Dinner in Helsinki

In 1993 I made my second trip to St. Petersburg, Russia as a part of a study abroad program. I have long since forgotten the names of any restaurants we ate in, if I ever knew them. But the one restaurant and evening I remember the most is not in St. Petersburg but was in Helsinki on the stop over in Finland before we headed stateside.

After settling into the hotel and washing the pollution of the modern Russian city from ourselves, the director of the program suggested a restaurant he knew within walking distance of our hotel. About 20 of us proceeded to the restaurant for dinner. This particular establishment featured small intimate tables with dividers for privacy. Seeing the large group the hostess re-arranged the tables for us so that we could all sit together (something not often seen at a restaurant in the United States).

Being Helsinki some of us opted for the local Finish cuisine, while others decided to play it a little safer. As it turned out there were very few diners ordering the same items from the menu. Me, since I love venison, I had to try out the reindeer and ambrosia salad. Before long a few of us started offering sample bites to each other; this turned into a passing of the plates and sampling the faire as if we were in a buffet or boarding house dining room.

As we dined the fun and jokes flowed freely. Some of the students were glad to leave Russia and returning home. Others were just happy to have hot water for a shower.

The fun filled evening for me was a perceived relief that at the time I did not know would not last. Two days prior while escorting me back home (the dorm) my musician companion was struck by a car. Although I had gone to the hospital with him, I did not have any information about his condition or prognosis until just before we departed Russia on Friday afternoon. The news was good and we all thought that he might be okay, thus my good mood and the joking and so forth was a release.

The next morning we boarded a plane for the US and with all the time changes it was 24 hours before we arrived home. A short time later I learned my friend had not recovered as we hoped but had died. But even with the sadness of his death, I still recall that dinner in Helsinki with fondness and an experience that I will not soon forget.