Helsinki

2 August- had a short bus tour this morning. Was a good way to see parts of Helsinki would not have got to. Saw 3 churches- 2 we saw yesterday and the 3rd is a modern one built into a rock. Interesting idea. Also saw a Sibelius monument- looks like organ pipes- impressive, the Olympic village from when the games were held here, basically some suburbs which was interesting as you get to see where some of the wealthier Heksinkians live. Some rather huge places. Some of the area where the docks are is being redeveloped into apartments. Went into the Russian Orthodox Church after the tour as was closed yesterday- very different to the Lutheran one unsurprisingly. Wandered around Market Square and bought some lovely fruit to eat. Was a brilliant sunny day- like a spring day in Sydney. Did a bit of shopping. Their summer sales  are on and we get the VAT refund. Scary how expensive Sydney must be when prices here do not look much more if any expensive than home- applies to both food and clothing. Very easy place to wander around. Of course we got interested as to why Finland was never part of the USSR. Probably don't know exact answer but did discover was part of Sweden at one stage, then Russia. It became independent in the 1920's like the Baltic States. Russia did try to invade in 1940 but sounds like the Finnish are scary fighters and the place is just so inhospitable weather wise that too makes it a bit hard to invade. They defeated the Russians and then had some strange cooperation arrangement with the Germans in WW2. Now have some sort of cooperative trading arrangements with Russia but is a Western nation. Very different place. SA was told about ice fishing yesterday- he found a fishing shop - in a homing pigeon sort of way he finds these shops. He is coming alone if he plans on huddling over a hole in the ice in winter here! Think maybe a step too far for him even.