Helsinki is as beautiful as ever

We arrived in Helsinki today for the second leg of the wedding of a dear friend's son. The Englishman and I had some free time this evening, so we took the opportunity to wander around the centre of this familiar city to take in sights and see our old haunts. Unlike me, he's rarely here as we tend to take our holidays together either in the Åland Islands or Stockholm. So it was lovely to wander together in the place where we first met all those years ago.

Walking along the Esplanade Park towards the South Harbour where The Englishman's ship was moored in October 1980, I felt as if I'd stepped into a time warp. The city has changed so much, yet the sea air smelled the same; the imposing cathedral on Senate Square was equally majestic as it was all those years ago; even the Happy Days Cafe was still there, all be it in a third or fourth incarnation as the Theatre Restaurant. Still the building itself looked the same, with its glass ceiling and vast interior divided into bars, cafes and a restaurant.

Tomorrow is going to be a long day, so I will have to turn in and get some rest. Although it might be difficult to settle as it's still light here at 12 o'clock...