GLOBETROTTER ISSUE TRENDS, DESTINATIONS AND INSIGHTS FOR TRAVELLERS APRIL 2015
THE BEST GREENS
IN THE WORLD HOW WILL YOU
TRAVEL IN 2016?
Your personal copy
KRABI’S ROCK
CLIMBING HAVEN
Japanese small-town charm in
Kamakura
EDITORIAL BY ARJA SUOMINEN SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS AND CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
WWW.FINNAIR.COM
HEAD OFFICE FINLAND CONTENT DESIGNER Amanda Soila VISUAL DESIGNER Sirpa Ärmänen Kirsi Perimö, Faktor Oy SUB-EDITOR Shelly Nyqvist ENGLISH EDITING Silja Kudel REPROGRAPHICS Faktor Oy ON THE COVER Kimono-clad performers in Kamakura, Japan. Photo by Peter Weld
ADVERTISING SALES Media Assistant Sirkka Pulkkinen tel. +358 9 120 5921 PUBLISHER Head Office Finland PRINTED BY Hansaprint, Turku, Finland 2015 PAPER UPM Valor 61g Cover paper Stora Enso LumiArt 200g CIRCULATION 60,000 ISSN-0358-7703
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Arja Suominen arja.suominen@finnair.com FINNAIR HEAD OFFICE Tietotie 9 A, Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, 1053 Finnair, Finland, tel. +358 9 81881, Postal address: P. O. Box 15, 01053 Finnair, Finland CUSTOMER FEEDBACK www.finnair.com > Information and services > After the flight or by mail: Customer Relations, SL/08, FI-01053 FINNAIR. www.finnair.com, www.finnair.fi www.finnairgroup.com
Where will your next journey take you?
A
s an airline, we’re all about making travel dreams come true. This summer we’re introducing 11 new Finnair destinations and tens of familiar ones. Our many exciting new routes include Malta, Dublin, Split and Naples. In China, perennial favourites Xi’an – known for its amazing Terracotta Warriors – and Chongqing – renowned for its majestic river cruises – will delight firsttimers and seasoned travellers alike. For those heading to Asia via Helsinki, the Finnish capital is a fantastic summer city that offers something for everyone, from arts and culture to culinary delights, nature, and the awesome White Nights,
when the sun shines around the clock. During the sunny months, I love showing visitors around my hometown with its lively Market Square selling fresh fruit, berries and vegetables by the sea, and stop for a drink at one the many outdoor cafés along the Esplanade, one of the city’s most picturesque thoroughfares. If you haven’t booked your summer trips yet, you can find all our routes here: www. finnair.com. I’ve made many armchair journeys simply browsing the many travel options.
Wishing you a wonderful trip, Arja Suominen
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Summer Helsinki
Head over to the fortress islands of Suomen linna (a 15-minute ferry ride from the Market Square) for an ice cream and fantastic views at Piper Café.
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Try the quintessential Finnish experience, the sauna, on the shores of Hakaniemenranta at Kulttuurisauna.
kulttuurisauna.fi
suomenlinna.fi
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Enjoy an exquisite (and peaceful) lunch above Helsinki’s rooftops on the Savoy terrace.
ravintolasavoy.fi
SUOMEN ILMAKUVA
EDITORIAL OFFICES Lapinmäentie 1, 00350 Helsinki, Finland, Postal address P.O.Box 100, 00040 Sanoma, Finland, tel. +358 9 1201, firstname.lastname@headofficefinland.fi
Via Helsinki
SAVOY
SUBMISSIONS bluewings@headofficefinland.fi BLUE WINGS ONLINE www.issuu.com/headofficefinland
AINO KORPELA
BEHIND THIS ISSUE Daniel Allen, Johan Augustin, Laura Iisalo, Helen Korpak, Silja Kudel, Mirva Lempiäinen, Andrew Marshall, James O’Sullivan, Laura Palotie, Katja Pantzar, Ruth Urbom, Jussi Särkilahti, Peter Weld and Nichola West
APRIL 2015
BLUE WINGS
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MARKKINOIDEN
TEHOKKAIN
MAALÄMPÖPUMPPU *Uuden tiukemman EN14511 standardin mukaisesti testattu
COP5
COP5 pumpuilla toteutettuja esimerkkisäästökohteita: ENNEN
3300 €
NYT
967 €
ENNEN
6050 €
NYT
1350 €
ENNEN
2970 €
Stiebel Eltron:in tunnuslukuja: NYT
668 €
SÄÄSTÖ / vuosi
SÄÄSTÖ / vuosi
SÄÄSTÖ / vuosi
2333 €
4700 €
2302 €
PYHÄSALMI, rv. 1969 KOKO: 116 m2
AURA, rv. 1920 KOKO: 330 m2
Lähes 40 vuoden kokemus lämpöpumpuista Lämpöpumppujen tuotantokapasiteetti yli 50.000 kpl/v Yli 130 erilaista lämpöpumpputuotetta Päätuotantolaitoksen koko 135 000 m² 5 eri tuotantolaitosta Toimituksia 120 maahan
KUOPIO, rv. 2005 KOKO: 170 m2
MAAHANTUOJA Stiebel Eltron Oy, Kapinakuja 1, 04600 Mäntsälä Puh. 020 720 9988, info@stiebel-eltron.fi
Sijoittamalla 1€ sähköenergiaa lämpöpumpulle se tuottaa 5€ edestä lämmitysenergiaa! Eli 4€ on ilmaista ja uusiutuvaa energiaa omasta maasta.
www.energiapakkaus.fi www.stiebel-eltron.fi
IN THIS ISSUE Railay Beach is southeast Asia’s mecca for rock climbing.
