Chronicling Europe & The Baltics 2018 – Helsinki Modern Diversity

A Little Romance

Just like the cruises themselves, we as a couple tend to pack a lot into international travels. These trips ironically due to DK’s planning often take place around our anniversary. We’ve managed to celebrate more than one of these milestones as we’ve seen the world. It’s always nice to fit a little romance in while at work and on vacation.

I’m glad to have a husband that understands that my writing work travels with me wherever I go. Fortunately for me, his creativity kicks in on these trips and we both get to work and play. While in Helsinki we got the chance to combine our love for jazz with exploring the city. Rick Braun, Aubrey Logan, the UK Collective, and Rick Marcel provided exceptional onboard entertainment.

The city offered its own inspiration for romantic experiences. In our downtime, we found a terrific café for coffee and dessert. On the tour, we’d learned a lot about the delicious chocolates that locals enjoy. Including these with our treats was a definite no-brainer. Sitting outside and watching the world go by together…is my definition of romance!

Chronicling Europe & The Baltics 2018 - Helsinki Modern Diversity

Modern Families

I’ve been down this emotional road before and I don’t like it. The last destination or port before returning where we started is always bittersweet. Everyone knows that this is one of the last hurrahs of a week filled with amazing music, friends, and exploration. We’d just arrived in Helsinki, Finland and the morning was brisk.

This was the first day in this region that I actually needed a jacket. The sun, however, did not fail us with its presence. It was a great day to ride through the country’s southern capital and learn about its history. One of the things that struck me right away was the activities of families. Early morning responsibilities like getting kids off to school or daycare were being performed by both moms and dads.

Like many countries in the region, green functions are important in Finland. It was common to see commuters on bikes here just as residents of Copenhagen had done. Modern families interacting at work and play were visible from the tour bus. Those hopping on and off of the city’s tram systems looked like residents from any location around the world.

Helsinki Cathedral and the Market Square were memorable attractions that provided a different way to experience this area. Here we met an American working for the tour company, who had chosen this for his retirement spot. International travel is just another way to learn about people and what they are interested in. 

We all want happiness, health, and genuine connections with family and friends.