7-15-2015: Helsinki Boat to Stockholm

We are trying something else new on this trip. We fly and we fly and we fly. But this time we are going to float - twice. First trip is from Tallinn, Estonia to Helsinki, Finland on a ferry. Public transportation means everyone knows what they are doing except us and they all have a very determined look- some would say mean.

We navigate with our bags upon bags and they all have nothing or one small bag. Out tickets work and we are ahead of the crowd so we head down a street and see the Ferry just ahead - this could work out fine. But wait, there is a chain across the road and we stack up with a whole bunch of folks from all over. Mothers with baby carriages, little kids, mean looking working folk all lining up behind us. Remember the movies with the Oklahoma land rush and all the wagons lined up waiting for the gun shot to race off? Down goes the chain and the race is on - bouncing over cobble stones our suitcases jumping we hit top speed in a few feet but it is to late - the baby carriage is going our speed and a big Russian fellow comes from the back of pack and goes by with smaller people falling to the way side. A ramp appears and it is steep but we have speed so up we go blocking out a Fin on one side and a Swede on the other and somehow get through the door. Jim is all over this and somehow was blocking out storage shelves for our suitcases and we are in!!

Now comes the reward - Tina was anticipating trouble so we booked First Class - Comfort or something but whatever, it came with a nice person that says, "Follow me" and follow her we did upstairs and into a special room. Bam! it is quiet, we have a sofa, a cold drink and a menu and windows to our selves. Whew! Nice - a whole room to ourselves and a super nice person that takes our orders, brings us food and brings us drinks.

But wait, that is not all. After a very pleasant trip across the sea to Finland, she says, "Would you like to be the first ones off the ship?" She parts the people like Moses parted the Red Sea and we march off the first few feet and then, like the fox being chased by the hounds we are off again to our next boat.

This boat is a big 'ol cruise ship and for all of us, this IS our first Rodeo! It is a bit of a madhouse but some nice folks point the way. Jim and Tina did the right thing and got a room with a deck while we upgraded a little, but not enough. We get a window to the outside which is quite nice but it takes a lot of coordination to open suitcases, hit the bathroom and such. The ship has shops and restaurants but the biggest hit is the duty free shop and the folks are stocking up. We hit the wine section and score some major buys - enough to last the ship trip and land stops too!

This feels like a Disney Cruise and the kids are running wild. The kids are sugar high crazy and they run and shout until well after 10 at night! The food is good and after dinner and a drink we hit the sheets. Time change and we wake an hour early but no penalty as the sun is raising and we are passing islands as we make our way, still three hours away, to Stockholm, Sweden. We pass island after island and many have houses and cute villages and birds of all kinds flying around. It is so pleasant watching the islands flow by - some quite close to the ship.