This post is part 20 of a series of stories recounting all the ups and downs of my ~6 year journey around the world to all seven continents and seven seas.
Our eventful summer season onboard the Serenade of the Seas didn’t stop with being in the World Cup’s host country as the event was happening.
We also happened to be in Helsinki in July of 2018 on the same day that Presidents Trump and Putin held their summit in the city.
We were warned to expect anything and everything if we chose to go ashore.
Changes and detours were made in preparation for the leaders’ arrivals as well as possible protests, including altered shuttle stops and other precautionary measures taken by our ship and local transportation officials.
While there was obviously no definitive information about which route the leaders would be taking to the summit location, the main street that was assumed to be a highly plausible route was closed down and lined with police.
Now, I was not interested in seeing this spectacle.
However, the only thing I looked forward to in this port was this place that had an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet.
Sure, there were a few of these in the city, and yes, the sushi was just averagely decent at best.
But you know how sometimes you know you can’t get the real thing so “close enough” is as good as it gets and you’ll take whatever you can?
That’s me.
And I was set on getting my sushi not from the other locations, but the one I’d been to before and was absolutely sure wouldn’t fail me.
After all, I couldn’t afford to risk anything less than averagely decent.
I mean, that would be tragic.
Well, of course it would be on the other side of the previously mentioned closed and miles-long main street filled with spectators, protestors, and security.
It’s worth noting that what few organized protests I saw was nothing even close to the American version.
Other than a few signs and banners, most people just seemed to be waiting to see if a motorcade would pass by.
Whenever someone even so much as tried to step into the street, the nearest police would hustle over, blowing their whistle, and gesturing for the individual to get back on the sidewalk.
Despite my efforts to find a way around the lengthy street in a reasonable amount of time, it just wasn’t meant to be.
There would be no getting around to the other side of the street or sushi feast that day.
All because of Trump and Putin coming through town.
And in the end, they never even went through that street.
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