Fun Facts About Finland (or Helsinki)

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Unfortunately I think Norwegians know way too little about Helsinki as a week-end destination. The city has around the same number of inhabitants as Oslo. But the city centre is more compact and it’s easy to walk (or wheel) the city. To enlighten you – I will give you some fun facts about Helsinki.

In Helsinki:

– spring has arrived! 🙂

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People enjoying (the rather cold) spring weather (and beer) outside Lasipalatsi.

– many menues are in Finnish, but fortunately they have borrowed some food words from English. If not, I would not understand a single thing…

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– you can shop until you drop (even on Sundays)

– the women can place their husband in a shopping mall bar while they do their shopping (at least in Kamppi)

– you can buy champagne (or maybe it was cava) at the coffee shop…

– people know a lot more English than I thought. At least more than the first time I was here. Or maybe I am just talking to other people. Who knows…

– a good place to enjoy the last rays of afternoon sunshine (and some Finnish pastry) is Café Esplanade

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– the tram is known to always be on time. According to the locals, this is slightly overrated. And the tram is usually not wheelchair accessible.

– the women look slightly anemic. Is it lack of iron? Or maybe D-vitamin? 😉

– they hide their elevators behind secret James Bond doors. At least in posh places like the Kämp Hotel Brasserie.

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The secret elevator was behind a bookshelf and had to be operated by the (very friendly) staff…
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The Kämp hotel is not for the normal deadly ones. But they will let you into their brasserie. Nice chandeliers…

– the sidewalks are nice and even and easy to wheel (much much better than in Oslo). But to cross the street you have to manage several kinds of cobble stones (fortunately few of the nasty kind) and tram lines. However the tram lines are much better kept than in Oslo.

– there are plenty of possibilities to party. But be aware, you might be observed and recorded while doing it… 😉

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