WanderLex

Tag: Scandinavia

  • Onward to Finland, Hei Helsinki

    Onward to Finland, Hei Helsinki

    I had the chance to visit Helsinki for a day before boarding the ferry bound for Tallinn, Estonia. That’s a very limited time to catch a glimpse of Santa Claus’ homeland famed for Northern Lights and Lapland wilderness. Finland is also known for its excellent education system, Angry Birds and the once mighty Nokia. I do hope to be back here to uncover more of this beautiful country.

    I took Finnair City Bus from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport to the city centre. And right next to the bus terminal is Helsinki Central Railway Station which has some resemblances to the old Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. A quick search on Google and it’s said that the architect for Tanjong Pagar Railway Station drew his inspiration from Helsinki Railway Station. Ok, now that explains.

    Finnair City Bus

    Helsinki Central Railway Station

    Central Railway Station of Helsinki

    Right next to the station is Finnish National Theatre.

    Finnish National Theatre

    Helsinki Cathedral and Senate Square

    My first place of visit in Helsinki is none other than the Senate Square where the iconic Helsinki Cathedral (Tuomiokirkko) stands proudly. The imposing cathedral towers above its surroundings and can be seen from many places around the city. But I am more impressed with how the Finns managed to upkeep the chalk-white exterior. It is perched above a flight of stairs where the Finns sit around and watch the world goes by. So I did the same and have a nice chat with the locals before entering the Cathedral.

    Window reflection of Helsinki Cathedral

    Helsinki Cathedral of Finland

    Helsinki Cathedral Finland

    Tall pillars of Helsinki Cathedral

    The Cathedral has a simple, low key and spacious interior. And its super high ceiling is a sight to behold.

    Spacious interior of Helsinki Cathedral

    Chandeliers of Helsinki Cathedral

    Senate Square is one of the oldest parts of Helsinki is surrounded by buildings like the Government Palace and University of Helsinki. A nice-looking statue of Alexander II is at the square’s centre. The square looks to be quiet on a bright and lazy afternoon.

    Stairs in front of Helsinki Cathedral

    Alexander II statue at Senate Square

    Statues at Senate Square

    Around Senate Square

    Tram at Helsinki

    The Square and Helsinki Cathedral make such good looking pair, that they never fail to impress all day long.

    Senate Square and Helsinki Cathedral

    Senate Square and Helsinki Cathedral at night

    Splendid lunch at Savotta

    Savotta restaurant is known to serve delicious Finnish food. The restaurant’s building is located just across from Senate Square and along the cobblestone street of Aleksanterinkatu. The plain exterior looks to be a cover-up for its homely atmosphere with friendly staffs. The keyword in here is definitely rustic. I love the woody décor and tableware of Savotta. But most importantly is the food and it did not disappoint!

    Welcome sign of Savotta

    Savotta restaurant at Helsinki

    Rustic decor of Savotta Helsinki

    Menu of Savotta restaurant

    Soup at Savotta Helsinki

    Meal at Savotta Helsinki

    Bridge of Love and Uspenski Cathedral

    I made my way to Uspenski Cathedral after the satisfying lunch. There are a few bridges connecting the downtown area to Katajanokka district. The Bridge of Love is one of them and I can see various types of ‘named’ padlocks being attached to the bridge. It’s very similar to Pont de l’Archevêché in Paris. But unlike cities that banned this love locks craze, Helsinki actually welcomes this popular trend.

    Lightship Relandersgrund in Helsinki

    Bridge of Love Helsinki

    Bridge of Love in Helsinki

    Uspenski Cathedral has a very different look as compared to the whitish Helsinki Cathedral. The red Orthodox cathedral has more Russian influence with its golden onion dome. But I couldn’t get to see the interior as it was closed on that day. I probably should have check Uspenski Cathedral opening hours beforehand.

