Remember those giraffes in Helsinki?

More understandably I think, that same building had a statue of an elk outside it. (I’d forgotten it till I checked my photos again.)

My first glimpse of Helsinki Central Railway Station was from a distance. I had seen this clock tower on the way to the Sibelius Monument and thought, that looks deco, so resolved to photograph it on the way back:-

We wandered closer to investigate and discovered the building it served is the Central Railway Station. I suppose technically it’s not Deco as it was designed and built before 1920. It has elements of Art Nouveau tipping over into Deco though. The building is a masterpiece.

This is only its side entrance:-

Close-up on arched window. Note also canopy and doors:-

The interior was stunnning. This, arched ceiling, clock, interior partition windows is the least of it. The light fitting is a bit modern, though:-

Great decoration below arched ceiling:-

Looking towards main entrance. Rule of three in partition windows. Great decoration on pillars and surround:-

Concourse:-

Arched window from inside:-

This arched partition window is wonderful:-

Hallway:-

Detail:-

Another arched window:-

There’s more of this to come!

Helsinki has some nice trams.

I saw a great looking old one first but didn’t have my camera ready. Sadly it didn’t pass again.

All these are fairly modern:-

There’s a bit more age here I think:-

This one had an advertising slogan on it. Don’t ask me what the Finnish means!:-

It was a longish walk out from Helsinki city centre to this. Unfortunately we arrived just after three tour buses had disgorged loads of Chinese tourists, each of whom wanted a selfie in front of it. It took ages before I could get a people-free shot.

I must say that face reminded me of weel kent Scottish literary figure Hugh MacDiarmid.

From reverse:-

Some of the other tourists:-

So here’s a bit of Sibelius for you. Finlandia, Op 26:-

Next stop after St Petersburg was Helsinki, capital of Finland.

A lot of the buidings in the city centre are in the Art Nouveau style. These are the ones I photographed on the way to the Sibelius Monument.

The one in the centre here shades into Art Deco in the windows:-

Note the giraffe figures on the balcony here:-

I have absolutely no idea what these were about:-

Kotlin Island (Ко́тлин) lies in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland, where the Neva Bay opens out to the Gulf itself. Its position made it a strategic point for the defence of St Petersburg from sea attack. It now acts as an anchor point for two arms of the St Petersburg Dam project, which carries the western arm of the St Petersburg ring road.

The island is the site of the city of Kronstadt (Кроншта́дт) and its Naval Base. Note dome of Russian Naval Cathedral:-

Cathedral dome and part of navy yard:-

Kronstadt was the centre of a rebellion by naval personnel (hitherto staunch revolutionary supporters) against the Bolshevik regime in 1921. It was unsuccessful, crushed by the Red Army.

Russian Naval Cathedral, plus part of Kronstadt Navy yard:-

Or leaving St Petersburg (as it is again.) I liked the alliteration though.

I snatched these through the coach window on the way back to the ship’s berth.

An old bridge over a waterway:-

This one I realised later is on the corner of Nevsky Prospekt at the Anichkov Bridge over the River Fontanka and I had photographed it from the street:-

A Fire Station:-

This is the bridge almost hidden behind the building under construction I photographed from the ship’s prow:-

And this is the one between the ship and the Zenit Arena (aka Krestovsky Stadium) – see same link above:-

Bridge and Krestovsky Stadium:-

Krestovsky Stadium/Zenit Arena plus part of the bridge, also two blurred birds:-

When the coach pulled to a halt for our visit to Nevsky Prospekt in St Petersburg it actually parked up in Ostrovskogo Square (which Wiki has as Ostrovsky Square,) right outside a buidling containing the National Library of Russia Reading Rooms:-

The nameplate on the right is in Cyrillic but the one on the left is written in English, complete with opening hours:-

There was some impressive ironwork on each side of the door:-

View of building down the street:-

Alexandrinsky Theatre:-

Side view 1:-

Side view 2:-

Buildings opposite Alexandrinsky Theatre (to left):-

Buildings opposite Alexandrinsky Theatre (to right):-

In Ostrovskogo Square, just off Nevsky Prospekt.

The building in the background is the Alexandrinsky Theatre:-

A lamppost nearby:-

Planting in Ostrovskogo Square:-

More planting, between the statue of Catherine the Great and the Alexandrinsky Theatre Building.