Night in Helsinki

Once the party festivities began to come to an end, Anna and I, as planned, got ready to travel downtown to check out the city together, and really just catch up on as much as we could. We only had one week together, so we knew that we had to spend every moment we could with things to do. I was so excited.

Helsinki had been in the back of my mind all summer - It was to be my first 'European city' and I was so anxious to see this modern city that immediately coincides with the idea of Finland.

I was not sure what to expect. Helsinki was much younger than other European cities, and even Turku for that matter, and it also was known for having much more architectural influence from Russia with a large amount of neoclassical styled buildings. Nonetheless, the city still boasted an extremely interesting history, as well as importance in global matters today.

Helsinki is the connecting city between western Europe and the east - especially Russia - as well as one of Europe's largest hubs for international travel to Asia. Aside from even travel, the placement of this city has allowed Helsinki to be a middle ground for much activity in the Baltic sea throughout time and it has also hosted as a neutral ground for countless important international diplomatic meetings, treaties and debates.

The notions of this city's importance to Europe and ultimately the world were overwhelming to me, and that is exactly how I felt traveling to the city.
With out any precursors or slow lead-ins, we arrived right into the heart of Helsinki where the people and buildings swirled around in an overbearing excitement. Anna had quite a tour planned and I was so fortunate to have a local take me to all of the great places from the beginning to show me around; Everywhere I looked was fascinating and an amazing experience. My camera shutter was going off nonstop.

From the first few blocks we walked past shopping centers and streets filled with busy street crossings and packed cafes.

The whole image was too fitting and thus perfect. One of our first stops was Anna's school which was also in the heart of Helsinki. I couldn't imagine how exciting it must be to go to school in a building well over a century old, with a huge bustling city around you.

I was amazed by the fact that Anna mentioned that during lunch periods, on certain days, students use their break period to head out to a store, museum, park, cafe, restaurant... the list goes on!... for a quick shop, snack, or social period. I found this fascinating. The park nearest the school ( actually partially a cemetery with a few memorial stones around a church) was small, yet sprawling across a city block corner. People with picnic blankets spread around and it was a beautiful social scene. I was already captivated by this European pastime and theme of relaxing in a park in the city and I was intrigued to see the more famous and larger parks still yet to see in the city!

The next stop was truly a special event for me. Spoiled by my fortune to have my host sister being a local to take me to the best little corners of the city, I was taken to one of the best viewing spaces in the Helsinki area. Up a building to one of its highest floors ( I never would have pondered this in this particular building!) the lobby of a high rise building gave one of the most breathtaking and impressive views of the incredible area around us. Anna was extremely informed and efficient on the history of art, architecture, and growth of Helsinki, and was able to point out to the countless checkerboards of buildings with facts about each one. I was so impressed.

It was so neat to look at the land mark buildings of Helsinki and be able to visually see in the moment their differences which proclaimed their unique history in time.
Anna was able to share so much with me about Helsinki while we were touring and I was able to learn so much, so fast as we walked the streets. Along with these discussions we were able to share and hear about each other. We immediately had much in common since Anna herself has lived abroad for short term periods herself for various programs and reasons. I was very interested and intrigued by her foreign travels to China, Italy and France and how she viewed the lifestyle of living with a family there ( this is where I found that I enjoyed the views from hearing foreigners opinions of traveling abroad - It may largely not be thought of, but it is quite interesting to hear a Finnish person's perspective, for example, on living in in southern Europe or Asia in comparison to my American views of living in Scandinavia and Asia - these outlooks on the world have also provided great conversation, insight, and perspective for me.).

The night was not near complete since there was still so much to see. After these blocks of sightseeing, we were getting closer to the harbor center of Helsinki - one of the most photogenic and scenic areas of the entire region. The first pathway was another park with a long walkway - Esplanadi park. From my first panoramic observation of the strip of park land, I was convinced; This was one of my favorite places of not only Helsinki, but also Finland. It was beautiful and captured what I had imagined Helsinki, Finland and even Europe would be like. The long park had a statue in the middle with a walk way filled with benches.

The strips of grass along the park were lush and green, and spread across the beautiful center where many people enjoyed the bustling - yet relaxing and tranquil in its own sense - energy of the park.

Through out the walk way were large statues replicating Spanish dancers which were given to the park by a Spanish artist. Although somewhat controversial, I found them to add to the uniqueness of the park and were extremely interesting to view as they became decreasingly smaller from the center of vision.

At the other side of the park was a historical, classic, classy cafe which was located perfectly and looked beautiful adding to the overall feel of this European park.

The park itself being a central part of the city made me know that I would be able to see my 'love at first sight' attraction of the city many times to come in the week.
The park led up to a street crossing which divided itself from the Helsinki market square. Since it was well past market hours, the square was empty, but the quarters were still impressive. It was all cobblestone and lined up right against the harbors and docks of the Helsinki coast.

Bordering the market square were some very important buildings including the government of Helsinki, the Swedish Embassy ( humorously criticized by Finns for its 'tasteless' brown facade) as well as the offices of current president, Mrs. Tarja Halonen ( She has many buildings! A summer cottage in Nantali, a living quarters in Helsinki, Her offices at the Market square, as well as the Parliament near the modern business centers of the Helsinki downtown! Quite impressive!). Right in the middle of the market square was a statue marking the acknowledgment of Helsinki as a city and port with its date from the ruler of Russia.

