A cover of snow and ice

This is a view over Helsinki in March. The picture was taken just a few days back. But temperatures are rising and soon the cover of ice and snow should be gone.

Tickets and comments via NFC

Did you know that you can buy your ticket for Helsinki’s public transport easily on the go? For trams, the metro and selected bus lines you can get your ticket with your phone. If you have a smart phone that supports NFC the only thing you have to do is hold your phone against the NFC sticker saying “Kännykkälippu” you find at the stop or station, tap the button to confirm your purchase and you’re good to go.

You will also find a second NFC that gets you to Pysäkkiseinä.fi. Here you can leave comments and questions about your travelling experience.

You can of course also order a ticket with a cell phone without NFC support. Just send a text with “A 1” to the number 16355 (supported by all Finnish carriers) and you will receive your ticket via SMS. The ticket has to be purchased before entering the tram, bus or metro.

For more information see the HSL website or watch the explanation video.

Snow straight from the sun

It’s a rare occasion but yesterday it happened in Helsinki: The sun was shining and at the same time it snowed. And most surprising there were no snow clouds visible on the sky. It appeared as if it would snow straight from the sun.

Unfortunately the picture can just give a slight idea how it really looked.

Fresh and clean Finnish food

As „Good News from Finland” announced this week food produced in Finland is the cleanest in Europe.

This is based on a report by the European FoodSafety Authority (EFSA) according to which over 70% of the food produced in Finland did not contain any traces of pesticides. In the study 77 000 food samples were tested.

After reading this your next meal with good Finnish ingredients will surely taste even better.

The quiet coffee with Robert

Would you sometimes just like to have a cup of coffee in a quiet surrounding? A place where you could also work on your next presentation while enjoying a hot beverage? And a place where you can always find a seat?

Robert’s Coffee at Sähkötalo right next to Kamppi Kauppakeskus is such a place. Located right in the center it is not know by too many people but offers a lot of space for sitting, eating and drinking. The café fills the whole inner yard of Sähkötalo and is ideal if you are searching for a quiet place in the center.