An option on our return journey was a stop in Helsinki and, with a son named Finn, who could say no to the chance to see a country full of them? Helsinki was freezing and it poured rain but our accommodation was toasty and there were markets close by. We did a (warm and dry) bus trip around the city and learned about the Russian influence on the city’s  architecture. Basically all the boring buildings that look like government offices were designed by the Russians. All the cool stuff with elaborate shapes, materials and decorations were designed by the Finns. We also went to the Temppeliaukio Church (Rock Church) that was pretty cool. Riley was taken by the copper domed roof that is made of a 22km coil of copper…according to Riley, none of us can remember the exact length. I’d be keen to go back and spend a bit more time in Finland, especially in the Lapland region.

I’ve also included a rather risquè photo of Finn taken in a Nepalese restaurant. We were there for 20 minutes before we noticed the interesting interior design.