Into the unknown... hi Steemit! Great to be here in the early days. Helsinki in Summer - my intro post, hope you like it.

Hi new Steemates. I am totally new to this platform but find the possibilities pretty exciting. I'm a writer, mother of two tiny tots, live in Australia and hope to learn more about Steemit as I go along. Feedback welcome! Hope you like my piece on Helsinki. --Erin

When I boarded my flight to Helsinki from London’s Heathrow airport, I wasn’t thinking about clear Nordic lakes or fresh green forests. I wasn’t even thinking about my sister, whose wedding I was about to attend. All I could focus on was one thing: the sleep mask. I had to get one. I was about to touch down in a city roughly six degrees below the Arctic Circle and I knew that at this time of year, that meant a whole lot of sunlight.

The Finnish capital is buzzing in summer. Not surprising, when you consider that the average temperature in January is –3.1ºC and that Finns refer to winter as The Darkness. Traditionally, summer was a time when Helsinki residents retreated to their lakeside summer cabins but today an increasing number of young professionals are choosing to stay in the city—and that’s what gives it the cool vibe. You won’t just find tourists soaking up the rays at the outdoor bars; you’ll find plenty of Finns as well.

The city is built on a peninsula, jutting southward into the Baltic Sea. The central Market Square (Kauppatori) takes over the cobbled stones between the main shopping street (Esplanadi) and the harbour, and is a good place to begin when exploring the city. Sure, it can be touristy, but the market still offers a daily crop of fresh fruit and vegetables. If you’re lucky, you’ll see the quiet, unassuming Potato Man. He comes from a small island with a population of ten, to the east of the city, and only makes it in to Helsinki when the ice has melted. He speaks no Finnish—only Swedish—and sells his organic ‘new’ potatoes from the prow of his boat. They’re not sold by weight, but by how many he can squeeze into his little wooden measuring crate with his earthy farmer’s hands.

Officially, Finland is bilingual. Every sign is in Finnish and Swedish, although which language comes first depends on your location. The further you travel west, the closer you get to Sweden and the more signs give the Swedish version first.

From the Market Square where you’ve bought your potatoes, you’ll be able to see Helsinki’s two big churches: Helsinki Cathedral and the Uspenski Orthodox Cathedral.

Both are stunning, but if you’re looking for something a little different in your churches these days, visit the famous Temppeliaukio Church (also known as the Rock Church). The architecturally designed building was quarried out of the natural bedrock, to stunning effect. It opened in 1969 and its exceptional acoustics make it a popular venue for concerts.

Another architectural masterpiece—and there are plenty of them in this modern design capital—is the busy railway station. Four solemn-faced, muscular Nordic giants guard the main entrance of the building, which was designed by Eliel Saarinen in 1905. As soon as I saw those four giants, I was back watching Lord of the Rings—or rather The Fellowship of the Ring, where the tiny hobbits paddle past the guardians of Gondor, towering above the river like sentinels. Suddenly I remembered something I’d read about J.R.R. Tolkien: he mastered the Finnish language so that he could study the Finnish national epic, The Kalevala, which is a mythical journey of the soul and the spirit. Saarinen… Sauron… Saruman… there aren’t too many train stations like this in the world.

In terms of architecture and design, Helsinki has enough must-see places to keep you busy for weeks. Finlandia Hall, the city’s concert and congress complex, is a stunning example of modernism by Finland’s most famous architect, Alvar Aalto (1898–1976). It overlooks Töölö Bay and is a short walk from the Kiasma, the equally impressive Museum of Modern Art.

The Design Museum is definitely worth a visit, with its permanent exhibition of Finnish design classics shown in tandem with interesting temporary exhibitions. This year there is the must-see retrospective of designer Eero Aarnio.

While we’re talking design, Marimekko and Iittala are probably two of the country’s most famous design exports and if you’re going to do any shopping in Finland, this is what you want to snap up. Both shops are found on Esplanadi, although for a bigger range of Iittala you’re best to take the short ride out of town on Tram 6 to the Arabia Factory (now owned by The Iittala Group). For anyone who has a passion for Scandinavian designer homewares, this is the centre of the universe. You can buy anything from Timo Sarpaneva’s classic 1960 cast iron pot to Anu Penttinen’s Vitriini boxes. Be warned: you might need to buy another suitcase. Then again, the very helpful staff will help you arrange to ship everything home direct from the store.

If you’d rather pick up some pre-loved iconic Finnish homewares, don’t leave Helsinki without a visit to Wanha Kaarle at Kaarlenkatu 12. The shop is run by Claudio, a chatty Brazilian. (How does a Brazilian end up in Finland? Claudio would be more than happy to tell you.) He stocks all sorts of Finnish design items from the 1950s to the 1970s, including lights, glassware and kitchenware. The store is bursting with rare finds, so take your time.

Helsinki is a compact city, and most things you’ll want to see will be within easy walking distance. That said, shopping and sightseeing can be thirsty work. The city has cafes and bars tucked away everywhere, but the best people-watching place to take a break is along the Esplanadi. The street runs alongside the central park area, and is lined with terraces (al fresco restaurants to the Finns). It’s best to turn up early if you can—those sunny outdoor seats don’t stay empty for long. For something a little different, you could try the Kappeli Restaurant at the harbour end of the Esplanadi. While it also has a large sunny terrace, the interior of the Art Nouveau building is spacious, cool and elegant. Another reason to visit Kappeli is for its pulla (traditional Finnish sweet bun). After sampling many of these little delights in the name of research, I can say with certainty that Kappeli has the best ones in town.

Whatever you do in Helsinki, there are some sights and experiences you really shouldn’t miss: the breathtaking monument to the famous Finnish composer Jean Sibelius; the fresh, sweet berries in the market square and the fresh fish at Hakaniemi Market Hall; a day trip to Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress; Design Forum Finland (which sells the work of young Finnish designers); the berry ice cream at the ice cream stands all over the city; Bronda restaurant… and, of course, you can’t leave Helsinki without having a sauna. The good news is that with roughly twenty hours of brilliant sunlight each day, you’ll certainly have time to squeeze everything in. Just don’t forget that sleep mask.