Last Saturday tour sadly started, again, with a litany of windows, that let us guess the profound emptiness behind them, to even dare try entering. So out of luck, we eventually decided to divert our steps towards the Punavuori main drinking street: Iso Roobertinkatu.
A quick look around and Llamas bar felt like the best choice. Maybe 50 people were sharing this relatively small – no more than 30 square meters – South-American-inspired bar.
Llamas is not without some charms, though the decoration blend too much with the Disney kind of design to say better. Traditional high chairs at the bar have been replaced by swings attached to the ceiling – funny idea but not practical with intoxicated consumers – and it might also be the reason why ordering has been restricted to a small corner at the extremity of it. So inevitably, it means that a queue would form if many people want a Brazilian cocktail at the same time. No, not a socially good and messy battle at the bar, but a dull organized queue like in a self-service restaurant. A bad idea in general, and even less pardonable for a “Latin” destination.
I ordered a Caipirinha. The good point was the atmosphere: joyful, chatty and friendly, like too rarely in Helsinki; thanks maybe of the unusual human density of the day. This spirit made its magic, and easy new friends along.
I prefer off course more packed than less, but at some point, the curve creates only new inconvenients – less moving and a growing queue – with no more fun. So I left Llamas with a newly formed group to mbar, specifically the summer terrace, which is more lounge and less interesting in my opinion than the winter room, but a perfect place to witness how late the sun is now expanding the day in Scandinavia.
Utmost Pointless 