After making the most of our visit to Stockholm, it was time to venture beyond the Swedish borders. We began our drive and stopped at a familiar spot for some quick eats.
I mean, how could we not stop at IKEA in Sweden? We parked, charged our car, and got some food as well. The food was not very filling, so we actually ended up going next door to a Max Burger and ate until we could not eat anymore, or it was really that we each ordered our own meals and ate them.
After getting our fill, we continued our drive to Oslo.
Let me tell you, the Scandinavian countries have the charging thing down. We stopped at various Circle Ks along the way and were able to charge, recharge, and relieve ourselves all at once. I have no idea why it is so hard for us in this country to achieve that. Oh, wait, yes, I do. We have an oil-dependent country that is trying to limit the impact of zero-emission vehicles.
Anyway, after arriving in Oslo and driving through a final series of amazingly built tunnels, we found ourselves at our hotel for our stay. The Radisson Blu has the best view of the city and a bar to match.
We made our way to the top and got a great spot overlooking the harbour and the city.
We found this to be a perfect way to end our long day of driving. There is nothing quite like enjoying a local beer with good people and a gorgeous sunset.
The next day would see us logging several miles on foot.
Vigeland Sculpture Park has over 200 sculptures in granite, bronze, and wrought iron. This is a free park open to anyone. We had a wonderful time wandering through the park and admiring the art and the greenery. I am going to let the photos we took speak for themselves, rather than wax poetic about what we saw.
OK, I lied. I’m going to say that this park is VERY popular. As you can see, heaps of people visit the park. The sun was out, making it an ideal day to visit and walk around.
OK, again, me, hi. Look at the detail and craftsmanship on the pillar above. The way the artist captures the detail of the muscles and skeletal structure as the bodies writhe, making them look like they are moving. That’s cool as hell!
After exhausting our legs for the morning, it was time to head back into town. We hopped on the tram and made our way back down to the waterfront.
The Oslo waterfront is, to put it simply, gorgeous. The opera house and the Munch Museum line the water, adding to the already stunning view with cool, inventive architecture.
The opera house was letting out as we approached, and the guests were filing out. Some made their way to the tram and the city, while others climbed the slanted walkway for an elevated view of the waterfront and the city.
It really is gorgeous, I know, I used that word a few times already, but look at the view from on top! The buildings make the city more colorful, literally, and make this walk a must-see. Even if it were cold, I would say that this is a stunning view.
And please, stay tuned for my next piece. It’s a scream!
When I first heard of my partner’s Finnish friend, who is actually from Finland and not a thrice-removed descendant or what have you, I thought of the line from Confessions of a Shopaholic: “No one checks up on Finland.”
Jokes aside, I know Finland is famous for Nokia, Teemu Selänne, The Hydraulic Press Channel, Saunas, and being known as “The Happiest Country in the World.” I’ve checked up on Finland before.
Our journey to Finland started in Denmark. The day after we visited Tivoli Gardens, we rented a car and began our drive to Stockholm. A little aside here: we were given the choice between a gas-powered car and an EV (electric vehicle). We both drive EVs at home, so we were familiar with their handling and feel. We were unsure about the infrastructure across Scandinavia, but the rental car company assured us the countries we were visiting would have ample charging options.
It would also be cheaper.
Cheaper is good!
As we drove out of Denmark and into Sweden, we began to notice something. We noticed how clean the roads were. We are so accustomed to driving down any freeway and seeing trash, debris, or full-on abandoned cars on the side of the road. We did not see much, if any, of that. Nor did we encounter many speeders. We were told that people obey the rules of the road because they could be fined heavily for speeding or reckless driving. If only our law enforcement had the same bite, but they seem to lack the teeth to carry out such things.
Our initial trepidation of finding adequate charging along our way to Stockholm was folly, in hindsight. There were plenty of places to charge. Bill & Ted would be stoked to hear that Circle K has a robust network of charging stations. They also carry a great selection of candy and snacks. Oh, and their restrooms were some of the cleanest I have ever seen! No bull.
Drive down The 5 (that’s the main concrete artery connecting Northern and Southern California) and stop at any gas or refueling station and use their restrooms. You will be taken aback at the upkeep and cleanliness of those rooms if you’ve been to any Scandinavian gas station restroom. Hell, I remember the same feeling when we went to the UK, and I went into a Service station for the first time. We are doing it all wrong over here.
After driving all day and into the early evening, we finally made it to Stockholm and our accommodation. From there, it would be a straight shot to Arlanda Airport the following morning.
