Yes, I am going directly to jail: from the airport to the west wing of Helsinki prison; my room a refurbished cell, from which only high, impenetrable walls are visible. Katajanokka jail is now a luxury and sleek hotel, a short stroll from the city centre which I am, thankfully, free to explore.
Before dinner, I take in the harbour, overlooked by the domed Lutheran cathedral, and lined with stalls selling fish, vegetables and handcrafts. Beside one of the ferry terminals is the sea pool and sauna, where I join Helsinkians who gather there after work to clear their pores and heads in the way Finland is famous for.
Nesting with birds