Discovering Lapland . . .
 A COOL CAPITAL
I once revived in Helsinki, the capital of Finland, after a fascinating, but grueling, two-week tour of Russia, where the accommodations and food can be challenging. I will never forget the luxury of the lush bed comforter, crisp sheets and soaps in my immaculate hotel room, nor the delicious salmon dinner I ate in the wood-panel dinning room. Then, I relaxed in one of Finland's 1.5 million saunas.
The next day, I enjoyed the clean air on a stroll through the city. The Sibelius Monument, the Cathedral, the Parliament and the Market Square, all of which can be viewed at Helsinki picture gallery.
Scandinavian and Russian restaurants are prominent in Helsinki. Crayfish and berries are treats in summer; wild mushrooms in fall. Wild fowl, fresh and smoked fish, bread and pastries are year-round offerings. Let Experiencing Finland be your guide to dining and shopping.
Finland's snowy forests and clean-cut lines are a pleasure for the eyes. The country, which will celebrate its 450th birthday in 2000, offers more than 3,000 miles of coastline that invite sailing and swimming in summer, when daylight is almost endless. Transportation facilities are in place to assist cyclists.
Introducing Fabulous Finland has information on tours and packages. Suggested Itineraries will steer you to the right path.
But for a different idea now . . . from December through April, the Sampo runs four-hour icebreaker cruises out of Kemi in Lapland. Virtual Finland features an essay on the ships. These icebreakers were originally developed because the freezing Baltic Sea paralyzed Finland's ports in winter, the icebreakers' (Murtaja) armour plated bow section rises slightly above the sea ice, smashing it like a hammer to create passages for other ships in its wake. Bon Voyage1x
By Luanne Axt
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