Helsinki!

There is a well know cruise line out of Stockholm that has daily trips to Helsinki, Riga, and Tallinn for $50 if you're willing to share a cabin the size of a closet with three other people. This is the story of the one to Helsinki.

Our luxurious 4 person cabin

It began innocently enough with my group being so late that we were literally sprinting to make it and the last ones on. We lost a member (Chris) but it turned out okay because he went to Tallinn instead and Wendy, Mel, and I had one less person in our cabin.

Then Friday night we pretty much hung out in the Playstation Lounge and the disco. I met this really interesting German guy and we talked about what it was like for him to study in America vs France and what it was like for me to study in Sweden. I really like learning about people's views on culture, which I guess is the anthro major in me coming out.

Helsinki: Fucking beautiful city!

Sweden and Germany Bears

USA not awesome bear

While we were there we pretty much just saw the sights (not that many, it's a small city) and looked around. There was a UN exhibit about unity expressed through each country painting 6ft tall bear statues. It was simultaneously the most adorable thing I saw and one of the best ways of expressing peace and unity (forget those pictures of a bunch of children holding hands. Not Awesome.

As you can see from their overrepresentation, I really loved those bears.

It's okay to be jealous

Then we went to the outdoor market and I bought socks. These socks were wonderful, warm, epic, expensive socks.  In fact I will just include them as my final picture.