Daily Telegraph highlights Finland

Today's Daily Telegraph has a travel section about Finland. I think I may have to spend an hour reading articles about the sauna etc.

I really didn't recognize the Helsinki that Norma Miller visited. Mostly because I have not explored the museums and I definitely have not bought the up and coming ceramics or fabrics. We did enjoy one of his comments about Helsinki.

What to Avoid

1. Don’t expect British shopping times. 11am opening is standard, while Saturday closing is 3pm. Only a few big stores, such as the giant Stockmann, open Sundays.
2. Stockmann – unless you like huge expensive mainstream department stores.
3. Don’t leave museums to Monday – they’re shut.
4. Steer clear of Kallio late at night, especially the “red light” stretches of Vaasankatu and Aleksiskivenkatu.
5. Salmiakki – unless you like salty liquorice vodka.

I am not experienced in many of these areas, but the late openings and early closings fit very well in our neighborhood. It is not unusual for the small shops to open about 11 and close by 3. There is a lovely little store that sells jewelry made with precious stones. I have come to the conclusion that the owner must be independently weathy and this is her hobby.

In a tough in cheek article about Nokia, Matthew Norman points out that Finland is a country populated by five million humans and two million saunas. Since everyone I talk to has a sauna in their building or apartment or work place, I can easily imagine that this one might be true. However, after hearing about bathing naked and going to the sauna in your all together, I am afraid there are just some things in Finland that I will not be experiencing.