Day 8 - Exploring a Finnish Sea Fortress
July 1, 2019 | EnsTour Blogger
Today, we headed out to the picturesque fortress island of Suomenlinna, situated on six islands in the middle of Helsinki harbor. Constructed in the mid-18th century to guard Helsinki against the Russian military, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most popular summer picnicking destinations in Finland.
The morning began with another continental breakfast and sandwich assembly line in the hostel, before we walked down to the market square to board the ferry. As we cut through the calm waters of the bay, we passed numerous outcroppings of rock and pine trees before disembarking on the Suomenlinna pier. We headed along the dusty paths up to Suomenlinna Church, a neoclassical domed structure perched on a grassy knoll. Bob commented that it had originally been constructed as a Russian Orthodox church, a religious tradition that only allows a cappella singing in church, so the swooping domed architecture was perfect for choral singing. After a brief sound check - and the choir's sound was indeed glorious! - we launched into a half hour program for an extremely receptive audience. They included the families of Cayden, Zia, and Sydney, who have been shadowing the tour; Karim Baer, our executive director, who is joining us for a week to experience a PEBCC tour in action; and Ecco/Ancora singer Mia and family, who will be singing at the Laulupidu with a choir of Estonian expatriates.
Particular highlights of the concert included Kiera and Emma's haunting solo in "Caravan," which describes the experiences of Kiera's great-grandmother fleeing Hungary at the end of the Second World War; two works by Pekka Kostiainen, which were received with knowing glances by this Finnish audience; and of course, the joyful "Let the River Run."
After the concert, we explored the natural beauty of the island for a few hours, taking in breathtaking views of Helsinki, the surrounding forests and bay, and the beautiful meadows. We then took the ferry back to the mainland, where we enjoyed some time for shopping at the crafts stalls of the market square and the Moomin shop (Moomin is a Finnish cartoon sensation featuring a family of friendly hippopatami). A group of adventurous singers enjoyed sharing a bag of fried anchovies and garlic sauce, a Finnish staple! After a delicious dinner at a Chinese restaurant buffet (the red bean sesame balls were a huge hit), we enjoyed a quiet evening in the hostel before an early lights out.
