Dead Fish on Finlands’ shore
There were plenty of dead fish today along the shore in Helsinki. Wondering what happened to them…
Continue reading
Winter Hiking in Nuuksio
It’s almost New Year, however still no sign of snow. After having had a storm last week in Finland, we went to Nuuksio for a short hike and even discovered a cave.
Here is the entrance to the cave:
GPS: N60’18’50’9 E24’30’57’3
Saint Lawrence Church in Lohja
Saint Lawrence Church in Lohja was built in the 14th century and is famous for its’ paintings on the ceiling.
Lohja – Old Christmas Market 2011
Today, I went to the Old Christmas Market in Lohja, which takes place only on one weekend in December. Compared to the Christmas Market in Helsinki, Lohja has much more to offer and the atmosphere feels more like Christmas. It takes approxiamtely 1h 5 min by bus from Kamppi to get there (11 EUR one way). Here some Salmon …
Itsenäisyyspäivä 2011 Suomessa – Independence Day 2011 in Finland
Today is independence day in Finland and finally I have time to write again on FinlandLive since this is a public holiday. Today is the first day, we had snow in Helsinki – not much but at least you could see some white patches here and there.
Christmas 2011 is getting closer in Helsinki….but where is the Snow?
It’s almost December, Helsinki is decorated for Christmas but there is still no snow. Today we had 9 C and according to the weather forecast temperatures will only drop till 0 C on the 6th of December when Finland celebrates Independence Day (Itsenäisyyspäivä).
By Bicycle from Helsinki to Sipoonkorpi National Park
Sipoonkorpi National Park is located aproximately 10 km from Helsinki (Vuosaari). The National Park was established this summer (2011) so it is not that developed as Nuuksio.
Geocaching in Finland
After having spent my first couple of days with my new GPS etrex 30 device, I was wondering how useful it is for Geocaching. Well, I must say that the etrex 30 locates GPS signals quite fast. Since I did not purchase any commercial Garmin map, I decided to make my own map using Google Earth and generating an overlay image which you can after adjusting it to the map on Google Earth upload to your GPS device. It works actually quite well after testing the accuracy of the map with the GPS signal. Continue reading
Autumn in Järvenpää
This weekend, I went to Järvenpää and temperatures have dropped already between 4 and 9 C. A short look at the leafs let you guess that winter is not far away anymore. For me, autumn is the most beautiful season in Finland.
Autumn in Suomenlinna
Slowly it is getting autumn in Helsinki and the colorful leafs are changing the whole atmosphere of Suomenlinna. Autumn is a great season for photographing since there are more colors available you can play with. Here a few snapshots:
The Longest Finnish Word?
What do you think is the longest Finnish Word?
Searching Google, I found this word to be the longest Finnish word:
“järjestelmällistämättömyydellänsäkäänköhän”
Do you know what it means?
Do you know any longer Finnish word?
What is the longest word in your language?
Korpinkierros Trail in Nuuksio
Today I went to Nuuksio again. Semptember or October is actually a great time to go into the forrest since the leafs are changing the colors and there are plenty of mushrooms (and those who pick them) in the forrest. If you go to Nuuksio, make sure that you get out at Haukkalampi if you take the bus since there is the starting point for all trails. Today, I took the longest trail – Korpinkierros (or Raven in English) Trail – which is about 7 km long.
Starry Sky in Finland
I took those pictures today at 11 pm.
Garmin etrax 30 – My new GPS device for Finland
Today, I have received my new GPS which I am planning to use in Finland – Garmin etrax 30. It has 24 hours battery life and also supports the new Russian GPS System “GLONASS” which is going to operate from 2012 and should work 20% faster than the current GPS System.
Hiking in Nuuksio National Park
Nuuksio is a National Park located close to Espoo and Helsinki. You can reach Nuuksio from Helsinki by taking the train to Espoo Center and from there Bus 85A straight to Nuuksi (Kattila). From May till October there are also Guides in the Park. Currently, the park is quite full with people since many of them are looking for mushrooms (“sienet”).
