If you’re just tuning in now be sure to read how I ended up with this unique itinerary by checking out The Original Plan: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World, the subsequent Change Up: Riga, Latvia? and the Mongolia angle: IGLOO-GER: The Helsinki-Ulaanbaatar Trip Report.
Getting There: I took a taxi from the airport and a taxi back to the airport. The fares were the same so I’m thinking I didn’t get ripped off. Have the hotel call you a taxi and double check the rate with them. Otherwise there are taxis on the street that like to haggle for bad prices.
Riga, Latvia? is what I said to myself when I made the determination it wasn’t feasible to go to Tel Aviv. I switched my reservation from the Park Plaza Orchid Tel Aviv to the The Radisson Blu Elizabete Hotel, Riga.
Here’s how I got there:
airBaltic prop planeThe Hotel
Unlike the mediocre Radisson Strand Stockholm this hotel was excellent. The outside architecture was unique, making it stand out from the surrounding Soviet Bloc buildings. The front desk promptly told me I was upgraded to the Business Class floor, meaning free Wi-Fi, a larger room, and complimentary breakfast.
Elevator up and the courtyard within the hotel.The Location
The hotel was a ten minute walk to the old town. I’d rather stay within the old town walls but who’s going to argue with 2 free nights and a short stroll?
The Breakfast
The breakfast was top notch. From eggs to fruits, the variety was there and the quality was also.
The Room
A prerequisite for gaining TPOL’s endrosement as a great hotel is an in-room espresso machine with those fun, overpriced pods. American hotels usually have coffee showing how far behind we are in terms of java. The Elizabete did have the machine and complimentary water.
The bed didn’t disappoint in the way that so many Radissons do with bad bedding. Does anyone have an explanation why Radisson uses to little blankets instead of one king size?
A bed and a robeTake note other RadissonsThat’s what I’m talking aboutThe view to old townModern room and bathQualityThe Price
Prior to devaluation, the value of 2 nights for 1 made staying at the Elizabete Riga a great bargain. I’m not sure if I would pay the 87 euros a night if I was to return as I’d probably opt for a local hotel.
Overall
TPOL approves of the Elizabete.
Anything on the line (Production Possibilities Frontier for my fellow economists) is an efficient use of your time depending on your tastes and preferences.
Anything inside the line is inefficient as should be avoided.
Anything outside is aspirational but may be impossible to do given the constraints of time and resources.
The opportunity cost (what is given up) for relaxing and being Lazy is gained by being adventurous in the form of Labor and vice versa.
You may be looking at this graph and remarking that it is very similar to the Helsinki Travel Guide. You would be correct. On a related point, a wise man once said there is no point in traveling to more than one city in Eastern Europe since you will always find the same thing: a church, a castle, a river, and a bridge. Though funny and true, there is still reason to go explore.
Here’s what to do in Stockholm in order of difficulty: My apologies for the lack of pictures, I was too busy having fun.
Sleep
Unlike Finland, it did get dark(er) affording the weary traveler a chance to get some rest. The challenge of sleep is a result of the great cafes that line the streets and the next obstacle on the list, the nightlife.
Espresso HouseKeep up the good workNightlife
Stockholm has the nightlife and it’s easy to find. If you’re staying at the Radisson Strand on a Sunday night, sleep is not an option since you can hear the music across the water at Soap Bar. If the 3AM shut down is too early for a Sunday outing head on over to a dodgy spot that plays great hip hop called Lab.
Saturday nights the place to be is Stureplan and the after hours spot is Hell’s Kitchen. They aren’t so kind at the door so going with a celebrity is advisable.
I was in the Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.For $10 a beer, I’ll pass.Nightlife in StureplanLocal Food
Vacationing isn’t only about going to the club. It’s about drinking and eating too. Like Helsinki, the tourist ‘must eat’ food is Swedish meatballs. Don’t worry these aren’t made from reindeer. The local beer is Falcon which wasn’t that impressive. I stuck with Stockholm version of Heineken.
Stureplan and City Center
From the Strand Hotel, Stureplan and the City Center are within walking distance. Playing the 7-11 Game is a good way to see the city and save money on the cost-prohibitive pastime of beer binging.
Walk aroundAnd ExploreStockholmClose to RadissonView from Old TownStockholm bright and earlyOld Town
The best thing to do in Stockholm is get lost in the old town. A few steps from the Strand Hotel, Old Town Stockholm is right there waiting to be explored. There are shops, pubs, and restaurants along with hidden alleys and narrow staircases. No guidebook is necessary as you make your way through Old Town. Each turn brings a welcomed surprise.
