Helsinki Vantaa Daily Photo

Snow, ice and water

2009-04-05T13:40:00.002+03:00

Somewhere near Louhela.

Theme Day: Yellow

2009-04-01T21:03:00.004+03:00

Yellow theme day today happens to coincide with the start of the annual Crazy Days (Hullut Päivät) sales by Stockmann. I haven't had the chance to go to the sales today.

Everyday till the 4th, the store has different items on sales. During this time, you can see people carrying a number of big yellow shopping bags. Maybe I'll try to bring you a shot of that tomorrow. Click on the link below to follow the other blogs with the yellow theme.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Hand Towels

2009-03-31T20:52:00.004+03:00

"Have to throw since the toilet paper is always finished."

Useless Furnitures

2009-03-30T20:50:00.000+03:00

Snowing

2009-03-29T14:32:00.001+03:00

Yesterday, when it was snowing for hours...

Lights!

2009-03-22T17:12:00.002+02:00

Interesting lights at Robert's Cofffee/Iguana in Kaisaniemi.

Bright and Sunny

2009-03-21T17:10:00.001+02:00

Loved the weather today... :)

UFO?

2009-03-20T17:08:00.000+02:00

Parking Restrictions

2009-03-19T13:44:00.002+02:00

Customers are allowed to park for only 3hrs at the Myyrmanni shopping centre in Myyrmäki. Though parking is free, they still need to show their arrival time with the above parking disc or risk being fined.

Not quite spring

2009-03-18T18:49:00.002+02:00

Took this today from the car while on my way home. Still a long way ahead for the snow to melt here ...

Red in Oulunkylä

2009-03-17T18:43:00.002+02:00

This was taken from Oulunkylä railway station. An interesting building but I'm not sure what it is used for.

Is the bus here yet?

2009-03-16T20:01:00.003+02:00

This real time bus schedule in Oulunkylä is still being tested.

Helsinki Ink

2009-03-15T13:32:00.005+02:00

Helsinki Ink tattoo show was held this weekend. These posters were drawn by 3 tattoo artists and were being auctioned. Biddings started from 20€. I'm not sure how much they were sold for in the end.

Spring is here

2009-03-14T22:29:00.002+02:00

Taken in Ruoholahti at 4pm.

American Car Show

2009-03-13T23:57:00.003+02:00

The American Car Show happens on Easter weekend. More info here...

Snow/Ice

2009-03-12T21:02:00.002+02:00

Snowy ice or Icy snow...

Pre-sloshy

2009-03-11T23:05:00.002+02:00

How winter used to before it started melting towards spring...

Sloshy

2009-03-10T22:08:00.005+02:00

Taken this afternoon at Tikkurila bus station in Vantaa. Yucky!

Background

2009-03-09T19:33:00.004+02:00

Trying to get back to daily blogging. But somehow, I don't seem to find anything interesting to post. I wonder if it is because I'm at work 8hrs a day. Well, this is taken from my workplace. The 'background' for my desktop.
I hope to see a new post tomorrow.. :)

Nalle Sairaala

2009-02-20T13:58:00.001+02:00

Ison Karhun Kauppa = Big Bear Shop with a Teddy Hospital (Nalle Sairaala). This shop located in Hakaniemi and there is another branch in Kamppi. There is even a teddy and hobby museum at this location. It was closed so didn't get a chance to go in.

Ice Skating @ Rautatientori

2009-02-19T21:34:00.004+02:00

Arnolds Donuts

2009-01-26T21:14:00.003+02:00

yummy car!

Chinese New Year fireworks

2009-01-25T23:49:00.004+02:00

Foodstalls and performances at Lasipalasti to welcome the year of the Ox. This was followed by fireworks over Töölönlahti.

More photos here...

Chinese New Year in Kamppi

2009-01-23T22:55:00.004+02:00

The Chinese New Year will be celebrated in Helsinki in a big way, as the cities of Helsinki and Beijing host the Lasipalatsi square event for the third time this Sunday.

There will be Chinese food stalls and performances. This is followed by a countdown just before 6pm (midnight in Beijing) and fireworks. For more event details, check out www.kiinalainenvuosi.fi Info is in English too.

I'll be there and will bring back highlights of the event this weekend.

Cafe Esplanad

2009-01-22T22:11:00.005+02:00

Yesterday, I was at Cafe Esplanad in Helsinki. The cafe is famous for its huge korvapuusti (Cinnamon Roll) It costs 2.80 euro and was very filling.

The cafe also has wifi service provided by welho. It costs 1 euro to get connected for an hour. The service was easy and convenient to use. Just purchase the time by sending a sms.

Snow!

2009-01-21T23:59:00.003+02:00

At 7 this morning. :)

Back to School!

