Worth waiting?

Woops I did it again...! I mean the silence. It has just been again hectic in many areas and I am - just like many follow victims of North - trying to get along with the most depressing season of the year. It is wet, dark, cold and no week day holidays to give an extra break.

Luckily I had a chance for a break in a summer, Costa del Sol in Spain again. Sun, warmth, beach, swimming in the sea, great food, experiences and most important time off from normal routines. I miss it already...

One of the big ones was the basketball game og Malaga team, I can tell you guys that the Finnish fan culture is getting step by step there but we have maaaany steps to take. Dedication, passion and commitments are words that come to mind - and that is definetely what the guy on his bike has got on the clip you can find behind the link below. Worth to watch!!!

http://www.liftable.com/andreadcombs/ridge/

Have a great weekend you all!

PS We both did our parts in the aftermath of the weight project. Now the project has converted into ongoing process with ups & downs in compliance....

Cyclomaniac?

I wouldn't say I am maniac for cycling, particularly when some lunatics make 100km trips per day. For me 10 km has been ok, 20 km quite a lot since when I'm on the bike, I work hard and go more or less at maximum speed. With 10-20km trips I've still been able to collect 550km for this season that started in May and ends somewhat in September.

One limiter has been my capacity to bear the saddle. It is nasty, up until now the 20km has felt a lot, even if I'd have energy and stamina to continue, legs saying "let's continue" while the pants say "I wanna go home". Up until now, since I bought cycling pants with the soft part enabling me to extend the trips. Yesterday I did 28km and was ok to continue...

So if your ass limits you from making longer cycling trips, go to the shop!

Hothot Summer - Almost over!

Last night we had a fantastic thunder storm and another is expected for tonight. Temperature is expected to stay above +20C and I can tell you it is a lot for Helsinki area this time of the year. Today was also otherwise exceptional temperature, climbing even above +30C here and there.

Soon days like this are long gone - and it's not far. Most likely this weekend will be the last ones, let's hope we will still have one or two warm ones to go before the fall. Unlike Belgium, the fall begins in September with temperatures max +15C at day time. 

I will miss the warm BBQ moments like this.

If you think cold weather will keep me from repeating that, think again. Also bicycle trips continue, here is one of the pit stop places nearby.

And these fellows were in the hoods.

In the hoods they are also fixing the pool for a brand new winter usage, this was a month ago - I should go and check out the status of the moment. 

Good night fellows, let's see how the night will be...!

Hola Guapas y Feos!

I've been around Europe and a bit outside in 3 other continents. Not enough, if you ask me, but still I've seen some bits and pieces of the world. Again, not enough as I have less than 30 countries ticked off.

One of my favorites in Europe is Spain, that I had again a pleasure of seeing, feeling, tasting, and enjoying. 

I've been there both for business and pleasure and I love it - and have done my best to enjoy it every time.

You also get to see new things when you move around. This is something I didn't expect to see;

It's a bike that moves by pushing the mini skateboard -type pedals down. A bit like you would climb the stairs at a stepper you have at some gyms. Never seen one before...

This is from a toilet of a Spanish restaurant. I don't know why it had not made it's way up to the wall.

I'll share with you some more stuff later on so stay tuned. To check some of the older stuff, you can get to Spanish blog posts from here. Now I'll get ready for a basketball after a nice summer break. I know I'll be exhausted, but that's part of the fun!

Saludos!

Enjoy life! I know I will!!!

PS We've had quite warm in Southern Finland past days, even up to +25 C. Now it seems we go for +16-18 C... At nights the temp is going to be below +0C. For the US guys, that is the freezing point of water...

I feel I am in a wrong country at the moment!

Local tabloid paper in Finland - a free-for-charge version - had their annual restaurant food theme week/-s recently. The theme is built around 10 Euro prices. Sounds appeeling or what?

Well, I can tell you it is not as fancy offer setting as one would imagine. At least I don't count a basic hamburger, pizza, salad, basic Thai, or some other "well give you 2 Euro discount" -offers something to write home about. Surely you can brag about the amounts sold, but c'mon fellow Finns, be realistic about the price vs quality level in Finnish restaurants: it SUCKS!
http://www.city.fi/syo

We also had the car free day in Finland - the European common thing. I've been crying about this also earlier, but I guess it's the Lutheran side in us that makes us think we gotta do everything by the recommendations. NO WE DON'T, we can be smart and localize thing to make them work.

Sorry about bitching - I guess the gray day with sideways rain won't help to keep the positive stink around ;o)

Still, have a fabulastic rest of the week!!!

PS Is this our next Eurovision performer, bringing in the win after Lordi...?

PPS Tomorrow Friday Finland is playing against Sweden in Eurocup qualifications. Finland has been out for a while but the Swedes need a win - which should happen based on the previous game. Let's see if we can put some sisu and perkele on the pitch and surprice Zlatan who has been unhappy with football recently. No worries Zlatan, if you don't like to play just give back your salary and they will find others!

The streets are for us, one way or another

To whom are the streets built for?
For us of course.

Who should then decide how do we use them?
Daaaaa, us.