26
APRIL 2015 DESTINATION OUTDOORSY THAILAND
Rock-climbing and trekking on the Andaman coast
MINIBREAK SYDNEY’S FUNKIEST DISTRICT Go wild in vibrant Newtown
TOP 5 GREAT GREENS
Play the planet’s most stunning golf courses
DESTINATION TREKKING POLAND
A crowd-free hiker’s paradise in the Beskid Mountains
DESTINATION COSY KAMAKURA
Escape Tokyo for a daytrip to the former capital
BUSINESS TOMORROW’S TRAVEL TRENDS What’s changing the way we make journeys?
LIFESTYLE MADE IN FINLAND
The best Finnish design is made close to home
DESTINATION BLUES TOWN CHICAGO Finding the Windy City’s real sound
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Sydney’s Newtown is the precinct that everyone’s talking about.
NEWS TECH
Podcast boom................................14
STYLE
38
34 38 42 50 62 66 74
TAKEOFF Online map novelties.................. 12
Where to find the world’s best greens.
26
Portable beauty ..........................16
FAMILY
Kiddie-friendly getaways ...........20
WORLD
Iceland Writers Retreat............. 22
HELSINKI
Innovative foodie tours.............. 24
FOOD & DRINK
NYC Nordic food trend.............. 18
APRIL 2015
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5
IN THIS ISSUE
The almost 800- year-old Buddha statue is a must-see in Kamakura.
50
42
Agritourism and homestay B&Bs are going strong in Poland’s Beskid Mountains.
REGULARS
Travel Moment............................................ 8
Alexander Stubb.....................................40 Sixten Korkman.......................................58 Finland in figures.................................... 98
FLYING FINNAIR
66
Finnish design brands are bringing their production back home.
Tips for takeoff........................................ 80 Inflight wellbeing.................................... 81 Entertainment.......................................... 82 Shopping..................................................... 83 Sustainability............................................. 84 Border crossings..................................... 85 Helsinki Airport ....................................... 86 Maps and destinations......................... 88 Fleet.............................................................. 92 Frequent flyer benefits........................ 94 6 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
India, p. 8 Xi’an, p. 11 New York, p. 18 Miami, p. 20 Helsinki, p. 24
Krabi, p. 26 Sydney, p. 34 Poland, p. 42 Japan, p. 50 Chicago, p. 74
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TRAVEL MOMENT BY TIM BIRD
FLOWER POWER THE EARLY MORNING flower market in the city of Jaipur in Rajasthan, India is a fabulous assault on the eyes and nostrils. Farmers bring their colourful crops of
marigolds and roses to be sold for making temple garlands and decorations, and business is especially brisk during the wedding season. APRIL 2015
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AN ORIGINAL BoConcept® PRODUCTION
S TA R R I N G M A D S M I K K E L S E N
NOW PLAYING ON
BoConcept.fi
It's more than great design It's a concept
Two Danish style icons. The Danish star and award winning actor Mads Mikkelsen takes a seat in the iconic Imola chair for a perfect style match in the new film THE GUEST. Enjoy the thrilling film at boconcept.fi or in your nearest BoConcept store.
HELSINKI BOCONCEPT STORE Mannerheimintie 8, tel. +358 20 7801 660
TAKEOFF
NEWS / TECH / STYLE / FOOD AND DRINK / FAMILIES / WORLD / HELSINKI
XI’AN
Peak experience MT. HUASHAN, one of China’s five sacred mountains and a historically important Taoist centre, lies 120 kilometres from Xi’an. Today it’s a popular hiking destination listed as one of the world’s most thrilling trails. If the steep ladders and narrow steps are overwhelming, two of the mountain’s five peaks can also be accessed by a cable car.
Y I X
i’an to X kly. s e i r fl s wee nai e Fin e tim .com r e r th finnai
APRIL 2015
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TAKEOFF NEWS
HOTEL POINTS New Finnair Plus partner PointsHound allows you to earn miles in more than 150,000 hotels around the world. Check out pointshound.com
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY MIRVA LEMPIÄINEN
RICHARD MUNCKTON
ISTOCK
HOTEL
Catching Zs Downton Abbey style
FANS OF DOWNTON ABBEY can now get behind the scenes of the popular British period drama by spending a night at the English country estate where the show is filmed. London Lodge, a small property near the main filming location of Highclere Castle, opened up to overnight visitors on Valentine’s Day. While the dates for 2015 are already sold out, the 2016 booking dates will be released in August. Rates start at €470 per room. Those on a tighter budget can opt for a €27 day pass to visit Highclere Castle and its gardens.
MAPS
Online map novelties “Not all those who wander are lost,” wrote JR Tolkien in his world-famous fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. This is certainly true of today’s globetrotters with the abundance of new web-based apps available to keep travellers on track.
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HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE
Launched exclusively for Samsung Galaxy phones last year, Nokia’s free map application HERE was recently made available on all Android devices and Windows Phones. It will soon work on iOS platforms, too. HERE offers an unmatched variety of offline maps with turn-by-turn voice directions in addition to 3D landmarks and indoor venue maps. The app currently covers 196 countries, 870 public transport systems and 90,000 buildings.
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SHARE YOUR JOURNEY
It’s often said the journey is more important than the destination. Microsoft Journeys and Notes puts this theory to the test by enabling users to create a mobile community on the road. Whether stuck in morning traffic or enjoying a scenic
12 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
train ride, the app lets you share your commuting secrets and send messages with fellow travellers in the same situation.
3
STAY IN THE LOOP
Finnish start-up Qlu Oy has created the world’s first online map service for people with hearing disabilities. The company’s Maps.qlu.fi website helps users find public spaces where hearing aids work best, such as service desks, concert auditoriums and other locations where the audio induction loop system has been tested. So far the map only covers Finland, but is slated to grow into a global database.
Highclerecastle.co.uk
GEAR
Say ‘ouch’ with style
TRAVEL INJURIES can get ugly, but the trendy Ivana Helsinki First Aid Kit looks so cute that you almost wish for a chance to whip it out. Providing all the essentials – antiseptic cleansing wipes, plasters and adhesive tape, the kit weighs 90 grams and comes in various patterns. (€29.90) shop.ivanahelsinki.com
Elämäsi unet Jenseniltä. Säädettävä vuode TAVALLISEN VUOTEEN HINNALLA!