Old TownNo Map NeededThe Hot Dog ManThe Ikea Museum
There’s no need to go to the Ikea Museum. Return to your Radisson room and you’ll see living history by way of the room furnishings.
Gothenburg
The NYC to our LA or maybe it’s the other way around. Gothenburg is Stockholm’s rival and worth a visit.
Sweden in General :
I would say that I was short-changed by my Sweden experience because I had to get to Mongolia for work and had to cut the trip shorter than anticipated. I will certainly go back and do more but if you’re in a similar circumstance as I was then this guide will be more than adequate for a great time .
I know, I know REDBird is dead. This begs the question that nobody is asking, “Where to go now?” I don’t mean in the sense of do we return to the BLUEbird, do we go back to the gift cards, or maybe we try the U.S. Mint. I’m asking literally where to go now that we have abused the bird by loading 15k on 3 cards over 4 months to top off accounts and hit the min spend on new accounts.
Why is this important? Like the DOW, my points balances are at an all time high not seen since the last time the bubble burst in our hobby (reference Hilton devaluation). This can only mean one thing: a market correction. I have zero inside information but I do have plenty of common sense.
Many of us have tons of AAdvantage miles after churning the Executive Card and applying for that fifth US Airways Card (I was rejected on my 4th).Couple that with the Club Carlson crap and the writing is on the wall. It’s time to Shut Up & Book because it’s only a matter of time when the points world goes into shock from another terrible announcement.
Where will you go with all the free points that a nice little bird delivered to your doorstep? I’m liking Apartment Class LAX-AUH-Middle East/India for 90,000 points + $35 but need to figure out just where in that mix I want to go.
Keep Churning My Friends,
TPOL
Burn those points now or regret it tomorrow.
If you’re in the business of manufactured spending then tomorrow you’ll be filing for unemployment as multiple sources have confirmed that the RedBird has begun its decent into the annuls of MS spend history. We knew it would come to an end eventually but tomorrow? That’s too soon. Oh how the good die young.
Anyhow, let me inject some comedy about this otherwise sorrowful day. A friend of mine shared with me the following conversation regarding his preemptive call with Citi before the final reload.
Isaac: I’m calling to let you know that I will be making a big purchase at Target this evening. It is a legitimate purchase.
Citi Rep: They must be running a promotion tonight, everyone is calling with a Target purchase. I’ve had about 9 so far.
I don’t think anyone is to blame for this deal dying. Even the notorious bloggers who love to model Birdman cards with their significant others didn’t have the time to write 100 posts on the subject. We all hit it hard and we all hit it quit because we knew it was too good to last.
RIP RedBird. You will be missed.
Onto the next one.
We need an embedded reporter for the next MS opportunity.
If you’re just tuning in now be sure to read how I ended up with this unique itinerary by checking out The Original Plan: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World, the subsequent Change Up: Riga, Latvia? and the Mongolia angle: IGLOO-GER: The Helsinki-Ulaanbaatar Trip Report.
Getting There: From the port, take the bus to the central station then a taxi to the Strand Hotel. From the airport take the 20-minute Arlanda Express Train to Stockholm Central Station. Hail a taxi or ride the metro to Kungsträdgården Station, a short walk from the hotel.
My delayed review of this hotel comes in wake of the Club Carlon devaluation so I’ll try to focus on the hotel itself not the shredded remnants of what was once a great program. On that positive note, I will say that the Radisson Blu Strand Stockholm is in a great location right on the water, walking distance to the old town, and only a couple of blocks from the nightlife.
If you can find them in the country you intend to visit, Radissons tend to be conveniently situated. As a US Bank card holder I receive ‘Gold Elite Status’ but have rarely received an upgrade as a result. I am more willing to accept that I won’t receive an upgrade on U.S. soil because I live relatively close by and the chances of me returning to that city are a lot higher than returning to one abroad. At the Radisson Stockholm initially tried to put me in a dark room facing the courtyard with no view. The room was cozy if I’m being optimistic which is also known as cramped if I’m being realistic.
Since I only had two nights in Stockholm I told the front desk manager that I would appreciate a room with a view not because I had useless ‘gold’ but because I only had two nights in Stockholm! After some stern negotiating, they finally yielded to my request. When you see the view from my new room, perhaps you won’t fault me for complaining. Indeed, looking at my pictures it seems that I have completely neglected my blogging duty by not taking photos of the room itself.
