When I thought of Finland, prior to this trip, I imagined snow, cross-country skiing, dried fish and healthy living. That the citizens of this country are noted to be famously happy to live here was a notion I took with skepticism. It is a cold country for many months of the year. Cold, in my small (very small,) world view could not equate with happy.
And then there was Helsinki. Maybe the people of Finland’s capital hide out for months in winter, but they were out with a vengeance while I visited, and I sensed it was not just for the sun. Bicycle riders, walkers, people making purchases at the outdoor markets, and more walkers still whizzed around me energized, it seemed, by the simple fact they lived here.
From the walking culture to the profusion of bicycles to the fresh food market, I felt healthy simply by being in Helsinki. So healthy that I allowed the decadent aroma from Ekberg Bakery call to me. With the obvious healthfulness of the city, certainly the bakeries would be worth a try. Rustic six-grain rye bread and an unpronounceable sweet tart let me prove that guess to be true.
There were impressive buildings in glorious squares. There were bustling city streets. And there was the public toilet I would like to nominate for best in the world. It was so clean that it gleams even in the photo. A feat of sanitation engineering, it cleans itself and tells you when it is safe to enter after the last user. To visitors, nothing says ‘welcome’ better than a fantastic public restroom.
I hopped on the bus when I had walked so long I needed a rest, and saw the coastline of Helsinki in a series of parks.
Thank you, Helsinki for outdoing yourself on one summer day while I visited.
Next up, St. Petersburg, Russia
Stop by Restless Jo’s Monday Walks for more…
Delightful, scenic. A day totally devoted to pleasant encounters, lovely strolls, and welcoming people. These are my impressions of Tallinn. Several residents along the way pointed us to the tall hill of the Historic Centre of town. They were like walking friendly maps and I didn’t mind at all being treated like a tourist. Especially because they were right – this is one tourist destination that visitors shouldn’t miss.
Stockholm was one of those ports on this cruise where we docked a good distance from the city. There was a small town near our tether, and usually small towns please me greatly. But this day, I took my walk in Sweden’s capital city.
Crowds gathered as we reached the city center, then dispersed rapidly at the end of the festivities. It was impressive that battalion after battalion after marching band gathered at the palace, along with all the resulting onlookers, then seemed to dissolve into the city’s hustle-bustle like any normal day.
Exploring the downtown area’s water passages and walking streets filled my afternoon. Taking a 45-minute bus ride back to the ship turned out to be a good idea. It’s the perfect amount of time for a nap.
So, all I did on this part of the journey was walk around the ship.
The port where our cruise ship anchored was not an easy walk-off location, so we took a bus to the town center of Blankenberge. Through the rain, we ran to the train station, bought our tickets to Brugge and waited. It was during the waiting that I noticed some of what Blankenberge had to offer. The rain passed quickly and I noticed modern shopping streets, clean walkways, sea-side fun, a pretty town center. But we had already bought our tickets, so when the train to Brugge came along, we got on.
One Small Walk... 