Midsummer – Juhannus

Midsummer in Helsinki is a curious experience.The city is pretty much deserted, as everybody is in the countryside spending time with friends and family, visiting sauna all night long, drinking lots of beer and Sima etc.. Shops, museums, almost everything is closed and cycling through the empty, quiet streets has a feel of “alien on…

It’s the little things…

…that illustrate the difference between a first-class and “normal class” venue. I work as one of the moderators for Sibelius Finland Experience during the summer months – a beautiful, one-hour concert event in Helsinki where young master students and musicians present music composed by Jean Sibelius to guests from all over the world (piano-violin). This…

Royals in Helsinki

Even if you don’t know what’s going on, an empty marketplace in Helsinki is a sure sign that something is going on, because the marketplace is “never” empty, unless of course, the place is needed for spectators who want to get a glimpse of the nordic heads of state: the three Nordic royals, the president…