Return to Finland

The rest of our time in Berlin was really good. Although I'd been feeling unsure about going to the concentration camp, I'm really glad that I went. In typical gab and dad style we walked too far on the way there and missed our turn off, getting lost and then ending up on the opposite side of the camp to the entrance. We were going to have to walk all the way back round, which would've taken ages, but luckily a German couple (the woman was holding a knife) emerged from the forest and offered to give us a lift. They were super dooper lovely and so friendly as we tried to talk to each other in different languages. It was a strong comparison between those local Germans and the horrible stories we heard about the evil people who worked in the concentration camp.

Only one moment of hideous insensitivty occured while we were visiting the camp, when we were in the hospital and morgue building. The place still has that awful antiseptic hospital smell after all this time, and even if you didn't know anything about it you just get that feeling that bad things have happened here as soon as you walk in. A group of Spanish tourists decided they needed a big cheesy group photo huddled around one of the autopsy beds. I glared at them with all the glares that I possess.

Another of my favourite Berlin things is the Neues Museum, I think their Egyptian section is better than the one in the British Museum. Less enormous statutes but a lot more smaller and amazingly detailed artefacts, including the crazy famous Nefertiti's head statue and lots of others of Akenhaten and his family. The sad part of this story is that my camera did an unfortunate disappearing act so I can't show you pretty pictures. I left it in the downstairs lounge of our hostel, and it got handed in to lost property there. JOY! No, then it did a disappearing act. I plagued them for two days regarding its whereabouts, and the last I heard is that they'll mail it to me. Not feeling very optimistic at this point, but we'll see. I have the memory card though, cause it was in my computer. So that's something. But yes, these plain old words are all I can give you at this point. I apologise.

Our final activity on the last afternoon was to walk along the East Side Gallery in the pouring rain. Our flight the next morning was at 8am, so we had to get up at 5am in order to be there on time. We went through security and were trapped in this tiny little gate area of the airport whose only facilities were a toilet and a pretzel stand. And THEN they told us that our flight had been delayed for an hour and a half. Blurgh.

We eventually got to Helsinki, which didn't overly impress me. Granted we were only in the city centre for a limited amount of time, but I just felt like it was a bit bland, with nothing but fancy designer clothes stores on every street. Killing time waiting for my train to arrive was very uneventful! I was worried about dad finding his way back to the aiport on the bus and getting his flight back to Aus safely without me, but he was fine. I was a big cry-ey mess when I had to leave on the overnight train to Rovaniemi, we had such a great holiday and it's so rare that I get to spend large amounts of time with my daddy. I had a very bumpy and rattly sleep back to Rovaniemi, but I had my little sleeping cabin to myself so that was a plus. This continent's tolerance of dogs always amazes me, I'd say 30% of the people on the train had their puppy with them. Much easier and less stressful than putting him on a plane I guess! I can just imagine the response of Countrylink back in Australia if I proposed bringing my non-seeing eye dog with me on a 12 hour overnight train ride.. not bloody likely.

Since being back I'm trying to study and living in constant terror of failing everything and not being able to track down the textbooks I need and not understanding what exam days I need to apply for. It's all very confusing to me, but as my course convenors need a good week or so to get back to my emails, there's not much I can do except keep reading and taking notes on anything with pages.

Giorgia and I went to see some Finnish theatre last night, it was a very surreal experience watching plays mostly in Finnish, and also hearing Finnish people laugh and giggle! As soon as dad and I had arrived back in Finland the change in people's behaviour was instantaneous. No more jolly customer service for us! Just blank solemn faces and slight nods to indicate yes. Lucky not all Finns are like that or I'd lose my mind. I try to smile at particularly stern people I come across to convince them that maybe they wont die if they try it.

 And that's where I'm up to!

Here are a few older pictures just for some colour and interest, and to reward you for reading this far.

Dad and Avoc sharing a moment in Copenhagen

That's me, at the Pergamon museum.