DAY 28: Helsinki (NH Collection Grand Hansa Hotel)

Our last full day in Helsinki. I feel I am very ready to come home.

The day started out cold but clear, and we headed out to try breakfast at a lovely old cafe in the centre of Esplanadi Park, called 'Kapelli' because it was a former chapel.

As it turned out, it was the kind of place that relies more on location and reputation than excellence in food. They really do not understand the art of a good breakfast here!

On the way back to the hotel, we visited an indoor Christmas market - held in a former town hall - which was actually very interesting. It was an arty-crafty kind of place with each stall manned by the person who actually made the items, so we saw a different range of things to the usual fare. I told myself only to buy something that I would actually use, and I only had 10 euro on me anyway, so I came out with nothing.

But, while we were inside, it had started to snow. It's amazing the difference it makes to the look of a city with snow falling! The slushy muddy streets were now covered in a blanket of white and the trees looked like something out of a fairy story. Very nice for our last day.

We made the momentous decision to go to the movies in the afternoon. There was nothing else in Helsinki we wanted to visit and we thought it would pass the time nicely, so we booked tickets to see the movie 'Conclave'. I was very excited because I read the book by Robert Harris earlier this year and absolutely loved it. It was one of my top books of the year. It's about a fictional conclave of cardinals who have to vote in a new pope after the incumbent dies unexpectedly. It's full of intrigue and suspense and I was hoping for it to be done well.

It turns out we booked a luxury cinema, with only 60 seats - and they were the kind that reclined like couches - so it was extremely comfortable. And the film was great! Slow, but beautifully shot and wonderfully acted. It starred Rafe Fiennes, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini etc. (So, some really good actors.) It was in English with both Finnish and Swedish subtitles, and the only problem was there were sections in Latin, Italian and Spanish -  which would have been translated into English subtitles if we were watching it at home. I managed to grasp what was happening, but I think Jim got a bit lost. But, anyway, it was a good way to spend the afternoon and it was magical walking there and back in the snow.

After the movie, Jim had a massage at the hotel spa and I tried to find a good restaurant for dinner. As it was a Saturday night, it was hard to find something close by with tables available. In the end, we went to the hotel restaurant and had a lovely meal.

Jim had a prawn cocktail for entree and then we both had a steak with peppercorn sauce, roast potatoes, brussel sprouts and broccolini for main. I was stuffed by this time, but Jim finished off with a chocolate creme brulee. A pleasantly good meal with excellent service.