Drinking Wodka...Naked

That's pretty much what the Finns are known for, and I've had the experience in time here, so to speak. My days in Copenhagen ended in fantastic fashion, with a visit to the infamous amusement park Tivoli, frenzied packing (the only way I know how) and closing down the K3 club in the city center. Subsequently, Pete and I missed our first flight to Helsinki. Not to worry, there was another leaving in the afternoon, which we boarded with no problems.

My worries were over when we landed in Helsinki. But my luggage didn't come with me. Mikaela, a stunning Finnish Viking, picked us up at the airport and whisked us away to Sten's empty flat in the center of the city, where we've been sleeping on mattresses this week. Feels a bit like the Godfather. That first night we attended a bar's grand opening, then VIPed our way into this club called Lux, which has a great terrace view over the city, and is easily the most impressive club I've ever seen. Most clubs here are 24+, but it seems to be a mere suggestion.

Since then it's been sleep-in, sightsee, go to the club. Until yesterday, when Otto, the Viking headed to Madison this fall, gave us a tennis lesson and showed us the student like in Helsinki. Last night we had a big Viking dinner at his parent's place on an island outside Helsinki. Every time I meet these people I'm more and more impressed. Today we're taking a bus to the Finnish archipelago for a night at a cottage. Apart from these irritating back spasms, all is well here. My luggage even arrived yesterday, so I can stop borrowing clothes.

I fear this week in Finland will be over soon, and we'll board the overnight ferry to Stockholm on Thursday. I've never taken an overnight boat, and I'm pretty damn excited about it.

I've forgotten a few things. Saturday we visited Helsinki's last remaining public sauna, where for only 7 euros one can sweat out all those club toxins in a 100 degree + (that's celcius) wood paneled room with a bunch of other naked people. An interesting experience to say the least, but it's an institution in Finland, and a must on a visit here.

There was a club we went to on Sunday that had a line around the block, but we were able to skip the line and get in immediately. It's nice to know people who know people. A famous Finnish rapper performed live, and as usual, we failed to leave the place long before close.

Sorry about the brief summary, but I'm not wired in at the empty flat, and spare time is hard to come by. See you in Sweden..