- LanguageAfrikaans Argentina Azərbaycanca
Bahasa Indonesia Brasil Brezhoneg
Català Česky Dansk
Deutsch Dhivehi English
English English Español
Esperanto Estonian Euskara
Finnish Français Français
Gaeilge Galego Hrvatski
Íslenska Italiano Latviešu
Lëtzebuergesch Lietuviu Magyar
Malay México Nederlands
Norsk bokmål Norwegian nynorsk Polski
Português Română Slovenšcina
Slovensky Srpski Svenska
Tiếng Việt Türkçe Wolof
Ελληνικά Български Македонски
Монгол Русский Српски
Українська עברית العربية (مصر)
العربية العربية پارسی
कोंकणी বাংলা ગુજરાતી
தமிழ் ಕನ್ನಡ ภาษาไทย
ქართული ខ្មែរ 中文 (繁體)
中文 (香港) 日本語 简体中文
한국어
Home 29
Creation date / 2016 / February
- Hakaniemi Market
Fishmonger filets pike-perch (kasvatettu siika), as I requested a whitefish for soup tomorrow. She and a passing customer recommended against the hauki (pike) which has many small bones. The advice of a professional is preferred since I'm less proficient varieties of fish, particularly when they're named in Finnish. (Ekströms Fiskebod, Hakaniemi Market, Helsinki, Finland) 20160201 - Post-lecture dinner
Warm hospitality following pattern of preparing dinner in AS's kitchen, coming up to Chinese New Year. Old friends and new acquaintances numbered 13 around the table this time. Menu favourites included vegetarian ma po tofu and stick dried bean curd (foo jook) and reconstituted dried shitake mushrooms brought in suitcase from Toronto. Switched seats before dessert to talk to more people at the long table. (Töölö, Helsinki, Finland) 20160202 - Cafe Tin Tin Tango
Meeting venue popular with coffee up front, laundromat in the back. Fortunately, no clothes were being cleaned while we had our research discussion, so we could sit near a power outlet. Had kaneli pulla (cinnamon buns) with herbal teas. Wifi is available for free 30 minutes at a time, so camping out for the day is monitored by servers. Lavatory was practically Japanese in the economy of space. (Cafe Tin Tin Tango, Toolo, Helsinki, Finland) 20160203 - Local tax office
Arrived just before 4:15pm when doors are closed, while government employees continue serving visitors inside. Alternative to 35% withholding for non-residents to Finland is to get a tax card and be calculated on the progressive rate. When income is low, having a tax card could pre-empt having to file a tax return available only in the Finnish or Swedish language in the next year. (Vero Skatt, Fennia-kortteli, Helsinki, Finland) 20160203 - Museokatu laneway
Apartment windows look out over open parking behind five storey buildings with commercial businesses that face the street on the other side. View west doesn't provide much sunlight, and dusk is relatively early at this northern latitude. Having a three-metre day, grading student work for tomorrow's lecture. (Hellsten Parliament Apartments, Museokatu, Helsinki, Finland) 20160204 - Kiasma
Art is free on first Friday night of the month at the Kiasma. The exhibition of "Demonstrating Minds: Disagreements in Contemporary Art" may reflect the prevailing pessimistic mood in the country. The long slow ramp up to the second floor is a famous feature designed by architect Stephen Holl. (Kiasma, Helsinki, Finland) 20160205 - Kiinalainen Uusivuosi
Lantern dance at 10th Chinese New Year festival in Helsinki. Program of dancers, musicians and kung fu ran throughout Sunday afternoon to usher in the Year of the Monkey. With the foggy day persistent after sunset, the fireworks over nearby Töölönlahti seemed to explode low altitude for a public show. (Keskuskatu, Helsinki, Finland) 20160107 - Ravintola Jing Cheng
Chinese cuisine executed well, but recipe lacking in green vegetables may be preferred by Nordic clientele. Venue convenient to the apartment where I'm staying, but local foods and cooking by my own hands are superior. Met with once-removed acquaintance, exchange perspectives on dual careers in academia and commercial practice. (Kiinalainen Ravintola Jing Cheng, Töölö, Helsinki, Finland) 20160211 - Steam Hellsinki
Invited by students for after-class visit to bar by central bus station. Interior decorated in steampunk style, we moved chairs together for conversation, waitress says crowd arrives at 8 pm. Can't recall if I've ever been in a Finnish bar in 12 years. (Steam Hellsinki, Kamppi, Helsinki) 20160212 - S Market
Displays of Karelian pies prepared commercially in large quantities are indicative of Finnish palates. Wheat pastry with topping of rice and egg butter is a light savoury snack, tasty, wholesome and inexpensive. Many times, I have eaten these directly after checkout, to tide over the appetite before getting back to the apartment to prepare dinner. Homemade would likely be better, but economically uncompetitive. (S Market, Mannerheimentie, Helsinki, Finland) 20160214 - Hesperia Park
Steps up to viewpoint just north of Finlandia Hall not cleared of snow, yet still a better pedestrian option than sliding on the granite face. Natural promontory overlooking Töölönlahti bay, and new developments in Finlandia Park. A film crew lighting the front entrance of Finlandia Hall suggests movie production, not news. (Hesperian Puisto, Helsinki, Finland) 20150215 - Ravintola Mezopotamya
Knitting together parallel histories on systems thinking and university research projects. Careers and social ties had intersected many times, but the women had never met. Bonding proved strong when comparing photos on mobile phones of cats. Language switched to Finnish when I left the table, and back to English when I rejoined. Casual Kurdish buffet cafe was a quiet place for 3 hour conversation on a weekday evening. (Cafe Caisa / Ravintola Mezopotamya, Kaisaniemi, Helsinki) 20160216 - Gongfu tea ceremony
Chinese New Year celebration at Tongji Lounge at Aalto U. included welcomes from the Chinese consulate, Tongji U. in Shanghai and local student organizations. Snacks for casual time in the Moose Lounge of Aalto Ventures Program, dancing in contemporary (not traditional styles), then jigsaw and chopsticks games. Formal tea tasting by Xinyuan Sui from Teemaa Tea House in Helsinki. (Tongji Lounge, TUAS building, Otaniemi, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland) 20160217 - Helsinki Music Centre
Kirsi Kaulanen (2011) "Gaia" sculpture in main lobby used as public thoroughfare by pedestrians from Eduskuntapuisto eastbound towards Central Railway Station. I followed others from the traffic lights into an aesthetically better route, since Kansalaistori Square is a construction zone for new Central Library. (Helsinki Music Centre, Finland) 20160218 - Sanomatalo
Happened into Kaiti Kink band performance in Close Encounters Jazz Festival live broadcast. Paused for a few tunes. Had wanted to see music on another evening, but my schedule has been too busy. I was trying out a new short cut in bad weather through a glass tower on the way to the tax office. Serendipity wins. (Helsinki Pop and Jazz Conservatory, Sanomatalo, Helsinki, Finland) 20160218