Hello hello and happy Monday my friends! I hope you all enjoyed your weekends and last night's thrilling Super Bowl. Here to help us ease back into reality (and avoid going outside into yet another day's wintery, snowy, icy mess!) are some pictures from the second half of my winter wonderland adventures, this time slightly more "on the grid" in Helsinki, Finland and Copenhagen, Denmark. Both were truly wonderful places to visit so I hope you enjoy checking them out!
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| Helsinki by night. |
* Helsinki is a small city in southern Finland where Dr. H and I spent just under 24-hours. This was the perfect amount of time to stroll the pretty city, eat a delicious brunch and explore some of the main attractions including the harbor, a church in a rock (seriously) and the Museum of Natural History. I was fortunate enough to travel to Helsinki with my family many years ago during the summer (also for a 1-day visit), so it was cool to see the city in all its winter wonder.
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| A city that really shines during Christmas season! |
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| The harbor looking especially picturesque. |
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| Eat brunch at Fazer. Do it. |
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| Snowy city center |
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| The church is actually built into a large rock. It's pretty amazing. |
* Copenhagen is AWESOME. A truly metropolitan city with plenty of old European charm, Dr. H and I loved everything about our time in Copenhagen. From the cobblestone streets, and beautiful architecture, to the distinct neighborhoods, walkable distances, bike paths, an amusement park IN the city (that's rumored to have inspired Disneyland), a rich Jewish history and of course the food, I already look forward to returning to Copenhagen again in the future.
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| Built along canals, Copenhagen is best explored on foot, boat or bike! |
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| Be sure to take a canal tour to learn all about the city's buildings and history |
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This is Tivoli, a beautiful amusement park/garden with restaurants and shops
Also, the rides are seriously legit (check out that rollercoaster!) |
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On NYE we discovered that citizens are free to set off fireworks just about
anywhere. This made for a beautiful (& mildly nerve wracking) evening! |
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| Changing of the guard at the royal palace! |
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If you are interested in Jewish history, Copenhagen is a must-visit. Denmark saved
nearly all of its Jews during WWII and this is a peak inside the synagogue today. |
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| A view of the beautiful city from atop the Round Tower. |
Though we did run into some gloomy weather and restaurant closures (because of the holidays) I highly recommend seeing Copenhagen in the winter which is their "off season." Nothing was crowded and hotel prices were extremely reasonable.