Finnish Course starts at the University of Helsinki
Next Monday I am going to take my Finnish Course Suomi 2B. I did my first Course at the University in Helsinki 2 years ago. Not sure if my course book is still up to date. However, this weekend I am going to be quite busy with reviewing the material from Suomi Course 1 
What do you prefer photographing in Finland?
Loading ...
Hiking Club in Helsinki
Does anybody know a good hiking club in Helsinki? Looking for some people who are interested in Hiking.
Art Nouveau in Helsinki
Art Nouveau (Jugend in Finnish) can be found almost everywhere in Helsinki and were designed in the early 1900s – strongly influenced by the Kalevala (the Finnish National Epic).
Seagulls in Helsinki
Ever visited Helsinki? Then you may have noticed Seagulls. Plenty of them can be found at Kauppatori or Esplanadi where ice cream is sold. So be aware that you might get attacked by a Seagull if you eat ice cream in Helsinki.
Best camera hiking backpack: Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW
Are you looking for a backpack which is great for a 1 day hike and where you are able to access your camera quickly? Then the Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW is for you. I just purchased this backpack and I am really happy with it. You can pack a 60D or 5D Mark II in it with a standard lens attached and then there is still space for another telezoom lens e.g. 70-200. Beside the camera and the lenses, you can also pack e.g. waterproof jacket/pants and a water pack into. The backpack also comes with a rain cover and is quite light. A great backpack for all kind of outdoor activities.
Best Hiking Boots for Finland
When you plan a trip, it’s important to take the right shoes with you. So which shoes should you use and for which situations? Here a short comparison between Hanwag Banks GTX vs. Atlas GTX
If you plan a trip with heavy load or if you plan to use your boots also in the Alps, then I would definitely suggest that you take Hanwag Atlas GTX. If you walk in the forrest or if you don’t have to walk over sharp rocks, then the Hanwag Banks GTX is for you. The Atlas GTX gives you lots of stability, however I found it more comfortable to walk with the Banks GTX since the boots are not that stiff (which is however a disadvantage in the Alps). Moreover, the Banks GTX might be a good allround shoe for the winter too. They are both made of Gore Tex and have a Vibram sole.
Hanwag Banks GTX
Deutsche Kirche in Helsinki
The church belongs to the German Evangelical Lutheran congregation in the Evangelical Church in Finland. The church was built in the Gothic Revival style in 1864 by Harald Bosse and CJ von Heideken. She is one of the most popular wedding churches in Helsinki.
Tomb of Mannerheim in Helsinki
Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim was Regent of Finland (1918–1919) and the sixth President of Finland (1944–1946). He was buried on 4 February 1951 in the in Helsinki. The Mannerheim family are descends from a German businessman who emigrated to Gävle in Sweden in the 17th century.
Continue reading
Traces of Finlands Civil War in Helsinki
The Civil War in Helsinki took place from January till May 1918 and concerned control and leadership of the Grand Duchy of Finland. After the Civil War Finland became independent from Russia.
View from the Olympic Stadium Tower of Helsinki
The Olympic Stadium in Helsinki was built between 1934 and 1938 and had 70.000 spectators during the Olympic Games in 1952. From the tower of the Olympic Stadium you can have an excellent view over Helsinki. It costs 2 EUR to get up to the top.
Animal Street Signs of Helsinki
Ever wondered why there are animal street signs in Helsinki? They are actually meant for certain blocks in Helsinki. Its’ origins from Stockholm, where it was a requirement in the begining of the 19th century to sign all sites in blocks. This tradition ended by 1910.
Hiking in Montafon – Vorarlberg
Vorarlberg is a county of Austria – the valley here is called Montafon – and located next to Lichtenstein and Switzerland. There are 2 major mountain ranges – Silvretta and Raetikon (which is also part of Switzerland). So why Vorarlberg in a Finland blog? Well, orginially I am from this area (Bodensee). Bodensee is surrounded by Austria, Switzerland and Germany and also quite close to Italy (I did another hike over the Alps from Germany to Italy which took me 9 days – more in another Blog post). During this hike I was walking only for 3 days.
