24 hours in the midnight sun
By Stuart Ensor
Ahead lay Helsinki, a sun-filled night and no hotel room to speak of – this was midsummer madness and we were pushing on through for the next 24 hours, helped along by the midnight sun.
Helsinki is in the southern part of Finland on the shore of the Gulf of Finland by the Baltic Sea. The winter is a cold, dark affair but the summer brings continuous daylight and a touch of midsummer madness...
Bike Rides at midnight
Helsinki is an amazing city to look at and, with the sun still beaming at midnight and the locals away on holiday, you can get easily get around and enjoy all the sites that Helsinki has to offer. Helsinki Cathedral is probably the most prominent building and the symbol of this beautiful city. Make sure you stop off at the Glass Palace, the Olympic Stadium and the Central Rail Station, all of which are impressive structures.
A word of warning: braking is done by peddling backwards, a very confusing situation in the early hours of the morning.
Tango at 2am
Helsinki is considered one of the main hubs of popular music in Northern Europe with bands such as Rasmus and HIM originating from here. But rock music aside, the people of Helsinki love to Tango.
After our bike ride we sat down with a refreshing Finnish Beer to watch our teachers, a lovely old Finnish couple, demonstrating the Tango.
After the demo they split the room into girls and boys and we each practised our own steps without a partner. Us lads picked it up quicker than the girls and things were looking good. That was until we were partnered with a lady, regressed to giggling school boys and came over shy and stupid. I’m sure its not everyone's cup of tea and before the lesson it certainly wasn’t mine but, after partnering with the lovely Hanna and being used as the class’ shining example, I changed my tune. Maybe have a few beers first though.
Sauna at 4am
Lying off the Helsinki coastline are around 400 tiny islands, most no bigger than a few hectares. We hopped on a boat for the 10 minute ride to the island of Uunisaari to experience a traditional Finnish sauna.
For the Finns a sauna is a spiritual experience, a place to meditate and cleanse your aura. A quick shower first and I found myself in the dry heat of the wooden cabin. Being my first time in a sauna, I was surprised at how amazing I found the whole experience, I could appreciate the Finns love affair with them.
After 10 minutes and 10 lbs lost (ahem), we were encouraged to run into the Baltic Sea at 6am. I didn’t come to Finland to get hypothermia but it seemed churlish not to and I’m glad I took the plunge. The Finns have got it right, despite the water being almost painfully freezing, I felt physically and spiritually warmed through afterwards. Hopeful my aura was looking a bit shinier too.
After a long cold beer in the Jacuzzi we were honoured to take part in a traditional Finnish ritual, a precious part of their culture. Wearing a crown of flowers we were asked to write down something we wanted to be rid of from our lives before burning the paper in the fire. Usually I wouldn’t buy into this but, after the uplifting experiences I’d had over my 24 hours in Helsinki, I watched hypnotically as the paper burned and floated away. I walked away with a smile.
Stuart Ensor flew with www.flysas.co.uk
Daily flights with Blue1 from Heathrow to Helsinki, prices from £69 one way including taxes, return from £135 including taxes.
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