It is a beautiful day in Helsinki. We got started with breakfast out on the deck enjoying the sunshine (also avoiding the crazy crush of the buffet area).

Our tour had a later start time so we were in no rush this morning and much more relaxed than our last two days in Russia.

We had booked a half day tour of the highlights with an ice bar vodka stop. So I guess it was a good thing we were not out at 8 since it wasn’t long before we headed to the ice bar.

Helsinki has a more modern feel then Tallinn but nothing like the austere communist buildings of St Petersburg. Our tour got off with a small stop at the central square with the parliament building which looked a lot like those in the states (built to resemble the classical style). There was a huge staircase across the whole front that the tour guide explained made the square perfect for viewing large events.

It was a short stop and soon we were off to the ice bar. Which turned out to be more of a winter play land. There was an ice bar (actually made out of ice) but also a small sled hill, dog sleds and tandem skiing.

We first had to get into our winter gear. We both looked super cute in our parka jumpsuits and boots before heading into basically a refrigerated storage building. It was cold but probably OK with just coats but I guess the jumpsuit makes it more of an event.

The vodka was served in a frozen shot glass not the best but still fun. After that we had about 45 minutes to look around. We road the dog sleds and took pictures in all the igloos and even tried out the sleds and push skis. I think the facility is more geared to a younger crowd but we still had fun.

After that we went to the rock church. Which is exactly what it is. A church built with rocks into the side of the hill. The ceiling was copper wire wound into a dome it looked like a big giant penny. Supposedly the that technique made for great acoustics. There was someone playing the piano while we were there but it was a sunny day and the sun coming in the windows made it too hot to stay and enjoy.

From there the tour continued but I hopped off to see a bit more of the town. There was an open air market by the pier I wanted to see. So margaret continued on back to the ship and I struck out on my own to see the inner city. Being smart I stopped at the shuttle to make sure I had all the information to get back to the ship.

From there it was a short walk back to the pier and open market. It basically sold fruit and fish. I was going to grab a snack but it was all sit down food so I just wandered around. I did sample the local fried “fish” (think anchovy size but fried in corn meal) after that I determined the market food wasn’t for me. I decided to head back to the deco outside bar for a beer instead. Much wiser choice. Ended up trying the shrimp salad as well. I needed something to go with my beer. There was live music from the bandstand right across the park so a great stop for my Helsinki visit.