Jensen on perinteikäs laatupatjojen valmistaja. Jensen Original -vyöhykejärjestelmä ja yksilöllinen säädettävyys tarjoavat ainutlaatuisen nukkumismukavuuden. Nyt sinulla on mahdollisuus nauttia elämäsi unista. Jensen Limited Edition Diplomat Dream -säätövuode, norm. 5.040,- NYT 2.990,-. Vuoteen koko 180 x 200 cm. www.jensen.fi
www.vepsalainen.com
TAKEOFF TECH
Did you know? The new Finnair mobile app can be used to check in, select seats, purchase upgrades, receive news, and view point balances.
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY LAURA PALOTIE ELISE BERGERSON
Sarah Koenig’s hit podcast Serial is a feat of investigative journalism.
PODCASTS
The great audio escape LISTENING TO a great podcast can feel like a mix between reading a sharp piece of journalism and overhearing insightful dinner party chat. Previously viewed as niche media products, podcasts are now part of mainstream conversation. Last autumn’s podcast hit Serial, a US true-crime investigation averaging 1.5 million listeners per episode, has marked the arrival of a podcast boom. Serial was journalist Sarah Koenig’s 12-episode examination of the 1999 killing of teenager Hae Min Lee, for which her ex-boyfriend Adnan Syed was sentenced
to life in prison. Countless think pieces resulted, and Koenig became a celebrity. According to Edison Research, US audio podcast consumption grew from 39 million to 46 million monthly users between 2014 and 2015. While some podcasts reach a wide listenership, thousands cater to smaller audiences, from sports fans to film buffs. One of these is Filmspotting, an acclaimed cinema podcast marking its 10th anniversary. “It helps us that podcasting continues to get more and more mainstream,” says co-host Adam Kempenaar.
Podcasts to get you hooked:
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Radiolab: Science and technology made fun. Charismatic and knowledgeable hosts provide in-depth insights into a variety of topics, from the origin of epidemics to the science of love.
2
Planet Money: Nowhere are economics discussed more grippingly. Recent topics include inequality in America and the societal impact of spreadsheets.
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TIPS
Story time in transit
FOR A FREQUENT traveller, a podcast provides a relaxing escape and hands-free intellectual stimulation. They can be conveniently downloaded onto your device before a trip, meaning you don’t need to rely on Wi-Fi or radio connection on the road. “I always listen to podcasts when I travel,” says Adeline Ross, a communication designer based in Fukuoka, Japan. “I get motion sick, so reading or watching movies is usually out – and podcasts can keep you entertained on a 12-hour flight.” Chicago-based actuary Taralyn Slusarski, who travels twice monthly for business, says she became a podcast fan last year, on the heels of the Serial boom. “Podcasts are free and easy to add to my phone before having to hop into airplane mode. I can zone out, close my eyes, and learn something new or laugh along to funny people,” she says. SEBASTIAN SZYSZKA
3
Filmspotting and The Canon: While Filmspotting provides spirited discussion of US and foreign cinema, The Canon dissects the classics: are E.T. or Goodfellas really great films?
Taralyn Slusarski’s favourite podcasts are Call Your Girlfriend and 99% Invisible.
POWER FROM THE WOODS WOOD-BASED RAW MATERIAL
100 %
The world’s first wood-based renewable diesel biorefinery has started commercial production of UPM BioVerno in the UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery, Finland. UPM BioVerno diesel is like no other fuel in the market. Unlike traditional biofuels, it is made completely outside the food value chain using forest industry residues. UPM BioVerno is a low-emission renewable diesel that is well suited for all diesel engines. A responsible and innovative alternative.
MORE WITH BIOFORE
This magazine is printed on UPM Valor.
Want to know more? www.upmbiofuels.com
TAKEOFF STYLE
LIQUIDS RULE Not sure whether your lip gloss counts as a liquid? Here’s a good guideline: If it could be spread with a knife, it’s considered a liquid and needs to go into the clear plastic bag for screening.
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY AMANDA SOILA PHOTO BY PIIA ARNOULD
TRAVEL COSMETICS
PORTABLE BEAUTY 10
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Here are some of this spring seaon’s handiest skincare novelties to make packing a whole lot easier. 1. With solid shampoo bars, you don’t need to worry about fitting your haircare favourites into the carry-on liquid restrictions. (Flow solid shampoo €8.90 at Ruohonjuuri in Helsinki) 2. Leading organic brand RMS’s minimakeup is surprisingly long-lasting. (“Un” cover foundation or Lip2cheek cream €34 at Liinu’n organic beauty) 3. From blush to eyeshadow, it’s all here. (Lancôme Absolute Voyage make-up palette, €63, sold on Finnair flights) 16 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
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4. This handy, single-pack facial mask can be left on or wiped off. (Lavera Firming Mask €4.20 at Ruohonjuuri) 5. L’Occitane’s fragrant hand lotions also come in mini-sizes. (L’Occitane lovelier hand kit €36.50, sold on Finnair flights) 6. The trendy cleansing sponge is a useful travel companion thanks to its light weight and exfoliating powers. (Konjac Sponge, €9.80 at Ruohonjuuri in Helsinki) 7. S erums offer a quick fix for tired skin. Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery concentrate works its magic while you catch up on those Zs. (€35.50, sold on Finnair flights)
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8. This deep-cleansing mud mask perks up your complexion. (Madara Detox Mask, travel size €6.15 at Ruohonjuuri) 9. Don’t let a sunburn spoil your holiday. (Kiehl’s Ultra Light Daily Defense SPF 50 €33.50, sold on Finnair flights ) 10. Pack up your goodies in a cheery cosmetics bag. (Muilla Mailla make-up bag, €24 at Kauniste in Helsinki)
Four components, one system: New Automation Technology. Motion Servo Drives Servomotors
IPC Industrial PCs Embedded PCs Motherboards
I/O EtherCAT components IP 20 Bus Terminals IP 67 Fieldbus Box
www.beckhoff.com Setting standards worldwide: PC- and EtherCAT-based control solutions from Beckhoff. As renowned specialists for open automation systems, Beckhoff offers components for IPC, I/O, motion and automation applications that can operate individually or integrated as a precisely adapted control system. New Automation Technology from Beckhoff represents versatile automation solutions that are used in a wide range of applications worldwide. The growing presence of Beckhoff in more than 70 countries ensures consistent support around the globe. IPC I/O Motion Automation
Automation Software PLC Software NC/CNC Safety
TAKEOFF FOOD & DRINK
GOURMET IN THE AIR Check out Finnair’s Business Class Signature Menus created by top Finnish chefs.
