Helsinki

There are a few ferry operators that run between Tallinn and Helsinki. Prices may vary depending on the time of travel as well as ferry but the crossing would probably takes a little more than 2 hours. 

I had less than 2 days in Helsinki so I decided to see a few attractions in Helsinki. 

Temppeliaukio Church is naturally quarried out of a natural bedrock. The church hall is like a dome lined with copper and supported on the rock walls by reinforced concrete beams. Due to its design and shape, the church gives an excellent acoustics sound as it bounces from one end to the other during a choir session there.

Helsinki was chosen to be the World Design Capital 2012, and I could see why. The city is filled with beautiful buildings with architectures from Art Nouveau to Romanticism. 

The Helsinki Cathedral is symbolic to Helsinki. There are steps leading to the main entrance of the Cathedral. As I stood watching from the top, I could see rows of stalls with decorative lightings reveling for the coming Christmas celebration. It was truly magical. Kiasma is contemporary art museum designed by American architect Steven Holl. The building curves to one end intertwining with the geometry of the city and landscape. The museum housed Finnish and foreign art, particularly from the Nordic and Baltic States. 

After two weeks of non-spicy food, I had the desire to eat something real spicy on my last night before heading back to New York the next morning. I decided to go for Indian. The food was pretty good but unfortunately, it was not spicy at all. I was disappointed but also felt sad that I had to leave. 

There are so much in Helsinki that I had yet to discover. I am hoping to visit the place again but hopefully in a warmer weather next time.

The Baltic States: Tallinn

My last stop in the Baltics was Tallinn. A 4-hour bus ride from Riga, Tallinn has one of the best well-preserved Old Medieval Towns in the world. I stayed at a Fat Margaret's hostel which is less than 2 minutes walk to the gate of Tallinn's Old Town. It is an old house with steps that squeak as I walked up to my room on the second floor. The sky was already dark by 3PM as I ventured out to Old Town. I was impressed with it. 

The fortified walls and towers with cobblestones streets and narrow lanes within the medieval houses is a joy to walk. I think Tallinn is the best among the three capitals in the Baltics. Since it is so close to Helsinki, the city gives a modern European vibes to the city as well as an old European charm to it. Once I'm outside the Old Town, the city is filled with modern buildings and shops.

The Kohtuotsa viewing platform situated on top of Toompea hill has a beautiful view of the Medieval neighborhood against the backdrop of the city's modern district. I was told that the platform is the most famous picture point by the tour guide. The tour took me to the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral which is the main Russian Orthodox cathedral. This onion-domed structure is richly decorated to symbolize the Russian dominance in Estonia. The cathedral does hold marriage ceremony but it would never closed to the public. Thus, the wedding couple may have a hard time knowing who their guests really are during the ceremony as people would come and go at any time. 

The Freedom Square has an interesting story too. The Monument to the War of Independence is constructed to commemorate all those who had fought for freedom and independence. It consists of glass plates and a Czech Republic company was awarded to build the monument. Unfortunately, the monument was poorly done that a court case was filed against the company. Finally, the company had to return 600,000 Euro to the city of Tallinn in early 2014. The monument is brightly lit at night, and it stands directly opposite St John's Church, a Lutheran parish church contrasting the new and the old in the city.

Rotermann Quarter is a collection of dilapidated buildings some years ago, and they are now turning into commercial and cultural center with a taste of avant-garde architecture. The place is home to local designers, as well as Kalev, probably the best-known chocolate brand in Estonia. 

The Baltic States: Riga

Riga is the capital of Latvia. It's a 4-hour bus ride from Vilnius. I was greeted with heavy snow and cold wind when I arrived at the main bus terminal in Riga. I managed to drag my luggage to the hostel I was staying, and thankfully, it is not that far from the station. I told myself I need to take pictures of the city in snow. Braving the icy cold weather, I ventured out and took as many pictures as I possibly could in the least amount of time. I am glad I did, and looking back at the shots I took, they are gorgeous.  

