Helsinki

[Nekatiivi]

Thanks all for your comments !
I'll try to face the cold bravely. Thing is I will stay indoor thursday and friday, but will have to walk two blocks there. How Finns handle this ? I planned to put generic trousers and shoes, I don't see myself arriving at the place and changing clothes lool (even if meeting start around 8 am). Although I read it's not uncommon to bring shoes when you visit friends.

Well, normally Finns do leave do their deeds with only one set of clothes, even if it is very cold.

I think there are few very important points in proper winter clothing.

1. Shoes. Bring shoes with thick bottoms. Feet are one of the first places that start to go cold on low temperatures. Wear two pairs of socks. I would recommend thin woolen socks!

2. Proper hat. Warm and wind-proof hat warms like nothing else.

3. Jacket that is moderately wind, warmth and water proof. Take a jacket with a hood if possible.

4. Layers is the kay word in Finland too. With a proper jacket I only wear two layers, one tight and one loose.

Two blocks is not bad, I am sure you will be fine.

[IDC a.k.a. Ritti]

I'll try to face the cold bravely. Thing is I will stay indoor thursday and friday, but will have to walk two blocks there. How Finns handle this ?

I don't care what people think anymore, when I go to work or a restaurant or a hotel I enter wearing my quilt overtrousers (I think I just invented a word?) and cold weather protection boots, and won't change until I'm somewhat defrosted.

What about taking the tram (3T ?) to go around the city in a warm environment (and, possibly no drunk guys in the middle of the day) ?

The 3T/3B tram is a good sightseeing route - but in this weather you will probably only see huge piles of snow stacked alongside the streets...

Do you think I should try sauna ? If you have good address, you're welcome

You definitely should! Probably your hotel has one. There are a couple of traditional public saunas in Helsinki, and all indoor swimming pools have saunas too. If it wasn't this cold, I would recommend any that is located by the sea or a lake and has a hole in the ice for winter swimming

And I guess the ceremony for Kiira's medal was today ?

She was given flowers today in Tampere... during an intermission of her home club's hockey game. http://www.iltasanomat.fi/taitoluist...445988174.html
I haven't heard of any other ceremony.

[skatak]

thanks again !

For the sauna, I am just wondering how the contact lenses will appreciate it... without them I am about lost, with them I fear they will stay somewhere in the sauna...
not even thinking about switching to glasses lol

Am taking for granted that the electric plugs are the same as in France. not time to adjust lol

[Hanna]

For the sauna, I am just wondering how the contact lenses will appreciate it... without them I am about lost, with them I fear they will stay somewhere in the sauna...
not even thinking about switching to glasses lol

Am taking for granted that the electric plugs are the same as in France. not time to adjust lol

You should be fine with contacs in the sauna. Your eyes just might be a little bit drier afterwards so if you have eye drops, you might want to add a bit after your sauna experience. And don't leave them on for too long after being in the sauna. But I know lots of people who wear contacts to sauna without a problem.

Plugs are same, no worries.

And yes, the 3T tramline is the proper tourist tramline indeed. You won't be the only one there, me thinks. And no worrying about drunken idiots either (well, I can't guarantee of course but seriously, I'm sure you'll be completely fine).

Today was the coldest day of the winter so far. BRRRRRRRRRRR freezing, completely freezing.

[Hanna]

Oh and as for the saunas, this is considered the only "proper" public sauna in Helsinki as it is heated with wood. HOwever, it's very touristy. http://www.kotiharjunsauna.fi

If you settle for a less authentic experience, I'm pretty sure that your hotel also has one (like Ritti said).

