We tried some things we'd never done before on our latest trip. One of the big ones was the transition from Helsinki, Finland to Tallinn, Estonia. Instead of taking the obvious flight, we decided to take the ferry.
Going from Helsinki to Tallinn for a day or two trip is popular with the locals, and they promote it for us tourists. We chose the Eckero Line, because; I won't lie; it was inexpensive. It cost around 20 Euros to ride with no car and it was a delightful trip, taking just a little over 2 hours.
Why the day trip and weekender option? Tallinn is a party town and it starts on the ferry. The ferry not only had a lovely outdoor bar, but the inside was full of other bars and snack places, and many many slot machines everywhere you looked. The party starts the minute people get on the boat.
Tallinn is full of casinos and bars. The last true headcount I could find was from 2010, and at that time there were 33 casinos in Tallinn. That's probably more than the R Kiosk convenience stores. We weren't going for the party, but a lot of people were, and for a 20 Euro boat ride, it's a cool day out. Here, we go to Foxwoods for that, so I get it.
The second transition we made was from Tallinn, Estonia to Stockholm, Sweden. I'd heard so many stories over the years. The horrors of flying Ryanair. The flight was less than an hour, so I thought it would be a great way to see for myself what the legendary budget airline was like. I fly budget airlines a lot to be fair, and I've had mostly good experiences, except that one experience with Frontier. Never fly them.
Ryanair--what can I say? I was impressed. This airline operates more like a bus or train. We waited at the gate and saw the plane come in. It parked and the passengers disembarked. However, while they left the plane, the fuel truck was refueling. Several staff came to do a post flight and pre flight check. Baggage was unloaded and reloaded in record time. I even saw my bag go right onto the plane. Several staff went inside the second they were done unloading to clean. The snack truck pulled up and unloaded into the galley while the baggage was being loaded below them. The crew left, and another crew immediately boarded. That entire plane was legitimately turned around and ready for its next flight in 25 minutes.
We immediately boarded when the work was complete, and our flight headed directly for the runway to take off as soon as we were all boarded. The safety information was gone over on the way to the runway, and when the flight attendants were finished, they notified the pilot that we were ready to go. I've never seen anything like it, but I loved it. So expeditious.
Was it a comfortable flight? The seats on the older plane were not new, but hear me out on this one. Old seats tend to be more comfortable and have more leg room. They had more padding, so they were pretty cozy and our legs had a little room. We had a wonderful, uneventful flight without turbulence. The staff was nice and polite. The snacks were good. I have no complaints. I didn't see the lavatories, because it was a 55 minute flight, but it was actually quite nice. If you fly budget and economy, Ryanair is just fine.
The third thing that I learned a lot about while traveling to Finland, Estonia, and Sweden was Bolt. I didn't use it, because I'm big on trams, buses, metros, and ferries; but this company, while like Uber is so much more.
You can schedule a Bolt, just like Uber. They have an app, and it's super easy. However, while Uber does food delivery and people moving; that's pretty much it. Bolt does that and more.
Bolt does city scooter and bike rentals. All on the app. Bolt does car rentals with coded cars and keyless ignition that you can also rent on the app. Bolt does ride sharing. Bolt has special shuttle services for airports, train stations, and ferry ports. It's really incredible how much you can do with Bolt. Keep that in mind, if traveling to the area. And with the tiny windy streets in the old towns where all the touristy stuff is, you won't want to try and drive yourself.
In case anyone wonders, the tiny windy cobblestone streets in the old town in Tallinn are used by cars. Unbelievable, but there it is. The parliament building and the offices of the president are there. So are several embassies.
The last thing I want to mention today is something I'd never encountered while traveling before. I'll tell you the story.
We almost always fly out of Logan Airport in Boston. It's convenient for us, we know the place, and it's normally reasonably priced. Most of the time, in the international terminal, we eat bao. This time we made a point to try a Wahlburger. Never had one before and it was time. So we did. They were good.
When we got to Helsinki, we started to see a trend. I'd been told that we wouldn't find much Finnish food, because that's what you cook at home. That made sense to me. You can try Reindeer meat and stuff at the market down at the old port.
What I didn't realize was that we were about to encounter two countries; Finland and Sweden, that when dining out ate almost exclusively burgers and pizza. In Helsinki we found other cuisine, but it was tough in Sweden. We found some questionable Swedish Meatballs, but that was about it. We went all over Stockholm looking for something else to find a few options, but not many.
This all left me asking, "Why all the pizza and burgers?"
I asked around and I asked Google. The answer I got was simple. The countries are expensive, which they are. When people go out they like to hang out and have a drink with friends. Especially in Sweden, burgers and pizza are inexpensive foods and the restaurants; especially pizza places, normally have a bar. It's become part of the hang out and spend time with friends culture.
That being said, when visiting these countries, get out of the tourist areas and you'll find a few other options. They will be expensive compared to the pizza and burgers, but it will be other kinds of food.
Also, if you're looking for more local fare in Helsinki; check out the port area. It's burgers and hot dogs, but it is the northern meat that maybe you've never tried. The indoor market at the old port also has a good variety of other foods. The central station areas in both Helsinki and Stockholm have other options as well.
Our Baltic Adventure was great. We learned so much about the area and the views are beautiful. I encourage everyone to take a true adventure, where you get out of your comfort zone a bit. Where you try something new, like Ryanair or a Baltic ferry. The best way I've found to get out and learn about the world is to travel, and you need to get out of the tourist zone sometimes. I'm a tourist, but I like to investigate other parts of a city or country. It's a great way to learn a lot in a short time.
So, keeping all that in mind, make those plans now. Try something new. Plan a true Adventure for Anyone and enjoy!
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bolt-request-a-ride/id675033630
https://www.vikingline.com/viking-line-cargo/routes-timetables/helsinki-tallinn/
https://www.foodora.fi/en/city/helsinki/cuisine/burgerit
https://www.routesnorth.com/sweden/things-to-do-in-sweden/introduction-swedish-fast-food/
https://www.worldofmouth.app/restaurants/flippin-burgers
https://all-things-nordic.com/2024/06/20/the-history-of-pizza-in-scandinavia/
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g274958-Activities-c53-t107-Tallinn_Harju_County.html
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