A Week in Helsinki, Finland

My time in Europe was coming to a close. I had one final trip planned after leaving Slovenia to go visit my friend Tiki in Helsinki, Finland. Tiki works for the same corporation that sent me to Slovenia and she had done the exchange program the summer before in our office in California. Unfortunately, I arrived to Helsinki quite ill but we made the best of it and had a wonderful time together.

We started things off with a music festival over the weekend. We had bracelets so we were able to come and go as we pleased. The music was great but the highlight for me was seeing the fashion in Helsinki. While it may make me sound old and possibly catty I’m going to go ahead and say that I do not understand “Hipster” fashion at all! Most of the concert goers looked to be 20-30 somethings. It seemed as if the goal here was to dress in the most horrible outfits possible. And just like most events with alcohol and music it is a place to be seen. I contemplated this fashion sense for quite awhile. The interesting thing is that people who at one time may have been considered strange looking are now the Kings and Queens of the hipsters because the goal seems to be to look as unattractive (by society’s standards) as possible. It’s quite interesting because while these people may think that they’re going against the grain of society its actually so mainstream now that they are just the same vain, wannabe popular kids as in any other subculture of people. Anyway, Tiki and I had a good time pointing out the best outfits and later that week she showed me a web site where you can gawk at the fashion trends in the privacy of your own home. If you think I’m being a square or have no clue what I’m talking about then just go here and click a bit…the commentary is even better than the outfits! www.hel-looks.com (Disclaimer: This is in no way an insult to Helsinki or Finland as this is a world-wide trend. I just had never seen so much of it in one place at one time. It was a “people watching” paradise!)

Tiki’s sister and friend both work on one of the ferry boats that take you out to the islands around the city. We took two trips. The first one was to Suomenlinna which has an old sea fortress on it. We wandered around a bit exploring the area and then finished the day with a meal at Suomenlinnan Panimo. The restaurant was quite expensive but we opted for a salmon soup from the starters and between that and the bread basket it was a really filling and delicious meal.

Our next ferry ride took us to the island Pihlajasaari. We had stopped at a market prior and picked up some fresh raspberries for the journey. Apparently it is common for some older women to take the ferry over in the morning and spend the day cooking crepes in a little house and selling them. We were lucky enough to come on the right day and the raspberries we bought were perfect for topping the crepes and jam. The rest of the day was spent on a little beach with a bottle of wine. We soaked up some sun, read some books, and chatted away.

On the days Tiki was at work I had to fend for myself. I went out and wandered the city with my camera. I walked down to the harbor and had lunch at Kauppatori, the market square. We had passed it before and I was excited to try some local cuisine. I got a plate of some little fried fish called Vendace, some salmon, and potatoes and the price was really great for the amount of fresh seafood I got. After lunch I wandered the stalls looking at all the handmade arts and crafts. There was some really lovely jewelry but Finnish prices are a bit high…especially at this market. Once through the market I walked up and down streets taking photos and visited the Uspenski Cathedral, Helsinki Cathedral, and Senate Square.

Another day I took the bus to Porvoo, Finland. A small, medieval town on a river which is famous for its old town and wooden houses. This town was a nice contrast from Helsinki and I was able to see another side of Finland here. The small cobblestone streets were lined with interesting shops and restaurants, all housed in old, brightly colored, wooden buildings. It was nice to get lost for a day in this peaceful town.

The best part of Helsinki though was spending time with a wonderful friend who loves food as much as I do. We were both very well fed that week either cooking together at home or dining out. I had traditional Finnish food, a great Mexican meal, and one of the best burgers I’ve had in awhile, and plenty of coffee, hot chocolate, alcohol, and baked treats! On my last night there Tiki took me to a Mexican style bar complete with Jalapeno shots and rope swings as bar seats. I was finally feeling healthy again and was having a lovely time at the bar but unfortunately had a flight to catch the next day so we headed back to her place relatively early for bed.

Finland was a great end to my European adventure but I must admit I was excited to get back to California after 3 months away from my friends and family. And of course…to see Alex again.

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