A cherry park in Helsinki

May 19, 2021May 19, 2021 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

One of the joys of Spring is being able to experience the cherry blossom. Although they came a bit late this Spring, it was such a beauty to enjoy. It was wonderful to be able to see them in full bloom here in Helsinki.

The Cherry Park which is located in the Roihuvuori district of Helsinki was opened in 2007. There are about 150 Cherry trees in the park which were planted with the help of the Japanese community in Helsinki. Of course, one of my dreams is to visit Japan during the Hanami season. But for now, I can enjoy this season without traveling far!

All photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainenphotography.com

Walking on ice

February 21, 2021February 21, 2021 by elainevitikainen ♥ 1 Comment

How else would I spend the late Sunday morning than having a lovely walk on the sea. It was a 6.9 kilometres stroll at +2C. Yes, we can indeed walk on water! Most of Europe has been enjoying the frozen waters. We also have the privilege to enjoy this beautiful winter in Helsinki. Walking on ice is very magical especially when a few months back, this was not at all possible. This is definitely one of the reasons why I love the change of seasons!

All photos by Ari Vitikainen @ arivitikainenphotography.com

Outdoor cafe, anyone?

February 5, 2021 by elainevitikainen ♥ 7 Comments

There is nothing like a cup of hot, creamy chocolate in this very cold day. You need a warm blanket and another warm blanket to enjoy it outside. But the experience is worth it. It’s not an everyday occurrence to be sat in -10C but felts like -20C, right? A cafe on the island of Suomenlinna is just the best place to have it. This place is so idyllic and you will like its pink exterior. The cakes were lovely too!

All photos by Ari Vitikainen @ https://www.arivitikainenphotography.com

The beautiful snow covered Helsinki

January 13, 2021 by elainevitikainen ♥ 4 Comments

It was a fun snowy day in Helsinki and an evening walk was all it takes to fully enjoy it. The Old Church Park (Vanha kirkkopuisto) is one of the best places to enjoy the scenic snow in the Helsinki centre. The tree silhouettes against the snow covered ground felt so magical as the old lamps glow their golden lights. The beautiful old buildings surrounding this park add to its elegance. The Old Church Park was a cemetery. There are 48 gravestones visible in the park dating back from 1790–1829.

Walking further is the beautiful Espanade Park which leads to the Senate Square. The snow covered steps of the Helsinki Cathedral was a fun place to just enjoy the scenery and take in the cold, fresh air. But in fact, it was not cold at all. At 0 degrees celsius, my coat felt like a warm sleeping bag.

All photos by Ari Vitikainen @ arivitikainenphotography.com

Finally, snow!

January 4, 2021 by elainevitikainen ♥ 2 Comments

The weather did not cooperate as I wanted to during the holidays. Darkness and rain was all it gave. There was anticipation of snow during Christmas which never arrived. But alas! 2020 ended. The new year came. And on the third day, snow appeared. It snowed beautifully, covering the city with its shine and glitter. A feeling of freshness and hope came along with it. The darkness turned into a beautiful Helsinki!

All photos by https://www.arivitikainenphotography.com

Christmas COVID style

December 25, 2020December 25, 2020 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This Christmas season, it was inevitable to spend it following the COVID recommendation. Although, there were still unavoidable situations like the crowded shops ( we need to get food!), in general, downtown Helsinki was strangely quiet. The city is obviously lacking some tourists as seen during our evening stroll on the 23rd. It actually feels empty.

However, the Grand Noel afternoon tea at the Kämp Braserrie is not to be missed. Additional Christmas flavours are added to spice up the Christmas spirit. The obvious addition is the gingerbread macaron.

One of the Christmas traditions in Finland is to visit the cemetary on Christmas eve. Hietaniemi cemetary is located 650 meters from our flat. Many famous Finns are buried here since the 1820s. Here, I’m standing where people can light candles for those who were buried in other places. We also visited the graves of past Finnish presidents.

One fun thing I did this Christmas time was to open a Japan crate. My first time ever! I got Julian from the Animal Crossing. It was lots of fun! Greetings too from Emiko who lives on Mochi Island. Please come and visit!

Here is also an illustrated recipe of Joulutorttu. Joulutorttu is a Finnish Christmas pastry made from puff pastry in the shape of a star, filled with prune jam and dusted with icing sugar.

Have a Happy Christmas to all!

All photos (except my illustrations and Emiko on Animal Crossing) by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainenphotography.com

Golden Helsinki

October 15, 2020 by elainevitikainen ♥ 2 Comments

Autumn is my favourite season. Everywhere in Helsinki seems to be framed by this beautiful Autumn colours and the lovely golden backdrop. Helsinki is even more beautiful in Autumn and this year has been an endless supply of warm and sunshine.

One of the best places to see the Autumn colours is at the Hesperia Park. This park never ceases to amaze me and gives so much hope for the coming darkness.

All photos by Ari Vitikainen @http://arivitikainenphotography.com

Suomenlinna

June 21, 2020June 21, 2020 by elainevitikainen ♥ 2 Comments

EB66C834-E464-4A8B-A9F3-D57605FCC354

Suomenlinna is a popular island destination about 4 kilometres away from the Helsinki city centre. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and very popular among locals and tourists. It is a beautiful place to soak in the warm sunlight and breathe in fresh air. Personally, I just love to sit by the shore to watch the gentle waves rolling in.

I’ve been to Suomenlinna many times before but it was my first time to visit when it is covered in Bunias orientalis (Ukonpalko in Finnish). It is such an amazing sight in combination with the blue colours of the sea and sky. So beautiful! It is something not to be missed in June of each year.

All photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainenphotography.com.

Tea moment in Helsinki

June 20, 2020June 20, 2020 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

If you fancy an afternoon tea in Helsinki, I 100% recommend to head over to Brasserie Kämp along Pohjoisesplanadi Street. You won’t regret it, I promise. It will be a lovely afternoon spent in a beautiful place. You will have a choice between the Classic Afternoon tea and the Grand Afternoon tea. Take the latter as the lobster and caviar are a must to complete the setting. There are 13 tea selection. I prefer the Jasmine spiced green tea from Japan with its fresh taste and deep aroma.

All photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainenphotography.com

Vanhankaupunginkoski and Tullisaari

June 13, 2020 by elainevitikainen ♥ 2 Comments

EC8858ED-0E8C-4A96-8B83-4A6B27AD4486 The times of COVID-19 opened up possibilities to visit the outskirts of Helsinki. Why we haven’t done this before, I don’t know. But the travel restrictions surely played a main role. Although these places are some drive away from my Kamppi neighborhood, it was worth the visit, especially to see 100 year old trees.

Vanhankaupunginkoski is a riverside nature reserve with waterfalls. It is a popular place for walking, picnicking, fishing and birdwatching. The breeze created by the waterfalls was such a refreshing treat on this warm afternoon.

Tullisaari is located at the southeastern part of Helsinki. I love this peaceful island with its beautiful walk path and a lovely picnic area facing the sea.

93A635E9-047B-4AA3-8732-EF2597DE199E