Helsinki, For the Last Time

Helsinki, For the Last Time

Our train arrived at the Helsinki rautatiesema (which is a beautiful art deco building) around 1:00.  

We wouldn’t be able to check into our hotel until 4:00.  Which was fine.  We were staying at a familiar Scandic, and knew they had a luggage room where you can store your things before your room is ready.  We walked the few blocks to our hotel relatively quickly.

Quickly, but not necessarily that easily.  We were at maximum capacity.  The kids had collected so many new and precious things on the trip that we had to buy a whole new suitcase.  So as we walked Helsinki’s cobblestones I had two suitcases, and a duffel bag stacked on each.  Amy had two suitcases, and Oscar’s backpack on top of one.  Amy and I each were wearing a backpack, and Milo was responsible for his backpack and a roller bag.  We looked like we were mounting a small scale invasion. 

When we got to the Scandic we were in luck – our room was ready!  So we were able to take our dozen pieces of luggage up to the room and get settled.  Honestly maybe that was why.  Maybe they didn’t have room in the luggage room and decided to take it easy on us.  Maybe they were embarrassed by the sight of materialistic Americans in their lobby.  Who knows the reason.  And it seems like something small, but we were grateful.

We had grand ambitions for our time in Helsinki.  There is a famous library we wanted to see.  We thought about having one last meal in the harbor.  I had brief notions of trying the ferris wheel sauna.  But our time was short.  And the more precious and few the grains of sand in the hourglass the more quickly they all seem to slip. 

Ultimately we ended up at one of our favorite spots, the Helsinki city museum, with its children’s museum (lasten kaupunki).  It is one of the things we fell in love with when we were here last year, and we’ve been back a few times since.  It seemed like a great way to close out our trip.  We explored every room, and read every sign.  We played in the mock schoolhouse, and explored old time Helsinki.  There was an interactive augmented reality exhibit.  The kids loved it.  I took a video.  Seriously, why don’t we have more things like this in the States?  

We stayed as long as we could.  And then we stayed a little longer.

On the way home we bought a Christmas ornament and a couple of gifts for family (more things to squeeze into the suitcases).  We stopped to eat lunch at a burger place called Friends + BRGRS.  

It was an interesting experience, eating American food as our last meal in Finland.  We were sitting next to young people, who were having a very nice time.  It felt like we were very out of place.  Like our Finnishness was fading.  The rest of the country would still be there after we left.  We were the only ones who were leaving.

After dinner we walked to a very nice park – our last Finnish park.  It had a wonderful climber, and the kids had fun playing as the sun set and twilight crept over the park and our trip.  

We stayed as long as the light allowed.  Then it was a quick dinner at the same restaurant we had eaten at our first night in Helsinki.  We were smart enough to avoid the cocktail this time.  

Then back to the hotel.  The kids settled into a movie, and I made one last run to the store.

Helsinki metro stops are these big subterranean tunnels, with the subway and various restaurants, shops, and grocery stores.  They're very convenient.  There was a stop near us so I jogged down the stairs and found a K-Market.  Because of the national duopoly, I had a fairly good idea of what they would have there.  I bought a couple of beers, some milk and candy for the kids, and a bottle of our favorite champagne.  I don’t think it struck me at the time, but looking back I realize it was the last “normal person” thing that I did in Finland.

We tucked the kids in, and had our champagne.  I think we had intended to stay up late and talk about how wonderful our trip was.  I think that we did some of that, but mostly we just struggled to articulate what the last two months had meant to us.  We were anxious for our flight and sad to be leaving, and eventually settled into a fitful sleep.

Luckily we were staying at the Scandic, and could treat ourselves to a wonderful breakfast the next morning, and brief play in the playroom.  

There was a beautiful symmetry to ending our time in Helsinki the same way we had begun it.  We hauled our luggage as fast as we could to the rautatiesema.  There was a bit of a tight window to make our train, and they often run out of room.  We had an unbelievable amount of luggage, and were worried about not having enough room.  But once again we were lucky. 

Forty minutes later we were at the airport.  This was the part of the day that we were maybe the most nervous for.  We were certain our bags would be overweight.  We had crammed them so full, and were leaving with so much more than we came with, and they had been pretty heavy coming over.  We thought they would be too heavy, and we’d have to try to redistribute, or maybe just end up with a couple hundred dollars in extra bag fees.  Miraculously each of our bags was less than a kilo underweight. 

Security was fast and painless, as it had been at every European airport.  We had something for lunch.  I forget what it was.  It seemed so inconsequential at the time, but now I realize it was our last Finnish meal.  I wish I could remember it.  When it was time to board the gate agent waved us and other families travelling with kids to the front of the line.  Because they actually care about families here.  Then we got on the plane, and after a short taxi we took off.

Leaving Finland – and some part of us – behind.

Hei Hei