Hanko, Finland

[kerouac2]

Hanko (or Hangö to the Swedish) is a relatively small town with a population of 7989, but it can make a few notable claims, such as being the southernmost town in the country and a major seaside resort (what?).

Since it is a major port, truck drivers need to know where they are going.

Perhaps they should stop at the kahvi before hitting the road.

The architecture informed me that I was in a place that was different from places to which i had been before.

[cheerypeabrain]

Is Finnish coffee as spectacular as I've heard it is?

[kerouac2]

There was a Thai food truck near the port, but otherwise it was clear that pizza and kebabs were the only food available in the city.









It's one thing when all of the streets are empty of traffic, but it's something clearly different when even all of the parking spaces are empty.



Here is a hotel to consider if I get lost and the ship leaves without me.

[bjd]

I saw wooden houses that look similar in Estonia. Not surprising since they are near neighbours.

[kerouac2]

They built the church at the highest point of town.



I took a look at what kind of flowers the municipal gardeners plant in this part of Europe;





Even if the church had been open, I did not plan to visit the interior.



The other "monument" in town is the water tower.



Both it and the church were rebuilt after being destroyed in WW2.



Trees are the biggest natural resource in Finland, and they use a lot of the timber that they do not export.



I peeked into the back garden of a house, and it looked like the end of summer was near.

[kerouac2]

Does anybody actually live in this town?







I kept the water tower in sight so that I wouldn't get lost.





The Pop-Up Café might be the hotspot of the city.



I finally saw a shop.





detail over the door

[kerouac2]

Before long, I found the incredible business district.







Here is the local supermarket. Herman told me that someone said there is also a Lidl somewhere in town.



I can't remember the last time I saw an Afga sign. Even Kodak signs are super rare in this century.



There was a magnificent pedestrian shopping street.



Either the winter collection was not out yet, or this is what Finnish women wear in their overheated houses after removing their coats.





There is even a cinema.



The undoubtedly magnificent Finnish blockbuster Laitapuolen Hyökkääjä was playing but I would have to miss it. (Google Translate says it means "Winger.")
Correction:  I had mistyped a letter in this simple title for some reason and it really means "Wing Forward."





just so you can compare the prices



What is this strange thing? It is currently breaking the balls of all of continental Europe.

[kerouac2]

We left Hanko, but two days later we returned. St. Petersburg isn't as close as the first signs implied.



52% of the residents of Hanko speak Finnish and 48% speak Swedish. On certain points, they must compromise.



The church had become an old friend, but I did not need to go up there again.



The municipal spectacle hall was presenting a show by this star. Just the tinsel garland on the sign guarantees the quality of the show.





This could have been demolished and rebuilt every year, not a big deal.

But next I discovered the real appeal of Hanko...

[bixaorellana]

"real appeal" will be welcome! Not that there is anything wrong so far, but the lack of any life is disconcerting. What time were these pictures taken?

The sheer number of after-summer clothing for sale paints a grim picture of commerce in the town.

I recently read a contemporary novel by a Finnish author. What surprised me most in the Hanko photos is how nothing looked the way I imagined Finland. For whatever reason, I didn't expect the quaintness shown here. The water tower is the only thing in line with my imagining.

[mickthecactus]

At first glance I thought the show said Oh No.

[kerouac2]

Hanko was founded when Finland was part of the Empire of Russia. And Russians love their dachas in spa towns.















not forgetting that the language of the Russian elite in those days was French





The Hangon Casino of Hanko is actually just a fancy restaurant.



It has its own rather unappealing beach.



The building itself is nevertheless a lovely example of the architecture of about 120 years ago.

[kerouac2]

They never overdo the hype to get you to go somewhere.













Here is one of the real beaches of Hanko. I read that in the summer the water is actually very warm because the Baltic Sea is so shallow there.





Other fabulous amusements are available if you are there at the right time.

[kerouac2]

Sept 6, 2022 16:53:20 GMT bixaorellana said:

What time were these pictures taken?

All of the pictures (both times) were taken between 09:00 and 11:00.

[kerouac2]

Gazebos still exist!

[kerouac2]

People! There was a Swedish tour bus full of old people! Apparently too old to get off and walk around.





There was another sign of life.





This modern apartment block had balconies for every flat but glassed in. Probably a wise move.



I think this may have been the entire fleet of electric scooters for Hanko.









The town even had charging stations for electric vehicles.



Here is the nicest -- or at least the largest -- hotel of Hanko.





I don't know how muvch longer summer will hang on here.



But my time in Hanko had come to an end.

[bjd]

I really like those big wooden houses. Perhaps you were a bit late for the summer crowds so it's lacking in life but I'm sure it would be a nice place to spend a few days.

[kerouac2]

I saw a real estate agency that listed some of these houses around 900,000 euros. That's compared to less than 200,000 for most of the houses in town. My travel companion Herman said that he had seen an agency in Rauma which listed nothing over 300,000.

[bixaorellana]

There is no denying the charm of that town. Maybe one day you'll get back there & manage to surprise the inhabitants at their various endeavors.

[kerouac2]

Of course I was told a joke about the Finns, who are famous for not being very open to strangers. (I don't know how they are with each other.)

During the pandemic, they were told to stay at a 2 metre distance from everybody, and they respected this very well. When the health situation finally improved, they were told that the limit was no longer necessary. "That's a relief," they said. "Now we can go back to 3 metres."

[bjd]

Interestingly, tango dancing is very popular in Finland. I don't think they stay 3 metres away from their partners though.



Hmm, it must be over -- all the videos are pretty old.