Why Nike, why?

The only thing that comes to my mind regarding the pic & shoes below is "WHY?".

In my fairly wide network of people I can think of only one person who would be a very potential  buyer of these shoes. Some of you know her as Tsupukka, not least due to her fantadtic blog st www.tsupukka.blogspot.fi

Go girl says a fan in 2nd generation!

I just find it hard to believe it has been a success production for Nike, far from Air Jordan levels...!

If you wish to spot these shoes, start strolling the streets either in Espoo Tapiola hoods or at Korso ghetto at Vantaa. Focus on 18ish year old basketball player look alike girls...

PS This is not the first time I can be blaimed for anti-shoe-fetish, check out the previous ones on the left column down at "Shoes"-keywoard. 

Shoes Against the Laws of Physics

I thought we had seen them all - or at least the most - but what did I know. Nada...

http://www.iltalehti.fi/viihde/2013073017309357_vi.shtml

It seems playmates do what ever it takes to get attention - as well as they seem to have forgotten the style rules.

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...

Helsinki Speed Tourism

This one is for the three fantastic lady musketeers that are currently visiting Helsinki. Since you are in the same position as so many others when coming to Helsinki - that is you have only short time to explore the city - here are some tips & tricks how to get a feeling.

ATTN: At the same time I challenge my fellow country wo-/men to help out with your own favorites. On the other hand, this challenge also applies to the regular readers who have visited Helsinki.

It’s best to explore the city centre area by foot. Ask tips also from your hotel, friends or the Tourist Info at Esplanade Park, next to the Market Place (both worth visiting).

Here are for winter time some key tips that I picked from a longer list I have put together;

• Market Place and Old Market Hall at the harbor, end of Esplanadi (this is a must on a summer day). You can also take one of the sightseeing boats from Market Place.
• Temppeliaukio Church – an extraordinary architecture, built in a rock
• Walk around Töölönlahti, Bay of Töölö, next to City Centre. ~1 hour walk via Linnunlaulu (Bird Sing) area with old villas, pass by Finlandia House(concert/conference) and Opera House.
• Easy and cheap city tour ; Take a tram 3B or 3T that rides a circle around the city for ~1 hour. You can also take a sightseeing bus from the centre.
• If possible, go to one of the 2.000.000 saunas in a country of 5.000.000 people, if at all possible a lakeside sauna in a summer cabin recommended!

Shopping

• Market Place and Old market hall at the end of Esplanade Park, or similar ones at Hakaniemi (walking distance or tram). Hakaniemi is more local while particularly in summer time there are quite many tourists around...
• Department stores Stockmann and Sokos as well as Forum and Kamppi malls at Mannerheimintie.
• Shops at Mannerheimintie (up to Kiasma art museum), Aleksanterinkatu and Esplanade Park.
• Smaller shops in the city area south from the end of Mannerheimintie.
• Old Market Halls at Hakaniemi and Hietaniemi (at the end of Lönnrotinkatu) market place have many small handicraft shops. You can walk back to Esplanad Park via Bulevardi street, passing by on the left side e.g. a modest Old Opera House and "Plague" Park, or walk back via Kaivopuisto, the larger park by the sea side (stop by for a coffee at Cafe Ursula or Carousel).
• Female shoe lovers should check out Red Shoe at Fredrikinkatu nearby Kalevankatu corner.

Wining and Dining
It is not cheap to wine and dine in Finland, but you can find several great restaurants around the city. Here are few tips;

• Ravintola Lappi (Lapland), Kalevankatu: Lappish cuisine and atmosphere in the city, 2 blocks from Stockmann’s
• Mexican food in the City: Cantina West, Kasarminkatu 23 (next to Esplanade)http://www.cantinawest.net/ or Santa Fé at Aleksanterinkatu
• Zetor, Mannerheimintie: Finnish dishes, stop by for a beer and sit on a Zetor-tractor, see a moped hanging from the roof... Same designer as in Cantina West
• Kappeli at Esplanade Park: Oldest restaurant still operating in Helsinki. Nice building, environment, terrace at summer… Pop in for a coffee, drink, lunch etc. Not the cheapest but nice!
  
  Hyvää ruokahalua!

If you have an extra day, I recommend to take a ferry over to Tallinn, Estonia. It takes only a few hours one way so you will have time to enjoy the city during the day. I've also earlier written about Tallinn.

For the ones with a bit more time and who wish to get some extreme, go up North to Lapland or get a visa and go to Leningrad --- sorry, St Petersburg in Russia. For Russia, prepare for the worst and wish for the best...

All and all, Helsinki has got a lot to offer, particularly in summer time but you can get a lot also in winter time.

What ever you decide to do, have fun!!!

Seafood in Oostende

I promised to tell a bit more about the seafood in Oostende...
This is where some of it comes from.
After some turns and polishing it ends up at the market by the peer.
You can buy it in different forms. These mixed seafood plates are 3 and 4 euros, which to me is quite reasonable price.
You have mussels, small shrimps and small sardines in portions. Among other stuff I had the mussels and gotta say they were good.
Remember to eat them yourself. If you feed the seagulls, you will get a fine. Also for littering at the dunes you get a fine over 100 euros - and I support that approach!
This is what you can easily make from the fresh shrimps. Just add oil, garlic and chili (fresh or powder) according to your taste and some herbs. Also paprika powder goes well here. Fry them on a hot pan for some minutes and enjoy! Easy & fast!!!
From corner shop you can buy souvenirs. Ships starting from 4.60 Euros...
Or get your very own seagull!
All and all, having also eaten in Oostende restaurants I can say it is a place to go for some good seafood!

...then again one about the shoes;
We also found Nike shoes size #15. Owner was not in town so we could not have live comparison of the toes. Hopefully next time!

Shoes and Basketball - Kenkiä ja Korista

Today I was in a basketball game and saw another pair of shoes that I categorize "different". And that is not bad, it's just different.

Eli tänään näin jälleen kenkäparin jonka luokittelen "erilaiseksi". Ja se ei ole huono asia, vain erilainen. Kiitos omistajalle julkaisuluvasta ;o)

Yep, Converse.

Enhän minä voi kenkiä liikaa arvostella, olenhan jopa pelannut Adidaksen Koby II -kengillä jotka vat aivan laskettelumonon näköiset. Rumat kuin mitkä mutta toimivat...

No, I don't dare to reveal that one in English...


Another interesting point there was a young girl who played with a scarf and long pants under her shorts - most likely due to her religion. I think it's great that she played no matter of the extra clothing, particularly when it's a mixed team with boys and girls. Still I find it hard to understand the reason for such "rules"...


Eli tänään olin korismatsissa jossa toisella joukkueella oli pelaaja joka ilmeisimmin uskonnollisista syistä piti päässä huivia ja shortsiensa alla pitkälahkeiset verkkarit. On hienoa että hän pelasi huolimatta ylimääräisistä varusteista, varsinkin kun kyseessä on sekajoukkue eli tyttöjä ja poikia. Silti minun on vaikea ymmärtää todelliset syyt moisille "säännöille"...