Lutheran cathedral, Helsinki

The Lutheran cathedral in Helsinki, Finland. It sits high above the central harbour and is seen from far out at sea. A symbol of Helsinki as a whole, I first saw it in 1997 while attending a conference at the university buildings next to this square.

Despite many visits to Helsinki with a friend, we had never been inside, although we did manage to visit the Orthodox Uspenski cathedral in 2005. Today I am in Helsinki for my friend's funeral. While intending to come back to the city, as I have done for the last seven years, I realise that I may not, so I made sure that I finally visited the interior of the church.

A sad day, saying goodbye to such a close friend, a realisation that books we were going to write together will never be written, that there can be no more late nights at conferences around the world discussing life, the universe and everything, no more sauna and holes cut in the ice-covered lake to jump into. A day to recall many good memories, to cry with her widower and her mother, and to walk in the beautiful city.