INDIVUE – travel & art

Sitting comfortably in my Airbnb apartment in Olomouc, a quaint and charming town in the Czech Republic, I must tell you about my journey here. Despite my previous less-than-ideal experience with Airbnb I told you about last year, I took a chance, and so far my Airbnb has been ok. Read on to learn more about the morning in Helsinki airport, Finnair flight from Helsinki to Prague and the Prague airport and train station –

My adventure began with an early morning departure from Helsinki, Finland. After a scant three hours of sleep—thanks to my habitual last-minute packing—I made it to the first morning flight out from Helsinki to Prague. Helsinki-Vantaa Airport was having traffic even at that early hours, with travelers heading to destinations like Greece and Krakow in Poland. Some people were catching a short sleep on the airport’s wide benches at the gates while others were having their breakfasts at the cafés.

Despite the early hour, some shops in the airport were open, notably ReLove and Ruohonjuuri, the first of which was offering delightful early morning breakfast options. The renovated Helsinki Airport was looking fantastic, and I indulged in a chia seed pudding for breakfast at ReLove, saving a bit compared to their 8,5e overnight oats. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find my favorite micellar water at Ruohonjuuri chosmetics shop, which means I’ll have to make do with Aqualan L cream for makeup removal unless I find an alternative in mainland Europe.

The Finnair flight to Prague took only almost two hours, with a hardly noticable touch of turbulence. Complimentary blueberry juice and water were served. However, upon arrival, I had to wait over half an hour for my luggage. That, of course, was not Finnair’s fault. The airport attendant in Prague explained the delay was due to the busy July travel season in Prague, which I will tell you more about later on. Luckily I had reserved enough time to make my way to the train station.

From the Václav Havel Airport Prague – Letiště Václava Havla Praha in Czech – I took the airport bus, a convenient 35-minute ride to Prague’s main train station, and the prize was 4 euros. While the fare was in Czech korunas, paying by card was hassle-free – and a relief, as I hadn’t exchanged any cash beforehand.

Prague’s train station, Hlavní Nádrazí, was a hive of activity, even on a weekday morning. I found a delightful organic store stocked with plenty of gluten-free snacks for my train journey. The surrounding cafes, however, lacked wheat-free options, so I settled for a refreshing strawberry iced tea. The station itself was a sight to behold, adorned with nearly nude sculptures, both male and female, other beautiful statues, glass art, and heraldic designs. Notably, an underground section featured a striking red ceiling, pillars, and a mural of Woodrow Wilson with the inscription, “The world must be made safe for democracy.” Wilson, as history buffs will recall, was the 28th President of the United States from 1913 to 1921.

The weather in Prague in July was nice – sunny with a few clouds, and comfortably warm while I waited at the platform for my train to Olomouc. The display boards inside the station provided track information with just a ten-minute lead time, so you actually didn’t have too much time to wait for the train outside in the open air.

For those planning a similar journey from Helsinki to Prague and from Prague onwards, I highly recommend checking out the following links for more information:

• Helsinki-Vantaa Airport Services
• Finnair Flights
• Prague Airport Transportation
• Czech Railways
• Prague blogging
• As a tourist in Prague
• Good Indian restaurants in Prague

Exploring Olomouc will be an enriching experience, so subscribe my blog to know how my journey continues!

Read and see more traveling in Europe from the visual travel guide INDIVUE – Trip to Europe – You can read it both in English and Finnish languages!