2009-01-19T21:17:00.000+02:00

This is Pasila, Helsinki. Back to school. Nothing much has changed. Well the cost of lunch has gone up again, from 1.05euro to 1.35. It seems to be going up every semester. It was just 0.90euro 2 years ago when I first started.

I'm BACK!

2009-01-18T22:45:00.007+02:00

Back home after a 6 month exchange program in Beijing. This is the view outside my bedroom window this morning. I arrived yesterday and am disappointed that there is not more snow. Good to be back though...

Helsinki Cathedral from the side

2009-01-01T23:59:00.002+02:00

A side view of the cathedral at Senate Square in Helsinki.

Fall flowers

2008-11-03T07:19:00.001+02:00

Flowers for sale outside a flower shop in Helsinki.

2008-11-02T07:26:00.003+02:00

A bank advert found on the pedestrian-only part of Mikonkatu.

What was that again?

2008-11-01T16:10:00.003+02:00

The restaurant car on the train from Helsinki to St. Petersburg, Russia. I was surprised by how new and shiny the cars in this train were. I've seen this train arriving/departing many times and it's always been old and worn out cars.

Red Nose Day?

2008-10-31T10:49:00.003+02:00

The Three Smiths were the only ones wearing red noses. I wonder if they felt conspicuous?

Lamer

2008-10-30T17:39:00.003+02:00

An ad on the side of Stockmann, Finland's largest department store. I know it's supposed to be La Mer, but that's not what it looked like at the time.

Carnival in Kamppi

2008-10-18T11:42:00.004+03:00

A carnival at Kamppi in Helsinki.

Why is that tree growing so close to the road?

2008-10-17T16:22:00.004+03:00

I was driving through Vantaa today and saw the first sign of winter. The Department of Roads and Construction plant these trees at the edge of the roads in mid-October so the snowplow drivers know where to plow. We haven't had that kind of snow in a few years, though. Every time I see these for the first time, I'm hopeful that we'll have a lot of snow. Here's hoping!

Road work part 2

2008-10-06T12:56:00.003+03:00

Aleksanterinkatu is virtually deserted on this Sunday afternoon. The only sounds were from the construction.

Road work

2008-10-05T20:35:00.002+03:00

Some of the tram lines in Helsinki are having some repair work done.

Early autumn in Pitäjänmäki

2008-09-14T16:41:00.003+03:00

I took a short path through the woods on my way to the bus stop from my friend's house and was rewarded with this view. The leaves in my area are starting to change colors, but this area still looks mostly green.

Geese!

2008-09-13T17:19:00.003+03:00

We spotted these geese along the shore of Kaivopuisto. It's been cool here and I think they were talking about heading south. The yellow building is the boathouse of Suomenlinna.

Pasila Tunnel art (part 1)

2008-09-12T15:20:00.005+03:00

At the end of the school year in May, an artist had started working in the tunnel that leads from Pasila station to Ratapihankatu and Ilmala. She had used pencil to outline all of the details on wood panels and then started painting. I was away all summer and when I returned in August, she had finished all of them. I have pictures of a few. This one is called "Ending."

My favorite view

2008-08-27T07:38:00.003+03:00

When I first moved to Finland, I lived in Lauttasaari. This is the west side of the island, near the Espoo border. This has always been my favorite view. There are many small islands in the distance and it's not uncommon to see several sailboats sailing through the area.

Friday evening traffic

2008-08-25T22:40:00.001+03:00

Driving east across Lauttasaari to downtown Helsinki on a Friday evening.

Swans

2008-08-24T19:29:00.004+03:00

This little family was spotted near Lauttasaari, an island in Helsinki.

A hole in the ground

2008-08-23T21:22:00.002+03:00

When I moved to Finland in June 1997, this was literally a hole in the ground. The area is called Ruoholahti and it contains the Nokia Research Center, a multi-level shopping center, and many other businesses.

Suomenlinna bridge

2008-08-13T19:05:00.003+03:00

While crossing a bridge between the islands of Suomenlinna, a young visitor pauses to have a look around.

Arriving at Suomenlinna

2008-08-12T19:58:00.004+03:00

Arriving at Suomenlinna, the island fortress off the coast of Helsinki. This ferry is part of the public transport system in the Helsinki area. It travels between Helsinki's Kauppatori, market square, and the fortress. Suomenlinna consists of five islands linked by bridges.

Move your body

2008-08-09T18:53:00.001+03:00

Korean tourism ad on the side of the bus from the center of Helsinki to the airport.

Lynx

2008-08-08T09:37:00.005+03:00

It was a hot day and most of the cats were in the shade, but this "ferocious" creature came right up to the window and posed for us.

Eteläsatama as seen from the zoo

2008-08-07T15:56:00.002+03:00

The view of Helsinki's south harbor (eteläsatama) from the zoo.