Well tell me then why couldn't we make a good, car free day happen also in Helsinki, Finland? As I said, it is possible and doesn't require any super initiatives. No, it is not easy but if it would be - anyone could do it.

I hope you checked out the blog comments from last Saturday 22nd Jan. A gentleman who - according to Google search - seems to be THE man for the car free and sustainable environment stuff, gave few links to the topic and checking them out I became even more convinced that we should take this seriously over here too.

No, we don't need to do it all at once but let's stop fooling around with the wanna-be-car-free-days like we have had so far in Helsinki and let's make it real! It is fun to be stuck in a traffic lights like below.

During our Brussels years we were on our bikes every year and cycled around the city. I can tell you it was truly fun going down town and cycle in places where normally we need to be aware of cars all over. During the first years our youngest one was 6 years but still 30 km cycling was a piece of cake for him too.

It's a bit like eating an elephant: you eat it in pieces. Or a version I heard - claimed to be a Brazilian one: You eat a gorilla in monkies.
...This one beats me, it must be hell of a lot better in original language. If someone knows how this should go, please inform us!

Here are few pics from the last car free day in BRU we (for now) have had the pleasure to enjoy.

This is Brussels Bourse down town, few blocks from the Grand Place. Veeeery busy road normally.

Across the road from Bourse, you can get non-Belge Churros. Muy bueno!

 As you can see, it is not only bicycles that conquer the streets: Horses in front of the Royal Palace.

 The trams and buses were operating free of charge. At the back is the art nouveaux building of Musical Instrument Museum of Brussels, worth a visit. My kids and wife did, I didn't and regret it. In minimum one should go for the view on top, cafe should be good and as we are in Belgium it means a good selection of beers for a break :o)

 If you wondered the cover of the building on the left, here it is from the front. Apparently Magritte Museum - please don't ask what it is but I think the kids said it is worth a visit. They are asleep now so can't check it...

 This one is another cover down the road at Sablon. Why should you cover a church tower with boring pic if people can enjoy a nicer view while renovation is on. By the way, if you wonder who in Finland could do these - big or small, easy or difficult, I know the man for the job.

 One neads a break once in a while, and what could be better than sitting down on a sunny terrace with a view and few beautiful Nordic looking ladies nearby...?

 And on the other hand, it is also good to have a French red and Belge blond at hand.. However, the Belge blond doesn't beat a Nordic one.

 The police is also fully in, or can you challenge the attitude of this guy putting on his roller skates?

Guys, I would have really, and I mean REALLY wanted to see the drivers of this tandem. It requires some personality and appearance to drive this beast!  

 Anyways, I wish to see busy roads in pedestrian and bicycle - or horse - usage in Helsinki. We have the Helsinki City Marathon on August 20th, why not make that a day of Run-Walk-Cycle / Juokse-Kävele-Pyöräile???

Please don't start thinking why not, but rather "how can we make it happen"!

Let's finish with a pic taken from the same spot where we one of the days said hi to the King and Queen of Belgium.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I guess I really need to start lobbying a REAL car free day for Helsinki.

From top of my head I came up with 5 names = people I personally know in Finnish Parliament, City authorities and surrounding city politics so I need to step on it. In addition there are multiple people who should be interested. Not least our Foreign Minister who used to live in Brussels for years and was a member of the Flying Finns, Brussels Track & Field Club. 

Be aware or rather spread the word!

Car free city - is it possible? Organized properly or ad-hoc?

I claim it is, despite of the pitiful efforts that the Helsinki city authorities have made towards the car free day in Europe. Actually I think it is a Global initiative at some level.

Why the heck we Finns - or in this case my dear fellow countrymen responsible for the event - try to follow the rules or guidelines so strictly that the end result is lost in circumstances. or what do you think about the Helsinki way to organize a "Car Free Day in Helsinki";

• The official EU day is on Tuesday
• Helsinki decides to have their own car free day at the same day, a normal busy office/work day
• The public transport is slightly discounted
• Less than 10 blocks area in the city centre is decleared as "car free"
• Despite of the "car free" area, you can drive to the offices, shops, garages etc inside the area

No wonder the day has not had any meaning. But how about Brussels car free day then;

• The day is always on Sunday in September when the weather is still good (for Helsinki I'd recommend late August)
• Driving a car is forbidden in the whole city, including about 5 km outside to the ring road
• If you must drive due to work or other reason, you must in advance apply for a permit from the police - like we had to do once
• Public transportation is free
• The streets are taken over by people, festivals, bicycles, runners, horses and so on. It becomes a true car free day!
• http://www.dimanchesansvoiture.irisnet.be/accueil

You don't need to invent the wheel again, just investigate during one of the what-ever-you-go-to-Brussels-for-trips what the Brussels people have done. Then localize it to Finland. Sounds simple, and that's what it is - if we have the will!

At the moment we live about 10 kilometers from the city centre, but I can tell you if a proper car-free day would happen in Helsinki we would definitely drive down to the city and enjoy the streets!!!

