Helsinki

We are in Helsinki, the beginning of our 5 city trip.   The same five cities, in fact, that I visited on a family vacation when I was 16 years old.  (I still have the itinerary from that trip, which my father saved.)
(I forgot to mention that the business lounge in the Dusseldorf airport had 3 different kinds of eau de vie available (for free).  Europe sure is different.)

Helsinki is our first step into Nordic culture.  The physical layout of the city is beautiful, surrounded by water and islands on all sides.   The city was laid out by a German planner, hired by the Russians after they conquered it, defeating the Swedes in 1809.  The most prominent architectural style is Art Nouveau, dating from the early part of the 20th Century.   An example is the apartment building we are staying in:

Decorations of all kinds:

Also, a Russian Orthodox church interior:

Then there is Finnish food.  Ever been to a Finnish restaurant in your neighborhood?
I had reindeer meatballs for lunch.   And special Finnish cookies:

And something to bring home to your friends...

One more picture, from the exterior of the White Church, the largest Lutheran church in town.  

Ada has survived a day with her parents, and Vera is determined to learn some Finnish, a language which is incomprehensible to us.   

Oh, and lots of people from Kaurismaki films walking the streets...