I'm BACK!

Hi all, I'm back from the hols. Have a new site now.. follow this link.

Away From Vantaa!

Finally everything is settled. Sorry, for not posting in a while for those who have been visiting here. First the exams kept me busy, then busy packing to get home.

Yup, I'm in Singapore. Should have arrived on Sunday but due to flight delay arrived only on Monday. The above was at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport on Saturday evening. No more straight Finnair flights so had to take British Airways via London. The delay occured in London. The plane had to turn back after an hr twenty minutes into flight due to technical difficulties. Anyways we were provided with hotel accomodation and the flight was scheduled for Sunday.

So here I am back home in hot, sunny Singapore. Vantaa DP will be on a summer break for 3 months.

Helsingin Pantti (Helsinki Pawnshop)

This is actually in Vantaa. See May's theme day. This is from my stock photos. Sorry, busy exam week and I haven't had the time to take new shots.

Finlayson mattress

Comfortable for everyone...

Nordic walking

Back to finnish summer activities. Here's nordic skating instead of the usual walking with poles.

Got the right stop?

Bus stops here are identified by street name like the one above or by the building situated near the stop. The street names are in Finnish and Swedish.

up in the air

well not quite in the air but on the roof of the train shelter. Wonder how the bottle ended up there. This station is above ground level and there is not another level above where i am standing.

Cash Tikkurila

Sell your old items for cash. OR buy something at Cash Tikkurila.

Fazer Chocolates

Yummy assorted chocolates from Fazer.

Robert's Coffee

No Starbucks's in Finland. Robert's Coffee is the local coffee chain here... It's good but I still do miss my latte's from Starbucks and Coffee Bean.

Give way

for the elderly. Notice found in the bus.

Finnish Science Centre

Nope, it's not a space craft. It's just the dome of the Finnish Science Centre, Heureka. Here's a look at an optical illusion 'on' Heureka in an earlier post.

Money-Hole?

Do you have a 'hole' in your expenses? Helsingin OP bank will help to cover the expenses. This is the 2nd part to the 'holy ad' from April 24th.

Theme day: City exchange

This month the theme day was a bit odd: to post a photo of a city other than mine. The idea was not to post a photo of my last vacation in Venice of Mumbay(!), but to show something in my city that could make the visitors think they are on the wrong blog!

Sorry, this is the best I could come up with. This Helsingin Pantti branch is located in Tikkurila, Vantaa. It is a pawnshop and it seems there have branches in Helsinki too. I like the colours in this shot. So bright and vibrant, it was taken on a clear sunny day.

Below are 81 other blogs particpating in today's theme day.
Monte Carlo, Monaco - Rome, Italy - Singapore, Singapore - Tenerife, Spain - Rotterdam, Netherlands - London, UK - Montréal (QC), Canada - Melbourne, Australia - Naples (FL), USA - Bastia, France - Hong Kong, China - Mazatlan, Mexico - Buenos Aeres, Argentina -Manila, Philippines - Arradon, France - Madison (WI), USA - Evry, France - Seoul, Korea -Shanghai, China - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Sequim (WA), USA - Singapore, Singapore - Budapest, Hungary - Baziège, France - Hamburg, Germany - Toruń, Poland -Nelson, New Zealand - Madison (WI), USA - Vantaa, Finland - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -Mainz, Germany - Dubai, UAE - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Cork, Ireland - Stockholm, Sweden -Menton, France - Tel Aviv, Israel -Albuquerque (NM), USA -Kitakami, Japan -Stayton (OR), USA - Szentes, Hungary - Stavanger, Norway - Grenoble, France - Villigen, Switzerland -Paris, France - Hyde, UK - Moscow, Russia - Joplin (MO), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia -Greenville (SC), USA - Cape Town, South Africa - Asheville (NC), USA - Seattle (WA), USA -Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Madrid, Spain - Auckland, New Zealand - Oulu, Finland -Lubbock (TX), USA - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Baton Rouge (LA), USA - Sydney, Australia - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada -Vancouver, Canada -Seattle (WA), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Chandler (AZ), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Manila, Philippines - Lyon, France - New York City (NY), USA -Los Angeles (CA), USA -Brookville (OH), USA -Hayle, UK - Wailea (HI), USA - Saarbrücken, Germany - San Diego (CA), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Cypress (TX), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - Torino, Italy

May Day celebrations

May Day celebrations in Helsinki on the eve of May Day. Find out more how it is celebrated in Finland here.

what is she doing?