[skatak]

Yes ! Hotel has one ! Must be a touristic one though, but no pb. Eyes got a bit dry afterwars as you said. Airport-> taxi -> hotel -> sauna (alone ).
interesting experience, your spirit is fully awake but your body melts. Even more when putting enough water on the stone (which I did not the first time).

probably the biggest thermic chock in my life, from -20°C to + 80°C back to -20°C. kept my light jean to go out for dinner. I knew this would not be sufficient, but enough to go to the restaurant. Couldn't resist a walk at night afterwards, but it went a bit scary as I was feeling my thighs becoming colder and colder. I was wondering how long it can take to really freeze legs, my guess is 'not long by -20°C'. Back warm at the hotel, but still can feel the legs adjusting... ok I won't do it anymore... ! Other than that, normal shoes with two pairs of socks works fine. Feels a bit weird when your nose freezes though ;-)

From the plane :shoking: so many outdoor rinks ! With lights at night ! With a zamboni on it ! If Finnish skater train outside, I wonder why they did not sweep all the medals last year in Berne...

[cholla]

Skatak ? IAMY !

[Hanna]

Yes ! Hotel has one ! Must be a touristic one though, but no pb. Eyes got a bit dry afterwars as you said. Airport-> taxi -> hotel -> sauna (alone ).
interesting experience, your spirit is fully awake but your body melts. Even more when putting enough water on the stone (which I did not the first time).

probably the biggest thermic chock in my life, from -20°C to + 80°C back to -20°C. kept my light jean to go out for dinner. I knew this would not be sufficient, but enough to go to the restaurant. Couldn't resist a walk at night afterwards, but it went a bit scary as I was feeling my thighs becoming colder and colder. I was wondering how long it can take to really freeze legs, my guess is 'not long by -20°C'. Back warm at the hotel, but still can feel the legs adjusting... ok I won't do it anymore... ! Other than that, normal shoes with two pairs of socks works fine. Feels a bit weird when your nose freezes though ;-)

From the plane :shoking: so many outdoor rinks ! With lights at night ! With a zamboni on it ! If Finnish skater train outside, I wonder why they did not sweep all the medals last year in Berne...

Yes you have to throw enough water on the stones. It's called 'heittää löylyä'. I find 75 C the perfect sauna temperature. It's not too pleasant if it's much hotter.

And the 100 C difference between outside and the sauna is pretty mindblowing. Today was even colder than yesterday. FREEZING. It was -20 in the morning when I first left my apartment. It was impossible to stay outside for longer than 10 minutes at a time.

And yes, when it's below zero, the outdoor rinks are everywhere. The ice quality is not the best on all of them but it is lovely to have so many. E.g. the closest one to me is a 3-minute walk away.

Oh and your nose hair freezing is definitely a funny feeling.

I hope you're enjoying it despite the horror .

[skatak]

Skatak ? IAMY !

ROTFL
which one of us is winning the competition of lower temperature ? seems it stuck to -20°C all day...

Felt a bit 'warmer' now as there was less wind than in the morning. but it's only in different spot, wind blowing is something. night pictures are all blurry, for the time of exposition required I can't stay still long enough, and the seat where I could put my camera on in public park are burried under snow (will not try going knee deep in the snow just for a pic).

Yes you have to throw enough water on the stones. It's called 'heittää löylyä'. I find 75 C the perfect sauna temperature. It's not too pleasant if it's much hotter.

And the 100 C difference between outside and the sauna is pretty mindblowing. Today was even colder than yesterday. FREEZING. It was -20 in the morning when I first left my apartment. It was impossible to stay outside for longer than 10 minutes at a time.

And yes, when it's below zero, the outdoor rinks are everywhere. The ice quality is not the best on all of them but it is lovely to have so many. E.g. the closest one to me is a 3-minute walk away.

Oh and your nose hair freezing is definitely a funny feeling.

I hope you're enjoying it despite the horror .

I am just wondering if it was clever to plan to stay over the week-end here, seems I've landed in the coldest moment of the year
for now it's about ok as I stay indoor all day, but this week end the plan it to visit a bit. Maybe it will end in short trip from cafe to cafe.
looking at the temperature map over Finland and seeing -31°C is quite an experience, it feels completely hyperreal...
Going back to France on Monday with -5°C will feel like summer

lapland cheese cake is ... well ... interesting. Don't know how cloudberry translates in French but it's to dye for.