Hiking and Birdwatching in Viikki – Helsinki
Viikki is a part of Helsinki nearby Arabia – the oldest part of the city of Helsinki. At Viikki you can also find departments of the University of Helsinki (e.g. Biology, Chemistry). It’s a great place to observe birds and learn about animals and plants.
Helsinki to Porvoo by bicycle
It is about 50 km from Helsinki to Porvoo and takes about 9 hours by bicycle for a return trip and some breaks including sightseeing in Porvoo. It’s quite important to take enough water with you especially during the summer. I would recommend to take a 3 liter camelback into your backpack with you.
Sun & Nature Photography in Finland
The sun in Finland offers plenty of possibilities to create interesting shots. During the winter the sun reflects on the ice and in the summer the sun does not even go down at all. Here some shots from Helsinki and Järvenpää:
Sunset between Helsinki and Tallinn
During the summer you might have the chance to enjoy a beautiful sunset on the Baltic Sea between Helsinki and Tallinn. It’s definitely worth to take a trip to either Tallinn or Helsinki with one of the ferry operators.
Enjoy the best view over Helsinki
One of the best places to enjoy a panoramic view over Helsinki is definitely Hotel Torni located next to Forum Shopping Center. Once in the Hotel, you can take the elevator up to the highest floor and walk up some stairs. Additionally, you may also enjoy some drinks which are served there.
White Church on the left. Stockman and Svenska Theatre in the centre
Continue reading
Secret Fortress of East Helsinki
In Vuosaari you can find the remainings of a fortification which was part of the defense system of Helsinki.
Hiking in East Helsinki
Sarkkaniemi & UutelaNature Trails are located in East Helsinki, near the new harbor of Helsinki. You can get there from the city center with the metro (Vuosaari) and walk about 20 min until you reach the trails.
Suomenlinna – 250 years old Sea Fortress of Helsinki
Suomenlinna, until 1918 Viapori is a UNESCO World Heritage site and was originally named Sveaborg (Fortress of Svea) or Viapori and renamed Suomenlinna (Castle of Finland) in 1918 for nationalistic reasons.
Construction of the fortress began in 1748 as protection against Russia. In the Finnish War the fortress surrendered to Russia on May 3, 1808.
Entrance to Suomenlinna
Continue reading
Visiting Tallinn for one day
Tallinn is the capital of Estonia and you can reach Tallinn in aproximately 2 hours by ferry from Helsinki and a return ticket costs around 40 EUR. There is plenty to see and the price/value of e.g. restaurants is really good. Tallinn’s Old Town is in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Tallinns’ old name before 1920 was Reval, the adjacent ancient name of the surrounding Estonian county. The word Tallinn come from Taani-linn(a) meaning “Danish-castle/town”. In 1050 the first fortress was built on Tallinn Toompea.
Seurasaari Open Air Museum in Helsinki
Seurasaari is an Island and an an Open Air Museum which was founded in 1909 and located in Helsinki. The Museum consists mainly of wooden buildings from the 18th and 19th century, which have been transfered from all over Finland. On Midsummer, there a huge bonfire is lit on the island. The oldest building is the Karuna church which was built in 1686. I would recomment to buy a day ticket for 6 EUR if you want to see the buildings from inside. There is also the option to buy tickets for each sight however it costs 3 EUR per sight. I recommend to visit especially the Karuna Church.
Entrance to Seuresaari
Continue reading
Hiking in Repovesi National Park
Repovesi National Park is located about 2 hours from Helsinki. You can take the train till Kouvola and from there a bus ride towards Hillosensalmi. Repovesi seems to be the most interesting National Park in Southern Finland.
Main Entrance to the Repovesi National Park