Operaatio Lumihiutale…

…road service volunteers help people who get into trouble in Finnish Christmas traffic. “Operation Snowflake” has been organized since 1969.

Read more in Finnish from Autoliitto (Automobile and Touring Club of Finland).

St. Lucy’s Day – A True Tradition of Swedish-Speaking Finns…

…imported from Sicily. (Title adapted from Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt’s tweet today).

I have and I will post more photos from the parade in my other blog Learning to See in Helsinki.

A Laser Beam from The Observatory…

…to Kallio church is part of the Helsinki 200 years as a capital celebrations.

 

Building St. Thomas Market…

…where you can buy handicrafts starting from 7th December.

Watching the Sea Freeze…

…at the Market Square.

Get Your Feet Wet in Helsinki…

…on the heated pavements. I’d rather walk in unploughed snow than in this wet slush every time it has snowed. I certainly hope the heating saves a lot of money.

I had wandered several hours in yesterday’s “snow storm” and it wasn’t uncomfortable until I got to these wet shopping streets. The rest of Helsinki is now finally beautifully white and bright.

Aleksi Christmas Lights…

…and today’s blizzard.

A Photographer…

…at Ursa observatory.

Although at the moment Learning to See in Helsinki is my main blog, in year 2013 it could be again this blog. The stars haven’t told me the decision, looks like I have to make it myself.

Once Upon a Time There was a Bank…

…called SYP and this is their logo – upside down.

Although Finland’s largest commercial banks SYP and KOP merged as Merita in 1995, you can still see traces of their past in Helsinki if you look carefully. Merita merged with Swedish Nordbanken as Merita-Nordbanken that changed its name into Nordea. Next?

Töölö Bay…

…yesterday evening.