    Uspenski Cathedral Helsinki

    Buildings around Katajanokka area

    Building around Katajanokka

    Market Square and Esplanadi Park

    Market Square (Kauppatori) is an open-air market where the stalls here sell traditional Finnish food, clothing, handicrafts and souvenirs. I tried the reindeer meat from and it tasted very much like beef. The waterfront market is one of Helsinki tourist attractions but it wasn’t crowded during my visit. Here is also the place to board the ferry for Suomenlinna fortress.

    Bridge to Market Square in Helsinki

    Market Square in Helsinki

    Kauppatori in Helsinki

    Food Stall at Market Square Helsinki

    Esplanadi is a nice green park in the heart of the city right next to the market. I see people soaking the sun, reading, catching up or just chillax with a drink in hand. It seems like a popular hangout place for the locals.

    Mermaid statue Market Square Helsinki

    Mermaid statue at Market Square Helsinki

    Esplanadi park in Helsinki

    Pond Esplanadi park in Helsinki

    Perhaps the park is a good resting spot after retail therapy since the shopping district is just right across. The shops around have a good mix of international brands and those with ‘Made in Finland’ products. There is also the flagship Stockmann Department Store which it’s like Helsinki’s version of Harrods.

    Kluuvikatu street of Helsinki

    Three Smiths Statue Helsinki

    Currency seller at Helsinki

    The quiet street in the late evening is a nice change from the bustling ones in other European cities. And that’s when I realized how clean the streets are, kudos to the Finns.

    Market Square during blue hour

    Turtle Statue in Helsinki

    Helsinki Cathedral during blue hour

    My late dinner was at Chilli Fast Food known for Kebabs.

    Chilli Fast Food Helsinki

    Chilli Fast Food Kebab

    STAY: Hotel Arthur Helsinki review

    Hotel Arthur has a good central location which is near to Helsinki Cathedral and Helsinki Central Railway Station. Hence, it’s a great base for visiting the city centre since most places are within walking distance. In addition, the people at the reception are nice and friendly which is a plus. However, Hotel Arthur looks really old and dated. It is definitely in need of some upgrading. The basic room is good enough for a night stay but I probably will not return.

    Bedroom of Hotel Arthur Helsinki

    Bedroom Hotel Arthur Helsinki

    Bathroom of Hotel Arthur Helsinki

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    What are your thoughts about Helsinki? Leave a comment and share it with me.

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  • Preikestolen Pulpit Rock hike

    Preikestolen Pulpit Rock hike

    I woke up early the next morning overwhelmed with anticipation for the Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) hike. The walk from Best Western Havly Hotell to Fiskepiren Ferry Terminal took me around ten minutes. I bought the round trip tickets and boarded the Ferry from Stavanger to Tau. It was a comfortable forty minutes ride in the modern Ferry and I arrived at Tau soon after. I spotted the green bus with ‘Preikestolen’ signage waiting at the bus stop and hopped on. However, I understand that not all Preikestolen bus schedules lined up with the Ferry’s arrival timings so it’s best to check beforehand.

    Fiskepiren Ferry Terminal in Stavanger

    Onboard Stavanger-Tau Ferry

    Cars unloading at Tau Ferry Terminal

    Preikestolen green bus at Tau

    It’s very obvious when the bus arrives at the Preikestolen base where all passengers alighted. Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) trailhead is clearly marked right next to the carpark. Time to rock (pun intended)!

    Hut at Preikestolen bus stop

    Preikestolen trailhead sign

    Pulpit Rock map overview

    The hike up to Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock)

    The Preikestolen hike is less than four kilometres which take an estimated two hours to reach one way. I stopped to take pictures very often so it took me more than two hours for the way up. And there was still some snow and ice which made the hike somewhat more challenging. I would rate the hiking difficulty as moderate because a good part of the trail consists of rocky terrain which can be slippery and difficult to navigate at times. Stepping on an unstable rock will probably result with an undesirable sprained ankle.

    It’s not a walk in the park, so put on a sturdy pair of shoes or boots. Food and water are essential items to bring along too.

