Today was Finland day! D: Shoulda hit up Ville before coming, I guess, but because I’m going on a tour and don’t really know where I’ll be, it’d be hard to meet up anyway. In my experience, Finnish people are really nice and open-minded. Can’t say for sure unfortunately since going on this godamned tour is NOT conducive to meeting native individuals. It is pretty much conducive to just meeting other fat Americans. Gross.
Anyway.
This morning started off by… taking a bus right outside the cruise terminal. The bus went around to a park in Helsinki and then went off to a smaller, older city, called Porvoo (Porrrrr-vo). It is the second or third oldest city in all of Finland. Was it exciting? Unfortunately no. Not too exciting. I am a big fan of old cities and old things in general, but this was not particularly old OR interesting unfortunately. It was basically just two streets with lame ass tourist fare and places to buy crap you absolutely do not need. Snore. We were there for an hour.
Sculpture at said park.
Again!
“I’m THRILLED!!!”
Porvoo. That man isn’t as shifty as he looks! Really! I think…
More PorvOo.
It’s a fake window. Look closer.
On the way while walking back to the car, I got in a huge argument with my parents because they love to generalize about a country without knowing anything about that country. My mom said, “Finland bi jiao pou,” which means, “Finland is more rundown,” basically. And I think this is a terribly rude thing to say in another country, so they got mad. But I couldn’t entirely explain myself at the time… I just said it was a rude thing to say in another country. They didn’t get it. They said, “It’s the truth,” as though that were enough logic.
Ten minutes later, after thinking about it, I tried to go with another type of reasoning. I said, “It’s a terribly rude thing to say a country is rundown because people live here. These are their homes you’re calling rundown. That’s rude.”
To that, they responded by saying, “Well, it’s not like we’re saying it to their faces. We’re just talking about it amongst ourselves.”
To which I said, “But it is perpetuating a terrible attitude that basically deems yourself better than all of them.”
To which my dad responded with, “But you say stuff like that, too.”
And I asked him for an example. He couldn’t think of one right away but later said, “Like you were talking about how China was weird the other night for Olympics stuff.”
And I said, “BUT THAT’S NOT THE SAME! THEY CONTROL THEIR PEOPLE!” But it was hard to explain at the time. Language barrier thing, you know? But in fact it is not at all the same. The Chinese government is scary and weird. Not the Chinese people. Not China as a country. And it’s not like I’m basing that opinion off of one general thing I just learned. That opinion is formed through many news facts about China and how they alienate and control their people.
It’s not the same because they literally saw three streets of Helsinki and then some small podunk towns in Finland and hence concluded that the country of Finland was “rundown.” But it’s not like I can explain these things to them. Seriously… having Asian parents sucks. Intelligent discussion? Throw it out the window. Deep philosophical thoughts about life? No thanks. And that’s even taking into consideration that my parents have a fairly good grasp of English. I’m not quite sure where the other conversations, with the parents that speak really crappy English, go.
Anyway. Enough on that tangent. After all that junk we went off to some “old” manor that is also a working farm. It has a restaurant connected to it. Tourist trap #42323. The downstairs was an old kitchen with lots of old tools and blacksmithing-type equipment. There were a few people eating there when we got there. The upstairs was long table after long table reserved especially for idiot tour groups. In today’s case, the whole upstairs (there were about 14 to a table, with the upstairs having… I don’t know… probably around 14 tables…) was full of people from the Princess cruise. Wee. @__@
So the menu. The menu we did not hear ANYTHING about prior to arriving, and we had to find out for ourselves right when our bus was parked outside the restaurant. Then we were told that the meal would consist of a green salad with vinaigrette, spice-stuffed beef, and a berry tartlette. What the hell!?!! WHAT IF I WERE A VEGETARIAN?!!! I DON’T EVEN GET A CHOICE?!!! THEY DIDN’T EVEN ASK!!! As a practical pescetarian with a huge obsession with Spicy Chicken Bites from Jack in the Box (something I am not proud of), I find that extremely offensive. Because beef is gross. But what is even MORE disturbing is all of the Americans who are like, “OH NO CAN’T EAT THIS!! IT MUST BE REINDEER! IT MUST BE BEAR!! IT CAN’T BE BEEF!!” Partially joking but partially not, they were.
After that we took off and went back to Helsinki. 45 minute drive. Went to the Rock Church… DOPE. Is all I can say. Amazing architecture. Its basically a church that was built into a huge slab of rock and carved directly out from it.
The Rock Church.
Amazing!
After that. Senate Square and City Center. Did some minimal shopping… not for myself but for my mom. I don’t really buy that kinda useless crap.
Senate Square.
The view from above the stairs.
Little vikings at the market near Senate Square.
Foxes ~__~ Real live… wait no… foxes.
ALL HAIL FINLAND!!!!
Then there was going back to the ship, where we passed these tables that look like picnic table, only there were no chairs and they were situated right next to the water. What were they??!! The tour guide explained that in the summer Finnish families sometimes pack up their CARPETS and FAIMLIES and then just wash their carpets with pine soap right on the open sea. Interesting.
After going back to the boat, there were a lot of uncomfortable familial arguments, mostly between my parents, and then yup. Scallop ceviche, caesar salad, and fettucine alfredo for dinner. @__@
Lots of ferries between Tallinn, Estonia, and Helsinki, Finland.
I’m cold now. Watching “I Am Legend” on the outside deck while I’m typing this. Weeeeeee.
I Am Legend!!
On the way to Russia! It’s Russian! I thought this pic was pretty cool. I had to long exposure and pull the camera backwards ^__^
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