Tag Archives: Helsinki

Helsinki Highlights

I can’t leave the topic of Midsummer in Finland without briefly describing our breakneck tour of Helsinki.  So here’s a head’s up for my readers; this post is all about architecture and design, baby!  As the photo above suggests, Finland’s capital feels like a big city masquerading as a small town.  The immense sky dwarfs both the urban landscape and the industrial harbor, making the whole place seem deceptively Lilliputian.

And something about Helskinki’s scale and layout reminds me of a super-sized Monopoly board.  Stately buildings line up with military precision along expansive boulevards and plazas like game pieces brokered during the ultimate real estate battle between heavenly beings.

Continue reading Helsinki Highlights

Midsummer in Finland

Happy Midsummer, everyone!  Although we’ve waved bye-bye to the official longest day of the year, in northern climes the celebration can last a full week.  The sun is still hanging out near its highpoint for hours, and Scandi types use the extra daylight wisely to party like there’s no tomorrow.  Which there kinda isn’t, since the lack of darkness at this latitude means it’s hard to tell exactly when one day fades into the next — especially if you’ve been enjoying some homebrew. Continue reading Midsummer in Finland