Facing the Radisson BluM Gustave HThe view I fought forBy nightBy stormBy more stormIt cleared up.And I jumped out
If a Picture’s Worth 1000 Words…then why do I have to put a caption?
Yesterday, I received a smiley criticism about my Finnair Flight Review. It said, “Did I miss something? I thought this was to be a review of the Finnair flight. “The seat”… “Bleh steak”? Kinda short on details :)”
Please believe that I’m in no way antagonizing the commentator but thought I would clarify my writing style which is best characterized as straight and to the point. You may like it or loathe it. To that end, I don’t feel the need to write a passage about how wide a seat was, how sumptuous the salad was, or the exact dialogue I had with the flight attendant.
As I wrote in my intro yesterday, I am lucky to be a part of BoardingArea where there are others who do this and do it very well. I can only write my way and hope that the light-heartedness of my tone and approach to travel shines through. I have advocated that perspective must not be lost when it comes to the points game. Most of us either can’t afford to fly first class or are otherwise prudent with our money that we would rather, God forbid, fly coach if this game came to an end.
My posts are meant to be both informative and entertaining. Maybe they are neither but that’s how TPOL gets down.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
If you’re just tuning in now be sure to read how I ended up with this unique itinerary by checking out The Original Plan: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World, the subsequent Change Up: Riga, Latvia? and the Mongolia angle: IGLOO-GER: The Helsinki-Ulaanbaatar Trip Report.
Everyone remembers prom night or the first spring break in Cancun. Add another one to the list by way of the Viking Line Cruise to Stockholm. My Swedish friend told me to skip a second night out in Helsinki and opt for an overnight cruise to Sweden. Alcohol is heavily taxed in Scandinavia except for the maritime exception. Throw in a wedding style DJ, a casino, and young unprofessionals looking to have a great time and it becomes obvious why this cruise is preceded by the word booze.
I booked a room for 81 euros in an economy cabin in the hull of the Viking Lines ship. There are more luxurious accommodations but I figured that I would be on deck most of the time. The ship leaves promptly at 18 hundred fifteen hours and arrives at 10 hundred hours. Land lovers arrive a little earlier to load their vehicles and luggage. As the voyage begins, the crowds swarm to port and starboard to capture photos of Helsinki as it disappears into the background.
That’s about all the sea terminology that I know. After snapping enough photos, it’s dinner time. There’s no shortage of food options ranging from an expensive buffet to a not so cheap burger. Exhausted from a sunny night out, I thought it wise to rest for a couple of hours before the party began. I overslept and narrowly missed my opportunity to go to the Duty Free. In the nick of time, I managed to sneak in and buy myself a bottle of Jack Daniels. From there it was Captain Jack and I on the high seas.
Dancing, drinking, and more dancing and drinking followed. At some point the DJ stopped playing outdated music and those that could still stand went back up to the deck. Though intoxicated and incoherent, I still was able to make out the beautiful sky before retiring to my quarters down below.
I’m very happy to be here! (in hakim voice)The sternThe bowBoat stuffSo long HelsinkiNo need for these JackFinnish Flag on the MastViews of isles off of HelsinkiSetting sailPort or Starboard?The amenitiesCalm before the no pun perfect stormThe beerThe restaurantFinland’s awful vodkaRose!Happy timesPop champagneAngry birds are FinnishDuty free wineDuty free candyExpensive yet yummyProm nightRidiculous horizonLast call for Duty Free. I’ll take 100 shots of poison.VeuveAnd now the drinksThe Baltic SeaJack on the High SeasPhotoshopNo idea who bought the sangriaSunrise?And the DancingWake up with Uncle Jack.Not everyone made it to his room.Approaching SwedenThe unused bedThank you Viking
Anything on the line (Production Possibilities Frontier for my fellow economists) is an efficient use of your time depending on your tastes and preferences.
Anything inside the line is inefficient as should be avoided.
Anything outside is aspirational but may be impossible to do given the constraints of time and resources.
The opportunity cost (what is given up) for relaxing and being Lazy is gained by being adventurous in the form of Labor and vice versa.
Getting to work in HelsinkiSleep
What should stand out from this elementary graph is how ‘sleep’ requires the greatest amount of Labor. This is the case if you go to Scandinavia during the summer. It is so weird that the sun never goes down. It’s 10PM at night and it looks like 6PM in the Midwest.
This guy must be exhausted that the sun never goes down and this damn bird never leaves him alone.
