It's a sad day for us. We just learned about the USA air strikes on the Syrian airstrips. While this may indeed be the right course of action for us, the USA, it is sad to me that it is necessary. It is also concerns me about how other countries will respond. My heart absolutely breaks for those who died in their own country as a result of the chemical attack at the hand of their fellow countrymen. This kind of hideous, heartless brutality must cease, and I am happy we are the ones who stepped forward to stop it. I only hope the objective our leaders set out to achieve by today's action is appropriate and is accomplished swiftly. God help us all.

It was supposed to rain today so we packed an umbrella as we set out for the city. Amazingly we had a full day outside with rain only beginning to fall late in the day on the last leg of our walk from the train to our apartment. It is still winter here. The evidence of old, blackened snow, cinders and soot are everywhere. It makes the walks and streets look dirty. Fountains are dry. Reflecting pools are empty, but street cleaners are working and young green sprouts are breaking the ground. Trees are budding toward leaf. I have a feeling that when warm weather returns, this will be a truly glorious place.

We first visited the Helsinki Cathedral, commonly called the White Church. This icon of Helsinki sits on a hill and has a vast set of steps leading from the plaza to its entrance that is much like the Spanish Steps in Rome. It is said that the first sign of spring is when the steps are filled with people, congregating, talking, flirting and soaking up the first sun. The beautiful Cathedral is Evangelical Lutheran and was originally built as a tribute to Tsar Nicolas I of Russia.

Next, we jumped aboard a Helsinki Panorama sightseeing bus - we find excursions like this are a good way to get a glimpse of the city as a whole especially when time is limited - we only have two full days here. The tour took us past all the important government buildings, museums, theatres and historic spots. To me, the most significant highlights of the route were: The Rock Church which we actually got to visit and take photos (it was built inside a quarry), the Eira district where the rich and famous and diplomats live, the Lapiniahti Park along the water that features the Hietaniemen Hautausmaa Cemetery where royalty, artists and famous statesmen have been buried since 1790 and finally, we particularly enjoyed seeing the pipe-like sculpture meant to represent Finland trees, honoring Sibelius, 1865-1957, composer most renowned for Finlandia.

When we visit unfamiliar spots in the world I usually try to capture in photos and in writing, names and words. I am fascinated by language. When we were in Norway and Denmark, the language was difficult particularly because of the three extra letters in their alphabet. But after a few days, the words begin to look familiar and relationships to the English language can be seen. The same is not true for the Finnish language. Even though Finland, Norway and Denmark make up Scandinavia, the language in Finland is nothing like that in Denmark and Norway. We were told that it is a Finno-Ugric language from Finland, Estonia and Hungary . . . with a touch of Russian. Plus their grammar is unique as well. All the Finnish words we have learned, and it has been a tough lesson, is "kiitos" (key-toes) or thank you. Everyone here speaks English, but saying "kiitos" helps build a friendship.

Finland is an independent democracy. Women won the right to vote and run for office in 1915. In USA, that right was won by women in 1920. Education is free through college. Public healthcare is very inexpensive; private medical is available for extra costs. Both men and women are eligible for paid maternity leave of absence from work plus they can take up to three years off from work to take care of their young children. Workers retire at age 60 and the average vacation time per worker is 25 day per year.

Today, Helsinki has 500,000 people; Finland has a population of 5 million. Their transportation system is fantastic. There are train routes to Sweden and to St. Petersburg, Russia; there is an absolute spider web of bus and tram routes to and from the entire metroplex and underground metros run regularly anywhere one chooses to go as long as it is to the east or to the west.

We wanted another traditional Finnish dish for lunch today but had a hard time deciding where to eat. We started a trek toward Juuri but learned that it is quite expensive and a hearty walk from City Center. While we are not chicken about walking we asked tour bus driver for his recommendations. He sent us to the market place on the waterfront to the orange tents for a plate featuring samples of all the traditional Finnish foods. That did not work either. One place we found gave us samples of fried and salted smelts - yikes, gaga!!

This market place area is located on the waterfront near the ferries to The Fortress and ferries to Sweden. Although it has only a few tents today actively marketing sweets, waffles, coffee, souveniers and smelts, we hear the area is packed with vendor tents and swarming with people in summer time. What I nearly forgot to mention is the amazing array of high-end shops in the nondescript brick building with no sgnage on th edge of the market place square. We heard it housed a collection of booths featuring fresh vegetables, etc. Naturally we could not pass up taking a look. Wow! The walls were lined with high-end vendors offering every food item imagineable . . . rustic cheeses and sausages, fresh meats, nuts, fresh made bakery items, cakes, breads, fresh made fancy candies, fish -- fresh fish, smoked fish, pickled fish, shellfish, dried fish, preared ready to eat fish! There were soup shops with people enjoying lucious soups with bread and butter. There were also simple bistros where people were sitting at small tables enjoying a gourmet lunch. It was truly something to see. We bought fancy nuts with dried fruit but we did not have lunch there.

We settled for the glass "jewel-box," Kappeli Restaurant in Esplanade Park across from City Hall just off the waterfront. It was established in 1865. We had roast beef and vegetables. Every meal seems better than the last. As we sat by the window, a family was seated next to us with three kids. The older boy looked a little put out about being annoyed by his younger brother, the sister gave them no mind and the youngest was a squirmy little guy who just could not keep quiet and certainly could not keep still. I sensed a disaster in the making. We guessed they were from Spain - the dad was tall and fair, the mom was beautiful and brown.

Mom took notice and moved little guy from the seat next to us to the seat farthest away. All was good. They were so cute, I just could not keep myself from looking at them when I could. After a while the youngest started singing Happy Birthday. It made me smile. Then, I don't know why but I began silently mouthing the Happy Birthday song too and when I got to the point "to you," I pointed to him. He melted in smiles and I did too. Then he slid under the table. Suddenly we all started chatting, we with them and they with us. As it turns out the dad is from Sweden, the mom from Guatemala City, Guatemala and they all live today in Lucerne, Switzerland. We exchanged cards and email addresses and they offered to show us around when we reach Zurich. No wonder we love this world.

Tomorrow we travel to Stockholm., Yes we have heard about the tragic terroristic act that happened there today. Again, I am sad, very sad. Why? What is the source of the hate? Personally, I have never met anyone who wants to kill or conquer. It seems we all have much in common - we want little more than to live in peace, with good home and shelter, to have resources to raise a hearty family, to educate our kids so they have a chance to live a better life, to have good health, to worship as we please and to be able to enjoy friends and family over a great meal, a good mug of beer or a glass of wine or two.