In Finland we did something a little different.  We took a drive into the countryside and visited a Finnish house.  Of course, it is mandatory for the bus driver to first take you on a short tour around the city.

And, what would a tour be without checking out at least one church?          This one is the Helsinki Cathedral.There was a great view of the square from the top of the church steps.                                            This is a great use of space.  It was the 10th of June when we visited Finland and all the lupins and other flowers were blooming.  It was a very pretty country drive. When we arrived in the village of Sipoo we first went to view the very old St. Sigrid’s church. Lupins, lupins, lupins blooming everywhere.  So very pretty.                  The countryside looked very much like home.Our host and hostess were very friendly and welcoming.                                            I liked the posted rules.

We were given refreshments and had time to relax and wander the property.                         This old car was a popular item to check out.For some reason which even our hostess could not figure out her husband decided it was necessary to buy an old rocket launcher.   Not your usual garden ornament.They even had their own small lake.  It really was a lovely spot.Back in Helsinki we wandered around the waterfront for awhile before the ship set sail again.The flight patterns of gulls can be quite comical.  It’s a wonder they don’t collide all the time.  Not my favourite bird by a long shot, but….they can look pretty against a nice blue sky.