As I wrote in the Hotel Kämp Hotel Review, blackout shades are a necessity if you want to have some sense of normalcy. Concurrently, you won’t have to feel anxious about taking a nap during the day and missing out on the daylight.
Nightlife
If you do manage to get some rest in the purgatory state when day meets night, the work will continue should you choose to go out. Helsinki’s nightlife has plenty to offer if you know where to go. With no local guide, I wandered the city from pub to bar to club till I finally found a happening spot. Upon arrival, the doorman refused to let me in since I was a male traveling solo. A quick flash of the Hotel Kämp room card granted me the privilege of skipping the queue altogether. I’m kicking myself for not writing down the name of the club (hopefully someone will put it in the comment) because the venue reminded me of my underage days at Clutch Cargos in Pontiac, Michigan. It had multiple floors with different music. On the ground floor, the DJ played Finnish music. After a few Koffs even I knew the words. Do bring your best credit card as drinks in Helsinki are not cheap.
Clutch Cargos!It used to be a university.Bring your wallet.The notable alum.Closing time. Probably still sunny outside.Local Food
What should one eat when they are in Finland? Salmon and seafood is the obvious answer but if you’re going to be a tourist then go all out and own your tourist designation. That means one thing, reindeer balls. Reindeer meatballs are served with lingonberry jam and French fries. The meat is the roughest, toughest next to human flesh. It’s not appetizing to say the least but it is one of those things you should try in case you are in need of material for a blog post.
Ridiculously priced strawberries5 Euros for reindeerMore reindeerI Love Pho in Helsinki!Reindeer Kebab ha!Side of fries with your reindeerRough reindeerYum, salmon soupEsplanadi
During the summer the Esplanadi is the place to see and be seen. The Hotel Kämp is located right on the Esplanadi and offers a nice little bar for people watching. If you’re looking for a bargain on espresso or alcohol best of luck. Everything is expensive even with the devaluation of the Euro. My philosophy is that I’m on holiday so paying $5 for coffee or for a $15 basic sandwich comes with the territory. The return on this investment is sitting in the sun and watching the people come and go by bike or fancy car.
Well helloBeautiful ArchitectureEsplanadiNight or Day?Galleria EsplanadThe Press in HelsinkiPeople watchingCity Center
The cobbled streets of Europe is what makes Europe enchanting. It doesn’t matter if you know where you are going or are aimlessly wandering. Whether you are walking left, drifting right, you certainly will find something to do that isn’t in a Lonely Planet guide. My stroll through the streets of Helsinki in search of an ATM landed me in the neatest metro I’ve encountered. It was like entering the bat cave. Armed with more cash, I continued my blind path around the city all the while enjoying the feeling of being lost.
Cobbled streetsNokia lolCity CenterThe Metro ArtCoolest MetroThey do use the euro in Finland.Wandering whereverTill I found beer.SuomenlinnaSuomenlinna is a fortress island only a short ferry away from mainland Helsinki. I have it as something that should be skipped only because my hour stay there did not do it justice. There is plenty to see both historically and naturally but do some research ahead of time so you don’t miss out on the attractions of this beautiful place.
WaterfrontLeaving HelsinkiHelsinki portThe FerryLife preserverView from the ferryReaching the fortressToo much to doPit stopThe breweryWelcome to the fortressLapland
Sure it’s not in Helsinki but if you do have some extra time, how can you skip going to Lapland home to Santa Claus village?
Overnight Ferry to Stockholm
The epitome of lazy is reserving a cabin aboard Viking Line and sleeping for 16 hours. If you choose to be a bit more active then continue onto the next post. There you will see how a seemingly innocent boat ride can lead to drunken debauchery.
Off to Stockholm!
On the 8th day, God created the superfluous travel blogger. That is the opinion held by many who see bloggers as nothing more than affiliate pushing, agenda driven, wannabe journalist hipsters who provide very little value to readers. To some extent, that is true.
Some travel blogs are nothing more than a monkey banging away on his keyboard about deals from X to Y that are only available for a limited time to a destination nobody wants to go and from a location that nobody even lives. On the opposite extreme, many travel blogs are written by individuals who make little or no money but enjoy sharing their travel experience.
Besides travel bloggers there are travel writers who do more than post pictures of the beach and the menu on Cathay first-class. Travel writers are artists who give insight on the geo-political, social situation in a country from their unique perspective that can only come from seeing the world up close and personal. Travel writing isn’t how to churn your way to a Tahiti or sneak your way into the Lufthansa Senator Lounge. It requires more thought, more detail, and, dare I say, more knowledge of the English language.
