Helsinki-Entdeckungen
Helsinki ist immer für eine Überraschung gut. Es ist wie beim Pilze sammeln. Manchmal findet man eine kleine Überraschung, manchmal übersieht man sie. Gestern habe ich mal Glück gehabt…
Flag day – again
I can hardly believe it myself, but today I watched a military parade, the first in my life. 4th of June (1867) is the birthday of Baron Carl Gustav Emil Mannerheim and official flag day for the Finnish military. As it was the 150th anniversary of Mannerheim’s birthday and Finland is celebrating 100 years of…
Artful Expression on “Ihmisyys”
Architecture students from the Aalto University in Espoo exhibited their results from a course in arts on the theme “Being human”. I went to see it on the last day. The artwork of “normal” people in Finland (as opposed to “declared” artists, that is) has always impressed me and it did so again.
Harakka
I almost wouldn’t have written this post! At least I wondered if I would survive after joining a nature excursion to an island that is located only some 100 m from the seashore in front of Kaivopuisto, but felt like being located at the Northpole. I could have done with a few more layers of…
Best nature photographs 2015
After a disappointing Christmas season, at least with respect to the weather, Finland has arrived at snow and ice. Today -31 °C were reported from North-Karelia. Helsinki is presenting us with mild -13 °C. In any case, one is staying more time inside and it is a good time to look at the new winners…
Architecture & Customer Service?
Does architecture influence the creativity, flexibility or skills of shop owners when it comes to solving problems for customers? This question came to my mind after a curious customer service experience in Helsinki.
Jättiläiset
Helsinki feiert gerade die Helsinki Festwochen. Dazu gehört regelmäßig die Nacht der Künste. Dieses Jahr war der Hauptevent eine beeindruckende Vorstellung mit zwei 8 m hohen Puppen auf dem Senatsplatz, Mann und Frau, Sehnsucht und Hoffnung, die versuchen, zueinander zu finden (ja klar, happy end). Konzept und Verwirklichung durch BeNoit Mousserion & Bérangère Pajaud: Cie…
Elections / Wahlen
On Sunday we will elect the new “Eduskunta”, parliament. Yle News, which is the English branch of Finnish broadcasting YLE, has interviewed all party leaders on the most pressing questions. Am Sonntag wird in Finnland das neue Parlament gewählt. 200 Abgeordnete in direkter Wahl. Yle News, die englische Ausgabe des Finnischen Senders YLE, hat alle…
Suomenlinna Fortress
In addition to taking my exams as a Helsinki Guide, I have enrolled into a training to become an authorized Suomenlinna Guide. The large historic sea fortress on several (5,6,7,8? The number keeps changing) islands in front of Helsinki has made it into the Unesco World Heritage list. It has been a very important influence…
Hvitträsk
With my family in Germany over Easter, I decided to use my free time for visiting Hvitträsk, former home and studio to the trio of architects who belonged to the most influencial forces during the Art Nouveau period in Helsinki: Hermann Gesellius, Armas Lindgren and Eliel Saarinen. Unfortunately, the weather was very “Finnish” and the…
Sisu Travel 