Travelog for: lucky-ducky

Well here I am.  I'm not that young and have been in a basket under a bed for a very long time and it feels pretty good to get out.  I wanna go places -- air, sea and land -- even underground and I'm quite used to the dark now.

Today after I surfaced from under the bed I got to go downtown for a freedom days celebration.

There was a street fair downtown and the streets were all closed.  I didn't get to go on any of the rides but there was lots of food about.

I also got to sit at one of the booths for awhile.  I helped out with the Blue Star Mothers who were raising money to help the troops.  I thought it was good to help them because I have a friend 'Coney' who is in the army in Iraq right now.

When we were leaving I saw a tractor and wagon with lots of hay but I didn't get to ride it either.  My friend Hale was with me and he said it was too hot for him.

I'm looking forward to lots of travels and I guess I was supposed to get dropped off today to go on my own but it didn't happen.  Oh well -- maybe next time.  I'm really eager after a couple years in the basket under the bed.

I really am a lucky-ducky.  When my friend said she was going to leave me downtown and turn me loose I was a little worried about how I would make do but she changed her mind and brought me home.  I got lucky again when we got a message from Finland inviting me to visit.  I am just SOOOOOOOO excited and I am packed and ready to go.  I'll let you know what its like when I get there.  I'm going to cross an ocean -- whoo-hoo!!

Hello everybody!

I arrived safely to this smallish (47 000 inhabitants) town in south coast of Finland on Wednesday. I was immediately warmly welcomed by the hostfamily, especially their youngest one 

The host-mom cut my travel-envelope open with huge scissors! I'm glad she was very carefull and didn't cut my lovely hair...

I have been able to rest and recover from the jetlag these past few days. Tomorrow the hostfamily plans on taking me sightseeing! They say that they wish for a nice, sunny weather - but hey, I'm a duck, I don't mind rain! 

The host-mom will take many many photos I'm sure - she has been photographing since she was 4 years old and she said she just can't stop 

Ps. This is my first hosfamily and already I have completed one mission: cross an ocean! Unfortunately there's no picture of me doing it and I didn't see much but anyway !

It's still raining heavily so my hostfamily decided to take some indoor photos instead. As you can see, I have many friends here so days indoors won't be dull! One of the Twin Bunnies behind me might be a Toy Voyager in the future!

I also have a bed of my own (made by a great-grandpa)! Two of the girls sleep in the same room - we've had secret discussions in the night when the parents think we're all asleep

We'll see about the outdoor activities again tomorrow. My host-mom said she'll take me sightseeing to Helsinki (the capital of this country) after 3 weeks!

Ah finally! I went sightseeing with my host-mom. The sun was shining and camera was ready to shoot.

I got an overall picture of the town, saw the church and some other places in the old Town. I heard we'll go and do more sightseeing another day. This was plenty for one day even though I didn't have to walk anywhere 

These were taken on a hill called Linnamäki ("castle hill"). There used to be a fortress hundreds of years ago. Quite astonishing view don't you think! 

These are the main churches in Porvoo. The red one is called  The Small Church and it was dedicated in 1740.

The one that is covered is the Porvoo Cathedral which gained its present form at the end of the 15th century. It's now being renovated because there was an arson in May 2006. That wasn't the first time it was burnt, it has been burnt/destroyed in 1571, 1590 and 1708 - but those were war times.

These places are around the church & cathedral.

The first one, the pink house is called The Poets' House. The city rents it for free to an artist (painter, sculptor, whatever) for a few years at a time. I'm sitting on the street sign next to it!

The narrow street goes right next to it. Showing some houses of the Old Town.

In the third photo I'm sitting on a statue dedicated to Albert Edelfelt (1854-1905), a famous painter from nearby. One of his famous paintigs was painted in the same spot I stood on the Linnamäki hill!

Me and flag of Finland! I'm bowing my head for respect.

That yellow building is The Bishop's House. This house was completed in 1927 and the bishop of the Swedish-speaking diocese now resides there.

In the last photo I'm admiring the old houses of Old Porvoo by sitting on the roof of my host's car.

Here i am, on a "lookout tower" getting dizzy... It on another hill close to the first one I visited. This one was also full of trees and paths. It was so green! And this place is so flat - excluding these hills - see how far I could see in the second photo! In that one photo I'm posing, I'm no way near falling.

