After on overnight ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki, I jumped on a city tour – not a bad idea in the freezing drizzle. After that I set out walking to see the sights but quickly tired as it had been a hard night on the ferry and I hadn’t slept much.
Unbeknownst to me when I booked the ferry, it is a 2800 passenger cruise ship, with gambling, nightclubs, and crowds of Swedish and Finnish revelers. Being during the week, the crowds were less, but in my basement cabin (below the car deck), I could hear my neighbors partying long into the wee hours. Add that sound of the hull crashing against ice frequently, and it was a fitful night!
Arriving in Helsinki, it was like going back a month as far as weather is concerned, The many harbors are choked with ice, and there is snow on the ground everywhere. It is grey and snow is expected tomorrow.
On my first day in Finland I learned some interesting facts about the Finnish: there are 2 million saunas in Finland – approximately 1 for every 2 ½ people and Finnish drink more coffee per capita than any other country.
This is clear: the country straddles both Scandinavia and the east, combining elements of both in a fascinating jumble.
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