Where in the World?

The body travels more easily than the mind, and until we have limbered up our imagination we continue to think as though we had stayed home. We have not really budged a step until we take up residence in someone else’s point of view. – John Erskine

I was in Helsinki, Finland the latter part of this week for work. As I had a Saturday free, I took the SuperSeaCat ferry to Tallinn, Estonia across the Gulf of Finland. The fast ferry took about 100 minutes to arrive at our destination. There were a few swells today that made the boat pitch, but it wasn’t too bad.

As we got off the ferry, we could clearly see Old Town Tallinn ahead, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our first destination was St. Olav’s Church. It seemed to be the tallest non-modern building in the area. The photo to the left was taken from the top of the tower, which meant we had to climb 250+ steps on a small spiral staircase after paying 3 Euro. The effort was definitely worth it, as you could see for miles in all directions. It was a great way to get our bearings and decide where we wanted to meander next.

For the next three or four hours we walked up and down the narrow streets to get a feel of the city. The architecture was a mixture of medieval and modern, which gave the town a really personal but unique feeling to it.

Our next goal was the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, pictured to the right. The interior was exquisitely decorated from top to bottom with ornate images and a myriad of paintings, sculptures and etc. Unfortunately photography was not allowed inside. During our visit, there were simultaneous activities of confession, a funeral and choir practice. It made for an interesting but harmonious mixture of sounds.

We ate lunch in Raekoja plats, which was a large town square full of arts and crafts booths and a myriad of restaurants. The weather was perfect for eating outside under large umbrellas. We continued our exploration of the numerous shops up and down the many narrow, cobbled streets. Amber and linens seem to be the preferred items sold in just about every single store we saw. The amber is mined from the Baltic Sea and is a high quality. We saw one piece that had an ancient spider entombed. Very cool!

Overall, it was great day. My visit to Estonia marked my sixth new country for the year. My goal is 10. I’m almost there.

Have a great day!

Michael

If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk. – Raymond Inmon

A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. – Paul Dudley White

Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time. – Steven Wright

I had a very long day at work including traveling to Helsinki from Leipzig, Germany. By 8:30 p.m. I had enough and felt like getting outside for a walk and some fresh air.

Summer in Helsinki, Finland is quite nice. The days are very long in the summer and very short in the winter. It seems to me that people utilize every minute of sunlight during the summer and enjoy the outdoors. Many people ride bicycles, walk and run seemingly at all hours of the day and night.

I’m staying at the Hilton Strand, which is close to a number of sights, restaurants and parks. The Helsinki Cathedral is impressive and a short walk from the hotel. I recommend seeing this beautiful church.

I walked across a solid, arched, stone automobile bridge right by the hotel. The setting sun was lighting the water and the underside of the arch with golden light. It was a lovely sight. I could feel myself beginning to relax. I turned west and walked along the water watching the boats. I turned back east and followed the road around The Botanical Garden at Kaisaniemi where The Botanical Museum is located. It was closed, but I had previously walked around here. There are a myriad number of plants including a really nice palm house.

I turned back towards the hotel and witnessed a stunning sunset with some unusual C shaped clouds (turned on their sides). I was feeling better, my batteries were recharged and I was now ready for a good night’s sleep.

Michael

Sunday was my last night in New York City. We started our evening with a wonderful dinner at Hell’s Kitchen. It’s labeled as a progressive Mexican restaurant and is located at 679 Ninth Ave. The food was fantastic!For a starter we tried the guacamole with fresh homemade crispy guajillo corn tortillas. Hmmmm! The tortillas were really crispy with a little salt and the guacamole had just the right amount of “bite” to it. We were also served some flat corn bread triangles with a spicy black bean dip. Very good!

For the main course, I ordered the grilled shrimp with serrano sauce, sweet plantain and guacamole. The combination of spicy and sweet was perfectly balanced. I ate until I was stuffed. Erica ordered the pan seared halibut with grilled chayote, sweet plantain puree, and salsa verde. Very good!

The Hell’s Kitchen area of New York City is rich with culture, history, shops and restaurants. I really recommend walking the area, exploring the nooks and crannies plus enjoying the fantastic variety of food that is offered. We walked around for a couple of hours in the evening just absorbing the flurry of activity that seems to never stop in this incredible city.

Michael

No matter where you go, there you are. – unknown

Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken. – Frank Herbert

For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move. – Robert Louis Stevenson

Of all the places I’ve been, I had not been to New York City until today. I’m traveling with Erica, who is very familiar with the city. So, it’s really nice to have a tour guide.

After an okay Thai dinner at Pam Real Thai, we went to a comedy show at Carolines. Tonight’s headliner was Tracy Morgan. The club was quite small and intimate and Tracy had many funny moments.

I had always wanted to walk around Time Square, so after the show we took a leisurely stroll along Broadway. There was an incredible number of people out tonight. In fact, at times, it was wall to wall people. But, it was not an issue as one of my favorite pastimes is people watching. New York is truly a melting pot of diverse cultures. It reminds me of London in many ways. The lights around Time Square were dazzling and constantly changing.

I enjoyed exploring many of the stores as we walked back to The Belvedere, our hotel. I noticed that there are Starbucks about every 2 or 3 blocks. I have never seen so many of them in one place as I did today walking around a 10 block area from our hotel. Wow!

Michael