Sibeliuksenpuisto

Handily enough there was a bike hire shop just round the corner. The bike share & scooter share options didn't work, former too complicated, the latter too expensive. With the weather being so nice & the trams potentially being stiflingly hot, cycling seemed the best way of getting a little way out to parks & beaches. Initial impressions suggested Helsinki had an abundance of cycle lanes & was flat - big ticks for Liz. On that basis hunking big city bikes were chosen - cheapest. All was well & flat until the railway had to be crossed. Heavy & high gears didn't go well. First stop was the church in the rock - literally a church built into a rock. Bit of road & up more hills only to find it had closed 5 mins ago. Headed to the nearest beach for a pit stop. Getting busy so decided to go to the Sibellius monument in some shady parkland area - for it was getting hot now. Unfortunately numerous coachloads of Yanks & Japanese had the same plan. Not quiet the peaceful spot imagined. Took in a waterside cafe for lunch - cheese & ham pasty - was corrected (it's a pastry) & some cake. Found a goose poo free spot & holed out in the shade before heading to the beach for a first ever Baltic swim - bracing.Les mer