This was taken on Friday morning. The train track is behind the lady with the green bag. But she was not looking out for the train instead she was facing the sun. She was smiling and looking up towards the shining sun. Something that I would never understand if I have never moved down here to Finland. ;-)

Song of spring

another fine day

clear blue skies

Today was nice and warm; totally opposite from yesterday. I've learnt to appreciate these days as they are hard to come by here.
After the long dark winters, one hopes for nice spring weather but the occasional rain spoils it. When a day like this arrives, I really do stop and take time to 'smell the roses' which I have never done back home in Singapore. ;-)

Spot the snail?!

The day started out sunny but in the afternoon we had rain again. :( And all the snails are out and about when it is wet.

'holy' ad

This is actually an ad (1st part)!!! Any ideas for what? Some guesses please... will reveal the 'answer'(2nd part) on sunday.

Veininmylly

Veinin-mylly(Veini's Mill) situated in Tikkurlia. This is an old mill built in 1935. In 1988 it became a cafe and still operates as one. It can be rented for special occasions as well.

what's on?

what's on at the Silkkisali Theatre.

Animal Clinic

Eläinklinikka (Animal Clinic) in Myyrmäki. Notice the wet pavaments. We've been having rainy days the past 3-4 days. Feels more like autumn weather than spring.

orange and yellow

This bus was parked at the bus stop. The driver wasnt around; no idea why it was there. The bright colours against the forest background was wat made me want to take a photo. But unfortunately, the zooming on the view made the photo turn out smaller. This was taken with my mobile camera.

Renovations

Renovations at Martinlaakson Neuvola / Kivimäen Hammashoitola. See previous post.

Martinlaakson Neuvola / Kivimäen Hammashoito

Neuvola is a clinic for children and hammashoito is the dentist. Even though they are both located at the same place, they have different area names. Strange. Anyway, it seems to be under construction now.

Took a closer look at the stuff they were disposing off, more on tat tomorrow..

Travel Fare

Here in Finland, bus/train fares are fixed regardless of the number of stops. The fares vary for different regions. This fare reader is used in Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo and Kauniainen.

1 is meant for travel within a certain region (internal journey).

2 is meant for regional travel (e.g. from Vantaa to Helsinki).

3 is whole region. (three zone extended regional ticket)

L is extended region (two zone extended regional ticket)

If one has a monthly travel card, there is no need to press the numbers. They are meant for people who pay for single trips with farecards.
Travel Card and Prices

There is of cos the traditional method of getting a bus/train ticket if one dosen't have a farecard. Just get it from the train conductor or bus driver by paying cash.

Spring flowers

Noticed these flowers on my way home today.

wat is this?

the label is a clue to wat this is...

FULL

With 4600 parking spaces, Jumbo has the largest parking area in Scandanavia but in the above shot, the parking area P1 is FULL and in P2 no. of lots VACANT is 1.

This was taken 1st day of Hullut Päivät sales.

windy

the past couple of weeks has been vey windy in Helsinki and Vantaa. look at the flags..

Why i like Finland...

Today was a beautiful sunny day. Clear blue skies against the greeny. Open spaces and nature everywhere... :-)

Shopping Carts Here

'Place Shopping Carts Here. Thank You.' I took this shot because of the small juice packets on the otherwise clean parking lot. The green is apple flavour and the orange is orange flavour. Not sure what the pink is.. could be strawberry??

cloudy skies

This is today at about 7pm. The sun, hidden behind the clouds compared to the clear skies yesterday.

setting sun

The setting sun at about 8pm today.

Happy Easter!!!

Mämmi is a Finnish traditional Easter dessert, a malt porridge which is baked in an oven. It is made of water, malt and rye flour and is dark brown in appearance.
more info and photos in wikipedia

Easter eggs

Preparing for easter...

train home..

Another busy time for trains in Finland when people are heading home for Easter.

Bottle and can return

Recycling is very common here. These machines are operated by the supermarket. Here you can return the bottles and cans and the machine prints out a receipt which you can use to pay for the purchases made at the supermarket.

40 euro cents for 1.5litre soda bottles

10 euro cents for beer bottles, 330ml

10 euro cents for cans (I guess)

Click the label to see how else Finland recycles. Almost everything recyclable is recycled here...

sand truck..

This was two weeks ago when the truck was clearing the sand pebbles left over from winter.

wet stop

This was taken yesterday at a Tikkurila bus stop. It was not a rainy day and the surrounding area near the stop was dry. I don't think the bus stop was cleaned on purpose cos the water was like all over the place. where then did the water come from? Or maybe it was a rushed up cleaning job...??

Mailbox again

Here's the smaller version of the mailbox from themeday. It is made of metal. This mailbox is emptied at 9am every morning (mon-fri). The one before is emptied at 1600 on weekdays as well. No mail is delievered on Sat or collected on Sat.