Let me tell you, as someone who frequents airports, Arlanda is one of the most efficient ones I have ever been to. I have grown accustomed to long lines, differing rules for bags and items, and a general sense of mild, controlled chaos when travelling through US airports. Almost everything is digital now. We scanned our passports and our boarding passes, and we were given the green light to proceed. As we approached the security line, we saw numerous television screens showing us how to place our items in bins; the bins would then slide down a conveyor belt, through an X-ray machine, and pop out the other side. Seems pretty simple, right? Try telling that to LAX TSA and see where that takes you. (JK, Please don’t. That airport suuuucks, and they already know it.)
The flight from Stockholm to Turku takes 55 minutes. That is such a quick, short flight that only a small plane is needed. We hopped on this twin-propeller plane and settled in for a nice ride over the northern part of the Baltic Sea.
Upon Arrival in Turku, we both had our passports ready for inspection. We walked through the small airport and saw two lines: things to declare or nothing to declare. We both had nothing to declare and walked through. No one stamped our passports (sad), and we walked straight outside into the Finnish sunshine.
Turku Airport is small. I mean, we just zipped through customs without so much as a second look and made it outside. We then waited for a taxi and watched as people trickled in and out of the parking lot.
Our ride into Turku took about 20 minutes, and in summer, we saw lush greenery lining the roadside. Some massive trees were lining the roadside, too. It made for a pleasant entry into Finland.
Our hotel was right on the Aura River. It was within walking distance of the reception and wedding venue. And let me tell you, this whole downtown area, especially on the river, is extremely walkable. There were also plenty of e-scooters and e-bikes to rent. We always love a good scoot, so when presented with the opportunity, we took it.
We deliberately didn’t pack any wedding-related clothes, shoes, or anything else, because we didn’t want to carry extra stuff until we had to. This meant that we had to go shopping! Luckily for us, there was a mall nearby. We wandered the stores, looking for clothes, and eventually found items for both of us. The real treat came when I was in H&M and found a shirt featuring my hometown, Pasadena, California.
It unfortunately was the wrong size for me, and the only one on the rack, so it had to stay in Turku.
That night, we went to a friends-and-family reception from out of town at a local museum. We did come prepared for that event, and after returning from the mall, we showered, changed, and then hopped on some scooters.
The Aboa Vetus Ars Nova is a museum of archaeology and contemporary art. It is lauded as Finland’s only archaeological museum, featuring an underground town quarter from centuries ago. You will see the remains of a Convent and numerous homes that lined the street, which is the same street directly above, all those years ago.
It truly is a remarkable museum. The attention to detail, the presentation, and the interactive bits add depth and dimension to the history you are walking through.
The contemporary art exhibits were interesting in their own right, but were not nearly as captivating as the archaeological museum below. This led us back downstairs to walk through the ruins a second time.
After the welcome reception, we took a walk along the river to find some food.
See that photo above? That’s the Turku Cathedral, taken at 9:21 PM. The sun was still very much up and playing with our minds. Because if you saw that photo, you’d probably think it was early afternoon. Au contraire, mon frère. They don’t call these regions the “Land of the Midnight Sun” for no reason. The sun barely hovered over the horizon, leaving slivers of daylight for our entire visit to Turku. An eye mask that blocks out light is essential for sleeping!
We ended up finding a pizza spot near the cathedral that really hit the spot. After dinner, we walked back to our hotel. The sun was still doing its thing, and people were taking advantage of the perfect weather. Locals were parked on blankets, dotting the grass alongside the river, and diners & drinkers were revelling in their own merriment. There were also several restaurant-boats. That’s where most of the drinkers could be found and heard.
Turku knows how to party!
The day of the wedding, we did some more walking and some last-minute wedding attire shopping. We went to the mall, again, and then wandered outside, through a public market, and then back down to the river.
I had never heard of Turku before finding out we were going there for this wedding. I have to say, the city is extremely charming and welcoming. It also happened to be the same weekend as a heavy metal music festival, so the town was even more populated than usual.
The wedding was wonderful and was quite boozy 👍. It was half in English and the other half in Finnish. I had only learned a few phrases thanks to Duolingo, and I waited all weekend for someone to ask me if I was a wizard so I could respond: Minä olen velho. I am a wizard. Alas, no one asked me. Sad!
All I could do was say “Kiitos” and “Paljeon onnea!” and those three words got me very far. And by “very far,” I mean I could say thank you and wish the married couple lots of luck. Side note: everywhere we went in town, people would first speak to me in Finnish; I would stare at them politely and say I did not understand; then they would speak in perfect English. This same thing actually happened in each Scandinavian country we visited. I guess my Danish heritage makes me blend in.
