helsinki part two
As usual I am playing catch up with this blog. Number one, I'm lazy. Number two, I'm busy doing stuff; drinking mainly. Number three, access to the internet and corresponding cost in Finland is ridiculous. Don't even get me talking of the cost of beer! So, forgive the disjoint between part one and part two of the Helsinki story. Part one was needed to say Happy Christmas.
When planning this world trip thing I wanted freedom to change plans, go places unexpectedly, not go places orginally planned. Helsinki falls under the last one. The crossing from Tallinn was quick at 1 hour 40 minutes. Relatively cheap too at 12 euro. I won't bore you with how I acquired them. James, the English bloke, joined me. My greatest problem was heaving my backsack. I was terribly concerned that the rib would finally give way. No joke, I was worried. Carrying a rucksack upsets your centre of gravity and tends to jolt the body on uneven surfaces. Each jolt seemed to be sniggering at me in anticipation of a coming snap, crackle and pop. I made it, but in distress.
The Hostel was easy to find, high quality and voted best in FInland. Not a bad start. Couple of oddballs hanging out there. Some old bloke, a bit creepy, cooked up a terrible aromatic storm everytime he got near the kitchen. It was truly awful. The stink penetrated my bones. The rib protested by teasing me! Also, it seemed half of China was there too. They can be a timid lot. Literally following each other around to avoid speaking to the non-Chinese. I observed one such waltz in the kitchen, four of them clung to one another. It began at the table, quick sidestep to the fridge, a whirl to the cooker. Quite amazing. Maybe they're shy! Or maybe they were the culprits who kept nicking my bread.
Drinking there is prohibitively expensive. Might be an idea for me to take up residence. I could enhance the working life of my liver! Now buying a beer is a gut wrenching experience when you're informed of the cost. But just try and get a bottle of spirit. I went on a 2 hour 'search and acquire' mission in central Helsinki for a bottle of vodka. Figured everything would be closed on Christmas Day. I am deeply ashamed, as an Irishman, that all I came back with was a newspaper. For the crossword!!
Went clubbing on two occasions at the same place. It has an original name; 'The Club'. They were pretty good nights. The first evening was quite funny in that I woke up in South Helsinki desperately trying to remember the name of the girl whose flat it was. She's blonde. Oh, the things I do! It was an enjoyable time there though. Nice to have snow at Christmas, watch 12 episodes of the Fast Show on Christmas day (no kidding) and be unconcerned by a total lack of organised sightseeing. Just breezed along.
Decided to head straight to Moscow rather than stop off at St Petersburg.
When planning this world trip thing I wanted freedom to change plans, go places unexpectedly, not go places orginally planned. Helsinki falls under the last one. The crossing from Tallinn was quick at 1 hour 40 minutes. Relatively cheap too at 12 euro. I won't bore you with how I acquired them. James, the English bloke, joined me. My greatest problem was heaving my backsack. I was terribly concerned that the rib would finally give way. No joke, I was worried. Carrying a rucksack upsets your centre of gravity and tends to jolt the body on uneven surfaces. Each jolt seemed to be sniggering at me in anticipation of a coming snap, crackle and pop. I made it, but in distress.
The Hostel was easy to find, high quality and voted best in FInland. Not a bad start. Couple of oddballs hanging out there. Some old bloke, a bit creepy, cooked up a terrible aromatic storm everytime he got near the kitchen. It was truly awful. The stink penetrated my bones. The rib protested by teasing me! Also, it seemed half of China was there too. They can be a timid lot. Literally following each other around to avoid speaking to the non-Chinese. I observed one such waltz in the kitchen, four of them clung to one another. It began at the table, quick sidestep to the fridge, a whirl to the cooker. Quite amazing. Maybe they're shy! Or maybe they were the culprits who kept nicking my bread.
Drinking there is prohibitively expensive. Might be an idea for me to take up residence. I could enhance the working life of my liver! Now buying a beer is a gut wrenching experience when you're informed of the cost. But just try and get a bottle of spirit. I went on a 2 hour 'search and acquire' mission in central Helsinki for a bottle of vodka. Figured everything would be closed on Christmas Day. I am deeply ashamed, as an Irishman, that all I came back with was a newspaper. For the crossword!!
Went clubbing on two occasions at the same place. It has an original name; 'The Club'. They were pretty good nights. The first evening was quite funny in that I woke up in South Helsinki desperately trying to remember the name of the girl whose flat it was. She's blonde. Oh, the things I do! It was an enjoyable time there though. Nice to have snow at Christmas, watch 12 episodes of the Fast Show on Christmas day (no kidding) and be unconcerned by a total lack of organised sightseeing. Just breezed along.
Decided to head straight to Moscow rather than stop off at St Petersburg.
posted by Ciarán at 11:01 a.m.
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