Tramming Around Helsinki

May 03, 2025

Dear gentle traveler,

This day was our last full day in Helsinki and as it is very yearly in the season, and I didn't bring my togs, it was shopping and then tramming around. While it has been great being a bit early in the season it meant that key activities, such as the Beer Tram only operating for group bookings I am not sure a pair counts as a group. You would think, and there probably is, that there should be a site where you could pair up with others to create a group - get your minds out of the gutter - to take advantage of this.

We walked back up the way we went yesterday to visit at least 4 Opp Shops, the first had prices that didn't reflect the opportunity par of Opp Shop. And although we visited all four we didn't purchase anything despite the prices improving. Then on the way back to our apartment we went to the local UFF where I purchased a small should bag, as the one I bought with me has a broken should strap.

We also visited Stockmans - the aforementioned Helsinki's Harrods were there certainly wasn't any opportunity in the pricing. However it was lovely to look around a decent department store that has all the brands. Malls have their place but I do miss a grand department store and apologies to Farmer's Dunedin - nice try but no cigar, but does OK for a regional city.

However I think I will come to regret not bringing on my shopping game. I certainly missed my shopping enabler with their mantra 'Trying is not Buying' as I have just checked the weather in Lausanne and it will b e 23 degrees and I defiantly didn't pack for that.

The afternoon was spent jumping on and off trams as we looked around the city and I definitely, and highly rate, the HSL app. Then we had our last and first evening meal out in Helsinki where I had the most exquisite asparagus and shell fish soup, followed by Arctic Char. The presentation and service was excellent.

So apart from getting to the airport tomorrow this ends the Scandi part of the trip which we have both found very enjoyable and will probably be back.

Some final Scandi photos, and a couple of side notes.

Early on in Helsinki I mentioned that the students fought to cap a statues as part of the spring celebrations, well this statue as you may have noticed was of a naked women, as so many are, however the Helsinki feminists of the time didn't approve so I am not sure what they thought of the one below

Yes the plague park was were the dead from the Black Death were buried, over 300. Also Helsinki and Scandi felt safe, but perhaps at what cost especially as on one of our walks there was a notice on a child care center stating that the door was permanently locked for security reasons.