08 novembre 2005
trip to Helsinki
I went to Helsinki with Kristof ( a German guy I didn't know before), Manou and Béatrice.
On the coach to go to the harbour, they were a little bit tired because
of their crazy corridor "party", the day before. The had a really good
time and went to bed at 5 am.
In the bus, I learnt that the systems of points is available for
every exchange students in Uppsala. And what is the "Purity Test".
Our
coach was called "Cindirella" ,and our ferry "Gabriella".
The company, VIKING LINE, was huge : in the ferry, there were some
duty-free shops, at least two big restaurants (a Barbecue, a Buffet), a
pub, a big bar, a disco, cabins everywhere. We spent some good time on
the boat.
In helsinki, we didn't visit a lot of buildings, because of the time and because it was monday, and everything's closed on monday. First, we had a quick glance on the biggest Orthodox Chucrch in Western Europe, very impressive . Then, we had a walk along the harbour, went to the Information POint, to get some information ( indeed). And then, kept walking in the city : StJohn Cathedral, breakfast in a café, walking along the Bulvardi and discovered the city : the huge Cathedral ( which is built as the White House : completely White, a lot of Greek influences : completely white,columns, frontispices, domes,etc..) . Inside, it's very special : just benches, white walls, no paintings , no sculptures (except one of Luther, and one of Melanchton), very lutherian. We visited the library of the University, which is wonderful, great , very beautiful. I have to add, so far, that the Parliament, this Cathedral and the University are located on the same square, which seems so unbelievable to me. We passed through the Palace of Estates, the Natural Sciences museum, and some nice churches. Helsinki was founded in the 18th century, that's why the urban scheme is very strict, very geometrical : there is no Historical city Centre from the Middle Ages, which is quite disturbing for Europeans. Moreover, a common trend coudl be noticed in all the city : the intention of creating a Historical Past : a lot of buildings show wills of copying Medieval Architecture, such as Villoet-le-Duc in France. MOst of the buildings were built in the 18th and the 19th. But, I didn't see any coherence between the neighborhoods aand in the streets : here a 19th-century building, here a modern building, there a little church.
Afterwords, looking for a restaurant : a pizzeria. How weird is it to pay in euros again ! (Finnish euros are very beautiful). It is 2 pm and it's getting darker and darker !! The Finnish "Systembolaget" is really expensive. Christoff wanted to buy some alcohol. He won't. Then, we went to a wonderful church, "built" in the rock. And time was over and we had to go back to the ferry.
We went to the buffet we booked for, we ate a lot and we were completely full and tired for the rest of the evening... we quickly made fun about the old and the drunk people who tried to danse , and we went back to our cabins.