in the door. He’s a great sleeper now, and he was exhausted, so he fell right to sleep. After relaxing for a couple hours, Husband and I did the same thing.

Turku is a fabulous city. I hope we get the chance to go back and spend more time there. From what I’ve read, it has quite a lot to offer and I would love to see more.

A Day in Tampere

Easter weekend in Finland happens to be a four day weekend, thanks to Good Friday and

Easter Monday. Typically, I would jump on this opportunity to travel somewhere in Europe for three nights, but we had plans on Saturday with friends that we’d been trying to see for weeks, so Husband and I settled on a day trip on Monday. After all, what better time to explore some more of the country we’re living in? Not only that, but we’d get to take a train! Train travel is sadly declining in popularity, not to mention availability, in the US, and is more of a novelty than an acceptable means of transport. I think I’ve been on two train trips in the US. That must seem so odd to Europeans!

We booked our tickets online, as our generation will do, picked our seats, and anxiously awaited the arrival of Monday morning. I’ve come to greatly admire Rautatientori, or the Central Railway Station. I think it’s partly the architecture, and partly the possibility of adventure that it holds. There’s just something in the air.

After locating our car, we found the stroller parking (in the next car over), which was, luckily, pretty wide open. There are also lockers available for folded strollers and luggage. Small shelves are located above the rows of seats for backpacks and purses, and coat hooks adorn the walls next to the windows. It’s all very well thought out.

This first train ride was planned around Little Man’s nap, and it worked perfectly. (A total win, for those non parents reading this.) About 25 minutes into the ride, he passed out on Isä.

Upon arriving in Tampere, we were met by one of Husband’s Finnish coworkers, who was nice enough to give us a tour. She took us to the Tampere Torni, a hotel that is actually the tallest building in Finland, boasting a whopping 25 floors, with a restaurant/bar on the top floor that offers stunning views.

It was a beautiful, clear day. For our next stop, we headed to Tampere Cathedral. Originally the Church of St. John, the cathedral was built between 1902 and 1907. It was renamed when the bishop’s seat was moved to Tampere in 1923.

I’m not very comfortable taking pictures inside churches and cathedrals, so you’ll have to believe me when I say that the interior was beautiful.  I take great delight in stained glass, but unfortunately those pictures never turn out. This cathedral had some fabulous stained glass windows, the roses being my favorite.

From there, we walked to the rapids, passing stone buildings draped in history.

I love brick buildings. There’s a timelessness about them that is so alluring. I particularly admire the archways here.

This is a plaque naming the men who gave their lives in the Winter War and Continuation Wars, respectively. Each town in Finland has a memorial commemorating those lost.

The Tammerkoski rapids run through the town and were used to power factories back in the day. It’s actually the reason Tampere became such a strong industrial town.

After all this sightseeing, it was time for lunch. Going with the recommendation of Husband’s coworker, we went to Plevna. It was a delightful meal of meatballs and blood sausage, accompanied by a delicious flight of beer.

After refueling, we tackled the main attraction of the day: the observation tower. This is located on the opposite side of town from the train station, and took about 30 minutes to walk to from Plevna, punctuated of course, with beautiful artwork.

Not surprisingly, most of the walk was uphill. Once we passed through most of town, we made our way up one of the many hiking trails. On one side of the tower are stairs, but the longer route is smoothly sloped. Since Little Man was rolling along with us, Husband and I decided NOT to heft the stroller up an unknown number of stairs. Who doesn’t love a good cardio workout right after a filling lunch?

We made it to the tower rather more quickly than I’d anticipated (though still a little short of breath), and claimed a picnic table outside. There’s a cafe at the bottom of the tower, from which it’s customary to purchase a donut and coffee once you’ve successfully reached the summit. (I did feel like those poor souls who drove to the top were really missing out on a vital part of the experience.) I sat outside with the little one while Husband braved the crowds to retrieve our rewards. He also came back with tickets to the observation deck.

We wholeheartedly enjoyed the coffee and donuts (made with cardamon and sprinkled in sugar), but chose not to linger as it was a rather windy day, not to mention our looming train departure. To my delight, there was an elevator to the top of the tower, leaving only a small flight of stairs to climb to get outside to the observation deck. Again, there were stunning views.

Back down the hill we went, across town, and to the train. The ride back was uneventful, albeit very crowded as so many people were coming home after the long weekend. We made it home in time to make dinner and put Little Man to bed after he had some non-stroller play time. It seems remarkable that we did so much in one day and were still able to sleep in our own beds. Ahh, the wonders of train travel!

Suomenlinna

In a continuing attempt to explore different areas of Helsinki, we took a family trip to Suomenlinna. It’s a set of four islands (google says six, but I’m at a loss when it comes to finding those other two) that was used as a maritime fortress during the Swedish era in the late 1700’s. It’s currently a very large tourist draw (during the summer), with museums, walking tours, cafes, and a few homes.

Being an island, it’s necessary to take a ferry to get there. Before we got to the ferry, however, we also had to take a bus to the metro station, and from there we planned to hop on a tram. Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans. We got off the metro at Rautatientori, which then requires two elevators to get to the street. After the last snow storm, the sidewalks in Helsinki are still mostly snow covered and rather difficult to push a stroller through. Suffice it to say that we *just* missed the tram. Luckily, it was only a fifteen minute walk from the metro station to where you board the ferry. Unfortunately, missing the tram meant that we also missed the ferry we’d planned on taking.

After traversing Puovori for almost an hour, and seeing that Ferris wheels in Helsinki come fitted with sauna cars, we finally boarded the ferry.

It’s a fifteen minute ride to the island. We arrived just about three in the afternoon. Husband and I were both hungry, so we decided to stop at Bastion Bistro, a cozy, casual place that was dimly lit, even before the sun set at 3:53 pm. (Seriously.) The bistro was the epitome of charming. Small, round tables lined the perimeter, while a bar height table ran down the center of the dining area. The food was delicious, and the beer was just right for a chilly afternoon. When it came time to pay, Husband used his card, issued by one if the major banks in Helsinki. The Bistro apparently has problems with that type of card, so when his didn’t work, I tried mine. No dice. Our waiter simply said, “Oh well. It’s not your fault, so what can you do? When you visit the island again, come back to eat and pay us.” I was stunned. He was right, but I can’t imagine that going down well in the States.

On that happy note, we left to continue our exploration of the darkening islands. It was now 4:00 pm and the next ferry left at five. Since that would get us home close to six, we decided to take the five o’clock ferry. That would give us roughly 45 minutes to wander around. The museums had already finished their tours for the day, and most of the shops were closing up, so we picked a direction and followed the road. Clearly, I didn’t get much background on the fortress, but I did get some stunning pictures.

I love the water. Combine that with the history and the beautiful architecture, and I was a happy camper.

The lights are gorgeous, but it quickly became too dark to get many more good shots. However, since Little Man has a travel-themed scrapbook, I had to get this gem:

He’s so good at adventuring! We ended up only seeing a small part of two of the islands, but I can’t wait to go back in the summer. There was a kind of magical quality that took over as we walked back to the ferry dock, when I realized that everyone we were passing must live there. It was mostly families with small children on sleds, and some teenagers walking home. It seemed so peaceful and beautiful. I guess that’s a good way to sum up Finland: peaceful and beautiful.