Fabulastic Winter Storm!

Wow, what a wind and a snow bliz! 10 minute average wind has been measured at 29 meters per second, not bad at all. I'm glad I've not been a pilot today, or would you have wanted to land on this airstrip this morning with a +/-30 meters per second blowing wind and visibility at few hundreds of meters?

No worries, the visibility got soooooo much better in some hours and the planes started to come in. As you can clearly see, there is a plane next to the corner of the building.

Great snow during the day. At some places even more than 0,5 meters and due to the wind, some open places almost clear - as you can see from the pic above. Now at 0730 pm the snow flakes have grown to more 1-2 cm. Temp is down to -8C so it seems the winter is here.

And please, do NOT send the +-degrees here, I hate the slid!

GO WINTER!

GO WINTERLAND!

GO SNOWLAND!

GO FINLAND!

Today it's the last moment get or to fix an advent calendar - joulukalenteri. Many in Finland have a tradition to make it something with small items that make small or bigger kids happy. Or adults.

For some tips, check out the blog of TSUPUKKA, it's in Finnish and very much recommended to check out even if you would not speak a word!

Have a fabulastic weekend you all!

PS I'm glad I've got a sauna at home!

Go and check out Christmas Helsinki!

There are sooo many views to Helsinki, even if it is a relatively small city where in the centre everything is in a short walking distance.

To continue a bit from the shopping trip with a snack & drinks, we also visited a sneaker shop www.popot.fi where they happened to be making also a radio show for the Basso radio www.basso.fi. Here is a taster of their shoes for kids and adults.

They also sell MÄHÖNEN -kalsarit, the world famous in Finland boxers!

If I'd be a smoker, I would have stepped in this veeeery old tobacco shop at Aleksanterinkatu.

Well I didn't. Instead I enjoyed this bottle-percussion-player one block down the street. Cool stuff...

They opened again on Sunday the Christmas Street at Aleksanterinkatu. The street is lit with zillions of led lights and Stockmann department store also reveiled their traditional Christmas window. Also the market place is open for both tourist stuff and the meat pie lihapiirakka at the market cafe. Check them out if you are on the hoods...

Be good, the Santa's helpers are on the move!

PS I have not yet heard a single Christmas song, which is good. I do appreciate them, but not in November...

Oh Belgium, I miss your peculiarity - Belgian omituisuuksia

There are good things in Belgium, but apparently the beer, wine and fries are only half as good as the ones in Finland. Or what could be the reason for me paying twice as much vs in Belgium for a 0,5 liters pint of Hoegaarden, 16 cl of house red wine and a small bowl of fries?


I paid in a Belgium style bistro restaurant Belge in Helsinki 8,50 Euros for the beer, 7,80 for the wine and 6,60 for the fries. In a similar place in Brussels it would have been somewhat half the price. Perkele.

Millä kielellä Belgiassa - Belgian language?

Well, not all things are in place in Belgium - even though they recently stopped collecting more days for their world record of we-don't-have-a-government-in-place -time. Big part behind that has been the language barrior and wanna-be-different -culture connected to it.

But what is the language they speak in Belgium, in addition to French?
Here is an article from Finnish newspaper about the language that is Dutch, not Flemish. I claim - and so do most non-Flemish people - that "Flemish" is just a dialect of Dutch. The Flemish people don't use their throat sounds as harsh as the Dutch do and some words are a bit different, but still it does not make it a different language. Or does it?

Hmmm, should they now change the name of "French" spoken in Belgium into "Valloon" language...?

Should we in Finland change the name of Swedish language that is spoken here into "Coastish", as majority of the Swedish speaking areas locate by the coast...?

Happy Fathers' Day - Hyvää Isänpäivää!

Today is the Fathers' Day in Finland. In my case it has consisted a morning of houseful of teenager at sleepover, a little bit of domestic work, storing the patio furniture for the winter, carpool driving for the football practice, talks with other parents, great meal with the family, making a pie that I have not yet tasted, and soon it's my privilidge to do what I love; I'll go to play basketball!

I love it almost as much as the guy in the clip...

I am a happy man with two fantastic children. I will do my best to earn their respect and love - every day!

Enjoyable day for all of us!

Hyvää Isänpäivää meille kaikile!

The Belgian winter was here

I've told you also earlier that the winter lasts for 2 days per year. Normally it comes in 2 waves; some day it starts snowing and it's all gone by next morning - and another day it comes again with the same drill.

We had one this week in Lahti. And actually Turku, Finland - Suomen Turku - had their one few weeks ago. In the morning the south-east part of the country - excluding Helsinki - got somewhat 5cm of snow that during the day became slid. By morning, it was practically all gone.

In Helsinki we also got snow, but not enough in a right temperature for it to stay. That happened 3 years ago, the first fall after out return from Belgium, that a permanent winter came to Helsinki area already mid November. That had not happened for years so no one was expecting it. Hence some of our garden stuff was under the snow all winter...

My winter started today as I got the winter tyres with spikes for my car. The other one has had ones already for 1,5 weeks, but now also I have downgraded the joy of driving...

Have a great weekend you all!

Let's go Outlet Shopping in Helsinki!

I needed a new winter jacket and I had been hunting for one since last winter. I need it for both downhill skiing - slalom, as well as for general outdoor usage. As I sweat enough when doing sports, I didn't want one with goose warming or so. Just a cover, but with good technical enablers like how much moist does it let through, is there snow blocks on the weist and wrists, what kind of pockets etc.

Yesterday I found one - and it was a bargain!

