We had a very smooth flight to helsinki, and from the airport took a train from the airport to the downtown train station, and then had a short walk to our hostel. Once checked in to a very nice private room there (just in case anyone though we were sleeping in a dorm room!) we headed to the Allas Sea Baths nearby. I’d scoped the baths out in advance and wow did it live up to expectations!
There are 3 outdoor pools right by the harbor – one with lanes for different activities (we floated in the ‘dipping’ lane, other lanes had fast and slow swimming). There’s also a kids pool and a cold pool – see pool with gray water in the third photo – with the Baltic Sea water from the harbor at a fresh (bracing?!) 57 degrees f or 14 degrees c. I got in one side and swam, head above water, across twice and it was very refreshing. A woman beside the pool gave me a very helpful tip on the way in about exhaling as I submerged, and after I chatted to her about cold water swimming and found out she’s from Chicago! John and I then warmed up in the sauna, a delightful large heated indoor sunroom with furniture. I predict a lot more sauna experiences in the next week!
After the baths experience we took a walk through a Helsinki neighborhood by the university and had a drink at a bar by the water, the Flying Dutchman.
Helsinki is bilingual Finnish and Swedish speaking, and street signs are in both languages. Sone corners also have an animal sign, which reminded me of a similar system in Merida!
We then went for dinner at a lovely traditional Finnish restaurant near the senate square. At this point we were getting seriously tired! Here’s John at the restaurant with a moomin themed canister on the table. Finnish writer Tove Jansen wrote a series of children’s books based in a fictional Moomin valley that I read with Liam and Miles, so it’s really delightful to be in Finland where there are Moomin references everywhere. It’s a bit like Snoopy or Disney characters, but really specific to some Finnish books!
After dinner, we passed by this working clock showing the time as9:20pm and still full daylight. Back to the hostel to put on eye shades and get some sleep!
I am interested in the street signs with animal pictures. So if a person has difficulty with street names in Finnish or Swedish, I guess they can identify the street by the picture of the dog, the sheep, or whatever. Is that the way it works?
Also, the swimming pools look so nice! I wonder if many Finnish people like cold water for its “refreshing” feel? Interesting that you met someone else from Chicago at the pools!