Baltic Sea - Helsinki, Finland, Helsinki, Finland

The Port of Helsinki is very busy with seven ferry companies and numerous cruise lines vying for two harbors with eight quays. Ships line up early waiting for docking instructions. Tugs, dredges and barges work at their respective tasks around our ship.

Our first impression of Helsinki, it is full of birds; loud, wonderful, swooping, graceful, hungry, birds. Though tempting it maybe, we are warned not to enter into any interaction with these creatures - killjoy!

With only eight hours on shore, we had "Googled" directions to town from each of the eight quays. Okay, I'm obsessed. Today Norwegian Sun docked at quay LHB Hernsesaari. Always a good idea to know where your ship is docked, just in case there is a frantic taxi ride to meet the all important all aboard time. 

Setting off confident after 20 hours of sleep we were looking for a street called Hernematalankatu/Ärtholmsstranden, then turn right at Eiranranta/Eirastranden, and left at Docksgatan/Telakkakatu to Tram. Our plan was to first take the 3B tram around the city proper to understand the layout of Helsinki.  ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).