The Freedom Monument is located in the center of Freedom Boulevard near Old Town Riga. It is probably the best location to begin your walk in Riga. The city has impressive Art-Nouveau architecture which spread across its Old Town of which the building of the Brotherhood of Blackheads is the most impressive. The buildings have been reconstructed and expanded a number of times, with elements added to the facade's pediments each time. I went up the tower of St Peter's Church for a panoramic view of the city. As I reached the observation deck, 124 meters in height, I was overwhelmed with bitter cold wind but looking down I saw the city covered with snow. I told myself,"Okay, 10 minutes is all I need" and my fingers were numb by the time I snapped the last picture. The church hall is large, and there are exhibitions detailing the past and present traditions in architecture and arts in the church. I wandered outside and walked along the Daugava River. I saw a row of pavilions, and decided to head toward them. They turned out to be Riga Central Market with each pavilion selling different type of products. I could spend all day going from one to another. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the pavilions were built using old German Zeppelin hangars with Neoclassicism and Art Deco styles.

The Holiday Market near the Riga Cathedral was kind of disappointment. There were not too many stands, and the crowd was almost no where in sight. Was it the weather, or was it just one of those quiet days? I wondered. I went back there again at a different time, and I was met with the same disappointment. 

I joined a walking tour in Riga. It was a very interesting 2-hour tour. Some amazing architectures from the Soviet-era were included in the tour. The most impressive building is an apartment building used by the KGB as a place of tortured and imprisonment of civilians during the Soviet Union occupation in Latvia. Today it is a memorial building with no access to the building. The Latvian Academy of Sciences or popularly known as Stalin's birthday cake is another interesting architecture. The initial idea was to build a collective farm house but the idea was never implemented. The building looks pretty imposing with its natural and artificial stone plates, which were individually ordered from Russia.  

Other places covered in the tour include Riga Central Market and Black Market, which sells nothing but old scrapes of metals from automobiles and other machineries. You can find old mobile phones, old batteries and other old stuff. I do recommend the tour. It begins at noon in front of St Peter's Church. Look out for the lady with a yellow suitcase!

Hill of Crosses

Trakai Island Castle

The Baltic States: Vilnius

The next morning I flew to Vilnius, my first stop in the Baltics. As I waited for the bus outside the Oro Uostas Airport, my first impression of the airport was its similarity of the Colonial Revival styled post office in Flushing Queens New York. - symmetrical principal facade with central entrance, and multi-paned window sash on both sides. After a 45 minute bus ride, and a short walk from the main train station, I arrived at my hostel hungry, tired and cold. My meal for the night was a McChicken from McDonald.

I decided to go Trakai Island Castle the next day. You can catch a bus from the Main Bus Station in Vilnius, and it takes a little more than an hour to reach town, which historically occupied by Karaites till today. A small community, the Karaites have preserved their language and culture in Trakai since their settlement back in the 14th century. Here the houses are distinguished from the three windows to the street side - one for God, one for the family and one for the Grand Duke Vytautas. The walk from the bus station to the castle probably takes less than half hour and the walk can be pleasant if you take your time. 

Situated on an island in the middle of a lake, I can see the picturesque castle from a wooden bridge heading towards its main entrance. The castle was built in several stages, and it was also severely damaged throughout the years, so I am not surprised to see the distinctive dull grey stones in the bottom half of the castle to the glowing red bricks at the top.

Hill of Crosses is another interesting place in Lithuania. Take a bus to Siauliai, and another to Joniskis but make sure you remind the driver to let you off at “Kryžių kalna," otherwise chances are you might missed it. I did. Follow the sign down the road and after a mile, you'll see the Hill of Crosses from a distance. For over the centuries now, the hill is covered with crosses and carvings as well as thousands of effigies and rosaries. Pretty small but it is an amazing sacred place of pilgrimage that is totally out exposed to mother nature. Make sure you leave early cause it takes more than 3 hours to get there. 

I did not spend too much time in Vilnius. Having said that, it was partially due to weather. It rained all day the day I decided to explore the city. I had to duck in and out trying to keep myself dry in between sights. There are over 60 churches and cathedrals in Vilnius, and a few stand out. Gate of Dawn is part of the defensive fortifications built between 1503 and 1522, housed an icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of Mercy in its chapel. The Church of Casimir is the first Baroque church built by the Jesuits, and it has gone through many phases from wars and fires in the 18th and 19th centuries. The facade is beautifully decorated with fine finishes and its rosy color exterior makes the church visible from many parts of the city. At night spotlights beam at the church makes it a memorable picture for any tourists that come to visit the city. Saint Ann Church is impressive with its elaborate facade. I found the church as I made a wrong turn one night out in the rain; bricks used to build the facade gave the church an old feel, and as raindrops fell from the sky it gave me this eerie feeling coming from a horror movie. Later I found out that different types of clay bricks were used to build the facade.

