Porvoo, Finland

The second oldest city in Finland is just a bus ride away from Helsinki. Established in 1346 by Swedish King Magnus Eriksson, Porvoo's old town is a big draw for both Finns and foreigners alike. We joined the crowd on a double decker Innobus for the 55 minute ride from Helsinki, which puts you just 500 meters from the oldest part of the city. This includes the brick red warehouses that protrude over the River Porvoo, perhaps the most photographed site in Finland. At the moment, you have to peek at them over construction barricades. (It's summer after all, when all construction and reconstruction in Finland must be completed!)

As we entered the old town, we spied the famous chocolatier Brumberg, established 1871, but we saved that for last. Instead, Steven patiently followed me around to various local shops. Oh, and a stop for coffee and Finland's famous cinnabon buns.

At a toy store called Lelukauppa Riimiko, amidst doll houses and puzzles, I found the perfect Finnish postcard. The quote is taken from a Moomin book, and translated, reads, "I'm on vacation. I'm going to forget everything except a few fun things that are important to me." That pretty much echoes this blog, which captures the highlights and the rest is pretty much forgotten. And that's okay.

After a little shopping, we viewed two jointly administered city museums. On the left in white is the Holm House; on the right is the Old Town Hall (commissioned 1764). The original town hall was built in 1545, but it burned down in 1760, when old Mrs. Bergman's fish soup somehow caught fire. Once the Bergman house collapsed in flames, sparks flew into the air and ignited nearby houses and so on. Two-thirds of the city burned. So much of old town is not so old, but was reconstructed in the same style. The Old Town Hall has a little bit of everything. You're instructed to start at the top, in the attic. Here I disovered a 19th century dollhouse constructed by a sea captain for his daughter. Note the bulldog at the front door.

Then down a floor is an exhibit of original paintings by Finland's most famous artist, Albert Edelfelt (1854-1905). He spent summers in the area, painting Porvoo and nearby Haikko. He was a handsome gadfly. He married a baroness but only managed to stay faithful to her for ten years. His friend and fellow painter Ville Vallgren feared that Edelfelt's love life and "artistic prolificacy" were endangering his health. So it seems. Edelfelt died of a heart attack at 51.

Then we have some delightful Finnish ceramics and jewelry exhibits, and even beloved modern Finnish comic book author Fingerpori has his own exhibit.

Next door at the Holm House, we got a taste of life in the 18th century. Here was the residence of Johan Holm (1712-1776) and his family. He was a merchant, industrialist and councillor. His original house burnt down in the fish soup fire of 1760, and he had it rebuilt in stone by 1763. The Holm family owned the house for over one hundred years, with the downstairs serving as a confectionary for a long time. The second floor has now been furnished in the style of a wealthy merchant family from the 1700s. Except for the bedroom (with its Chinese-themed wallpaper) the colorful walls are based on the last layer of paint uncovered in the house. I don't have the names of the couples pictured, but they seem both important and well fed.

Steven remarked that the Finns were very short in 1700s, but that was not so. What you see here is an *extendible* bed. So clever. You also see a day dress wore by the upper class ladies of the era. I quite like it.

The Master's Room contains a few pistols, toy soldiers, a writing desk and yet another tiled fireplace (each room had it's own unique fireplace.) You may have noticed some 21st century interlopers in these rooms, reflected in the mirrors. That would be us.

Helsinki: Allas Sea Pool

Today we did the Finnish national past time: sitting in a sauna and sweating. While Helsinki has numerous saunas, we chose Allas Sea Pool for convenience and setting. Allas sits right on the water, in front of the SkyWheel and next to Market Square and the harbour. While sweating, you can observe ginormous cruise ships, and the Soumenlinna ferry chugging past.

At Allas, you reserve a three hour block of sauna and pool time. Cost is 19-24 Euros for the time block. In unisex saunas, bathing suits are mandatory. In sex segregated saunas, you choose. Traditionally for Finns, wearing a bathing suit is considered unhygienic. I went with the unhygienic. Everyone showers first, then it's off for some sweating. No photos, no devices, and, according to my guidebook, no staring.

We started with the "floating saunas" that sit on a deck over the Baltic. At 70 degrees Celsius (158 F), they are the coolest of the saunas. (Yes, really). You grab a blue seat cover from a dispenser, plop it on the wood benches in the sauna and sit down until you get too hot. The lower benches are (slightly) cooler. For good heat, you go to the top.