Those red shore houses are the most wellknown sight of this town. They used to be ware houses (and some still are).  They were painted red in the late 18th century to honour the visit of King Gustav III. They wanted the houses along his trip to look pretty. The red ochre also helped protect the logs from wind and sun damage. Of course they've been repainted along the years...

By the Porvoo River is also that flower arrangement that show's the "birth year" of the town and the present year. They've been doing that for years!

That little bridge is the oldest in this town (and Linnamäki hill is behind it). The newer ones you are be able to see in the pictures before it.

My second sightseeing in Porvoo

I went to the Old Town with my host-mom and her youngest who sat in a pram (I got to ride with her). We took with us a travelling toy (but not, at least not yet, a ToyVoyager) called Watson, who is a green bunny with a wide smile. He was cool. He got to ride with me and the babygirl too (but I think the girl loved me best!).

In the first picture I'm sitting under a cannon from the Second World War with Watson. The cannon is right next to the old bridge where I was sightseeing last time. All the tourist buses stop next to it.

In the second photo we're walking towards the Old Town Hall (1764) where used to happen all sorts of important stuff I bet. It's nowadays a Historical Museum, showing some of the clothes, coins, toys, jewelry, vehicles from the very old days (pre-historic period and Middle Ages).

The rest of the photos are taken in the alleys of the Old Town. I saw the "old-style" horse wagon which is, I'm told, a nice, environmental friendly and calm way to see the sights. The crown chair is in front of one toy store like is the window with Moomin. The toy store sells toys that are not made of plastic (like tin cars, wooden toys, role play clothes... and postcards ). The Moomin window changes it appearance according to the times of year; the house and characters are the same but during Christmas they have christmas motif, easter motif on easter etc.).

We continued our sightseeing outside the Old Town, by the Porvoo River. Here you can see a bit of the newer part and the very newest houses (first and last photo) which have obviously been inpired by the old shore houses. It was a nice, sunny weather  We ended our tour in a nearby play ground so that the baby could also have some baby fun (and not only sit in the pram). It did rain when we got back home!

We went to Helsinki!

We took Watson with us too.

We were lucky (ahemmm... must be me...) as we saw one of the tourist bikes on the road when we left. We got to go to the busstation very quickly with that  The red tourist bikes are free for anyone to use. Unfortunately people (we blame the locals) don't bring them back to the place they took them from. They're now all over the town and tourists won't find them. Unless they're lucky like me 

On our way through the Old Town we saw national dance on the street. My host thought they were Finns, but they spoke German! We don't know what it was all about but we watchwed it for a while before heading to the station.

I went on a train!

We took a small ride on a train  Only to the next stop and back - but I was on a train! The photos are from the Helsinki Main Railway Station and it's surroundings.

The history of the Finnish railways (dating back to 1862) can be read in short here:

http://www.vrgroup.fi/index/VRGroup/Grouppresentation/HistoryofVRGroup.html

Here I am at the Senate's Square in Helsinki. That huge white building is the Cathedral (Helsingin Tuomiokirkko). They built it for over 20 years and it finally was ready for use in 1852. It's so pretty... There are 12 zinck statues on the roof, showing the 12 Apostoles. The statue down on the square is Alexander II, former ruler of Russia (and Finland, when this country wasn't yet independent). Don't I look handsome too 

There's a site with more photos and info, yet only in Finnish (English version under maintenance):
http://www.senaatintori.fi/tekstisivu8.htm

More sights in Helsinki, the home of about 500 000 people! There's the Uspenski Cathedral (orthtodox), built in 6 years (!!!) and ready to use in 1868. That low building on the left is called the "main guard". My host was ashamed to admit she didn't know what they were guarding exactly

The second picture: that light-yellow building is the President's Castle. There she meets important people and holds the Independence Day Ball. The building was renovated to suit the Presidential need in 1921. before that it had been a place to stay for the Russian rulers and even a war hospital in the World War I.

The third photo shows some water and one of the cruisers. Oh I wish I could go on one... We were next to a huge market place but didn't get any pics because it was so close (you would've seen only orange tents where people sold things.

Here we are at the Esplanadi "park". We saw lotsa different performers! There was music, Superman on a rope, cat lady, white statue woman... There was so much to see I and Watson didn't settle for a minute! We wanted to see everything! No time for posing!