The Finnish man, they party. After dinner and well into the evening (although it didn’t look like it because of the Midnight Sun), the party was still raging. The band kept playing, and people kept dancing. It was one of the most joyful weddings I have been to. They even had vegan hot dogs served close to midnight to keep everyone fed and happy. We had a dog, and then realized how tired we were. The night was no longer young. We needed to sleep.
Our walk back was pretty wonderful. There was another party boat that went by, and there were still people out and about enjoying the weather. How do they do it? If I were ten years younger, maybe more, I could hang. *sigh*
The next morning, the out-of-town guests all met for a day at the sauna. We loaded onto a bus and were whisked away to a little idyllic hideaway that provided the perfect cleanse for the long night before.
I can’t recall the last time I was in a sauna. I certainly had never done a cold plunge after a sauna, that’s for sure. I feel like cold plunges have exploded in popularity over the last few years. The water surrounding the Nordic countries provides the perfect cold plunge, or I would soon find out.
I have never been one for the heat. I sweat way too easily, even in mild temperatures. That’s not to say I prefer the cold; I handle it better than the heat. It’s not uncommon for me to be in shorts when it’s in the 40s. I run hot! All that to say that the sauna was a bit arduous for me. It was barely getting steamy, and I was sweating like I was being paid to do it. After getting nice and sweaty, it was time to get in the water.
The water was a bit far from the sauna, but that made the experience something more memorable. We had to hurry to get to and from the sauna and then lower ourselves into the water because it was just shallow enough that you could not tell where the bottom was.
While most people dipped in and kept close to the ladder, I went far and really waded out. To me, the water was pleasant. Don’t get me wrong, it was cold, but I could handle it. I outlasted everyone who joined me in the water. Hustling back and forth from the sauna to the water became the activity for the day, and it was perfect. I don’t think I realized how relaxing this activity could be and how it can help your body reset.
The afternoon had to end at some point. We all said our goodbyes and then made our way back to our hotel. We took one last walk along the river before going back and drank it all in. Turku was good to us. Finland was great to us.
The next morning was an early one. We had to return to Turku Airport for our flight back to Stockholm. We definitely arrived way too early at the airport. We were able to check in and everything, but the post-security cafe was just opening after we cleared security. Again, we are so accustomed to a cluster F of an airport/security that we arrived early. There isn’t a whole lot of action at Turku International Airport so early in the morning. Still, we noticed a fair few business travelers and those leaving town after the music festival.
When all was said and done, I don’t think I could have planned a better weekend away in Turku. It also didn’t hurt that we were celebrating two people that we care about deeply.
As you get older, your friends become your chosen family, and it’s important to celebrate with them whenever the occasion arises. If that means flying to remote towns in Finland, you gotta do it. Your life will be better for it.
In my last story, I told you that the beer at The Green Dragon was made locally. Well, today is your lucky day because I am going to tell you where that brewery is and how you can get there. But first, you’re probably going to want the name of where we are going. It’s Good George Brewing, of course!
You can probably do that research on your own, but you want a real “boots on the ground” first-hand account of the place, yes? Ok, good. Here I go…
It’s in Hamilton.
Ok, are you still with me? Yes? Great.
This was an impromptu visit for us because we had only planned on Hobbiton and then driving back to Auckland. It was well worth it. Anyway, back to it!
After leaving Hobbiton, it will be an approximately 45-minute drive into Hamilton proper. When you input the name into your GPS make sure you put Good George Dining Hall in there. Otherwise you’ll be finding the head office which is definitely not the place for eating and drinking.
It might not look like much on the outside, because it used to be a church, but on the inside it is warm (literally, on this day) and inviting.
Looking over the menu we saw that they didn’t just do beers. They had numerous ciders, wines, and hard alcohol options for purchase as well. Yes, all of it (except the wine) is made by the good folks at Good George. I am saying that because their logo was on the labels of the drinks. I may be jumping to conclusions but dare I say that they make it all in house? Yes. I’m going to not even research this further and boldly claim that!
Ok, I researched further. I don’t want to look like an ass and boldly claim something that could be a lie. “All brewing, distilling, bottling, and canning is done on site.” – Good George website. No outsourcing done here. Just good, local, quality drinks and food.
There are plenty of things to choose from on the menu. If you’re a beer person, fantastic. Ciders? Yeah, they’ve got that. Maybe you’re a bit of a wino, but in a responsible way? Oh yeah, they have that too. You like something a bit harder? Yes yes. I mentioned all of their menu choices just above but I feel the need to reiterate.
