We headed over to Finland on a huge ferry that was only filled at 25% capacity (450 passengers against room for 2000) and enjoyed a second breakfast brunch on the ship since our tour would start immediately after we docked.
Helsinki was the last Xmas market on the tour, and based on the fact I had packed my suitcase in Tallinn, I was more than ready to head home and was Xmas-marketed out. The average two hours of sleep a night was starting to catch up to me and I could tell I was coming down with a cold. I skipped most of the city tour other than the Siebelius monument at a park. Jean Siebelius was a composer honored with the monument for his contribution to the arts.
The tour guide stated that the monument, a forest of birch pipes, would look like the Northern Lights if the pipes were painted in varying shades of green, purple and pink. She also invited the tour to climb closer and take a picture within the monument, but I skipped that step.
The tour took a surprising turn and skipped the usual cathedral with a stop at the Central public library instead. I had seen the library on YouTube and decided to stay on the bus. Based on the feedback from my fellow tourists, it was more like a community center, with rooms to play chess and musical instruments on the first two floors and then a pretty standard library at the top. I think the tour was more to stall between the ferry and when our rooms would be ready at the hotel.
We arrived at the hotel and I headed off to the Moomin shop nearby for some requested items in case I was sick and needed to stay in bed the next day.
Unfortunately this close to Christmas, all the advent calendars and tea towels were gone, but I did manage to pick up a few items.
The next morning, as I walked to the Klimt exhibit at a nearby museum, I noticed Joe and the Juice (scandi coffee shop) had put out the following sign, which I thought was appropriate.
I headed over to the Christmas market from the museum, with the. hope of getting the last of my Christmas presents and an apple crumble that featured warm custard and a marshmallow layer.
I managed to wade through the crowd to buy at a couple of huts and then located the Apple Crumble shop.
The base was a warm apple compote (chunky applesauce) followed by a generous scoop of plain tea biscuit crumbs, with a dollop of warm, runny vanilla custard and then the promised marshmallow layer (actually swiss meringue they toasted on the spot) topped with a dried apple slice and a gingerbread tree.
I chased the crumble down with a reindeer sausage and was out of the market 45 minutes later so I could get ready for our farewell dinner.