Arriving in Helsinki, we again boarded a Hop on Hop off bus, right at the port. However, we discovered that this was not really the best way to see Helsinki and the tickets were pretty expensive (20 euros each, I think). It would have been better to take a cab to the first place we wanted to see - Temppeliaukio Church or the Church in the Rock - and then walk back to town to visit the Esplanade, the churches, and so forth (see Experience of "Walk around Helsinki"). Then, when you are tired you can take a cab back to the ship. I'm pretty sure this would be less expensive and a lot more convenient than the HOHO bus.
During the Viking times, the Finns were not Vikings, but were disorganized tribes of Finna, Tavastians, and the Karelians by the 11th century. Finland was a part of Sweden for over 700 years until 1809 when the Russian Tsar won it as reparations in Sweden’s defeat. During the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Finns tried for independence. Today the Finns speak Finnish or Swedish. The first woman President was elected for her second 6-year term in 2006.
The Finns have a passion for the outdoors and are environmentally aware. Their diet is influenced by this, including wild game and fish, berries including cloudberries, excellent rye and sweet-sour breads.
The population of Helsinki is 1.2 million. Helsinki is also called "The Daughter of the Baltic" or "The White City of the North".