Not knowing what to try we each went with our own tasting rack.
If you look closely you can see my drink choices on the receipt
I am not one to pull the wool over one’s eyes and I won’t be starting now. Each drink was unique and flavourful. The rosé cider was probably my favorite. I tend to gravitate toward hazy and sour drinks so the refreshingly aromatic cider was delightful. We did also eat here but by the time the food arrived I devoured it before I could get a photo/before I could remember to take a photo.
After finishing our food and bev we wandered over to the little storefront inside the dining hall. There you could buy canned or bottled versions of some of the drinks on tap. We found a lemon gin (a gift for someone else) and a passionfruit cider (for us). Let. Me. Tell. You. I wish I had more of the cider. We brought it allllll the way back home and saved it for ourselves. I miss it dearly. I want some more.
Securing the booze and OMG The Green Dragon mugs!
Good George is a welcome compliment after spending the morning in Hobbiton. It was a great place to unwind, reflect, and enjoy some truly tasty food and drinks. If you get the chance, please visit them.
Thank you for visiting and I will see you next time!
Yes, “quick” is in quotation marks. Why, you may ask? Because it wasn’t such a quick trip. Doi.
From the CBD, Central Business District, of Auckland up to the Bay of Islands it was about a 3.5 hour drive. Our idea of a “quick” trip up north was quickly (there’s that word again) dashed. Nevertheless, we pressed on. We were determined to see some more of the country, outside of the most popular spots.
The drive was very beautiful. There were rolling green hills, scenic vistas, and numerous roundabouts. This country, they love their roundabouts. As someone who had only ever driven on the right side of the road, driving on the left was initially daunting but once I got the feel for it (and the turn signal and windshield wipers being on the opposite sides of the steering column) I was as cool as you like.
Did I once get pulled over for speeding but was then let off with a warning and told to spend the money, that would’ve been on the ticket, in town at a local shop? Who can say.
After driving for a long time, we decided that it would be best to actually find someplace to go as opposed to just inputting “Bay of Islands” into the GPS. We exited the main road, found a little marina to park at and we looked up someplace to go.
After some searching we decided to set out to Opito Bay. It was close by and there looked to be a trail we could walk to get a view of the water and islands. Because at this point, we needed to get out of the car for a bit, take in some scenery, and breathe in that fresh sea air.
At Opito Bay there was a small car park right next to the water and people’s homes (jealous!). From the car park it was an easy hike up a well-maintained trail to the Tareha Point Scenic Lookout. On our way up, and down for that matter, we saw a few of the local residents on their daily walk on the trail. I mean, I would be out there too if I lived there.
That video is from the near end of the trail to the lookout point. It was, as you can see, stunning. The weather was in full cooperation that day and we could see for miles and miles.
This will turn into Instagram for a hot minute as I show you what we saw.
To the right
To the left
The whole thing in panorama
Just, wow. Right?
After seeing some of the other natural wonders New Zealand has to offer, it was nice to visit a place that was not as crowded. This is truly the place to check out if you want to get away from the city. There are numerous islands and spots that we did not have time for but are keen on visiting on our next go around.
Thank you for visiting, and I will see you next time!
“We have family members who like to stay with us every time they are in town. They live about five hours away. Typically when they come to stay, most of our other family members (who live only an hour away) will come to stay too.
We love that our young kids get to see their cousins, but it is a lot of work! This last time, we were informed just days beforehand that 10 people would be spending the weekend with us. We decided to send out an email telling everyone to help with a meal since it gets expensive for us (we’re a young family!) and it is hard to cook eight meals for 18 people!
The relatives who live five hours away have told us twice now that they won’t be bringing anything or could maybe bring water or chips. They have a family of five so it would be nice for them to contribute (since we are doing everything else). Am I wrong in still expecting them to bring a meal to share? I don’t think packing a cooler is that hard! — Exasperated”
Dear Exasperated:
You made a reasonable request and were met with people who are unwilling to lend a hand. Chips? Water? Really? This is stupid. Are they the family from Little Miss Sunshine and don’t have time to pick up stuff along the way because they have to get their daughter to a beauty pageant? Didn’t think so.
If they are so disinclined to contribute then maybe you should suggest they stay elsewhere. If not now, then for future trips. You’re not a B&B.
They do realize that they can buy groceries and such THERE, right? They don’t have to haul them 5 hours to your home. There is a Safeway, Trader Joe’s or a Kroger in damn near every city. It’s not hard to pick up some stuff. You’re already doing enough by housing them and feeding every. single. one of them. The least they could do is prepare, serve and clean up one damn meal.