The Vilnius Cathedral and its bell tower in the Cathedral Square are the most impressive of them all. This is the most lively location in the city. A huge Christmas tree is erected in the square and as the Holiday Seasons approaches, temporary stalls are being set up for the holiday shoppers. The facade of the Cathedral is adorned with sculptures of evangelists from the past. Inside its crypts and catacombs are buried with famous people from Lithuanian and Polish past.

Colmar

Colmar is situated along the Alsatian Wine Route, and it is the third largest commune of the Alsace region in north-east France. It is considers to be the "capital of Alsatian wine" and the city is well-known for its well preserved old town and numerous architectural landmarks.

Thank you my friends for taking me there (you know who you are). Without you guys I would probably not have the opportunity to visit these places all in one day! 

Riquewihr

Riquewihr is still surrounded by its medieval fortifications today. A popular tourist destination for its historical architecture,  Riquewihr is also known for its Riesling and other great wines produced in the area.

Eguisheim

Eguisheim is part of the Alsace wine route which produces high quality Alsace wine, and voted one of the most beautiful villages in France since 2003.

One Year Later

It is exactly one year ago that I was in Zurich. I vividly remember the time when a very good friend of mine was battling the big C disease. Today, he is in excellent health. "Herman I never thought I would live to see this day." Kelvin said. He is a great cook. My week long stay in Zurich was filled with good food and wine. I had delicious Chinese steamboat one night and Thai red curry the next; clay pot rice to fried noodle; bird's nest soup to roast pork, Swiss-style. It was like home away from home, and I am glad I went back to visit him again. 

Basel is known as the city of three countries, Switzerland, Germany and France. Bjorn and Toy live there, and I got the chance to visit them this time.  They took me to medieval villages in France, and our first stop was Eguisheim, voted one of the most beautiful villages in France and part of the Alsace wine route. Although Christmas was just round the corner, the village was quiet and tranquil. Historic half-timbered houses, tiny balconies and pointed rooftops are some of the distinctive characteristics in this tiny village of less than 2,000 inhabitants. "Come in Spring or Summer! Flowers are in full bloom and it is very beautiful!" Toy said with excitement. I can only imagine what it would be like when weather gets warmer. Our next stop was to Riquewihr, another medieval village along the Alsace wine route. As we walked through the village, I saw that the village is fortified by a wall with the towering Dolder Tower leading us to the main street. It was packed with people, and full of festivities. Decorative lights and Christmas ornaments were displayed at almost every windows and doors of households and small business owners. Our last stop was Colmar, the wine capital in Alsace. Colmar is the birthplace of Auguste Bartholdi, the French sculptor best known for designing the Statue of Liberty in New York. As daylight descended in the Alsace region, led lights sparkled in white, blue and red that one would associate with Christmas celebration. "It's so tacky and cheap, unlike the scene in Spring Summer where each houses is decorated with assortment of plants with different colored flowers. Come back and you will see the difference." Bjorn insisted. I promised I would, someday.

That night, we had a delicious dinner in a town in Germany which is less than 10 minutes drive back to my friends' apartment in Basel. How cool is that. 

Sunday morning, Bjorn was my personal guide in Basel. Basel shares its borders with France and Germany, which makes it one of the most attractive cities in Switzerland. The city is among the most important culture centers in the country. Yearly it hosts Art l Basel in the summer. Art I Basel is the world's premier fair for modern and contemporary art, and attracts major galleries and wealthy art collectors from around the world. We crossed the Rhine River to enjoy the city view and later took a boat ride back to the other side. The boat was run by the strong current in the river. Each time it just pulled the boat to either side of the river, pollution-free. Maybe some countries should learn from this. 

I ended my stay in Switzerland enjoying the lemon pound cake Toy got for me back at Kelvin's apartment in Zurich. Lemony sweet from great friends in a country I enjoy visiting time and again.