Walked a bit more around Helsinki tonight. Found this rather impressive building just a block up from the waterfront. I don't know what it is but it has the presence of some kind of royal court. As I walk around European cities I sometimes imagine what it may have been like circa the 1800s when one might visit cities such as Helsinki on one of the larger British frigates (I sometimes think back to Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series where in his 20 canons he describes life aboard such ships as they visit various places; the closest to Helsinki that I recall was Riga, which is relatively close to here—I think Aubrey may have also landed in one of the Scandinavian courts to see some king but I don't recall which one now, maybe the Swedish one, but then again at that time Finland may have been part of Sweden anyway).
And here is just something like a ship that the old sailors may have arrived in. This one happens to be the Kathrina, a relatively recently built replica I believe. It's a three-master, making her a schooner perhaps? Or a brig? I'm not sure. It's a 43 footer (I think, they didn't list the units) and serves as a floating restaurant today.
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