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY LAURA PALOTIE
FOOD
Manhattan’s Nordic invasion THANKS TO Copenhagen’s Noma, named the world’s best restaurant by Restaurant magazine four times, the hottest food trend is Nordic. In New York, Nordic chefs have carved out a niche that taps into the local preference for regionally grown ingredients. “Nordic cuisine has always focused on foraging, local cuisine and sustainability,” says Norwegian Morten Sohlberg, owner of the Blenheim farm-to-table restaurant and three Smörgås Chef restaurants in Manhattan. Blenheim’s menu changes frequently, while at the traditional Smörgås Chef meatballs and gravlax are popular items. The anchovy-heavy “Jansson’s potatoes” is modified to a North American palate with Jarlsberg cheese and just a touch of fish. The ingredients can’t get much more local, as Sohlberg also owns a farm in the Catskill Mountains in New York state. “Our restaurants are varied degrees of Scandinavian, but our concept is that we grow everything ourselves,” he says. Blenheim’s Hereford beefsteak.
Awarded wines Finnair has scooped three awards at the prestigious Cellars in the Sky airline wine awards hosted by Business Traveller magazine in February. Here are some seasonal favourites:
Blenheim features a decor that blends new American with subtly Nordic.
Another Nordic star in New York’s fine dining scene is Manhattan’s Acme restaurant, founded by Danish Mads Refslund, originally of Noma. A must-try on Acme’s locally sourced menu is the smoked salmon taco in a rye and seaweed shell, served on a bed of juniper. In its high-end deconstruction of a Tex-Mex dish with classic Scandi-flavours, it’s not just New Nordic, but New American. “I’m lucky because I come from a place that is covered in snow eight months out of the year. Being limited in your supply makes you creative,” says Refslund.
BOOK AND APP
Culinary tour guide
WHERE CHEFS EAT 2015 is a must for a globehopping foodie. Its 3,200 restaurant recommendations around the world have been selected by 600 top chefs and range from late-night snacking to high-end dining. An iPhone and iPad app allows users to search recommendations by chef or region. (€19.95/book, €13.42/app) phaidon.com
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WINE
Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2012 This intense and fruity red wine won gold medal in the Best Business Class Red category in the Cellars in the Sky airline wine awards. Origin: New Zealand Price: €28.50 Available for pre-order Freixenet, Elyssia Gran Cuvée, Brut This Spanish Cava, praised for its balance and complexity, combines macabeo and parellada grapes with pinot noir and chardonnay. It’s a standout choice in its price range. Origin: Catalan, Spain Price: €12.90 Available for pre-order
Frescobaldi, Pomino Bianco This dry Italian, low in acidity, pairs well with seafood dishes. A blend of chardonnay and pinot bianco, it comes from one of Tuscany’s most prestigious white wine areas. Origin: Tuscany, Italy Price: €9.90 Available for pre-order www.finnairshop.com
www.kia.fi
NELIVEDOLLA LIIKKUMISEN ILOA Mallisto alkaen 42.990 €
Mallisto alkaen 24.990 €
Uusi Kia Sorento - Täydellisyyttä tavoitteleville. Täydellinen kaikille. Hyvän ja täydellisen välillä on paljon eroa. Uudella Sorentolla me todella tähtäämme täydellisyyteen. Tuloksena auto, jossa ylellinen mukavuus yhdistyy premium-luokan laatuun, parantuneeseen turvallisuuteen ja tyrmäävään ulkomuotoon. Kia Sorentolla jokainen päivä on nautinnollinen. Saatavana myös 7-paikkaisena.
Kia Sportage - Hämmästy yhä uudelleen. Tyylikkyyden ja taidokkuuden onnistunut yhdistelmä yhdessä urbaanin katumaasturin komean ulkonäön kanssa on lyömätön etu: suuret taakse kaartuvat ajovalot, linjakas coupé-tyylinen kattolinja, urheiluautomainen metallin ja lasin yhdistelmä. Sportage luo intohimoja ja herättää tunteita. Sorenton ja Sportagen saat 7 vuoden takuulla. Näin pitkän tehdastakuun tarjoaa ainoana vain Kia. Uusi Kia Sorento autoveroton hinta alk. 32.506,39 €, arvioitu autovero alk. 10.483,61 €, kokonaishinta alk. 42.990 €. Vapaa autoetu alk. 835 €/kk, käyttöetu alk. 655 €/kk. EU-yhd. 5,7-6,7 l/100 km, CO2-päästöt 149-177 g/km. Kia Sportage autoveroton hinta alk. 18.923,08 €, arvioitu autovero alk. 6.066,92 €, kokonaishinta alk. 24.990 €. Vapaa autoetu alk. 585 €/kk, käyttöetu 405 €/kk. EU-yhd.5,2–8,5 l/100 km, CO2-päästöt 135–197 g/km. Takuu 7 vuotta tai 150 000 km, kolme ensimmäistä vuotta ilman kilometrirajaa. Kia 24h tiepalvelu vuodeksi veloituksetta. Kuvan autot erikoisvarustein.
TAKEOFF FAMILY
CHILDREN’S MEALS You can order a meal suitable for children 2 years and older when you book your Finnair flight.