The view from the zoo

2008-08-03T09:41:00.002+03:00

One view from the observation tower on Korkeasaari. This is one of several harbors around Helsinki.

A view from above

2008-08-02T22:06:00.003+03:00

Observation tower at the top of a hill on Korkeasaari, Helsinki's zoo island.

Theme Day: Metal

2008-08-01T08:28:00.002+03:00

It's theme day again. This month's theme is metal, be it an alloy or a genre of music.

Here's Finland's 2008 EuroVision Song Contest entry, heavy metal band Teräsbetoni(Finnish for "steel reinforced concrete"). I never used to be a fan of any kind of music, least of all heavy metal. But since moving to Finland, it seems you can't escape the nation's love for heavy metal. Their 2006 EuroVision Contest entry was another heavy metal band Lordi which won the competition that year.

I took this on 19.3.08 at Tavastia, a concert hall in Helsinki.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Pacius 5

2008-07-31T19:39:00.002+03:00

A huge Mac sign for eat-in and drive thru.

Pacius 4

2008-07-30T07:13:00.003+03:00

The housing in that area. It is a quiet neighbourbood.

Pacius 3

2008-07-29T07:10:00.000+03:00

Kids at play. It is a huge park with about 3-4 different sections of playgrounds and there is also a football field.

Pacius 2

2008-07-28T07:07:00.002+03:00

Located beside a river. Very peaceful.

Pacius 1

2008-07-27T07:04:00.002+03:00

Some scenes from Pikku Huopalahti. To cool off from the hot weather, showers are available. This is a nice scenic park located in Pacius.

A presidential tour (part 2)

2008-07-26T22:29:00.001+03:00

A statue inside the ballroom at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki.

A presidential tour (part 1)

2008-07-25T18:22:00.000+03:00

I had the rare opportunity to be part of a tour group at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki. Although there were many beautiful rooms and furnishings, we were only allowed to take pictures in the ballroom.

From the previous path ...

2008-07-24T11:33:00.003+03:00

to an island opposite it. The cycling and walking path from the previous post was taken near Uunisaari. Uunisaari is a small island near Ullanlinna. One is able to get there by ferry. There is a cafe and a beach there. During summer, it is a popular place for people to get some sun.

Note: Filling in for krs the past couple of days. She'll be back soon.

Walking and Cycling

2008-07-23T11:28:00.002+03:00

Different paths for pedestrains and cyclists. Helsinki is very cycle friendly. Something like this is not found in my own home country.

Vintage magazines

2008-07-22T18:27:00.000+03:00

My son has chicken pox and I wasn't able to get out and take a new picture today. I have a couple of photos from the kiosk museum and I'll share one more. This is more of the selection offered at the kiosk. I love the colors and style. I would love to have a look through these magazines.

Rautatiekirjakauppa

2008-07-21T23:05:00.003+03:00

These old magazines were hanging in the window of a railroad magazine kiosk museum. Rautatiekirjakauppa means railroad book store.

Lunch on the patio

2008-07-20T22:58:00.003+03:00

This is the outdoor cafeteria seating area at the offices of a business. It's such a nice place that it's really a shame it can't be used for more months.

Entering Vantaa

2008-07-19T21:06:00.003+03:00

I've seen this sign almost every day for the past 9 years. This area of Vantaa is full of forests. Notice the bike path and biker between the street and forest. Inside that forest are lots of blueberries and loganberries. Soon there will be mushroooms to pick, too.

And summer flowers

2008-07-18T21:06:00.002+03:00

Took a detour into the forest on my walk this evening and found these. I don't know what they are, but their light purple looked so nice against the deep green behind them.

Summer fruit

2008-07-17T20:02:00.003+03:00

My favorite thing about Finnish summer is the berries. These were growing near the Espoo-Vantaa border and I had to take a picture. They were still a little tart for my taste, but the birds had been there and they didn't seem to mind at all.

Bike course?

2008-07-16T16:27:00.002+03:00

I saw this a couple of days ago when I was visiting a friend in Vantaa. I went back today to take pictures. There was a series of small, steep hills and then a wooden ramp at the end.

Wheel Free in Helsinki

2008-07-15T17:42:00.001+03:00

Wheel Free in Helsinki happens every summer. One can get a Citybike from one of the 26 Citybike stands around the city centre. The deposit for a Citybike is 2 euros. When you return the bike to a stand you will have your 2 euro deposit back.

Ten Rules for riding a Citybike

Biking anyone?

2008-07-14T17:38:00.001+03:00

What's so special about this bicycle? Find out tomorrow.

The Three Smiths

2008-07-13T17:33:00.001+03:00

The three smiths statue is a sculpture by Felix Nylund, situated in Helsinki in the three smiths square at the crossing point of Aleksanterinkatu and Mannerheimintie. This realistic statue, unveiled in 1932, depicts three smiths hammering on an anvil. More info in wiki...

