White hats

Today, the official programme was confined to lunchtime through mid afternoon. We were invited on a short cruise around the Helsinki harbour and archipelago, which was very interesting indeed. Lunch was served on board - a tasty salmon soup. The white hats are given to students when they graduate from high school, and they are traditionally worn by Finns on high days and holidays such as 1 May, or an event such as today's. The hard conferment hat stayed in its box today.

First thing in the morning, we had started the process of revisiting some haunts, taking a walk down to the market and then having coffee in Story in the market hall, before coming back through one of the Eira parks.

After the cruise, we walked up to Glass Palace and I got a photograph of Mannerheim's statue for hazelh's project. The one in the collage is not the one I have sent her for the project blip. It's just a phone snap. As we wandered up to Glass Palace, we passed through the market selling mainly tourist tat, but my eyes lit upon some attractive jewellery. I said it was a bit out of my price range, and the man said that I could have it in return for my partner's T shirt (see the extra....). Anyway, it turned out that the man had lived in Cornwall for five years earlier in his life. Life is full of coincidences, especially since Kannas (see dinner below) was selling Proper Job from St Austell Brewery (see also Mr A in an earlier life....).

Finally, early evening we headed to Kannas for dinner (a veritable meat feast) via a drink at the Kiosk down near the Hietenlahden market hall. The Kiosk was selling tacos which smelt delicious. It would have been tempting just to stay put.

As ever, I took plenty of photographs of Helsinki....I think if I can find time, I need to do a Flickr album to put everything together (especially if I get some official photographs of the ceremony which I am entitled to use).