First day - leaving Helsinki for Copenhagen via Stockholm

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InterRail 2013

Once again I spent my summer vacation on rails traveling around Europe like three years ago in 2010. This year 2013 the theme of my one month journey was the six continental European microstates. In theory, both Malta and perhaps Gibraltar could be included in this small group, but to be precise, Gibraltar for example is part of the British Commonwealth and Malta in turn is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. This time I set my focus to independent states and skipped Malta because the visit to that southern island state would have required unreasonable amount of time and the destination seemed to be reached with tricky connections, what came to traveling with train. I ended up an interesting circular journey through Luxembourg, Andorra, Vatican, San Marino, Monaco and Liechtenstein. The idea to visit all the continental microstates had been in my mind for years if not decades. This summer was finally time to realize my dream, which dated back as early as the days when I was a schoolboy. At that time I collected stamps in a small scale, though, like many the other kids of my age. It wasn’t any serious hobby and I was merely collecting miniature artwork with colorful and exciting pictures for my own enjoyment. Stamps were naturally traded with friends and sometimes I bought the whole plastic bag of miscellaneous stamps. There were also some stamps with Disney theme for sale in the very same shop. These stamps were published by a little state called San Marino, and kids were, of course, interested in all kinds of things with Disney theme. So, it wasn’t a surprise if some of these collectibles were found in my collection too. My hobby collecting stamps came to an end later, but the peculiar state San Marino stayed in my mind and I recalled this unusual microstate within Italian borders every now and then.

First day

My InterRail trip began in Helsinki on the first hot summer weekend of July. About four weeks journey started in Katajanokka passenger terminal, where the Viking Line’s ferry Mariella left Helsinki half past five in the late afternoon. I had reserved the ferry ticket well in advance two or three months earlier as well as my return trip back home last day of July. I arrived at the ferry port hour and half before departure. Check-in was not crowded, and I got to the counter right away. I gave the officer my reservation, which I had paid on the phone with my credit card. Luckily I took that credit card with me, for now it was needed again. The officer wanted to make sure that I owned the card, which was used to issue the payment and that I was the card holder. The shipping company’s salesperson on the phone would have told me this requirement, as I could have taken another credit card with me. I got aboard almost immediately and had a chicken sandwich as a light supper. I later went around on the sundeck admiring the beautiful Finnish archipelago in the front of Helsinki.

Leaving Stockholm for Copenhagen

I went to bed early at night and after a somewhat restless night’s sleep I woke up around seven o’clock. My cabin was located in the rear of the ship on the fifth deck. Although I have traveled with cruise ships many times, I have never yet had the cabin this far in the back, and the experience was new. In the stern the ship seemed to shake the most in full speed and the constant uneven noise kept me awake until I finally pushed the plugs in my ears even at the risk I would not have heard of my wake-up alarm. However, I woke up before the clock rang, so I had no worries of oversleeping. After some standard morning procedures I went to upper deck for breakfast. Buffet was already full speed ahead. People rushed between the counters and tables carrying huge food portions, which were blithely piled up on the plates. I settled for a modest breakfast, which I had ordered when I booked the trip. After breakfast, I went around the sun deck, where the morning had not yet warmed the air so that I could stay there in my summer clothes for very long time.

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Photos

Finnish flag
The Finnish flag of Viking Mariella ferry

Katajanokka
We are ready to leave the Katajanokka terminal for Stockholm, Sweden.

Helsinki harbor
Nice summer view to Helsinki harbor