I thought I was after something when I saw a jacket with a starting price of 600 Euros at a local Intersport store with -50% discount and some extra discount for opening day. It was a bit like Formula 1 class of ski jackets: Halti Kalle Palander -collection with all the bells & whistles. When they didn't have big enough, I was dissapointed and started to hunt one both online and via Halti manufacturer.

It's a Finnish company so it is easier than average.

Well, I faced a good customer service via phone at Halti and was directed to their Outlet at Lauttasaari, Helsinki (contact & opening hour details below). Oh boy how wrong I was about the "best option for me". There were two other extremely good options that were not as "hot" from cold resistance aspect. That is these other two were true cover jackets without filling.

At the end - with a help of the extremely professional, friendly and nice staff, I bought myself a cover jacket with a separate "inner jacket" that can be taken off and if preferred used separately - a bit like a fleece jacket, but not from fleece material. And it was cheaper than what I was first aiming at :o)

Go & get yours, the winter is coming...!

Here below are few tips of the factory outlets in Helsinki area. 
If you read this today, Nov 3rd, and wanna go shopping immediately, remember that they are closed today due to the holiday...

AARIKAN TEHTAANMYYMÄLÄ Nokiantie 2-4 C, Vallila, Helsinki. Ma-pe klo 9-17.
- Interior design mainly

ADIDAS OUTLET Edellisen kauden Adidas-tuotteita. Valimokuja 2, Tammisto, Vantaa. Ma-pe klo 10-19, la klo 10-16, su klo 12- 16.
- Sports gear from last season

BRAND OUTLET WAREHOUSE Kauppakeskus Ruoholahti. Ma-pe klo 10-20, la klo 10-18, su klo 12- 18.
- Mainly fashion

ECCO OUTLET Kauppakeskus Tammiston Tähti, Vantaa. Ma-pe klo 10-19, la klo 10-18, su klo 12-17.
- Shoes

F-OUTLET. Merkkisoittimien outlet F-Musiikki Itäkeskuksessa. Korsholmantie 2, Helsinki. Ma-pe klo 10-18, la 10-15.
- Brand instruments

FARKKUJEN VARASTOMYYNTI Sahaajankatu 35, Herttoniemi, Helsinki. Ti-to klo 11-17, pe klo 11-18, la klo 10-14, ma suljettu.
- Jeans

FRIITALAN OUTLET Friitalan uutuuksia ja yksittäiskappaleita, kuten nahkatakkeja, kelsiturkkeja, hameita, housuja, kenkiä, laukkuja, lompakoita, käsineitä, nahkapaloja. Ylästöntie 9, Tammisto, Vantaa. Ma-pe klo 10.30-19, la 10.30-16, su 12-16. 
- Fashion & accessories(?)

GUESS OUTLET Valimotie 25, Pitäjänmäki, Helsinki. Ma-pe klo 11-18, la klo 11-16.
- Fashion

HALTI OUTLET Hitsaajankatu 14, Herttoniemi. Vattuniemenkatu 23, Lauttasaari. Ma-pe klo 10-18, la klo 10-15.
- The one I was at, winter & outdoor sports fashion

HALVAN TEHTAANMYYMÄLÄT Valimotie 27, Tammisto, Vantaa. Ma-pe klo 10.30-17.30, la klo 10-16. Höyläämötie 9, Pitäjänmäki, Helsinki. Ma-pe klo 10-17.
- Candies

KALEVALA KORUN TEHTAANMYYMÄLÄ Strömbergintie 4, Pitäjänmäki, Helsinki. Ma-pe klo 9-17.
- Jewellery

LORELLA OUTLET Linnanrakentajantie 6-8, Herttoniemi, Helsinki. Ma-pe klo 10-18, la klo 10-15.
- Fashion

LUHTA Vaatteita, jalkineita, laukkuja ja kodintekstiilejä. Porttisuontie 4, Porttipuisto, Vantaa. Ma-pe klo 10-20, la klo 10-18, su klo 12-16.
- Fashion

LUMENEN TEHTAANMYYMÄLÄ Lumenen ihovoiteita ja meikkejä. Lasihytti 1, Kauklahti, Espoo. Ma-pe klo 11-18, la klo 10-16.
- Cosmetics

MARC O’POLO FACTORY OUTLET Vaatteita, alusasuja, kenkiä. Hitsaajankatu 10, Herttoniemi, Helsinki. Ma-pe klo 10-18, la klo 10-14.
- Fashion & shoes

MARIMEKON TEHTAANMYYMÄLÄ Vaatteita, sisustustekstiilejä, laukkuja. Kirvesmiehenkatu 7, Herttoniemi, Helsinki. Ma-pe klo 10-18, la klo 10-16.
- Fashion + much more, go there!

MR BIG OUTLET Isojen miesten vaatteita. Hitsaajankatu 7, Herttoniemi, Helsinki. Ma-pe klo 10-18, la klo 10-15.
- Fashion for MEN

NANSO GROUP OUTLET Vaatteita koko perheelle. Sähkötie 2-6, Tammisto, Vantaa. Ma-pe klo 10-19, la klo 10-17
- Fashion

STOCKMANN OUTLET Muotia sekä kodin ja urheilun tuotteita, jotka siirretty uutuuksien alta pois. Valimotie 11, Tammisto, Vantaa. Ma-pe klo 10-20, la klo 9-18, su klo 12-18.
- Everything for fashion, home & sports

VALLILA OUTLET. Valimotie 27, Tammisto, Vantaa. Ma-pe klo 10-19, la klo 10-16.
- ...I guess this is interior