    Terrain of Preikestolen

    Terrain of Preikestolen

    Terrain of Preikestolen

    Terrain of Preikestolen

    Preikestolen base topview

    Terrain of Preikestolen

    Terrain of Preikestolen

    Terrain of Preikestolen

    After the initial steep and rocky ascend, the trail then rewards hikers with easier flat grounds as such.

    Flat grounds along Preikestolen hike

    Flat grounds along Preikestolen hike

    Flat grounds along Preikestolen hike

    But Rocky will be saying hi again thereafter and if you are lucky (unlucky) like me, snow and ice await too.

    Terrain of Pulpit Rock

    Terrain of Pulpit Rock

    Terrain of Pulpit Rock

    Terrain of Pulpit Rock

    Terrain of Pulpit Rock

    Terrain of Pulpit Rock

    Then there is the frozen lake of Tjodnane, which is the place for a nice cool dip during summer I believe.

    Frozen lake of Tjodnane to Preikestolen

    Frozen Tjodnane lake to Preikestolen

    Near Frozen Tjodnane lake to Preikestolen

    The trail is very well marked by a red ‘T’ (Tourist route?) pointing to Preikestolen along the way. Although some of the marks are being covered by snow, it’s easy to find another one nearby. And there is this Preikestolen map which shows you how much further to the top, like a progress chart.

    T-marked towards Preikestolen

    Progress map towards Preikestolen

    T-mark towards Preikestolen

    Direction sign towards Preikestolen

    T-mark to Preikestolen

    There was more snow nearer to the top and it slowed me down by quite a bit. But knowing that I am very near to my destination kept the motivation level on overdrive mode.

    Snowy terrain of Pulpit Rock

    Snowy terrain of Pulpit Rock

    Soon enough, I have a wonderful view of Lysefjord from the top down and it’s amazing.

    Lysefjord view from the top down

    Lysefjord view from the top down

    Hikers and the Lysefjord view

    I was delighted when I finally reached the infamous huge plateau that hangs 604 metres above Lysefjord. Preikestolen looks like a massive granite block with a somewhat flat surface which is so different from the surroundings. There was a Norwegian band recording their Music Video and they were inviting people to be the cheering crowds. Can anyone tell me the band’s name?

    Approaching Preikestolen

    Rock band MV at Preikestolen

    There are no safety barriers or railings at the edge so it’s possible to tumble down to the depths below, which is a plunge of 604 metres or 1982 feet. Thank goodness that Preikestolen deaths are uncommon but do not make silly attempts here to increase the statistics though! I don’t really have a fear of height but being at the edge unnerves me so I approached slowly and carefully. But soon enough, I was peeking over the edge and dangling my feet out while enjoying the view.

    Hikers at Preikestolen Pulpit Rock

    Peeking over the edge at Preikestolen

    The top down view from Pulpit Rock

    Lysefjord Cruise Ship

    Wanderlex at Preikestolen Pulpit Rock

    I wanted to capture the view from above so I continued to the higher ground. And my, Preikestolen looks stunning from up here. The dark clouds were kind enough to reveal some sunlight and blue sky for a while before covering up all over again. Oh well…the fast-changing Preikestolen weather. Anyway, I had my packed sandwiches and marvelled at the wonderful views for the longest time before leaving reluctantly.

    Hike to above Preikestolen

    Picture of Preikestolen from above

    Wanderlex and Preikestolen Pulpit Rock

    Preikestolen Pulpit Rock Norway

    The way down was much more difficult as there were many hikers going in the opposite direction. There were ‘human traffic jams’ every now and then at the narrower paths, rocky areas and the icy parts. Preikestolen is, after all, a very popular attraction and definitely worth the hassles. I would love to do the Kjerag hike in the near future. For that, I would probably opt to stay at Preikestolen Mountain Lodge. So for now, it’s mission accomplished and time to rest my tired feet.

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    What are your thoughts about Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock)? Leave a comment and share it with me.

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