Day 12 - Touring Helsinki

Today we went to different "sights" around the city. My favorite has to be Rock Church. It is absolutely amazing. It has perfect acoustics - there are no microphones or speakers in the church. The wals are made of rock and the ceiling of copper. The church is underground...so beautiful from the inside (pics are below). Today there was an orchestra in there recording and it was amazing. If EG hadn't been with us we would have sat there all day and listened. She was a little too loud so we had to get out of there in order to not mess up the recording. :) She and Mom stayed outside watching and listening to the recording while I was inside. After the finished a song I heard EG yell "Yeah!" She LOVED the music and could have stayed there all day as well if she could have yelled and clapped like she wanted to. We also went to the Lutheran church high up on Senate Square. It is also very beautiful inside. Outside at the bottom of the steps there were filming some movie...don't know what. It was interesting watching them record the same scen over and over and over again. We also went to market square - the outdoor market - to see what the vendors were selling. We will return in the morning, there should be many more. It is just fun to walk around. While we were wandering around there little EG fell asleep and slept for over an hour out in the cold and in a bumpy ride. We also went to the indoor market and got some special food for Daddy.

Tomorrow we are going to Tallin, Estonia...it will be EG's first boat ride...fun, fun!

Rock Church

The pipes inside the church.

The Finland Radio Orchestra recording.

You can see that the church is made of all different size rocks, then there are skylights around the top, they surround a copper dome ceiling.

The ceiling - it is amazing.

Sleepy EG - barely hanging on to the passy.

lost the passy - sleeping good

posing with an ugly reindeer? while sleeping

Mommy talking on the phone in the 'telefon' booth.

EG talking.

the Lutheran church on Senate Square

Inside - the podium

the altar

Day 11 - To Helsinki

We got up EARLY Thursday morning to catch the 8:00 am train to Helsinki. We were in our own private "family" room on the train. It even had toys. EG enjoyed looking out the window and walking around playing with toys. We arrived in Helsinki, dropped off our luggage in the "luggage room" at the hotel and made our way to find lunch. About 1 1/2 hours and 2 restaraunts later we ate! :) Now we were energized to do some sightseeing around Helsinki.

This is EG's first ever stay in a hotel room and she has done much better than I ever expected. We went to a HUGE department store that has everything in it. It has at least 7 stories...H-U-G-E! They are having a big sale through tomorrow...it is called "Crazy Days" and all the crazies came out for it and of course EG and I were like magnets. Some lady went on and on and on speaking to me in Finnish about the name Emma vs. Emmie. Who knows what she was saying but she was quiet passionate. Weird! Another asked me a million + 1 questions about Emma and others just stared and stared.

Big girl sitting on the train.

Posing for a pic with Mom and GG in our private "family" room.

Playing with toys in the private room.

Looking into the room through the door.
The toy train upstairs in the big "kids room"TThe slide and play area.

The library and "reading center".

Another toy

Waiting for the trolley to come...just like a big girl.

Russian Orthodox church

so beautiful

another view

standing next to her baby bed

not wanting to get in her bed!!!

bathing beauty

finally at least a baby tub!!!

the UPS truck...just for Daddy

Day 10 - Only Within Walking Distance

Today we walked everywhere we went since Dad had the car with him. It was a nice relaxing day. I spent the early evening hours packing our bags. I still have a little more to do before I go to bed. We will be leaving on the 8:00am train to go to Helsinki tomorrow. We will stay in Helsinki through Sunday night and then fly out early Monday morning to head back to the states! I will try to post while we are in Helsinki if I have internet access. If not I'll post pics from Helsinki after we get home. Please pray for us...we are flying through Heahthrow Airport in London, you may know they opened a new terminal last week and have tons of luggage sitting there. Please pray that we will make it to Raleigh with ALL of our things!!!

Eating our last meal at our favorite restaurant in Imatra - Buttenhoffs

EG leaned up all on her own to pose for this pic!

This is how we put the car through the car wash...we don't push it through...we pick it up and shove it. Didn't you know that?

Why the red face??? Not lipstick or makeup but...

CRAYON!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just lovely

She nawed on that crayong good.

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Below are some pics of the bathroom...only b/c it is different and reminds me of China in some ways.

Washer and Dryer (in China these are kept outside on the porch)

sink and toilet (in china they are MUCH closer)

toilet and shower (at least you can separate the area with a shower curtain...in China everything gets wet)

door to the sauna...nice!

Sauna

The toilet flusher.

If you do a little do, you push the little drop (right side)

If you do a big doo, you push the big drop (left side)

Makes you think everytime you use the bathroom.

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Now we are in the kitchen...and I think this is the coolest thing.

Notice, cabinets above the sink...like normal...maybe a little lower than at home.

Open the cabinets and you have a dish drainer...the dishes drain right into the sink.

It is so nice not having a big 'ole dish drain on your countertop. I think this is a great idea that the Fin's had!

Up close and personal with the dish drain.

Day 9 - Stayed Around Imatra

Today, Mom (GG), EG and I stayed around Imatra and went to shops that you had to drive to. Tommorrow we will go to all the shops that we can walk to so Dad can take the car with him. We didn't have much excitement today. The snow is still melting and it is such a mess, you can't wear your nice shoes, they might get ruined. For lunch we ate at a "Finnish Buffet". It was really good, I was impressed. Emma tried beets for the first time and liked them, she kept wanting more. She also tried squash soup (I think that is what it was). And tonight she had her first chocolate chip cookie (without the chocolate chips!). She LOVED it.

This is how EG was this morning when I went to get her.

All curled up and hugging her blankie.

This is how she was this afternoon when I went to get her up from her afternoon nap.

Laying ontop of the pillow in the corner of her bed. She was sound asleep both times.

Getting ready for the cookie.

Eating the cookie.

Mmmm...that cookie is good.

EG kept saying mmmm, mmmm

EG's shower has now gone from standing to sitting.

She likes to take the washrag and clean the floors and anything else she can find.