In the center are a pile of rocks which some heat-tolerant Finn pours water over, resulting in good "loyly" or steam. See picture of this that Allas provides on their website. Between sweating, you take a dip in the Baltic. Yep, they have a pool on the floating dock that filters in water from the Baltic. Yes, it's summer, but the Baltic is either cold or very cold. I only made it as far as my waist before backing out. But the combo of heat and cold is very invigorating, dare I say pleasant. Then it's rinse and repeat. We did this for an hour or so, and then we were ready to graduate to a hotter sauna, the Corner Sauna, at a brisk 90 Celsius (194 F). It was here that some athletic Finnish woman poured not one, not two, not three, but four ladles of water over the rocks. The steam was intense. Too intense for this American. I exited for a cooler shower.

Allas is open year round for those hardier than me. Here you see one of those hardy Finns entering the Baltic pool in winter. Thinking on this further, I may have discovered why Finns are the happiest people on earth. You sweat everything out in the sauna, take a bracing bath in ice water, then do it all over again. If that doesn't clear the mind, nothing will.

Helsinki: Kappeli and Esplanadi

On the way back from Uspenski Cathedral, we walked through the green corridor known as "Espa" by locals. It borders Market Square on the water and shopping district Alex... on the other. At its eastern end, it contains the famous Kappeli cafe, bar and restaurant, constructed in 1867. Built to resemble a conservatory, it provides upscale sit down service, plus, in true egalitarian Finnish fashion, a cafeteria that anyone can afford. We elected to dine in the cafeteria, but the setting was unlike any cafeteria you remember.

After selecting the mozzarella pesto pretzel sandwich with a small latte on the side for myself, we sat in this heavenly indoor garden, surrounded by tropical plants. It must be a delight for the Finns to eat here in the winter, though I imagine the heating bill is enormous.

Helsinki: Uspsenki Cathedral

Uspenski is the Slovenic church term for "Mother of God." It's the name of the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedral in Western Europe, and sits on a hill in Katajanokka peninsula, just a short pedestrian bridge away from touristy Market Square in central Helsinki.

Uspenski is quite a contrast from the austere white Lutheran cathedral that sits on the next hill over. Uspenski, consecrated in 1868, was built with warm red brick, most of which was left over from buildings destroyed during the Crimean War.

The inside seems suprisingly small, but boasts massive granite collonades adorned with paintings of the apostles, and a sky-blue cupola. The front altarpiece is a wall of saints and angels. Jesus hovers over the "royal doors" which are only opened by clergymen during holidays.

Helsinki Architecture & Design Museum

While Steven was learning about inborn errors of metabolism at SSIEM 2026, I wandered down Helsinki's main street (Mannerheim Blvd) to the Architecture & Design Museum on the beautifully named Korkeavuorenkatu Street. Three interesting exhibits; with "Escape to Moomin Valley" being my favorite.

What, never heard of Moomins? It's only the bestselling Finnish children's series ever. Written and illustrated by artist and author Tove Jansson, it's a cross between Dr. Seuss and Berenstein Bears and Winnie the Pooh. Tove Jansson created these unique lovable characters that sometimes have scary adventures that turn out all right in the end. When the comet that is going to end the world comes to Moomin Valley and the Moomins must flee to a cave, PapaMoomin tells MamaMoomin, "Now look, we can't dig up all the roses. There isn't time." MamaMoomin replies, "Just do the yellow ones, then. But those have got to come with us."

The Moomins live in the Moominhouse, with a lighthouse on top and a door that is always open to lonely muskrats, hattifatteners*, and anyone else who wants to stop by. The Moomins are everyhwere in Finland. Moomin key chains, towels, plates, glassware, figurines, fingernail decals. If there is a surface, a Moomin will be on it. Despite that overexposure, I can't not like Moomins. They are just very likeable. Now I MUST read the books.

Moving downstairs from Moomin Valley, I next looked at the Aalto Designs exhibit, where I learned about perhaps the world's most famous vase, and designs that shouted Ikea. Did the Swedes steal some Finnish designs? Seems so. Everyone has one of those stools. Everyone. But the originals were designed for a tuberculosis sanitarium. Bet you didn't see that detail coming.

Down in the basement was Punk Craft, knitting and crocheting creations that were beyond wild. For someone who can barely follow a simple knitting pattern, this was spontaneous combustion knitting.

*“…the little white creatures who are for ever wandering restlessly from place to place, in their aimless quest for nobody knows what." (Comet in Moominland, 1946)

Helsinki: Temppeliaukion Kirrko (Rock Church)

How to create a Lutheran church out of solid rock? You carve it out, and create a wholly unique spiritual experience. Designed by brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalalainen and finished in 1969, it is a masterful architectural feat. The rock walls were initially going to be covered, but the brothers wisely thought better of it.

Water drips down the rock walls into drains, solving that problem as well.

The ceiling is a huge copper disc. The wooden benches are stained blue, with pink-purple cushions that feel just right. I'm told the acoustics are perfect. Sit awhile and listen to the calming recorded piano music. Just try to arrive between the hordes of tourist arriving by the busloads. This is one popular church.