Home again. The early AM wakeup in Vantaa was pretty brutal. All three of us were flying out at approximately the same time, so we stumbled to HEL on the shuttle and hastily said our goodbyes. I spent the last…
Nearly Finnished
We’re at the Holiday Inn by the airport in Helsinki, and this trip is almost Finnished. (You didn’t really expect me to get through this blog without at least one Finland pun, did you?) The trip back to Helsinki from…
Castles and parks
You know what this trip has been missing? Medieval castles. Just kidding. But seriously, one of Turku’s main attractions is the Turku Castle. Cat and Alex weren’t too keen on it, so I headed off solo to explore it this…
A day on the archipelago
Naantali-fail Today we decided to hop a bus to the nearby island of Naantali, which is meant to be a happening summer hotspot with beaches, nature parks, an amusement park for Moomin (the creepiest children’s characters ever… if you’ve never…
Down by the Aura
Last morning in Helsinki Another late morning today, as we got a lazy start after a good night’s sleep. No construction noise this morning either. The temperature has cooled to much more pleasant seasonal averages, and the day was sunny…
Sea fortress island and Finnish ruoka
This morning, I woke up to the sounds of jackhammers outside the hostel window, which is always fun when you’re a bit hung over. Ah well, nothing some coffee couldn’t fix. We went to the deli around the corner for…
The land of the many vowels
Goodbye Estonia, hello Finland! I’m here in Helsinki, the capitol of Suomi, otherwise known as Finland. We arrived here this afternoon by ferry from Helsinki, and our duo has become a trio, with Catherine’s arrival from France. Abandoned Soviet Prison…
One Hot Estonian Summer
Lazy Sunday morning today, as we opted to not plan any specific activities and instead, just meander for our last full day in Tallinn. After a late sleep-in and a leisurely breakfast, we set out to wander around town a…
Waterfalls, forest, beaches, and a folk festival
Wow, what a day! We jumped on a day tour to Lahemaa National Park today, which is a large coastal national park located outside Tallinn. The tour was run from another one of the local hostels. Besides Alex and myself,…
Around Tallinn
I slept for 11 hours last night and woke up this morning with a heck of a sleep hangover. I suppose I needed the rest. This hostel is a bit weird; it’s very nice, but everyone staying here is quiet…