So which one is TPOL? Travel blogger degenerate or travel writing savant?
The answer is all of the above. Yes I want affiliate links that pay me stupid amounts of money for people applying for the Southwest card for the 10th time. Yes I want Uber referral credits for readers signing up with my referral code (which happens to be alexanderb113). At the same time, I go beyond these superficialities and provide readers with clever Trip Reports, Flight Reviews, Hotel Reviews, and Lounge Reviews along with an impossible to duplicate Guns & Butter Travel Guide.
None of those make me a travel writer. What makes me a travel writer are posts that take hours to write but receive little attention because they aren’t a freebie to the Maldives. These include the ones found in the press, the pulse, and occasionally, the prof section. Are you a naive traveler? interested in the Occupy Movement? concerned about ISIS? All these posts received a handful of eyeballs but are a lot more insightful than my $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World.
I’m happy to have readers read, comment, and critique all my styles of writing and am grateful for real live interaction as a result of blogging/writing. Now if you could please click on my sponsor below so I can make some money to pay for all this.
Sponsored by No One
If you’re just tuning in now be sure to read how I ended up with this unique itinerary by checking out The Original Plan: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World, the subsequent Change Up: Riga, Latvia? and the Mongolia angle: IGLOO-GER: The Helsinki-Ulaanbaatar Trip Report.
Getting There: Take the bus to the city center and wander around till you find the main street or make it easy on yourself and take a taxi from the city center. The hotel is located at Pohjoisesplanadi, 29 right in the middle of the Esplanadi.
I’ve always wanted to go to Helsinki for reasons I cannot articulate. I believe a lot of it has to do with the name of the city which has a coolness factor all on its own. Following my rock-star flight on Finnair I was excited to check in to the Hotel Kämp, a legendary, iconic hotel that is known to all in Finland. Celebrities, dignitaries, and now TPOL are among its prior guests.
The rotunda lobby has an elegant feel reminding one of hotels from Hollywood movies. The bellman is courteous and the front-desk staff is proper. Given my platinum SPG status I was upgraded to The Ville Vallgren Suite and offered the option of complimentary breakfast or points. Usually I take the points because I’m rarely awake for breakfast but Helsinki is so expensive that I couldn’t pass up a free meal. Additionally, the reviews said the breakfast spread was not to be missed. They were right.
DeliciousFreshMore breakfastEggs to enjoy
The elevator dinged and I was escorted to my room which had two entrances: one for the guest and one for the staff. Though I will be posting pictures, I’m hoping my words illustrate the grand and splendor of this one of a kind hotel.
After placing my bags in the spacious closet, the bellman proceeded to give me a tour of the room. There were large windows with a view overlooking the main street that had to be drawn tight in the summer to give the guest a chance to sleep. The bed was showered with soft pillows tempting me to succumb to the myth of jet-lag. To the right was an impressive bookshelf filled with fancy, rustic texts. Though it would’ve been peaceful to read one from the privacy of my own marble bathtub, alas I had to pass as the collection was in Finnish. Amusingly, the A/C was not working that well since it is barely in use throughout the year. The engineer promptly came to fix it.
The Hotel Kämp is part of SPG’s luxury collection and it is apparent to see why. Its name is known throughout Helsinki and for good reason.
Style outside Hotel KämpThe Hotel KämpLook for #29The rotundaHistoric picturesThe Ville Vallgren Suite, but of courseThe comforts of homeThe bedThe booksThe bathThe spectacular roomThe small detailsThe guest’s entranceA nice touch of waterMore of the roomSophisticated luxuryThe chandelierThe duck!How great is this duck?Obsessed with the libraryMore libraryA thoughtful paintingView from the bedThe little things make the luxuryHotel KämpGrand StairwayUnlike any other hotel I’ve stayed at.The Ville Vallgren Suite
The Room
A prerequisite for gaining TPOL’s endrosement as a great hotel is an in-room espresso machine with those fun, overpriced pods. American hotels usually have coffee showing how far behind we are in terms of java. The Elizabete did have the machine and complimentary water.
The bed didn’t disappoint in the way that so many Radissons do with bad bedding. Does anyone have an explanation why Radisson uses to little blankets instead of one king size?
Stureplan and City Center
From the Strand Hotel, Stureplan and the City Center are within walking distance. Playing 
