(TGA) - Travel - A couple of years ago I would never have thought I would be in Finland or Estonia - of all places! And yet, I have just spent three days in Estonia and now Im on my way to Finland.We spent our last morning in Estonia visiting Kadriorg - a seaside park built by Peter the Great for his wife Catherine. Its a very 18th century-looking building and lovely gardens in the back. The local White House is on the grounds but its a Pink House instead. The park runs down to the Baltic Sea and along the way is a pretty statue of an angel.We walk on the beach by the sea for a while and then take a bus over to the ferry terminal where we will leave for .The voyage to Helsinki takes about 2 hours and we are actually there before we know it
. Before going to the hotel we take a bus to some places that would not be within easy walking distance of our downtown hotel.So first we go to Temppeliaukio Church - the church in the rock. If someone didnt tell you it was a church, you wouldnt recognize it for one. We went inside and the Finnish Radio Orchestra was rehearsing - lucky us. They were very good.From the church we went to Seruasaari open-air museum. There you will find 100 historic buildings from all areas of Finland. It rained off and on while we were there, but were from Oregon so no big deal. I guess that this open-air museum is a lot like going to Williamsburg in Virginia. Anyway there were lots of birds and squirrels. The squirrels were tame enough to eat out of your hand.Before the afternoon was over we went to the hotel which was just off the main drag of downtown - the Esplanade. The room was really nice - the towel racks in the bathroom were heated - how nice.Chris and I went for a walk around the neighborhood and did a little shopping. We went in to a couple of small shops, found some postcards and stamps and then just wandered. We went into Stockmann department store which was really big
. They had a grocery department that was great for picnic supplies.There was a group dinner that night at a nearby restaurant that served salmon and a really good salad. Afterwards a group of us went to an ice bar. That was interesting. You pay &8364;10 to get in and that includes your first cocktail - all cocktails are vodka of some sort. Mine was a peach vodka with cranberry juice. Tasty. Everyone has to wear a robe that is made out some quilted fabric. It keeps you warm. Everything in the bar is ice - the bar, the tables, the shelves on the wall - but not the floor, luckily.Tomorrow will be our only full day in Finland. I want to have a good plan for the day. Who knows if I will ever be back.
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