Found

2008-07-12T07:38:00.000+03:00

Yeap, the man found it.

Blue flowers

2008-07-11T00:49:00.001+03:00

Could u find where they r?

Traffic Lights

2008-07-10T12:31:00.002+03:00

Hey, watch out the lights, u should slow down now.

Road Work

2008-07-09T18:12:00.001+03:00

Summer Sale 2

2008-07-08T14:11:00.001+03:00

Wanna a bus? : )

Summer Sale 1

2008-07-07T21:20:00.003+03:00

Are u ready for the crazy shopping?!

Hard to choose

2008-07-06T22:02:00.002+03:00

To the left, or to the right, that is a question !

How does a bottle come out?

2008-07-05T17:40:00.003+03:00

A cute idea.

A movie I missed

2008-07-04T17:34:00.001+03:00

Missed the chance to c it...

A toy store 2

2008-07-03T14:43:00.002+03:00

One more for the Barba.

A toy store 1

2008-07-02T12:31:00.003+03:00

Barbamama, she is the mam of Barba family -- a cartoon I liked a lot when I was a kid.

Theme Day: NO...

2008-07-01T18:59:00.005+03:00

No dogs allowed at this park. No, the Finnish are not mean, just that they have specific parks for children and dogs. In fact, there are huge parks with obstacle tracks for dogs.

Dog Parking

2008-06-30T16:16:00.002+03:00

An area outside a minimart reserved for dogs to wait while their owners shop.

Away...

2008-06-29T20:48:00.004+03:00

Writing this from my transit location, Istanbul. Still have 2 more hours to go before I get on a flight to Singapore. HelsinkiVantaa blog will still continue with the help of my friend papi. She has graciously said that she would post photos while i'm away on my holidays.
Well, no need to guess which flight on the board is mine since I have given the location away... :) My last shot of Vantaa before I departed.

Underwater

2008-06-28T21:48:00.004+03:00

One more for the movies ...

2008-06-27T21:15:00.000+03:00

Get Smart!

2008-06-26T21:47:00.003+03:00

In cinemas here soon...

Look up!

2008-06-25T21:48:00.004+03:00

Looking up the maple tree. No rain today...

Raining again!

2008-06-24T22:50:00.003+03:00

It was a rainy afternoon again! Much worse than yesterday. :(

Wet, wet, wet

2008-06-23T22:57:00.002+03:00

Summer sales started in the shops today.. It is officially summer. But the weather dosen't seem to agree with the season. Raining cats and dogs today.

Parent and Child

2008-06-22T23:57:00.001+03:00

I simply love this scene.

One of these birds...

2008-06-21T14:32:00.002+03:00

is not like the others,
One of these birds just doesn't belong,
Can you tell which bird is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?

Did you guess which bird was not like the others?
Did you guess which bird just doesn't belong?
If you guessed this one is not like the others,
Then you're absolutely...right!

Ah, Sesame Street is timeless.. :)

Pelorus

2008-06-20T08:30:00.000+03:00

I took this picture only because the ship looked really fancy and stunning. Back home, I zoomed in the picture and found out that the name of this yacht is Pelorus. With the help of google and wikipedia, I found out a lot more.

Pelorus is the world's fourteenth largest private yacht at 377 feet 3 inches (115 metres) in length, with a price tag of US-$300 million (254 Million Euros). It was built at the Lürssen yard in Bremen, Germany to the design of Tim Heywood and was launched in 2003. It is currently owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich who happens to own Chelsea Football Club.

The yacht is currently docked in Helsinki. Not sure how long it is going to be here in Helsinki. Watch this video to have a closer look at yacht.

Tomorrow will be the longest day and MidSummer festivies are under way this evening.

From one ferry to the other ...

2008-06-19T20:41:00.003+03:00

Was on a school field trip to Suomenlinna sea fortress today. It was a sunny and beautiful day. This was taken from the ferry we were travelling on. We were on our way to the island while this ferry was making its way back to the city harbour.

At the movies ...

2008-06-18T22:27:00.002+03:00

Five little ducks...

2008-06-17T21:34:00.000+03:00

well.. not so little. Happened to come across this stream on one of my walks through Louhela park.

Myötätuuli Rock 3

2008-06-16T21:37:00.004+03:00

One more for the 2 day rock festival, Myötätuuli Rock. Here are the hosts of the Saturday event.

Myötätuuli Rock 2

2008-06-15T14:35:00.005+03:00

It started to rain but it didn't dampen the spirits of those present. The show goes on with the Finnish heavy metal band Turisas.

Well, I didn't get wet cos I wasn't there. My hubby took these photos.