Hanko a small town in SW Finland has grand seaside villas built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when it was a glamorous retreat for Russian nobles, czars and artists. Many of these “old ladies,” as the villas are referred to, are now B&Bs.
Near the town’s waterfront was a wooded area that looked as though it could have been the set for Hansel and Gretel.
When rain started, I ducked into a supermarket. There I picked up souvenirs of licorice, a treat loved by Finns. There were dozens of varieties, sweet, salty, raspberry, lemon, mint and others I couldn’t identify.