Muskox at Helsinki Zoo…

…enjoying a nice autumn day.

Actually it was a day that I would have called boringly grey only a few years ago. Then I used a camera only when I was travelling.

Gift-Wrapped Apartment Buildings…

…seem to be pretty common these days.

You foreigners might think that these are birthday presents for someone after you read that Finland is the most prosperous nation in the world according to a Brittish study. No, we are not that prosperous.

In the study prosperity was not measured only in euros or dollars but things like health, freedom, security and political governance were also considered.

F-18 Hornet, The Most Discussed…

…military purchase in Finland. First planes were received in 1995 and many would have wanted to use the money for something else than for about 60 jet fighters. On the other hand, 60 doesn’t sound much for a country that doesn’t belong to any military alliance.

The symbolic significance was also big as American planes might not have been bought at a time when Finland’s eastern neighbour was still called Soviet Union. Many saw the purchase as a concrete step towards Finland’s NATO membership.

The photo was taken in Helsinki International Airshow and the pilot has just fired flares that are used to distract missiles.

Running on…

..leaves at Koskelantie street.

Foggy Morning…

…today.

The Edge of the World…

…has been found in Helsinki. Centuries ago mariners were afraid of falling off the edge of the world – for a good reason it seems!

I guess this also explains why there are many “Maps of Europe” where Finland doesn’t exist at all or only small part of Southern Finland is included.

Steamboat Kirvesniemi…

…at South Harbour.

Rauman Lukko Has A Surprise Lead in The Finnish Ice Hockey League…

…and now we know what is their secret. Kampaamo = ladies’ hairdressing saloon.

During the past years the west coast team has been far behind the top teams.

University Students’Houses…

…at the “outskirts of the city center.” That was true in 1870 but today this is as central as it can get in Helsinki. This lucky chance means that the Student Union of the University of Helsinki owns many very valuable buildings and is now one of the richest student bodies in the world.

The building on the right is Vanha (=old) from 1870 and the building with a green dome is the new student house from 1910. University students organize many kinds of activities in these buildings and there are restaurants and events that anybody can visit.

3T – The Tourist Tram…

…as it is often called. It circles around in central Helsinki and passes many attractions.

Tram 3B has about the same route but it goes to the other direction. Irregular users of the trams don’t remember the difference and they might use rules like 3B = back home or the Finnish equivalent 3T = takas kotiin. And once they are about to board a tram they don’t remember anymore whether it was back home or takas kotiin.

Jees Helsinki Jees has tried to make some sense of the 3T/3B tram routes.