COMBILED AND WRITTEN BY NICHOLA WEST DAMOND BROWN
Beach time picks Spanish fun
A short hop from Malaga airport lies the fantastic family-friendly hotel of Puente Romano Beach Resort. Kids’ activities vary from tennis or swimming classes to craft activities, games and movies. Puente Romano Beach Resort, Marbella puenteromano.com
Miami’s Acqualina Resort & Spa has something for all the family.
Get active
This beachfront family hotel in Dubai is part of the award-winning JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort. With everything from horseback riding to water polo on the activities menu, this is a place that you won’t want to leave. JA Palm Tree Court, Dubai
MIAMI
Kiddie-friendly getaways THERE’S NO DOUBT that a hotel stay with kids is completely different to a romantic getaway. But many hotels are getting better at delivering something for every member of the family. One of them is Acqualina Resort & Spa in Miami. Having just received a five-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide for the third year in a row, Acqualina leads the pack when it comes to family-friendliness. Its offerings for children include pizza making classes and dinner and movie nights. Probably best of all is their children’s marine biology programme AcquaMarine which perfectly marries fun activities such as eco-explorations and obstacle courses with learning about the local environment. Throw in breathtaking views of the ocean and a resort that sponsors students in one of Miami’s less affluent neighbourhoods and this has got to 20 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
jaresortshotels.com
TOP TIP
Check out the “Junior Guards” beach-awareness workshop at Acqualina, which teaches children all about what it takes to be a life guard. be a top choice for families looking to get away to the beach. Acqualina Resort & Spa, Miami Beach acqualinaresort.com BEHIND THE SCENES Nichola West is a UK-based journalist running popular family travel website globalmousetravels.com
Beach Olympics
Jetwing Beach is wonderfully located in the heart of Negombo and right on the beach. A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, it also has a great kids club that serves up everything from beach Olympics to face painting sessions. Jetwing Beach, Sri Lanka jetwinghotels.com
TAKEOFF WORLD
UPGRADING ECONOMY Finnair’s Economy Comfort package on long-haul flights features at least four inches of extra legroom, comfy headrests, personal amenity kits and much more.
COMBILED AND WRITTEN BY MIRVA LEMPIÄINEN
REYKJAVIK
April events DANNY NORTH
Poetic Iceland
ISTOCK
CALENDAR
APRIL 8–12
Wordsmiths from five continents will gather at the second annual Iceland Writers Retreat. There will be a literary tour of Reykjavik – a UNESCO City of Literature – and workshops with top Norwegian author Linn Ullmann and Orange Prize for Fiction winner Barbara Kingsolver. Iceland publishes more books per capita than any nation in the world.
APRIL 6–11
MAYRHOFEN. Dubbed the “Greatest Show on Snow,” the Snowbombing festival of this pretty alpine town features 17 venues, five mountain stages, five igloo raves and Austria’s largest fancy dress street party. The line-up includes bands Basement Jaxx and Rudimental.
IcelandWritersRetreat.com
snowbombing.com ISTOCK
china-fairs.com/calendar/1656.html
MALTA
Art of fire
APRIL 25, 30 AND MAY 2
APRIL 30 NEW YORK. An initiative of the Finland Center Foundation, Kota Project aims to create a World Center for Women in NYC. Kota Day 2015 brings together women’s NGOs and supporters of gender equality with Pulitzer Prize winner Sheryl WuDunn as the main speaker.
The 14th Malta International Fireworks Festival held in and around Valletta’s Grand Harbour commemorates patron saints, Malta’s venerable pyrotechnic traditions and the country’s accession to the EU on May 1, 2004. Fireworks factories from near and far will present spectacular displays synchronised to music.
kotaproject.org/kota-day
maltafireworksfestival.com
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MARIO GALEA
APRIL 24–26 CHONGQING. The 35th China Motorcycle & Parts Fair showcases popular motorcycle culture along with the technology, fashion and innovative design. In 2014 the CMPF attracted more than 1,000 exhibitors and 40,000 visitors.
TERVETULOA ULOS. Kuten kaikki tiedämme elämä ei pysähdy sateen alkamiseen. Älä anna harmaan taivaan ja muutaman vesipisaran estää sinua tekemästä juuri sitä mitä haluat. Me pidämme huolen siitä, että pysyt kuivana. Lue enemmän Hjalmar miesten takista verkkosivuiltamme www.didriksons.fi
FOR EVERY RAINY DAY
TAKEOFF HELSINKI
HELSINKI CONNECTION Finnair City Buses depart from the airport and Helsinki city centre every 20 minutes.
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY LAURA IISALO LAURA IISALO
Karri Korppi runs “Words and Veggies” tours.
HELSINKI
April events KATJA HAGELSTAM
A taste of the city
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APRIL 1–5 RAIN OR SNOW, the Winter Garden is always in full bloom. Easter is the season for daffodils, tulips and other spring plants. Kids will love the cute little Easter chicks, too. visithelsinki.fi
Yeah! food map or pick up a book called Helsinki Streets of Food. The latter also contains recipes so the food journey can continue back at home. Guided food tours cost €25–85 heathershelsinki.com foodtourshelsinki.com Helsinki Streets of Food can be purchased at local bookstores. Hel Yeah! food map can be downloaded for free at: visithelsinki.fi
NINA MERIKALLIO
Exploring local food isn’t just a about the flavour; it’s also a great way to get to know a new culture. In Helsinki, innovative foodie tours are emerging to lead hungry visitors into the Finland’s lively food scene. Heather Domeney – originally from Tasmania, Australia – runs Fork in Hand food tours in the Finnish capital. During the rounds she takes her guests to shops, a market hall and local eateries to get a taste of the city. “I’m all about supporting local businesses. Finnish food is varied with lots of exciting natural ingredients like mushrooms and berries,” she says. Another foodie introducing visitors to the local food scene is Karri Korppi. His “Words and Veggies” tour also teaches participants related vocabulary. “My tours are all about sustainability and the focus is on organic, plant-based eating,” he says. Both Heather and Karri often start their tours with a bowl of porridge – a traditional Finnish breakfast – and continue the exploration with a feast of local treats. Apart from the guided tours, travellers wanting to discover the edible city on their own can download a free Hel
RAK.VIR./HEMMO RÄTTYÄ
LAURA IISALO
FOOD AND TRAVEL
APRIL MARKS a new beginning for the charming gallery and concept store Lokal, which moves into bigger premises. Devoted to Finnish art and crafts, the gallery hosts an inaugural exhibition called “Helsinki Wild Animals.” lokalhelsinki.com
APRIL 17–19 POPULAR CAPPELLA band Fork continues to amaze with a show titled “X” that sounds amazing and looks the part. The Alexander Theatre venue is worth seeing for its architecture alone. fork.fi
A good night’s sleep is guaranteed in a Hästens bed. Long live a good night’s sleep and a better quality of life! Hästens beds are high-quality products hand-made from natural materials, and will last for decades. Every detail in our beds is carefully designed – and has been since 1852. Don’t settle for anything less.