The mailbox is found on house that functions as an cafe. Thus the owner's own mailbox (the green one) is also seen here.

p.s. A letter usually takes about 3-5 working days to reach Singapore. So I guess the service on both sides are fast and efficient.

Theme Day: A Public Mail Box

It's theme day again. I missed the last one. So glad to have made it to this one on time. Jus the normal standard sized mailbox here in Finland. There is also a smaller version to this which is half the size.
The one here is found next to a small neighbourbood building of shops. I wanted to say shopping centre but that conjours up images of a big fancy place which it is not.

64 other Daily Photo sites are participating in the 1st April theme, "A Public Mail Box", please use the links to below to visit them. Due to time zone differences and other factors, the theme photo may not be displayed until later if you are viewing early in the day. VANTAA is no.35

1 (London (UK) ) -2 (Grenoble (France) ) -3 (Rotterdam (Netherlands) ) -4 (Greenville SC (USA) ) -5 (Hyde (UK) ) -6 (Villigen (Switzerland) ) -7 (Albuquerque NM (USA) ) -8 (Mazatlan (Mexico) ) -9 (Montréal (Canada) ) -10 (Stayton OR (USA) ) -11 (Shanghai (China) -Jing ) -12 (Arradon (France) ) -13 (Sequim WA (USA) ) -14 (Newcastle upon Tyne (England) ) -15 (Seattle WA (USA) -Kim ) -16 (Bastia (Corse) ) -17 (Minneapolis MN (USA) ) -18 (Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) ) -19 (Joplin MO (USA) ) -20 (Sharon, CT (USA) ) -21 (Cottage Grove MN [USA] ) -22 (Houston, TX (USA) -Candice & Megan ) -23 (Singapore - by Keropokman. ) -24 (Guelph, ON (Canada) ) -25 (Menton (France) ) -26 (onte Carlo, Monaco ) -27 (aples, FL (USA) ) -28 (Kyoto (Japan) ) -29 (Tokyo (Japan) ) -30 (Aliso Viejo, CA (USA) ) -31 (Cape Town (South Africa) ) -32 (Jakarta (Indonesia) ) -33 (Kitakami (Japan) ) -34 (Tel Aviv (Israel) ) -35 (Vantaa(Finland) ) -36 (Guadalajara (Mexico) ) -37 (Auckland (New Zealand) ) -38 (Nelson (New Zealand) ) -39 (Tuzla (B&H) ) -40 (Brussels (Belgium) ) -41 (Anderson, SC (USA) ) -42 (Lubbock, TX (USA) ) -43 (John, Melbourne, (Australia) ) -44 (Stavanger (Norway) ) -45 (Tenerife (Spain) ) -46 (Stockholm (Sweden) ) -47 (Boston, MA (USA) ) -48 (Not Strictly Seattle, Susan ) -49 (New York City, (USA), Ming the Merciless ) -50 (Paris [Eric], (France) ) -51 (Ampang (Selangor) ) -52 (Sydney (Nathalie) Australia ) -53 (ailea , HI (USA) ) -54 (Manila (Philippines) ) -55 (Sydney (Sally) Australia ) -56 (Cork (Ireland) ) -57 (Saarbrücken (Germany) ) -58 (Saint Paul MN (USA) by Carol ) -59 (San Diego, CA (USA) ) -60 (Mexico [POLY], (Mexico) ) -61 (Budapest (Hungary) ) -62 (Singapore (Singapore by Zannnie) ) -63 (Madrid [Dsole] (Spain) ) -64 (Nottingham (England) ) -65 (Bandung (Indonesia)) -

Blue skies 3

The past 3 shots including this were taken today at 2pm. Temp was about 12C. It is not common to see people in tees yet but she was probably warm from raking leaves.

Blue skies 2

Another beautiful spring shot with some greeny now.. ;-)

Blue skies 1

I love the blue skies in this shot. A beautiful, sunny and clear day. The grass has yet to get some colour. Link to the same location green acres in august

spring crazy days (hullutpäivät)

Great bargins are here again in Stockmann. People waiting to enter the department store in Jumbo which opened at 8am. I was there like 5min to 8. Not so 'kiasu'. ;-) I was there to get some electronic stuff.

This event happens twice a year in all the Stockmann stores in Finland. The other crazy days sale's period is usually in october. The sales started today and lasts four days. The 4 day sales is such that they have different items on sale everyday and most of the special offer items are grabbed fast.

Crazy days shopping bag
Hullut Päivät Catalogue

bright night

This was taken at about 8pm today. It was still bright and the moon looked lovely in the clear sky.

sunny...

another nice warm day... :-)

happy feet ;-)

Taken the same times as the previous post.. jus me looking down at the pavement :-)