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Unfolding from the travel  Vilnius, Lituania   Tallin, Estonia  Helsinki, Finland   Turku, Finland   Stockholm, Sweden

We got the idea of this travel when reading the schedules of Eurolines, the bus travel company : there is direct links from Paris to Baltic countrys and also to Nordic countrys. Travelling along Europe by car can seem disheartening with long times journey, but it's realy cheaper and there is regular schedule all th year, what make easy to forecast a travel. Other benefit towards travelling by plane : the immersion withe local populations due to regular stops along the journey in the tawn crossed ; in this way we could catch a glimpse of some german (Dresden, Hambourg, Stutgart) and polish towns  (Warsawa, Wroclaw).

Nordic country like Sweden and Finland are are evocative. Contrary to baltic countrys which was unknow to us, despite thier they are going to join the European Union with the euro as money. This travel was to us charged of questions, what will we find in this old soviet republics. There are to few travel guides about baltic countrys , we used the guide "petit futé des pays baltes" (french) and the web site http://www.inyourpocket.com, to forecast the travel. The internet was widely used to get informations about intercity links and about sea crossing. All the sea crossing (Estonia-Finlan, Finland-Sweden) could have been bought in France so that accomodation in Helsinki, Turku and Stockholm.

Here was our route ::

- february 2002, the 15th : departure from Paris, France to Vilnius, Lituania with Erolines. 32 hours bus travel accross France, Germany and Poland.

- february 2002, the 18th : departure from Vilnius, Lituania to Tallin, Estonia by bus in the night.

- february 2002, the 20th :sea crossing from Tallin, Estonia to Helsinki, Finland.

- february 2002, the 21st : departure from Helsinki to Turku, Finland by local bus.

- february 2002, the 22d : sea crossing in the night along the baltic sea from Turk, Finland to Stockholm, Sweden.

- february 2002, the 24th : back to Paris, France, departure from Stocholm, Sweden accross Sweden, Danmark, Danmark, Belgium and France.

Vilnius, Lituania  Unfolding from the travel    Tallin, Estonia  Helsinki, Finland  Turku, Finland  Stockholm, Sweden

We arrived in the early morning at Vilnius. The Hostel we chose, was located near the bus station ;  two comfort level were avalaible : western comfort in renewed rooms, or soviet comfort. Walking in Vilnius, we found a quiet and peaceful town, despite the population is relatively poor. Lituania is for the moment out of the main tourism bussines, the only foreign peoples we met were german bussinesmen. There is few touristic structures, restaurants are luxuary, but for us at reasonably prices. We visited the main curiositys of Vilnius : the castle, the cathedral, a lot of church, the jewish quarter. We tried to go to the genocide's memorial of the lituanian jews ; the Lituania was one of the first place the final solutaion were applied from the nazis ;  unfortunately we got lost in the suburds, however we could see a very different architecture from then in the old town center. The outskirts of Vilnius is made from a lot of concrete "towers" and "bars" simular to them of french suburds, probably an heritage of the soviet era

	Main square of Vilnius. Quiet and entirely renewed.
	Heritage from the soviet era ? Plant chimney back of a classic building, close from the Neris river.
	St Anne's Church. According to the legend, Napoleon, Napoleon staying in Baltic countrys with his great army, wanted to bring the church with him back to France ?!

Tallin, Estonia  Unfoldind from the travel   Vilnius, Lithuania   Helsinki, Finland   Turku, Finland   Stockholm, Sweden

We traveled during the night from Vilnius to tallin. 600km bus journey trought Lituania, Livonia and Estonia : we were controled at each border. Estonia seems in good way to European Union adaptation ; evidence is that a lot of the address from our gude were already perished. Tired from our nighty journey, we falled back on Tallin's greatest hotel, a more than 20 fllors, price 'hips' 120€. Tallin is like a middle-age town, from thetop of thje castle there is a superb seeing to all the town. Walking along the old alleys'maze is pleasing. By the sea we left Estonia for Helsinki in Finland.

	From the castle, superb seeing on tallin.
	Midle-age style street of Tallin.
	Tallin's Town-Hall, from the midle-age. In XIIIth century, Tallin's citizen took inspiration of an arab engraving figuring a minaret to build the belfry.
	tallin's port, it's time to quit for Helsinki, Finland.

Helsinki, Finland  Unfolding from the travel    Vilnius, Lithuania  Tallinn, Estonia   Turku, Finland   Stockholm, Sweden

Some cruising hours are needed to join helsinki from Tallin. Arriving to Helsinki, we were surprised by thepartly   freezed see. In Helsinki, we knew the lowest temperature :  -6°C. There is a few interesting building in Helsinkiexcept for the two cathedrals, the orthodox one and the other one protestant. The main interest lies in the quiet atmosphere, only a few cars. A delight-full walking led us along the freezed port of Helsinki.

	helsinki's port, fully freezed.
	Another seeing of Helsinki, a walking place.
	There is an orthodox cathedral in Helsinki, from the time where Finland was part of Russia.
	Protestant cathedral of Helsinki.

Turku, Finland  Unfolding from the travel   Vilnius, Lithuania  Tallinn, Estonia   Helsinki, Finland   Stockholm, Sweden

Turku is the historical capital ; into the town we saw the oldest cathedral of Finland. It's said to be Christmas's capital, scenery is realy magical along a freezed canal. Turku has some interesting curiositys : a cathedral, a very old castle, but also along the canal old ships. Nous nous sommes attardé au musée maritime expliquant notamment les vieux métiers de construction et d'entretien des bateaux.

	Turku in Finland, christmas' capital : the freezed canal and the cathedral.
	In Turku there were some traditional houses builded with wood.

Stockholm, Sweden  Unfolding from the travel    Vilnius, Lithuania  Tallinn, Estonia   Helsinki, Finland   Turku, Finland

Departing from turku, we crossed the Baltic sea by night to Sweden. Scandinavian ferries are very luxurious and very large, our one had twelve floors. There was a snow storm last night, we had the pleasure to admire snowed landscapes. Stockholm is  remarkable for the port, Scandinavian peoples attach great importante to their martitime heritages : a lot of old ships can be see in Stockolm's harbour. Stockolm's museums are enought valuable to forecast the travel. We visited the Vasaa's museum ; and also the outdoor museum : on many acres, some traditional swidish buildings and a small nordic animals zoo.

	Stockholm's harbour.
	View of the outdoor museum.
	man could think it's a view from the country side, in fact this view is from the outdoor museum of Stockholm.

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