Essays
Philosophical and Political
2022 The Northern Route – Gotland Archipelago
8 October: I was in Stockholm for three days then rented a car and drove south to catch a ferry to Visby on Gotland Island, where I am now. Except for the day in the forest and canoe while in Helsinki it begins to look like Nature has receded in my itinerary...
2022 The Northern Route – Silja Serenade
Now I’m on the Silja Serenade, the ferry to Stockholm, which feels a bit like a floating version of Las Vegas: clubs, casino, expensive shops, the whole array. I won’t enjoy this but it ends mid-morning tomorrow so won’t last long and I’m always pleased to be on a...
2022 The Northern Route – Helsinki
3 October: Can’t say why but I developed a beginning affection toward Helsinki. The area of the city where my hotel was and where I did my walking, which is said to be city center, is typical big city in many ways but car traffic isn’t so bad, trolleys seem everywhere...
2022 The Northern Route – Nuuksio National Park
2 October: The travel agent arranged a guide to take me to Nuuksio National Park, a tiny park (barely over 50 square km) northwest of Helsinki. We canoed across a small lake, hiked for a couple hours, and canoed back. I usually feel intimacy and affection for places...
2022 The Northern Route – Autumn in Helsinki
1 October: Arrived by train in Helsinki yesterday evening. The terrain between Rovaniemi and Helsinki didn’t change noticeably from what I’d seen before. As I’ve learned both visually and by talking to Finns, this is not a mountainous country; I think someone said the...
2022 The Northern Route – Near Nordkapp
27 September: We’re about an hour away from the farthest point north we go—71 degrees. We will dock and I’ll join a tour to the North Cape (Nordkapp), return for my last night onboard, and then tomorrow it’s Kirkenes and the bus south. The terrain is still mountainous...
