Start with the Finnish...

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....who are generally tall, well dressed and rather cool. Helsinki is clean and bright if not a little clinical. Unlike our hotel which is a little shabby but in a great location (Jonathan would spend a fortune here - shopping opportunities abound!). The bathroom is the highlight - dark blue wall tiles, black floor tiles, yellow bathroom suite and green toilet seat. Luckily the light is the equivalent of a candle so you can't tell all of this unless you open the door really wide (though it's a bit scary inside with the door closed!).

Been to a fab modern art gallery (in fact this is definitely a place Jonathan should visit) and this afternoon are off on a boat around some of the islands. The sun's shining but it's already quite chilly - roll on central Siberia in October!

Big thanks to Jonathan for looking after us and taking us to the airport. Think his bathroom will beat most of the ones on our trip but will keep you updated. Tomorrow we fly to St Petersburg & start an endless round of complex bureacracy....

(Note for Gary - we survived Manchester without having any specific jabs, maybe we were just lucky)

Hope everyone well - let us know!

S & H xx

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Photos

Helsinki from a boat
Cathedral and Market Square

Comments

[Jen Becker]

I'm already even more jealous
Very glad to hear you got away and the tenant materialised but really, do you have to make a point of enjoying yourselves? Work is exactly the same and I'm thinking of making arrangements to save your post.

[Jonathan]

Omsk
Are you there yet? J x

[Sarah H.]

Ah, right. I've just got the "Start with the Finnish" joke. I hope it's not going to be so groansome all the way round the world ;-) You can think up some good ones while you're on the Trans Siberian......