Helsinki and her people [antikvár]

Helsinki and the sea are one, indivisible. In sunnner the sea surges against the jagged shoreline of the city. But the rocky outer skerries break the force of the waves írom the Gulf of Finland, and storms rarely force their way through to the city itself. Helsinki is weil protected. It is alsó a good and ancient harbonrage. The wliite Baltic passenger ships dock right in the heart of Helsinki. In winter, when the sea is frozen over, merchant ships pass along a narrow channel in the wake of an ice-breaker. Helsinki, the most northerly capital in the world after Reykjavik, is open to shipping throughout the year. As his boát passes the walls and casemates of the old isi and fortress of Suomenlinna, the visitor sees Helsinki as she appears in many tourist advertisements-the White City of the North. Tliis nickname refers not only to the sparkle of wintery snn on snow, but alsó to the white silhouette of the buildings which is visible Írom far out to sea. For the visitor arriving for the first time by air, it is quite a different experience. As he flies over the Áland islands and into Finland, he sees below him forests and little patchwork fields, villages here and there, a few lakes, more forest. When his aircraft lands at Helsinki Airport there is nothing to indicate that he is near a great city. He has arrived through Helsinki's backdoor, whereas the traveller by sea has been confronted from the start with the city's public face. Helsinki is a city which has sprung up in the middle of wild countryside. The forests and the sea show that nature is never far away and has not disappeared with the rapid growth of the city. The fresh sea air and the gentle smell of the conifers still hold their own against the factories and other institutions which eat up the oxygen of an inclustrial community. Helsinki is protected by its countryside, which gives the residents a chance toenjoy themselves and live in reasonable conditions. A youthful city! The sharply changing seasons constantly renew the face of the city. The bittér winds cf winter raise snowstorms and pile up high snowdrifts along the roadside. In summer the gales turn to mild breezes which raise the temperature to figures familiar in Central Europe. The children enjoy both extremes, for both give them a wonderful chance to let off steam. In winter there are sledging hills and skating rinks in Helsinki's parks. On the gentle slopes of Kaivopuisto (Weil Park) the children can acquire skill in skiing and ski-jumping, Fin-