Coming back to the question in the title;
Yes, a car free city is possible at least for one day in a year! But it does not come for free, all of us need to chip in...

Hmmmm, today the Belge people decided to organize something close to such day - with a bit different objective but we could call this an ad-hoc car free day. Or do you think these guys would welcome a car on this street?

Belgium has been without a government for 224 days, that being a record in Europe. People organized a demonstration against the situation, let's see if it makes any difference. I don't see a real long term solution to be realistic as certain basics are not in place. Flemish and Valloons - the Dutch (or "Flemish speaking" as they claim) speaking and French speaking Belge - seem to have so different view of the current problems and solutions.

The status and importance of Brussels doesn't make it easier, as Brussels is a French speaking city in the middle of Dutch speaking area. And believe me, the language barrior and with it mentality difference between these two parties is BIG.  

Uutinen Belgian hallituksen puutetta vastaan järjestetystä mielenosoituksesta löytyy täältä Helsingin Sanomien sivulta.

To read guardian.co.uk's report, click here.

I AMsterdam

Last weekend we spent two days in Amsterdam as a family. That is no night clubs, no coffee shops (like we would even without kids do it...), no red lights etc. Even without these fascinating elements, I gotta say Amsterdam is not just another European city.

There are many angles to it and I hope my Dutch friends will not be offended too much, since this is coming with a similar criticism and respect as I would hope to hear about Finland and Finns. And perhaps I should empty your arguments about Finland before you do it, even if some of you might have heard it from me verbally ;o)

Let´s start with the bicycles;

In AMS bikes have much better treatment then pedestrians. All roads provide proper bicycle routes but do not necessarily take into account people on their feet at the same level.

Also the pedestrians are awarded with about 50 cm wide tram stop between the rails and passing cars - without railing.

Someone who is not used to the bike domination (>99% of the people on globe), need to be careful since you will be ran over if you don´t pay attention.

I must say AMS is not a tidy place, just like Brussels. Good thing is that the roads are in much better condition then in Belgium.

Tip for Museum visitors: Buy tickets in advance online!!!

If you wanna visit a museum, I can tell from experience that it is worth paying the few extra euros for an online ticket that gives you access to the shortcut queue. I had my motivator to stand in line for Van Gogh museum to see the production of this misunderstood Pastis-abuser. At the end worth the visit but not the 1 hour queue.

We also visited the Anne Frank Museum that is in the building where she and her family were hiding for 2 years before being arrested during 2nd World War. Here you should not expect to see anything fancy or extraordinary, but a story that represents part of history. Having visited Normandie, Brussels Military Museum (that is definetely worth a visit), Finnish military museums, Bastogne (crucial battle point in WW2), and many other related places with children, I can say it does give a new perspective also to school history classes.

I would never had imagined that a 10 year old boy wants to get the book of Anne Frank´s Diary, but he is reading it. It is not light to read but with a little guidance, joint reading, discussions and finding facts that Anne at some point also was "in love" with some boy makes it managable. The same guy was fascinated to read a book about Winston Churchill (more kids version) and make a presentation of him.

At the same time I am very happy to say this young man is very consious of right and wrong!

...a bit off the track so back to AMS...

What about the canals;

The fact is that big part of Netherlands is under the sea level. If you want to capture land from the sea, talk to the Dutch, they are the World Champions in it. Could it be due to enabling to have so many terraces by the water. Or to be exact: under the water line...

A friend has got a "inside the block" garden in AMS city and not that long time ago that used to be under water. When she moved in the garden had not been taken care of for years and now the ground level has gone down quite a lot compared to neighbours. Normally you order a truck to drop a pile of dirt and that´s it. Noup, the only ways are to carry it in small amounts through the house (I would guess it would take about 25.000 portions) or to order a lift that takes it above the house.

Do you know how they move to the houses in AMS?

A bit like in Brussels but in BRU they use the mechanical lifts, in AMS they use ropes that they hang on the hooks you have in front/top of each house and then you move the stuff in through the window.

Why?

The doors and corridors are too narrow to move normal items in...

AMS is canals and partly they make the city what it is. You have so many ways to enjoy the water, and hence there are multiple different boats around too.

And also police.

Talking about the police: Wanna grow some Cannabis?

Welcome to the flower market and choose your flavor. For less than 5 Euros you can get you own starting kit and grow your own pot. In no time you might find yourself using hard drugs, selling your body for a trip and have premature funeral. There are plenty of nice people to help you get your journey started!

Let´s continue with the plants;

Tulips are THE thing and I am happy to say you don´t need to pay much for them.

And then the shoes;

Here are some shoe goodies from the trip.

The green ones were for kids under 10 yrs...

The guy who was wearing the spotty ones above had a helmet I thought only Paul Newman owned.

Queen´s Day I have already written about and I gotta say that has been one of the top city parties I´ve been to so it is highly recommended! Next year again on April 30th in case you can not go to Finland to enjoy Vappu. (In case you are a ski freak, go to Northern Finland - normally many ski resorts are open until early May!)

All and all, I AMsterdam!!!

PS The ones who are Facebook pals with S, check more pics from there