Confucius say, "Heaven risee, Helsinki..."

HELSINKI is the capital and largest city in Finland, and home to approximately twenty percent of all Finns.  Though founded in 1550, it didn’t grow much until the 19^th century.  Today it is less expensive than the other Scandinavian capitals, so not a bad place to hang for a while.  There are ferry services to Stockholm, St. Petersburg and Tallinn only some 50mi/80km across the water in Estonia.  The city is small enough to walk around easily and the architecture is lovely.  Much of it is clustered around Senate Square, such as the state council building and the Lutheran cathedral.  Uspenski Orthodox Cathedral is a vestige of previous Russian rule.  In the Hollywood tradition of “day for night,” Helsinki has been used frequently in cold-war movies as the cinematic equivalent of Communist USSR, art imitating life.  This is the place to try a reindeer burger.  Enjoy.

     There are a couple good hostels listed in the book here, prices $30-35 for a dorm bed, maybe twice that for something private.  For a 10% discount on the already low $10 book price, click on the 'discount store' link and when prompted for coupon code, enter 9KGCTDCP.

Athens: Philosophy, Art, and... Hostels

ATHENS is where Western civilization began, with accomplishments in philosophy, politics, art, and literature that are unsurpassed to this day.  Athens is also one of the world’s oldest cities, documented from 1400 BC, when it played a role in the preclassical Mycenaean culture, and today the largest city and capital of Greece.  After centuries of neglect as a part of the Ottoman Empire, Athens today has returned to much of its previous vitality and importance.  It has also overcome much of its horrendous smog problem of a few decades ago, and today is fairly pleasant, especially in the tourist areas under the Parthenon.  Piraeus is the major port and is only a short train ride away.  Piraeus resembles nothing so much as a modern airport with ferries coming and going constantly.  As always the main problem in Athens is the economy. 

ANNOUNCING THE DECEMBER 2012 PUBLICATION OF “BACKPACKERS & FLASHPACKERS IN WESTERN EUROPE--500 Hostels in 100 Cities in 25 Countries”

Hostels are the biggest thing that has occurred in decades for budget travel.  Just when it seemed like international travel was an activity becoming reserved for upper class dining and whining in overpriced resorts, and when a backpack was becoming nothing more than a fashion statement for dot-com jillionaires to hide their valuables and their vulnerabilities, the explosion of hostels in the last few years has once again leveled the playing field and made travel possible for almost anybody and everybody with the desire and the disposition.  Accommodations ARE the most expensive part of travel, after all. 

     Hostels have long been around, of course, at least in Europe, but those were youth hostels.  These are hostels for backpackers, and flashpackers, too, their more upscale urban cousins.  There’s a world of difference.  Now Internet is a standard feature, computers available for free or for rent, and many a flashpacker with smartphone or laptop.  It’s not just Europe now, either, or just youth.  It includes the whole world, and it’s a way of life.  If it’s a cool place to visit, then there will probably be a hostel there by now, staffed by local people, all with at least a working knowledge of the English language.  You can easily organize a trip and stay in budget hostels the whole way the whole time now.  This book will help.  It’ll also tell you the history and major attractions of each place.  C U in Helsinki, or Inverness, or Lisbon, or…?