The Esplanadi Park

Swimming and Sauna, Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall

 The oldest swim hall in Helsinki was open and for the cost of 5 euros, I spent the afternoon getting some exercise.  The saunas were great and the place was spotless.  They serve meals on the second floor!

Uspenski Cathedral, Christmas Eve

 We walked up the steep steps to the cathedral and were delighted when people slowly filled the great sacred space.  Priests came out from the iconostasis and began the mass.  It was a wonderful way to spend Christmas Eve.

The Uspenski Cathedral is an Eastern Orthodox cathedral dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos. Its name comes from the Old Church Slavonic word uspenie, which denotes the Dormition (the "falling asleep" or death of Mary). Designed by the Russian architect Aleksey Gornostayev. The cathedral was built after his death in 1862–1868.

 Skywheel Helsinki, the largest observation wheel in Finland, is equipped with a passenger cabin that is a sauna!  It costs 240 euros to sweat while you ride the wheel.

Helsinki architecture is beautiful. The eclectic mixtures of neo-Gothic, neo-Romanesque, neo-Classical and neo-Renaissance architecture continued even during the beginning of the 20th century, with architects using different styles for different projects or even combining elements in the same work.

Creche Nativity, Nordic Design

The love of Christmas and the natural design elements of wood rings can be seen in this store window.  The figurines' shapes are simplified in form and color.

Christmas in Helsinki 2017

Helsinki Cathedral is the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran cathedral of the Diocese of Helsinki, located in the neighborhood of Kruununhaka in the centre of Helsinki.

2017 Christmas Visit: Helsinki Apartment in the Design District

Everything was white.  A poured epoxy floor and minimal decor created a sleek look.

At the SIIDA, The National Museum of Finnish Sami Culture.  Sami are the indigenous people.

The Sami hat was derived from the Russian mariners. The gift store had some interesting contemporary art.  A catalog of contemporary Sami artists had a realistic depiction of Elvis in Lapland sharing a fire with a Sami in full festive dress! 

Below is a political protest sticker using Munch's "The Scream".  Notice the Sami hat and the windmills on the horizon.  Former president of the Sami parliament Lars Anders Baer points out:

The issue is that today’s global climate debate focuses primarily on the symptoms of climate change. From a Sami perspective this is not good enough. Our holistic approach dictates that we all have to look at the underlying causes of climate change – the processes of industrialization and globalization, our lifestyles, our consumption habits, and the continuing large-scale exploitation of natural resources (Baer 2011).

Protest sticker about the use of Saami reindeer herding land being used for wind farms.