Saturday, December 12

We step out of the car in Porvoo and I walk across the car park to the river. I look across at the houses on the other bank, glowing under the red setting sun.

We will expect to find the town deserted but apparently the pandemic has bypassed Porvoo entirely and everyone in southern Finland has rushed there to meet each other.

We will walk up to the Old Town where the streets appear twice as busy as when we came here in summer. I notice that most people wear masks, even when walking down the street on their own.

Perhaps this explains the throng of happy shoppers.