From the 2005/08/14 to the 2005/08/20 --From Turku to Helsinki, while strolling into the Archipelago of Turku

The way from Stockholm to Turku by ferry is a true slalom between the thousands of islands and small islands which the melting of the glaciers left in the Gulf of Bothnia. These rock archipelagos are either raised thorn-bush or virgin of vegetation. Sometimes through the trees one or more houses are let guess by their red colour.

 

 

Turku has been for centuries the capital of Finland until its joining to tsarist Russia. Several times destroyed by fires, it is a modern city with some beautiful vestiges of its past. The cathedral is a prestigious example with its brick square tower 102 meters high.

The Archipelago of Turku is approachable by several roads with crossings by ferry. I made two excursions one by road 189 visiting Naantali and Röölä, the other one by road 180 stopping over at Kaarina and visiting Pargas and Lillmälö


 


Naantali is a charming seaside resort with some restaurants of good reputation. It is dominated by its church, vestige of the monastery of St-Brigitte.

 

 

 

 

The church has a very beautiful statue
the Virgin holding Christ at his Deposition


 

 

Röölä is the loading port of the ferry to the following island. I established there my camping for one night in a dramatic scenery of end of the world. The inhabitants of the close small islands come to supply themselves in boat at the local grocer and refreshment bar.

The way from Stockholm to Turku instead to Helsinki was justified by the visit of the Wallas-Marin Oy manufacturer of diesel cookers whose headquarter is in Kaarina. This company has had under development for several months a version for camper van of its marine cooker. This development is required by the need to function in high altitude whereas the marine version is planned for altitude zero. An executive manager of the company assure me that the camper version will be on the market by Webasto before the end of this year 2005.


 

 

Free carpark during 24 hours
Peninsula of Katajanokka
Thank you Stephen

Although founded in 1550, Helsinki is a modern city become the capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812 and the capital of independent Finland in 1917. The six walk trails of the Tourist Information centre are an initiated trip into architecture of the city marked by J.A. Ehrenström and C.L. Engel in the XIXth century and by Alvar Aalto in the XXth century. I made them by bike with sunny weather. They led me to discover the city, its parks, its marinas and street scenes.


 

 

Ouspenski
the Orthodox cathedral

 

 

 

Tuomiokirkko
the Lutheran cathedral
J.C. Engel


 

 

Finlandiatalo
the Finlandia palace
Alvar Aalto

I visited Scandinavia and Finland in 55 days and 8,622 km since the entry Denmark the 27/06/2005. The reputation of these countries is fully deserved even if differences are perceptible. Each one has its personality and its attractions. It is not less true that the reputation of the Northern Cape is overrated. I already wrote that Lofoten and Vesteralen are better than a fast detour. They are full destination for trekking and cycling to appreciate their beauty. Of course the visit of these countries is especially justified by the splendid and often dramatic landscapes. I liked Copenhagen, Helsinki and Stockholm but less Oslo. Some villages at a detour of road, far from the migratory routes, were pleasant discoveries.
I left the Scandinavian countries to approach the Eastern European countries while starting by the three Baltes States.


Helsinki, the 2005/08/20

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