The Way Of The Tram or Trial By Ice

You know we de-I Clan, we loves our trams. Cities with tram lines seem to us to be the easiest to navigate via public transit. Metro lines, you are underground, don't see anything, always have to negotiate the station when you arrive to figure out where the heck you are. Buses, they're always a million of them. They have many more stops. They take more twists and turns and are easier to get confused as far as direction. But trams, there are usually fewer of them, there are fewer stations, most trans systems clearly announce the stations on visual signage, and you see more of the city while you are going.

In Helsinki they have a specific 'tour by tram' itinerary' making use of two of the tram lines. Wife and I thought this would be a great way to see more of the city and get lots of photo ops. The only problem was it was freaking cold! The high today was only 46 Fahrenheit/8 Celsius and it was colder than that most of the day. Plus it was windy. So it was not pleasant. But Wife and I are nothing if not persistent tourists and we did our best.

Back at the Tuomiokirkko

 

 

A study of the Camera Yoda as she sizes up a picture

A statue of Czar Alexander II

As the Finns hate the Russians, I'm not quite sure why this is still here

This building's name means 'North' or it is the 'north' side of it I guess

I doubt if this guy was the model for the faces but he could have been

The World of Tramming 

The Temppeliaukio Church

Built right into rock

And on to the Opera

A building we were not that impressed with

Another 'must see' is the tower at the Olympic Stadium and Sports Museum.

We spent almost an hour trying to find and get to this in the frigid, windy cold only to find.

COMPLETELY CLOSED DUE TO MASSIVE CONSTRUCTION

This picture hardly shows the amount of wandering we did trying to get around the construction.

Near the historic Hakaniemi Market

A statue entitled 'Maternal Love'

The oldest operating cafe in Helsinki

The Roman Catholic Cathedral (significantly smaller than the others)

And last but not least another installment of Signage of the World

Don't Spit or Spray Saliva While Shouting!

Tomorrow we leave Helsinki and head for the Southern Finnish Coast!