HK - Helsinki - Tallinn
I bought my Finnair ticket nearly half a year ago, due to a special promotion price of HKD4400 plus tax to anywhere in Europe, but the cons are: fixed date departure, no changes allowed, but a trip to Europe for only HKD4400 plus tax (despite tax comes to HKD1600!), no complains at all. As a result, off I go!
I went to the airport early in the morning, and checked in for my flight to Helsinki, as the agent checked my passport (British passport), and murmured to herself, "does he needs a visa for Estonia?" I was like "What?" Estonia is a European Union country, and supposively holding any EU passports shouldn't need a visa to visit any EU countries (or even to work there!) So why ask? I am really surprised for the travel knowledges of airline staff. However, they have the authority to let me or deny me boarding the plane. I have to say, I was quite nervous...
The flight finally took off (with me, thanks God!) and within 9.5 hours I arrived at Helsinki Vantaa airport. Quickly I dashed out the plane, went through immigration (with me having a EU passport, I pretty much being waived through) and quickly dashed on a local bus towards downtown Helsinki.
The first impression of Helsinki is clean, bright and small. It has a small town feeling other than being the capital and the biggest city of a country like Finland. The biggest attraction is the white Lutheran Cathedral which was built in 1917 as a tribute to the Tsar of Russia before its independence. The second attraction is the Suomenlinna Fortress which is just off the coast of Helsinki. Suomenlinna fortress is a UNESCO World heritage site which itself is worth a visit, as it was built in 1748 against Russian expansionism.
The one thing that surprised me was how expensive Helsinki can be. A quick take-away meals cost around 7-10 euros. Getting a microwave meal from a supermarket around 3.5 - 4 euros. I guess it wasn't as much when you compare to the UK, but since I have already back in HK for 3 years, the price kind-of comes to me as a shock. The more I was in Helsinki, the more I feel proud of being from HK.
I had a strange feeling while walking around downtown Helsinki. It was way too quiet and way too bright. However, I guess that is how the Baltics is! It was close to 9:00pm but with the sunlight, you feel as it is 9:00am, but with all shops closed and the streets nearly empty. I feel like jumping around, going into shops and looking for more attractions to see, but it was all closed.
I guess I had enough of this city, but nevertheless, I had already seen the important sites like the White Cathedral and the Suomenlinna Fortress. My next connecting flight leaving for Tallinn (Estonia) will be at 23:50 and it was now time to head back to the airport.
The distance between Helsinki and Tallinn is only 80 miles, something like from Hong Kong to Macau. By fast ferry it takes only 1.5 hours, and it is both funny and ridiculous for someone to ever negotiate this route by plane. However, since this flight sector was included on my ticket, so why not? With this, I hopped onto this shortest ever flight I have ever flown in my life. Within 20 minutes of flying time, I arrived at Tallinn, Estonia.
Tallinn airport is bright, though much smaller than Helsinki. But with a Baltic heart, I stepped into this piece of foreign land, and ready to embrace for the coming adventures.
More pictures of Helsinki: http://lonelytraveller01.multiply.com/photos/album/2
(Picture Caption: Me in front of the White Lutheran Cathedral, Helsinki)
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