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DESTINATION KRABI
ANDAMAN
ADVENTURES
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Pachyderms on patrol at Nosey Parker’s Elephant Camp.
The Andaman coast of Thailand is a stunning natural playground with a perfect blend for hedonism and high-energy holidaymaking. TEXT AND PHOTOS BY DANIEL ALLEN
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W
ith legs fully extended, British climber Cain Blythe clings to the gnarled cliff face like a limpet. Chalked, calloused hands search overhead for the next handhold, while 75 metres below the incoming Andaman Sea laps at the mangroves fringing East Railay Beach. Farther along the sandy crescent, toy-like in the distance, anchored long-tail boats begin to rock gently in the surf. For Blythe, the idyllic view is ample reward for the pain. “Nothing beats that feeling you get when you make it to the top of the pitch,” says the amiable rock jock. “Aching arms burn with lactic acid, but you’ve earned the right to stop and glory in the magnificent panorama for a few tranquil minutes. Then it’s time to descend, enjoy the backslapping of fellow climbers, and prepare yourself for the next ascent,” says Blythe. Isolated from the mainland by its jagged karst topography, the southern Thai resort of Railay is an elongated peninsula of dramatic limestone towers, palm groves and sheltered, sandy coves. While its natural beauty is enough to justify any visit, many come here with energetic pursuits in mind. “Railay really is southeast Asia’s mecca for rock climbing,” explains Blythe. “With routes ranging from
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beginner to advanced, it’s a great spot for those of any age or proficiency. Many climbs start straight from the beach, so between ascents you can wade out into the sea for a swim, or lie back on the sand and contemplate the sky,” he adds. GHOST CAVE While Railay’s mangroves are somewhat thin on the ground, the saltwater forests of the surrounding Krabi region can be thick, impenetrable affairs. With their aerial roots exposed at low tide, they are home to a strange and bountiful fauna, including giant monitor lizards, crabeating macaques and exotically coloured legions of mudskippers. One of the best ways to explore Krabi’s fantastic mangroves is by kayak. Ban Bo Thor, a national park less than an hour’s drive from Krabi Town (a stone’s throw from Railay), is a system of saltwater creeks and limestone peaks that makes the perfect afternoon’s paddling, with local operators offering guided tours and
Clinging to the cliff face at East Railay Beach.
While its natural beauty is enough to justify any visit, many come here with energetic pursuits in mind.
Railay is a great place to climb, whatever your experience.
Railay and Krabi boast many experienced climbing operators.
Offshore kayaking is another way to explore Krabi’s unique limestone environment.
The caves at Ban Bo Thor are full of surprises. APRIL 2015
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ELEPHANT TREKS Nosey Parker’s Elephant Camp krabidir.com/noseyparkers The Huay Tho Waterfall Safari krabidir.com/huaythosafari
BAN BOR THOR KAYAKING Krabi Trek krabitrek.com
RAILAY CLIMBING Hot Rock Climbing railayadventure.com King Climbers (+66 7563 7125) Snorkelling, Kon-Tiki Diving & Snorkelling Center kontiki-krabi.com
A long-tailed boat at one of Railay’s blissful beaches.
V B K
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basic rentals. Exploration of the park’s myriad caves is one of the highlights of kayaking here. “Make sure to check out Tham Lod Nua cave, with its beautiful stalactites and stalagmites,” says local fisherman Sert Krongsatipanya. “The nearby Phi Hau To Cave (‘Ghost Cave’) was given its name from the discovery of seven ancient skeletons and pottery inside. Look on the ceiling for prehistoric paintings.” ELEPHANT SCRUB Deep in the dipterocarp forest, close to the village of Nong Thale, dappled shadows dance across the jungle floor. As a troop of spectacled langurs cavorts in the canopy overhead, two lumbering bull elephants emerge from the trees. Directed by their Thai mahouts, the pair of pachyderms lumber onto a trail and head for a nearby stream. Rapidly disappearing from the wild, the elephant is still considered sacred by the Thai people. One of the best places to get up close to these gentle giants is at Nosey Parker’s Elephant Camp. En route to Ban Bo Thor at Nong Thale, about 20 kilometres
from Krabi Town, the camp’s ever popular elephant treks include feeding and twice daily bathing sessions. Also good for trekking, both on two legs and the back of an elephant, is Phanom Bencha National Park, located a short drive north of Krabi Town. This expanse of pristine forest boasts numerous waterfalls and abundant wildlife, making it an ideal place to hike, dive and swim away from sun and sea. “The waterfalls of Namtok Huai To and Namtok Khlong Haeng are both gorgeous,” says Krabi-based tour operator Patty Suebsuk. “There’s nothing more fun than giving elephants a wash and scrub here, although riders invariably end up wetter than their rides.” AQUATIC ACTION Back in Railay, a late afternoon snorkel group explores one of the resort’s offshore reefs. Individual triggerfish dart nervously amongst the coral fronds, while shimmering schools of dazzlingly-hued fusiliers and damselfish compete for attention. “The Andaman Sea around Railay is teeming with life,” says local snorkel tour operator Chai Boonmee. “Depending on
THAILAND’S COASTAL HAVEN Situated in the south-east of the country, Thailand’s Andaman coast is a land of superlatives - the tallest karst formations, the softest sands and the bluest water. The gateway to this paradise is the town of Krabi (pronounced “ga-bee”), which has its own international airport. From Krabi harbour boats of all descriptions transport visitors to myriad offshore islands, as well as isolated peninsulas such as Railay.
