On our way out of Pärnu we had a real shopping spree as we found a huge supermarket (actually a couple of them but we only needed one) and stocked up for our pending journey into the remoteem> Scandinavian North. Now it is not that we have not seen supermarkets anywhere else on this journey. But finding one with a very large selection and with a car park that allowed us easy access has been quite rare. So we reveled in the opportunity.

Stocked up with food and cash, we hit the highway towards Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, a city we have visited before and with a very famous old city. We had identified a camping ground a little south and east of the center of the city and hence tried to head there without getting caught up in the tighter streets close to the center. However again we failed and had a dose of cobbles and tram lines.

Arriving at the GPS location of the campground we found the place absolutely packed with cars, they were parked everywhere. We found a very inadequate park for the truck so that I could go and checkout the camping situation. The campground was full and some kind of party or outdoor event was taking place; that explained all the cars.

So time for a quick change of plan. If we could not stay in the Tallinn campground we decided to see if we could find and catch the ferry to Helsinki. So that's what we did.

Our arrival in Helsinki was another exercise in taking the wrong turn and having to negotiate cobbles and trams. This time right past the famous water front market and the absolute center of downtown Helsinki.

But all obstacles can be overcome with perserverence and luck even being "beeped" by a tram for parking too close to the tram lines. Thus after a few adventures we eventually found ourselves at the gates of Rastila Camping Helsinki. They were able to find us a spot in their overflow area and we settled in for a quiet night.

Rastila is really a nice place. Good facilities, a beach, a restaurant, saunas, even a close metro stations to make it easy to visit the city.

Post script

All the photos in todays entry were taken by Nina from the truck during our un-intended tour of down town Helsinki. Notice the collection of automobiles americana. We have discovered that Finns are car guys. Also notice the church with the domes. This is a Finnish orthodox church.