Thursday, July 19, 2012

Visiting Candy Land

Just a quick post...we leave Finland for Chicago tomorrow, but I still have a few more posts about our trip to St. Petersburg and our final days in Helsinki!   

While in St. Petersburg, we visited the Church of the Spilled Blood, or as the kids called it, "the blood church." It is also referred to as the Candy Land Church.

church of spilled blood full view


Too bad it was not a very nice day the day we visited! The photos don't show the beautiful colors of this church.

churchof spilled blood side


Personally, I think the inside of this church is far more beautiful than the outside!

mosaics inside


Every single "painting" that you see on the walls of this church is, in fact, not even a painting. They are all mosaics.

mosaic window light


The story of Jesus' life is recreated on the walls of this church with millions of tiny little stone tiles.

mosaic perspective


The effect is simply breathtaking.

mosaic dome


I loved to look up at the inside of those onion domes.

mosaic dark ceiling


mosaic column detail


Here is a closer look...



mosaic close up


It's sort of a shame to throw a post together for such an incredibly beautiful place, but...

WE ARE HEADING HOME!

mosaic 6


mosaic 7

2 comments:

  1. Let me be the first here to applaud your courage and open-mindedness to tackle the challenges that go with living in a foreign country. Your view on my country has been refreshing and beautifully illustrated through the wonderful fotos and great observations through your writings.
    As someone having lived the better part of 20+ years outside of Finland now some of your comments about things in Finland resonate more than you might realize.

    I hope sincerely that this is not your last visit to Finland. If and when you do, please do not hesitate to contact. I would love to welcome you and your family as guests and perhaps show some more things I believe are essential to Finland and "finnishness".

    Thanks again for everything and hope this is not the last we hear of you on this side of the world!

    Best regards,
    Kimmo

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  2. I also have enjoyed following your story, how you've felt things and what you've experienced. I wish you all the best back home in Chicago!

    I wish, though, that you would write some day soon how it was to come home, do you see your country differently, do you feel this experience has changed you etc.

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