It is these details of the city with these building, statues and landmarks that make the history so exciting and interesting to learn - as well as be immersed directly within it all.
Neighboring the Harbor, governmental buildings and the market square was one of the most famous of all Helsinki monuments. This was the fountain "The Havis Amanda". Its prominent message is what makes it so important to the Helsinki harbor's image since in the middle of the fountain is the statue of a 'forever' youthful girl.

This symbolized Helsinki's nickname as being the 'daughter of the Baltic' and how this young city has such an important stature in this European region due to its positive and youthful outlook towards progression and success. It is not only a beautiful fountain, but it also hold great meaning.
As if all of these landmarks were impressive enough for one evening, looming over the streets of brightly colored, neatly decor'ed buildings, through an image of the spider-web of tram cables of the city's transportation, was Helsinki's most notable building : The Senatintori.

This striking white Lutheran church gorgeously dots the Helsinki coastal skyline and stands in a stature of both grace and boldness making it the image of Helsinki. I was so excited to see this square.

When looking up Helsinki anywhere, this building forefronts all researched images, but seeing it in person provided a look at how grand it really was.

Up the stairs ( another famous place in Helsinki) with the view of the church behind you, as well as the square wrapped around you, a sense of amazement overtakes you.

I have only been to a handful of major cities in my lifetime, and even from these only a few have captivated my amazement and fascination; Standing on the Senatintori steps, pondering the modern streets, historical squares, block corner parks, artwork and architectures abounding me that evening- I was caught spellbound with a dazed smile.

I took the chance to utilize my timed flash on my camera, and attempted to capture Anna and I together as we stood by this incredible area of the city.

Anna noted that it was amazing to be at the church stairs during the Eurovision contest when the area was packed as people watched the contest from a full screened TV. ( along with experiencing this great moment in the city, a world record was set here as well when 80,000 people joined in a large karaoke singing of Lordi's winning song for Finland 'Hard Rock Hallelujah'!). After a view around the church and in the church - as I took every moment to capture the setting surrounding me - we continued on with our adventures through the city. What was truly impressive was catching glimpses of the incredible Senatintori building as it poked through other corners of sight with even more great architecture and scenery of the surrounding visuals.

The evening was turning into night, and it also became one of the first times this Summer where I actually experienced being around as my surroundings turned to dusk and then night. Together with Anna, we walked further down other main streets of Helsinki to areas where many shopping centers were located.

The narrow streets filled with color and brightly lit buildings were lined with stores and cafes that captured and mesmerized in the same way but in perfect contrast with its historic neighbors.

Many of the shops were closed ( in the same accordance to many shops and stores in Scandinavia - that means early), but the area was still filled with nightlife that was just beginning late at night ( ... or in the European sense... is that early?).

To finish off our very exciting evening, Anna and I found a nice cafe and sat down to relax and chat some more since there was seemingly so much we had to talk about - getting to know each other, as well as discovering just how much in common we really had!

I was so incredibly satisfied; I had just - I can't just say 'experienced' - fell in love with my first major European city along side my host sister who not only knew the area, but was able to provide insight into living in the area, and was now enjoying coffee at a very European cafe' to chat away into late into the night. It was too perfect.

Our discussions were filled with much about world travel and world languages, each of our favorite things to talk about, and what we found so much in common through. I loved hearing about Anna's stories of living in Italy and China ( she went to China for a week and a half as a government connection between the countries since China has found interest in the Finnish education systems. Many Chinese students had traveled to Finland first, and then the hosts were able to have the favor returned.). Along with her travels living abroad, I was able to hear about just her travels for enjoyment to areas such as Budapest, Hungary and Southern France. Her passions about architecture, culture, art, and other aspects of world exploration were excellent to hear about - and the perfect discussions over a 'sophisticated' feel of being in a cafe' in Europe! Our discussions became detailed and long, and were far from over, since during the upcoming week we were planning to share pictures and other mementos from her travels as well, whenever we had the chance - something that I was really looking forward to!
On the bus back home, I was awestruck in thought.

How had I possibly done all the things that I just did in one evening! It was almost too good to be true, and imagining myself standing in different areas of the city - the parks, market squares, modern downtown centers, cafes, monuments... It all projected in my head like scenes of a movie - that is how I felt through out the night. Too good to be true; I was so excited and happy as well as overwhelmed in thought over the past day. Much had happened - I left the comforts of my new found life in Kuusisto in the morning, met a new family and had international conversations with guests at a party during the afternoon, and experienced one of the most inspirational and captivating tours and evenings of my life in the evening to late night. I was emotionally exhausted and brimming with a smile. I was so happy to have Anna as my host sister since she shared the equal excitement as I did to experience her home city. The upcoming week was going to be incredible. When home, I slept extremely well for good reason which was good since in only a few short hours after the late night, I was going to meet my close YFU friends from America as a large group again since the beginning of the summer at the central station since it marked the beginning of our two day, one night trip to experience the capital of Estonia, Tallinn!