When I was sketching in a park in Helsinki, a French man approached me. He also appeared to be traveling alone, and we hit it off, so we decided to go out for dinner together.
We still had some time until our reservation at 8, so we strolled through the city, enveloped in the pink twilight, chatting about light topics.
As we spent time together, I started to sense that he might like me, and he actually asked, 'Is this a date?' To be honest, I didn't see him as more than a friend, and I told him that I wasn't interested in having a boyfriend at that time.
The next day, we took a ferry to Suomenlinna Island. I suggested we sketch together, and we spent time drawing by the sea. For some reason, I could be myself during our time together, which felt both strange and wonderful.
After returning to my ordinary life in Japan, those two days in Helsinki felt like a dream.
I'm not the type of person who actively seeks interaction with others, but while traveling alone, I sometimes have unexpected encounters like this, which reminds me of how interesting travel can be.
About Photography
Location: Helsinki, Copenhagen Camera: Olympus Trip 35 Film: Kodak ULTRAMAX 400 35mm