The Railay peninsula at dawn.
the time of year, snorkelers can expect to see turtles, dolphins, sharks, coconut crabs and a huge variety of fish.” While snorkel operators abound, those who prefer to snorkel alone can charter a long-tail boat and find their own deserted stretch of Andaman. After some aquatic action, drop anchor by a sandbar to dine on succulent seafood. The perfect end to a day of high adrenaline adventure. l
BEHIND THE SCENES
Daniel Allen Award-winning writer and photographer Daniel Allen has lived in China, Russia, Ecuador, France and South Korea. “Krabi and Railay are two of my favourite places in south-east Asia,” he says. “I still get a buzz thinking about collecting material for this piece!”
www.kultaseppakulmala.fi | www.facebook.com/kultaseppakulmala | www.pinterest.com/gskulmala
Jossain tällä pallolla oleilee kaipaamamme projekti-insinööri
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MINIBREAK SYDNEY
LIKING IT HOT
in Sydney’s
NEWTOWN
Take a stroll along King Street and discover the eclectic array of clubs, shops and restaurants in the west Sydney precinct that everyone’s talking about: vibrant Newtown. TEXT AND PHOTOS BY JOHAN AUGUSTIN
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ly dai ers y via ff e ro ydn nai ys Fin s to S tewa t a h g flig sian .com A ir s a it finn
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WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE THE WELCOMING nooks of Newtown Hotel are the perfect launch pad for a great pub crawl – or just stay where you are and party into the wee hours. You won’t be alone. New late-night alcohol laws mandate 1:30 am lockouts in all pubs and clubs in the Sydney city centre. “That doesn’t apply in Newtown, which means the party animals head out here instead,” says bartender Chris Miller. The second-floor restaurant – The Animal – spit-roasts a whole lamb every night and serves other Greek-inspired dishes. Newtown Hotel, 174 King Street Wednesday is Gay Night newtownhotel.com.au
BAG ME BEAUTIFUL LEO MONK’S flagship boutique on King Street keeps regulars coming back for more and more rainbow-coloured exclusive leather goods. This shop stands out brightly from the vintage feel of other boutiques in the district. A riot of colour greets you as walk through the door, as well as air thick with the scent of freshly tanned leather. Also order via their online shop. Leo Monk, 417 King Street leomonkhandbags.com
THE CLASSIC CLOSE SHAVE
FIFTIES STYLES have taken hold in Newtown, home to a host of funky vintage fashion boutiques. For the authentic ’40s style barbershop experience, visit Hawleywood’s, where you’ll get a traditional hot towel, and the tightest, cleanest straight razor shave in Sydney. Pomade will keep you smelling great long after you leave this gentlemen-only haven. Hawleywood’s Barber Shop & Shaving Parlor 432 King Street Open 10 am – 7 pm Mon-Sat hawleywoods.com 36 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
24-HOUR PARTY PEOPLE THE BASEMENT of Marlborough Hotel is a dark, quirky bar for the weird and whacky; open Wednesdays to Sundays from 11 pm to 6 am. There’s karaoke on Wednesdays, and Thursday is gay night. New theme nights are added by a new curator every month, featuring live bands, DJs and colourful personalities. Tokyo Sing Song, 145 King Street
CRÊPE EXPECTATIONS
IT’S THE ONLY crêperie in Newtown, but you won’t crave another. Packed to the gills on weekends, you’ll have to queue for a table outside. The hearty crepes come with tasty savoury fillings like mushroom, cream cheese and spinach, or Nutella and banana to satisfy your sweet tooth. “We’ve got all kinds of customers, and a lot of regulars. The nice thing about Newtown is it’s not hip, just relaxed,” says Manager Nick Roth. Claire’s Crepes, 457A King Street Closed Mondays
THAI ME UP
THE COMPETITION is fierce, but Newtown’s own Thai Pothong – voted Sydney’s best Thai restaurant by Tripadvisor – has remained a long-standing favourite for over 20 years. Flambéed seafood is the house speciality, and other spicy delights like betel leaf prawns and chilli tofu will get your taste buds and sweat glands working overtime. “Impeccable” is the only word to describe the service. Thai Pothong, 294 King Street thaipothong.com.au
Go treasure hunting in all stores and restaurants at Helsinki Airport! See the great offers: airportshopping.fi
Spectacular golf courses
1
LINKS TO THE PAST As you turn off the A90 north of Aberdeen, glimpses of shaggy-topped dunes provide a tantalising appetiser for this traditional Scottish links on a modern day scale. Right from the par-5 opening hole you are thrust into an imposing landscape of the world’s largest dunes. One of the highlights is the par-4 14th and the unforgettable sight of a rumpled fairway twisting its way through towering dunes alongside the crashing waves of the wild North Sea. Trump International Golf Links, Scotland trumpgolfscotland.com
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PAUL MARSHALL
TOP5
STONE FOREST CHINA
Get ready to unleash your inner Rory Mcllroy and play five of the planet’s most stunning golf courses. TEXT BY ANDREW MARSHALL
4
GREAT COURSE OF CHINA There may be no more spectacular a setting for golf anywhere in the world than Stoneforest International Country Club complex in Kunming, China. Set among 200 million-yearold karst rocks of all shapes and sizes, the course has players reaching for their cameras as often as a club. With three 18-hole layouts, and situated some 1,800 metres above sea level, Stoneforest has more than taken full advantage of its location. Some holes, playing among the surreal rock formations are simply dazzling. Stoneforest, China stoneforestgolf.com
CAPE KIDNAPPERS
3
THAI GREENS Black Mountain Golf Club at Hua Hin is one of those courses that grab your attention the moment you enter the property. Right by the main entrance is an exquisite 9-hole par-3 course, set in a valley with water on every hole, and the clubhouse sits on a ridge looking towards the black rock mountains that give the course its name. A wonderful range of uphill and downhill holes and just enough water are among the reasons Black Mountain has been named Thailand’s best course for the past few years. Black Mountain, Thailand blackmountainhuahin.com
