Shipbuilding is an important industry in Finland, and almost all cruise ships in the world are built there. We saw a Carnival cruise ship under construction in the harbor when we were there.
Lilacs grew everywhere in Helsinki and delighted me since I haven't seen them since I moved away from Illinois in 1968.
An unusual sight in Finland on our first stop there were the people washing carpets. As we drove through the countryside, we saw table like platforms along the waterways with people working on them. We were never close enough to see what was actually being done, but our guide in Helsinki took us to a local park where we were able to view what was happening. It seems that the people of Finland find the smell of the sea air in their homes to be better than an air freshener. In order to give their houses the scent they want they wash their carpets using the water of the Baltic Sea.
In a city park we saw several people on platforms scrubbing at their carpets. Nearby are bhandy racks for drying the carpets. It was an interesting peel into Finnish lifestyle.
The laundry section stood next to a lovely marina, and after a brief stop we continued on our way to the Sibelius Monument in honor of Finland's most famous composer. When the ultra modern monument, which looks to me like a bunch of asparagus balanced on a post, was unveiled, many important Finns were disappointed because no representation of the composer himself was evident. To appease the city council, the artist added a head with Sibelius' face off to the side of the actual monument itself. Needless to say, the sight of a bodyless head made me think of Sleepy Valley, but the city fathers are happy.
Click a picture to see a larger view.
Ice Breakers
Carnival Ship Under Construction
Around the Harbor
Lovely Lilacs
People Washing Carpets in Sea Water
Racks for Drying Rugs
Marina near the Carpet Washing Spot
Photo by Laura
Flowers in the Park
The Sibelius Monument
