The Trip Home

We headed out of the hostel to catch our flight.

This hotel was displaying the flags of all the countries we visited on our trip: Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and the United States.

We took the fast train from central Stockholm to the airport. We zipped through the countryside at around 180 km/hr.

Matthew, Me, U and Megan on the flight from Stockholm to Helsinki

Me enjoying the views out the window.

U on the Game of Thrones throne in the Helsinki airport

Matthew

Megan, U, Me and Matthew on the Helsinki to Seattle flight

Getting close to landing in Seattle. It really is a beautiful city to fly into!

U, Megan, Matthew and Me on the flight from Seattle to Phoenix.

A couple of pictures of Mt Rainier. Such an impressive looking mountain.

When we landed in Phoenix, it was dark. Such a strange concept as we had not seen dark since we were in Copenhagen. It was definitely an amazing trip and we were blessed to be able to take it!

Finland Day 13: Church and Environs, Matthew's Half Birthday

 Sunday was our last day in Helsinki. It was also Matthew's half birthday.

Matthew enjoying some pulla with breakfast.

We went to church in the Helsinki ward U served in. It was Finnish speaking (with English translation available) when he lived here. Now it is the only English speaking ward in Northern Europe. We enjoyed the sacrament meeting talks and then chatted with some ward members during 2nd hour including Kati Eronen (who served in the same district as U in Jyväskylä) and a few of her kids.

Kati Eronen and U

Kati, Me, U, Matthew, Megan

Upstairs of the church building. When U served here, this was the mission office and his apartment.

Old Testament poster in the Primary room

Megan checks out some of the small chairs in the Primary room. Their Primary is larger than ours!

Matthew playing foosball with some of the other young men in the ward.

U outside the church in Helsinki

We walked around the waterfront area including seeing a memorial for sailors lost at sea at Ursinin Kallio Park.

We also walked around a park with an observatory that is by a bunch of embassies.

Megan's thoughts on embassies: They are just buildings with big fancy people in them with flags.

Matthew, Megan, Me and U by the observatory

Looking towards the sea

Matthew and Megan with our Subway sandwiches. Matthew had been wanting to eat there for awhile. We figured it was a good way to celebrate his half birthday.

Matthew with his half birthday present: a Fazer chocolate bar

We watched some of Wonder at the apartment before heading to the ferry. Our Airbnb hosts allowed us to stay in the apartment until it was time for us to catch the ferry to Stockholm which was very appreciated!

Trucks waiting to get on the ferry to Stockholm

Matthew and Megan in our room on the ferry

Megan and Me as we leave Helsinki

U and Matthew on the ferry

Bye Helsinki!

Suomenlinna

Matthew, Me, U and Megan by the window at dinner. We enjoyed the buffet. The strawberry rhubarb sorbet was delicious! We saw rain and lightning and other ships outside the window.

U went to sauna and he said it was the best sauna of the trip!

U's Step Count: 17,500

Finland Day 12: Suomenlinna, Helsinki Cathedral

 We headed to Suomenlinna to explore the sea fortress. Getting to the ferry was quite the adventure as the tram we got on that said it was going the right direction turned off its normal path due to some festivals in Helsinki. So we had to get off that tram and walk a bit to catch a different tram that took us where we needed to go.

Me and Matthew on the ferry

Me with the church on Suomenlinna

Interesting fence made with cannon barrels 

Church bell

Lion on the top of a barrel by the church

The steeple of the church also serves as a lighthouse. How practical!

Megan liked the tiny shopping baskets.

We visited the Suomenlinna Museum. The bottom floor had history and artifacts from the fortress.

Turning the page in the digital book

Upstairs included a beautiful glass art display

We saw this family of geese.

We toured the Vesikko, a Finnish submarine that was in service during WWII. Matthew really liked it. Here are a few photos with Matthew and U from inside the submarine.

Megan, Matthew, Me, U outside the sub

Matthew at the front of the submarine

We visited the Ehrensvärd Museum.

Megan was quite affronted by how much less information was available in English versus Finnish and Swedish.

Me with beautiful fireplace

Interesting card suit

Card game

Me with Ehrensvärd's Tomb

Dry dock

Forbidden items on display in the Customs Museum

U demonstrates how to get your head blown off by a cannon.

There were geese all over Suomenlinna including lots of babies!

We enjoyed walking the ramparts and exploring the tunnels and passageways. Here are some pictures from that.

Me

Megan

Megan, Me and Matthew outside King's Gate

U, Matthew and Megan in a tunnel

Finnish flag with the red seal of the Grand Duchy of Finland on it. The points on the end are a symbol of the Finnish Defense Forces. They fly the flag at Suomenlinna because of the historical roll it played in the defense of the country.

Matthew with the ramparts

U with a cannon

View of SkyView Helsinki and the Uspenski Cathedral on the ferry ride back

View of the waterfront area and the Helsinki Cathedral

U and Me shared a dish with salmon, muikku and veggies.

Matthew liked his crêpe.

Megan enjoyed her pizza.

Yummy ice cream!

Megan, Me and Matthew with our ice cream at Helsinki Cathedral. While we were standing here, a seagull came and ate some of Me's ice cream.

The plaza

Matthew with the Helsinki Cathedral

Once back at the Airbnb, we watched Little Rascals.

U's Step Count: 17k