Helsinki and Tallinn

My first time in both Finland and Estonia, and I quite liked both. Flew into helsinki, very much like other nordic towns prices were quite high, but not that different. A mad taxi driver took us to the harbour and we got a ferry to tallinn which took 2hours, it is very much like a baltic town, not unlike some northern german ones, the old town is very nice, seen Paul Keres chess house, some nice old buildings and a night out prices were cheaper for food and drink.

The problem with tallinn is that if your anglophonic they assume you are an english stag party.. Returned to Helsinki on the ferry, and went for a walk to some park met a hedgehog and down by the coast and harbour, via the olympic terminal and back to the town. The Ice bar which is a must was disappointing since it was empty, wrong time of year perhaps. The cloakroom charge for every coat is annoying and kept you from bar hopping too much. Finns are mad, and i like mad people and a few good laughs and a late night.

Did the boat trip to Suomenlinna Island and Sea fortresses is excellent, the trip in bay was nice and the island is amazing well kept, well worth the UNESCO status and a visit is a must. The Harbour market is very good if your a tourist and the food, was so enticing alas we skipped it planning to visit later. A quiet night out yet we still managed to stay all hours talking to some strange Finns. The late night meant we nearly missed our taxi to the airport but the pleasant finns waited, the return flight via stockholm, reminded me of the benefits of the euro and annoyance of looking for credit card for snacks in the airport. Overall I liked both helsinki and tallinn, there was lots to do and lots we didnt do, and things would be much better in the summer. I would go again, which is the sure sign for me that i liked it. Next time, go during summer, go to olympic stadium and get that grostel like dish with meatballs at the harbour, hire a bike and take another bay tour. Two New Countries so
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Copenhagen (and Malmo) June 2012

Well a short trip to Copenhagen, while i have been in denmark before sail to the islands of Falster and Mon, I have only passed through Copenhagen, or spent a day there. We went there as a kinda consolation to not going to Euro2012, but we found an trip nearly as expensive (what logic)! A day trip to Malmo across the Oresund bridge was a must, what a feet of engineering, Malmo indeed like copenhagen reminds me of other nordic cities like oslo, gotenburg and stockholm, and indeed not unlike some German cities particularly the baltic coast ones of Rostock and Stralsund, it was a pity it rained, some kid whistling celebrating their graduation was a menace but good to see.

The bus tour up to the mermaid (at least this time it was sunny and warm not like many years ago) still it is a bit underwhelming, but the trip was nice, and good to see the fortress and castle and city, the 2nd bus tour up the the Carlsberg factory was also interesting even as a non-drinker couldn't believe their old swasticka logo! but interesting it was, so much so we got delayed and missed the bus back. A good place to go out, we found the former meet processing area full of danish bars and non-touristy which was good, the touristy places people were friendly and good fun, they have a strange liking for '80s music. I felt it a safe place to be. The hotel was pricey yet quite basic, then the all seemed to be. I would go again, take the trip to the commune, or up to the hamlet castle and maybe take the ferry across the sound. I would also hire a bike, unusually for me i didn't, but as such a flat and bike friendly city it is an excellent way to see it. Overall it is a nice place to go out, using kroner is a hassle and reminds you of the convenience of the euro, i ended up with a pocket full of both swedish and danish change.