Helsinki

Two years ago, in the middle of February I went with some friends to Helsinki for about 5 days. We wanted to see Finland in winter, with lots of snow, the sea frozen, etc. It was very beautiful but cold. Temperatures were usually between -5 to -10, specially during night.

I think I don´t have to mention that I went in complete bare feet, I didn´t take any shoes with me, as I do not have any. My friends told me if I was sure, I said: sure! But also I don´t have any coat or any winter clothes, so I went there with my usual stuff, shorts, mini skirts, small tops and mini dresses.

Some people walk barefoot in well below freezing temperatures but they usually have many other clothes on. Since I do not wear much clothes that makes my feet and my body most vulnerable to cold, but I can endure it with no problem.

Most of the time we were not outside for long time, as my friends, in spite of wearing lots of clothes they had cold. Visiting places also you get inside buildings and other places which are hot. But sightseeing we were outside and I was usually wearing shorts with no panties and sleeveless tops everyday. And of course barefoot.

The people looked at me a lot and asked me why I was wearing like this and why I didn´t have any shoes on. It was great walking in the snow barefoot, and feeling the cold and the grit they put to avoid the street to be very slippery.

During night I wore a mini-dress, mini skirt and very open top with all my back at the cold air and barefoot. One of my friends, the other girl also during night used to wear like me, almost nothing, but she was wearing shoes, although open high heels. The boys were completely wrapped up. One night it was -12 and my friend also took her shoes off while going back to the hostel.

One day we went to a fortress in some islands 15 mins from Helsinki in a small ferry boat. That day we spent the whole morning and part of the afternoon outside walking, and on top of that it was a bit windy and since this wasn´t the city center it was more open to the freezing air. But I was there with small sports shorts and a tiny top with just two strings on my shoulders, with my bare arms, bare shoulders and bare top of my chest to the freezing cold. And of course my bare legs and my bare feet. It was great to feel the cold and the air in my body. My skin later became very red and my small toes became first very pink and then purple. My friends offer me clothes to put on but I said no, I was OK. At the end of that day I found a bit difficult to move my fingers from my hand, but apart from that I was OK. That night after dinner, another mini-dress and out again :-)

One day we went to a sauna where you could swim on a ice-hole, as I am used to it that was no problem, I spent lots of time in the ice hole, the people were asking me how I could stay that long in the ice. Also when I finished instead of going to the sauna and have a hot shower I waited outside with my wet swimsuit and I dried myself with the cold air. Then back to the hostel again in shorts, a mini top and barefooted.

Overall it wasn´t that cold for me, and we enjoyed very much. Next winter may be we´ll go back to Finland but this time to the north, Rovaniemi, to see the reindeers, the northern lights, the Arctic polar circle and I intend to go again with small clothes and barefoot. No problem for me :-)