Well today is the end and it SNOWED – well just a little. 


We caught a little ferry across to the fort and as we got off the boat – about 15mis from Helsinki it was sooooo cold and it started!
We went to the museum  walked around the island and then found a great brewery and had lunch and a beer.
It was a long day – late flights out are a bit of a pain . But we are now at Helsinki airport and enjoying a quiet glass of bubbles before boarding. Also using the internet.


Did I mention we went to see Circus Finlandia.  A good night out and amazing tricks if you are under 4. But we had a ball then went and had dinner.


We did a little summary of our trip and decided we did not want to come home. Apart from that we had a few really big  favourites. One being able to travel first with Pip  – she made a great travel buddy. Pip we loved having you with us. Must do it again. Also great having Phoebe with us in St Petersburg. We loved having you there Phoebe and feel very lucky to have two girls travel with us. We miss our boys and always love having them along – but its different with girls!


It seems ages since Italy but that was such a great start. Bertie was so lovely to Pip and I. we feel very lucky to be the only members of the family to see her soooo big.


Well signing off now – flight just called.


See you all soon


Fran x

hello for probably the last time – till the airport.
We have had 2 lovely days in Herringcity no Helsinki I mean. It’s a lovely city – smaller than Stockholm, but has it’s own charm. Sadly it has been grey and rainy thou not heavy just drizzly. There is no shortage if coffee shops to warm up in and lots of shops with the most amazing innovative design things around. No doubt about the Swedes and Finns – they like a smartly designed object.

We walked and caught the 3T tram around the sights and last night went to a great little concert – cellos mainly. It was very good with the performers all being talented beautiful young men and women.

Tonight we are off to the circus! The Finlandia circus are having a season so decided to try it out.

Steve had a little splurge and bought my birthday/ Christmas present today – some  silver jewellery from a lovely young designer married to an Italian. Lucky me.

Will try and put photos on when I get to a big computer!

See you all soon
x

Staying once again in a lively small hotel in the old town. Riga is not quite as cutsie as Tallinn but is old and has an interesting story to tell. We went to 3 churches and 4 museums today. All quite small and manageable! Not trying to do the Louvre and Notre Dame. One told of the history of occupations- not jobs but who has taken over! Very sad for them. It’s like they have never been able to do their own thing. As they are on the Baltic- like Estonia they were wanted by the powers. Enough history.
We walked and I observed that the museum guards were all “older”women. I hope they are paid but if not then they have a dry quiet time where they can read, knit, snooze, follow you around and generally waste time!
Last night we walked around the quiet streets- this is off season  so not heaps of tourists. We found a nice Latvian restaurant and promised  ourselves not to drink vodka- for a change. So what did we do? After the wine we thought we should try the local drink called Balsam. Enquiring what it was from the waitress she told us all the locals do in fact drink it to ward off the colds. Good enough for us we say and so 2 small glasses appear. Well it was a cross between cough syrup and a reay bad ?/$!’kh.


This afternoon I lost my new red beanie bought in Tallinn. It’s so hard juggling coat, scarf, hat, gloves, bag, umbrella, camera! I managed to drop it somewhere but no worries the street markets were on and I now have a dusty pink beret.
We also went to the Museum of Decorative Arts. They had a special exhibition of clothes in the art deco style from Europe and America. It was divine. I haven’t seen the Valentino show at Goma yet, but this was good. Reminds me – who wants to see Valentino when I get back? There is an uplate on Nov 12 .
Tonight is the big night. We are meeting Merkus to hand over Irma. Will let u know tomorrow how it goes. It seems we will be alone again.
Tomorrow we leave for Vilnius.

en

Today we had our last breakfast in the lovely breakfast room and we’ll be catching the 10am bus to Riga. It’s a little overcast today and when we stick our heads out the door will get a blast of the chill air.

Riga in Latvia will be interesting. Mostly because we will be handing Irma over to Merkus! Yes Steve has had his old school friend John’s mother Irma in his bag. She died over a year ago and John had been wanting to go to Riga to scatter her ashes – so Steve kindly offered to bring her with us. She has been in his bag just waiting handover. Stranger thnings have happened but I don’t know what they are! I’m sure Irma has enjoyed her trip and now willl be meeting relatives in Riga.

Impressions of Tallinn: Yesterday we went to the Estonian town Museum – and it showed clearly how the Estonians feel about being occupied by the Russians for so many years. It must have been so hard during those years – and they show have no love for the Russians. We also went to the outdoor museum – a kind of Estonian Old Sydney Town. It was in a beautiful forest and had the original farms set up and great explanantions of life as a farming Estonian. We visited th little school and show some kids on excursion. Naturally I had a chat to the teacher and told them where I was from in Australia. The kids were interested but had little English.

well off to Riga.
Hi Bertie ´how is little Cleo coming along? and your final assignments?
Love to all Fran