helsinki 2 july 2026

This morning I noticed there was actually a cafe of some description across the park from this airbnb so I went there and asked for a double espresso - the only kind of coffee I can drink in a non-coffee country like this. The girl behind the counter (no doubt actually a woman behind the counter but no doubt closer to the age of 0 than I am to the age of 100, so 'girl' seems appropriate somehow) pointed to the coffee machine, which looked perfectly fine to me, and said that she couldn't make a double espresso, only an espresso. So I stupidly got an Americano, I really don't know why. 

After that I had to remedy with a real double espresso from a chain. Then even though I have vowed no more pastries, the devil made me get a pulla. So silly.

Other things from today: 

'Waiter. One red-green Helsinki and the cheapest triple sec in the house, thank you!' Yeah I don't get it either. 

So I went to the Workers museum with Steve and Franziska (however while I was there I left my phone in my bag hence no pictures - I got a brochure I'll show you later). Before I went there though I went to a nearby flea market and saw:

I looked at a lot of CDs, none of them seemed particularly exciting. 

How much would you pay for a racist licorice tin? This was priced at €100.

Old friend

21 October 2019

That's the Swedish National Library there. It's very nice inside. But I would also say the Finnish National Library would not allow a 7-11 on the corner. 

Above is the liquorice I bought, as I head towards an actual dedicated liquorice shop which I didn't actually go into (I can't remember where I bought the liquorice above, but it wasn't there). I didn't see the need to buy books in Swedish on liquorice (only the deep desire). 

Hello old friend. Water damaged singles outside a junk shop on the way to the conference I was on my way to. No, I did not buy it. 

The conference

Below: the only reason I am pretty sure I didn't steal this book, which was in the fancy upstairs cocktail-reception area in the conference venue, was that I would then have to carry it back to Australia with me. 

What are these? Seriously, I don't know

Hello old friend - again

I did buy this. It's pretty good

I kind of wish I'd bought this

Meanwhile, Ginger Baker had recently died and his funeral was about to happen. Rant in peace Ginger