The Re-Encounter

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My experience in this hotel was very different compared to my first visit to Finland.  When we came to Finland during the holidays we stayed at the Glo Art Hotel in Helsinki.  This hotel is amazing, the rooms are small but there is elegance everywhere.  This time I stayed at the Sokos Hotel Pasila which is somewhat more to what I'm more use to in hotel service and accommodation, nice and practical.  The rooms were very small, it just has what is necessary for one person... a twin bed, a desk as long as the width of the room, a TV and a small bathroom, which doesn't have that much space to walk around.  You go in the bathroom and in front of you is the shower, you turn to the left and there is the toilet, you turn to the right and there is the sink and behind you is the door.  That is it!  

Following a very long night because of the jet lag of more than 7 hours, I decided to head to the restaurant since the stay included breakfast.  A whole new experience... some of the things were familiar, such as the scrambled eggs and bacon that you find in any bed and breakfast in the states.  But everything else was the "Finnish way".  Plain yogurt with all kind of granolas, fruits to mix with it, several kinds of rye bread surrounded by salad, cold cuts  and of course, how to forget the porridge!  But the most interesting thing of all was that other than the scrambled eggs and bacon, everything served in the buffet were local products.  The variety was impressive, I had to try most of it and the taste was amazing, but at the end I had to have my portion of scrambled eggs and bacon. 

I returned to my room satisfied with my big breakfast and since I didn't sleep much during the night and check out was at 12pm, I decided to take a nap until 11am which would give me enough time to check out from the room.  The next few hours were the longest ones, knowing the fact that I just didn't even know where I was and how to get anywhere I had to sit and wait in the hotel lobby until my boyfriend arrived to pick me up.  During this time I had the opportunity of looking and study the people that come and go at that hotel.  Let me tell you that the Finnish tourists are not far different from the American tourist.  Even the clothing is very similar which I found a little bit funny.  Coming from Puerto Rico and knowing how a "gringo" or American tourist usually dresses when they go on vacation, it was very interesting seeing these similarities in Finnish tourists.

Finally the time came when my boyfriend and I saw each other after so many months.  I was a little nervous and excited at the same time.  It was the first time he would actually see my baby belly...  The re-encounter was as I imagined, an eternal hug filled with kisses and loving words... but most important seeing his embracing our baby belly brought tears to my eyes. I know this may sound corny for some of you but once in a while you just have to be! 

At last we were together!  Soon after we got in the car and started this crazy new adventure that I like to call FINLAND!!!