Watched by the KGB

Well, I am back from karaoke at a little bar in Helsinki known as the KGB: Karaoke Gay Bar. I got there around 10:20 p.m., just as the bar had opened, so I was the only patron in the place for a while. It was more than a little intimidating when I arrived, because I was greeted at the door by two imposing female bouncers in complete Soviet-inspired KGB uniforms. They take their name seriously. Even the slogan of the bar is ominous: we're still watching you. But all the same, I struck up a conversation with one of the bouncers, who was also a bartender, and she was very friendly. She tried to teach me some Finnish, but I can't remember a word. Because it is not related to any of the languages I know, it seems so outlandish to me.

Anyway, the bartender, whose name I didn't even ask, told me it would probably be a very slow night because every one was out on May Day and celebrated then. True enough, for the first 90 minutes, there were just four of us. I sang my first song -- a safe choice for me, Dido's "White Flag"-- and it was greeted with wild applause. I was floored by the reaction, and obviously very pleased. The next songs I sang were Adam Lambert's "Whaddaya Want From Me", Nanne Grönwall's "Håll om mig", Edith Piaf's "La vie en rose" and Nirvana's "The Man Who Sold The World". But the mood of the bar changed when a crowd of college boys and their girlfriends arrived and started singing songs by Radiohead, The Scorpions and Slayer. It just didn't seem fun any more. So, I thanked the bartender for introducing me to a Finnish beer and to the salmiakki (salty black licorice) shooter, and made my exit. On my way back to the hotel, I passed a McDonald's, and the thought of a Big Mac after that drinking sounded so good, so I stopped for a quick bite to eat.

I am now at the hotel, it is 1:30 a.m., and I am thinking how sad it is to be leaving Helsinki tomorrow. I mean, I am thrilled to be returning to Sweden, and getting to see Hans again, but time has just flown by so quickly, with two countries out of the five already done. As I was making my way back to the hotel, I was imagining how my life would be so different if I lived in Europe. I really like the pace of life here, much more relaxed, laid back. I guess that's why I keep coming back.