After we left Helsinki we drove for about an hour into the surrounding countryside. It was really picturesque - lots of tall, dark green trees, and wide green pastures and crops, with cottages dotted here and there, all set on gentle hills.
Our destination was Porvoo, a very charming medieval town set along a river that feeds into the Baltic Sea. Apparently Porvoo is Finland’s second oldest city. It was market day so everyone browsed among the market stalls and little shops, and also enjoyed a coffee at one of the cafes. I must admit I also indulged in the lightest, crunchiest, tastiest Danish pastry I have ever had. It was only small but its lemon cream filling was to die for. Yum!
I thought I had pretty well walked off the calories from that one pastry by managing walking over very rough cobblestones as I explored the village, but I did not count on lunch . . . that was my undoing.
After an hour in the town we all put on our coats and hats and piled into a launch for a half hour’s ride up the river to a very stately-looking riverside mansion for lunch. What a treat that was. I photographed the dessert and the lovely reception room where we had our meal. Despite the calories, I was so glad to have a chance to taste Finnish food. It was delicious! And the service was excellent.
One fact that was of interest as we sailed along the ever-widening, very scenic river was all these ‘dry docks’ - wide pathways with a ridge on the side of the river - for people to store their boats. This was because the river completely freezes over in winter, as does the Baltic Sea, apparently. Boats would be crushed by the water if they were allowed to remain in there as winter approaches. I must admit I had never before thought of this practical aspect of living in such a cold country.
I left Finland very reluctantly. I only wished I could have seen more. That is the downside of shore excursions. They give you a taste for somewhere and of course you then want to see more, hear more stories, try more food . . .
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| View of Porvoo from the bridge entering the town. |
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| View from the bridge looking in the opposite direction. |
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| The old bridge. |
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| The small market in the town square. |
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| Looking at the town square from the other end. |
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| One of the houses in the town. |
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| Some of the boats along the river. |
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| A small villa along the river. |
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| A lone yachtsman heading out towards the sea. |
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| Entering the mansion where we had our luncheon. |
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| Our luncheon. |
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| Our decadent dessert. The golden part was a passionfruit flavoured soft gel. |
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