On Wednesday, Stockmann’s flagship department store in downtown Helsinki had a quick repeat version of the chain’s April “Crazy Days” sales, famous for the crowds and fierce scrimmaging over bargains.
The reason this time was the arrival in town of Russian Eurovision winner Dima Bilan, who drew a predominantly Russian crowd of a couple of thousand on the first step of an eight-city promotional tour after the Song Contest.
The Russian superstar showed up twenty minutes behind schedule owing to missing his original flight from Moscow because of traffic jams in the Russian capital.
Russian tricolours waved, and many had bouquets of roses or other gifts along, with which to barter for a chance at catching the star's eye and getting his autograph.
Bilan sang his winning numberBelieve, but only those near the front will have got much of a glimpse of his performance, as a sea of raised cameras and camera-phones obstructed the view.
The photographing and Beatles-era screaming then gave way to a full-scale scrum as hundreds attempted to hand over gifts and get Bilan to sign autographs.
Bilan expressed his heartfelt thanks to the gathered throng, as well he might: Finland swelled the pot of votes for the Russian entry by giving the song 10 points.
The tour goes on next to Sweden and Norway.
