Leading up from the port was another Parisian-esque boulevard. Like in Copenhagen and Stockholm, Helsinkians were out of in force taking in the sun, despite the temperature being 8C or so. It’s all relative, I suppose, since if your winters are colder frequently colder than -5C, 8C is positively balmy.

The park above is a favourite meeting spot in Helsinki. The Bridge of Love on the other hand, is a favourite place to consolidate your love.

It wasn’t the only time that we saw this phenomina – we found such bridges in Germany too – but none that were ‘official’ love bridges, with plaque and all. Later I saw a doco from Germany about love bridges, where lock smiths and key cutters admit that they were making a mint from all of the engraving they did for these locks.

Maybe this phenomina will catch on in Oz one day? It’s a little more elegant than etching your lover’s name on a toilet door.