Finnish Salo

Bikers are first off the Helsinki ferry 🙂 🙂 🙂
Here at our assembly point is the custom Vespa……

Rode into Helsinki and found a post office. Sorry, but you have to have a birthday this month to receive a card.

Rode on to the National Museum……

Not keen on Barbie. I mean, it’s not as if I have a Barbie-pink thermos, and electricals bag 😉

Decided that I had seen enough of Helsinki. 
Which reminds me. 
“How do you find a parliament building in a democracy?”
“There’s always someone outside with a protest placard”
haha

Left Helsinki with the start of rush-hour. 
Don’t like commuter traffic. It is full of left-lane-bandits, and plugs-of-traffic.

But the rain held off.
And less than 2hrs later, I arrived at my hotel in Salo. 
Yes, I picked my overnight spot by it’s name (Salo being a Ukrainian delicacy). Not because Nokia used to have a huge manufacturing centre here.

Unpacked. 
Enquired about supper.
Met “Stan” the Belgian. He travels the world setting-up and fixing machines that make plastic bags. They are awesome! Think printing-press meets…….everything! The longest machine he has worked on was 45metres in length!
Being Monday, we were limited in supper options. Ended up at Bhanchha where I had nice veg Moo, rather sweet chicken tikka masala, and a proper chai 🙂
We returned to the hotel, for a beer or two…….

Back in my room, I organised my hotels into Poland. Had to wait till my Riga ferry was confirmed.

Up late Tuesday morning. Expected. Learning a new language, jousting with a city tram (don’t ask), and fighting rush-hour traffic meant that I was feeling tired by the time I arrived at the hotel.
Lay in bed thinking about getting up, whilst listening to ‘Just a Minute‘.

TaiChi on my balcony 🙂 Been a while since I have done this outdoors. Was really nice.

First parade on the bike.
Pack.

Rode into downtown Salo.
Buffet lunch at Salon Seurahuone was nice. Parsnip soup, meatballs, drumsticks, roasted new potato, salads and more.

Quick ride into Turku.
Checked out the ferry port.
Then a look around.
Found the market.
Found the Tourist Information office. 
And enroute, found an SUV driver who did not see me. Blind SUV drivers are everywhere! Ran into the bike whilst I was stopped at a light. Hi-viz jacket. White helmet. And he still didn’t see me?!?!?!?! Looked to be no damage, so we called it quits. 

At the tourist office I found out that the “village” was starting it’s next guided tour in English, in 5mins. Rode over. Parked right by the gate.
Nice guided tour, by a youngster doing his masters in Comparitive Religions. And just about to move in with his girl-friend. Tried giving him good advice, but we were all naive and eager at that age 🙂 Left him with RedGreen.

Then a cuppa.
A chat with a BMW 1600 rider.
And gingerly ride away. Had ridden up the steep slope easily. But riding down a packed fine-gravel surface requires a lot more care. And the loose gravel strewn on the road, even more care. 

Rode onto the dock. Was there an hour early. Spent the time looking for breakfast in Stockholm. We arrive at 6:30am.
Took another look at the back of the bike, to notice that the number-plate-holder was bent, and a screw missing. Drat. 
Once I had picked up my boat tickets, and parked, took 30mins to straighten out the bracket, and replace a missing screw. Could not see any further damage. The bump did feel as if the tire was contacted. Felt OK riding afterwards. The Jesse Luggage saved the bike again 🙂

So feeling better, I went off for a cup of tea. Nice young lad, owner/operator. Good chat. Not many customers. 2.50euros for a tiny (250ml) can of CocaCola! But then prices are high in Finland. Tea was 1.50euros.

Back at the bike to find I was surrounded. Finnish bikers out on a run to Norway and back. Mainly from a meat-processing plant. Talk quickly turned to food and blood-pudding. 

Loaded onto the boat. 
Different process. Bikes 2×2 in a rack. Chocks under the wheels. No straps. Hope it’s a calm passage.

Found my room. 
Sorted out my gear.
Supper of blood-sausage……

And thence to bed.
5:30am wake-up call!