Back in Helsinki

This morning we arrived back on the Gabriella Viking at 10 am. We were able to check in early at the Klaus K and after a rest went to lunch at a cute cafe across the street we went to Suomenlinna a sea fortress on an island outside of Helsinki. We walked around there.  Finland has been occupied/ ruled by Sweden and Russia so there are multiple influences. In the evening we ate at Rikard von Trapp bistro, a Belgian place. 

This is a place we stopped for a drink while waiting for the ferry 

Stockholm

We came back on the St Peter princess Maria ferry/cruise to Helsinki to a rainy cold morning.  I don't know what the difference between a cruise and a ferry is.  Perhaps it's that on a ferry everything is a la carte.  We enjoyed the cruise.  When we got to Helsinki we stashed one of our packs at the Klaus K hotel where we were going to end up and then walked around the city.  We went to Stockman's and had lunch on the top floor then to a cathedral and then to the Ferris wheel and ended up at the Grand hotel where we had some lunch prior to boarding our next cruise /ferry to Stockholm.  

Stockman's 

Mikael Bjorklund menu starter from island of Aland.

Vasa museum. Preserved ship from 1628. Salvaged in 1961 and because the waters were brackish the ship was intact.  It sank immediately after its maiden voyage- poor design.  

We enjoyed this duo.  

St. Petersburg

We walked through St Petersburg with Vlad our tour guide, a retired teacher.  He took us through the Church of the Spilled Blood and St Isaacs church, around the Hermitage, which was closed (!) shopping and to Pushkin Museum.   Then we had afternoon high tea at the Grand Europe Hotel in the atrium.  It was a beautiful sunny afternoon.   Now we are back on the ferry/cruise.  Last night we had a nice Russian meal in the restaurant and then saw the show with dancers and musicians.  Again a preoccupation with obsure and never before heard hits from the 70s. But they also included traditional Russian dance and music.  The boat has mostly Finns, Russians and some Germans and Americans.  

St Petersburg

Our trip so far has been great.  We have been very impressed with the beautiful architecture and everyone has been helpful.  Aeroflot was great. We arrived and went straight through customs with no problem.  We took the aeroexpress train to the Train station and then the metro to our hotel. The train was  very modern and fast.  The Metro stations we saw are elegant.  We dropped off our stuff in our room and walked to Red Square.  Everywhere we have gone in Moscow, obscure American music from the 70s is playing, from the hotel lobby to taxis. It hasn't been too cold - around 40.  It's been mostly cloudy but we have had some sun.  We toured the part of St Basil's that is open and toured the National Museum.  We then took a Hop on Hop Off tour around the city. We ended at the Bolshoi where we disembarked and walked to our restaurant.  The food was really good there and consisted of beets cabbage potatoes mushrooms onion fish game and caviar and we had some vodka. Now we are headed to Helsinki.  

Treasures from the National Museum

McDonalds Starbucks and Burger King all in a row