Helsinki arrival and thoughts about parking a motorcycle
The little red blob on this map (top) is my 3.9 mile journey from the Viking Line terminal over to Lautassari, a kind of residential island where I am staying until next week. It has the highest density of supermarkets I have experienced.

The most challenging part of the last few days has been finding out where to park. The last yellow squiggle on the second map is me finding somewhere suitable. I have made a study of parked motorcycles in this neighbourhood and my conclusion is that bikes don't have to display permits to park as do other vehicles. So fingers crossed. So cover on and chain locked and Bertha is there for the duration, on the corner just opposite the flat where I am staying.

Helsinki is an undemonstrative city. For example, this is design week but they keep the events hidden. On Saturday morning, after my week at Metropolia, I retrace my steps to the port and get on the 2 and a half hour trip down to Tallinn. I'm hoping for some dry weather - at least for my setting out. From then I head down through three Baltic countries and sail off from Lithuania back to northern Germany.
click here for the journey to Tallinn.