[IDC a.k.a. Ritti]

According to a news article I just read, Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (HSL) advises people to walk rather than wait for trams - because "no form of traffic is running flowingly". (It was -19 °C then.)

A friend of mine who is working in Espoo just said that the scenery outside is completely white, even the air.

By noon, 80 traffic accidents had happened in Helsinki today.
http://www.yle.fi/uutiset/news/2012/...d_3228896.html

Skatak, its not only that you came to Finland at the coldest moment of the year... this is waaay beyond normal.

Is it this you ate? If it made a creaking sound when chewing, then it probably was...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leip%C3%A4juusto

[Finnice]

Skatak, I feel so unhappy to miss you, you in freezing Helsinki and me in rainy Taipei, +11 and the lantern fest.

The medal coffee to Kiira will be served during the Nordics, or that is what I have heard.

Cloudberry is lakka/hilla/suomuurain in Finnish, it has three different names depending which part of Finland you came from.

I hope you can still enjoy Helsinki, with the freezing cold and without me

[matti]

Cloudberry is lakka/hilla/suomuurain in Finnish, it has three different names depending which part of Finland you came from.

And even a fourth one: valokki... Dictionary says plaquebière ou chicoute en francais...

[skatak]

just in short : well at least it really feels like Winter ! the true, real, big one

the Lapland cheese cake was like you linked to. It had white sauce/cream with it and cinnamon on top.

now the week end starts ! time to go discover Helsinki

[skatak]

switched hotel. another 'touristic' sauna. this time I was not alone and I could feel the difference ! I liked the hot dry warmth, but the finnish guys made it the proper way I guess, flushing water very often. it's another feeling... so hot !
how are you supposed to feel after a sauna (do you do it every day?) ? relax, fit, full of energy ? maybe it was because of the last long two days, but I felt rather tired. will sleep well tonight !


too lazy to find a proper restaurant at 10pm. still tried an hamburger with omelette and black bread at the bus station. will try better tomorrow !

And I have tried a multi-combo version for clothes : quad-triple. 4 on top (+vest), 3 for the legs. it rather works

[Nekatiivi]

switched hotel. another 'touristic' sauna. this time I was not alone and I could feel the difference ! I liked the hot dry warmth, but the finnish guys made it the proper way I guess, flushing water very often. it's another feeling... so hot !
how are you supposed to feel after a sauna (do you do it every day?) ? relax, fit, full of energy ? maybe it was because of the last long two days, but I felt rather tired. will sleep well tonight !

I think the amounth of water comes down to personal testes too... There is no right answer to that! All saunas are not the same either. What suits one sauna, might not suit the other.

You definitely feel very tired after sauna. I think most Finns do sauna once a week, but some do it every day, some never. I personally feel that sauna makes me so tired that there is no way I could do it every day!

[allezfred]

I think the amounth of water comes down to personal testes too

[Nekatiivi]

Ups...

[cholla]

which one of us is winning the competition of lower temperature ? seems it stuck to -20°C all day...

You win. Only - 16°C here.

Don't know how cloudberry translates in French but it's to dye for.

To dye ? It made you change the color of your hair ? Cloudberry = mûre jaune ou mûre arctique (plaquebière or chicouté in Quebec). In Swedish : hjortron. It was my fave dessert food the summer I spent in Abisko

[Hanna]

Is it this you ate? If it made a creaking sound when chewing, then it probably was...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leip%C3%A4juusto

Ah this? I love it. However I would never call it cheese cake, just cheese. DId they call it cheese cake somewhere? IMO there's nothing cakey about so if you thought so then I can understand why you thought it was interesting. To me it's really just plain (a type of) cheese. And very yummy.

As are cloudberries. They are quite expensive though because they only grow on certain types of swamp in a few parts of Finland.

Oh, and after sauna you definitely feel very relaxed and tired and ready to go to sleep.

Last thing - this thread is proof that Finns get very excited when someone is showing even a little bit of interest in our small country. Nearly every Finnish FSUer has posted.

[allezfred]

Speaking of Finnish things, I just found this video.