Assorted slices from my first afternoon in Helsinki

After my morning exploration and navigating the move from hotel to apartment I had maybe 4-5 hours before heading to the Finland v Lithuania soccer game at 7p (next post coming on that). I was going to test a walking tour of the center from 2-4. Before and after that were open. The pictures and notes below are a bit of a grab bag of thoughts and observations from that afternoon of walking around.

Starting with the area right around my apartment in the Ullanlinna area of the city. It was really nice. Residential, but with a number of small boutiques, shops, and cafes. I pinned a number of them to try if / when I can get back here with Judy. These few pics provide a sense of the vibe.

(Perhaps the best toaster merchandising I've ever seen)

Moving along, I grabbed a few more pics of another area that captivated me, which is around that Erottaja tram stop. This area is also a short walk to the Esplanadi, so the hotels in that stretch along Bulevardi really are where you want to be, in my opinion.

Dipped through the commerical center, behind Stockmann and along Aleksanterinkatu. Brought to mind memories of State St. and the old Marshall Fields in Chicago. Maybe it was the grey skies that really brought the Chicago vibes home.

Made my way over the the Esplanadi. Very pleasant place for a walk.

(Would love to swing by this place when it's open during warmer weather and pay whatever they are charging for a Salmiakki.)

Continued on toward the walking tour's meeting point. Got my first glimpse of the Helsinki Cathedral. Followed shortly thereafter by a shot I liked with the City bikes all lined up in front.

Also stumbled upon this Okra shop which has great reviews and cool stuff. Check it out if you're nearby.

Then a few pics from the walking tour (which was okay, not great).
Senate Square

National Library of Finland

Havis Amanda (which apparently was scandalous when first unveiled)

And the statue of Johan Ludvig Runeberg (Google him - I don't remember his significance, but he's got a statue in the middle of the Esplanadi, so probably a big deal).

The best stop on the tour was the Helsinki Central Library Oodi. It was on my list to visit anyway, but the guided tour and explanation of all that is possible there was helpful. Did not take any pics inside as the guide explained that the Finns don't love being in pictures (my people!). But the area around it is beautiful.

On my way back to the apartment I took a quick spin along Iso Roobertinkatu, which is one of the main axis of the Design District. Over the next few days I was here multiple times because it was the closest K-Market location.

All in all a good orientation afternoon covering a fair bit of ground. Now time for a brief rest before heading off to the soccer game.

First day in Helsinki continues - getting better with public transport and checking into my apartment

During the course of my Kallio exploration I received some good news from the apartment I found on Booking.com. Turns out it would be available for early check in. Very nice to avoid the hassle of stashing luggage and wandering for 4 hours in the check out / check in gap. So I got my stuff together and opened up the HSL app to plan my journey to the apartment. With my new understanding of the icons I saw that it looked fairly straightforward. Walk to the Hakaniemi metro, ride it one stop, get off, grab a tram. Fair enough, let's go.

Descended to the platform via a nice and tidy escalator (in contrast to some of the tube stations I'd see in London a few days later).

Train itself was also in good shape and orderly.

Platforms were neat, not particularly crowded (it was noon-ish on a Thursday), and the exit escalator had soothing mood lighting.

The app indicated a 5-minute walk to the tram stop. That must be upon exiting the train below ground, as you can see the metro stop exit off in the background here. So it's not a 5-minute schlep with bags along sidewalks to the tram. It's literally 5-minutes *maybe* door to door.

And then off in the other direction you can see the tram coming.

However, I think it was around now when I achieved my next level of learning with the HSL app and using Helsinki public transportation: it's real-time, time-sensitive. So the route you call up 20 minutes before leaving your hotel is not necessarily the same that you would take 20 minutes later when you actually leave the hotel. Not a problem. Pull up the app and check the latest route reco and adapt.

Now I had the opportunity to double my tram pleasure, taking the ol' 6T to the 3. Took a few out-the-window pics as we moved along.

And then as we stopped at Erottaja I was grateful for the detour as this little stretch was beautiful. It's Bulevardi, a charming stretch of upscale retail, cafes and hotels. Lovely street that runs northeast-southwest as a boundary of sorts between Kamppi and the Design District.

(Klaus K hotel is one of our partner hotels - strong location)

Snapped a few more out-the-window pics. Ekberg 1852 and Casa Italia would be top of my list for a nice sidewalk coffee and snack if I had a more leisurely afternoon planned.

Also spotted a snazzy kitchen supply shop where I stopped later to pick something up for the wife (no worries, she doesn't read this).

Then, having successfully navigated the metro-tram-tram sequence to my destination, I needed to solve the key pick up equation. Instructrions were to look for "Mari Bakery"

Check.
Then find the door on the side and use the code to open.

Check.
Then find your specific keybox, take the key and be on your way. Simple enough. Would be less fun arriving after dark in the rain. But midday in clear weather, all good. Next is a short (but uphill) walk to the actual apartment.

Perfect for 4 nights solo. Really enjoyed the location, which I'll touch upon more in later posts.