GRAN CANARIA GOLF
2
A GRAN DESIGN Designed by Robert Von Hagge, Gran Canaria’s impeccably maintained desert-style PGA championship course, set amid rocky canyons and teeming waterfalls, offers a perfect contrast to the surrounding volcanic mountains. Anfi Tauro is one of those rare courses that generate a genuine sense of awe from one hole to the next. One of the most photogenic holes is the classic 209-metre par-3 6th, framed on either side with swaying palms and a pyramid-shaped rock, with the crystalline Atlantic as a backdrop. Anfi Tauro, Spain anfi.com
5
CAPE CRUSADER Legendary American golf architect Tom Doak has skilfully linked together 18 amazing holes on a triangular headland that juts 8 kilometres into the Pacific at Hawke’s Bay on New Zealand’s North Island. Cape Kidnappers fabled fingers of fairway dodge menacing ravines and skirt the Cape’s signature white cliffs which rise some 150 metres from the sea below. “I’ve always thought that ‘Pebble Beach on steroids’ is a good description of Cape Kidnappers,” says head professional Jonathan McCord. Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand capekidnappers.com
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EUROPEAN VOICES BY ALEXANDER STUBB
The power of positive thinking
W
hen my chilme, it was a game changer. I fell in love dren go to bed with learning and have not looked back in the evening since. I then went into academia, the civil I tell them four service and finally politics. things: dream, When I tour schools around the counbelieve, work try, I tell our youngsters to listen to hard and succeed. It’s a funny little habit their hearts, work hard and pursue their that we have kept up over the years. dreams. I tell them to fight cynicism I don’t really remember how it all because it limits your capacity to learn started, but part of it must have come new things. Curiosity is a virtue. from something I read. The other part I believe that humans are inherently probably comes from pure gut feelings and good and that we all want to make this values. world a better place. This holds true for I grew up in a typical middle-class fam- the great majority of people that I meet in ily with loving parents, who were always Finland and around the world. very encouraging. The paradox is They allowed that people who go my brother DREAM, BELIEVE, WORK HARD into politics often and me to begin with an ideal AND SUCCEED. follow our of improving the dreams. They world. Some manbelieved in age to keep this us. I was rather wild in my youth, so vision clear throughout their careers. Othin that sense my parents’ patience ers don’t. and belief was admirable. My job is a daily fight against cynicism. They also made sure that we In politics there are some people who lose always worked hard. They never the dream. They become blinded by power forced us into certain career paths. For and lose their sense of striving for the us, happiness was to try to be the best common good. that you can be within your own limits. I have been in politics for 11 years, a I never planned to become a politician. quarter of my life. I am an eternal optiAs a matter of fact we were an apolitical mist. During the toughest moments many family. When I was a kid I wanted to be a things have kept me going. One of them is professional ice hockey player. that evening moment when I try to follow My Dad is a talent scout in the sport, in my parents’ footsteps and tell my chilso he must have realised that I didn’t dren to dream, believe, work hard and suchave enough talent. No matter how ceed. l hard I worked or believed, I was not going to realise my dream of playing in the NHL. Although the same went for golf – a pro career was not in the cards for Alexander Stubb is the Prime Minister me – I did work hard enough to win of Finland. a small golf scholarship to study at twitter.com/alexstubb Furman University in the US. For 40 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
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DESTINATION POLAND
HIKING IN
HOMESTAY HEAVEN A crowd-free hiker’s paradise beckons in Poland’s Beskid Mountains − some 100 kilometres south of Kraków − where a combination of agritourism and homestay B&Bs still lives strong. TEXT BY HELEN KORPAK PHOTOS BY JUSSI SÄRKILAHTI
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I
t starts as quiet drizzle after dusk falls rapidly over the Beskids in southern Poland. The tall grass rustles as cold raindrops pound the ground with increasing speed. Before long it’s pouring down in buckets. A low rumbling noise sweeps over the landscape, and suddenly the inky sky is alive with flashes of lightning. For the lonely hiker backpacking through the lengthy Beskid range for the first time, the storm comes as a dramatic reminder of nature’s power. The hiker scraps his plans to sleep in his tent, reasoning that there has to be a homestay along the trail sooner or later. Suddenly, a valley opens up before him. There’s a house with cosy windows glowing with soft orange light. The hiker has stumbled upon the Chrobak family’s home in the hamlet of Studzionki – one of the few traditional mountain homestays surviving in the Beskids.
FOOLING TECHNOLOGY Ela Chrobak smiles as she retells the story of the rain-soaked, shivering surprise guest who knocked on her door some years ago. For all its drama, the anecdote is a realistic rendition of how most people find the idyllic homestay in the village of Ochotnica Górna. Located along South Poland’s “red” hiking trail,
the Chrobak family’s big wooden house is very inconspicuous. There are no big signs, and perched almost 1,000 metres above sea level, the location defies modern technology. GPS navigators usually show the route to Studzionki with vertical tractor tracks going up one side of the mountain. It takes determination or good luck to find this place, but the effort is certainly rewarded. “I’m originally from the lower valley, but I wouldn’t go back to that life for anything,” says Ela Chrobak, standing in the doorway of her kitchen. Her in-laws, Bronisław and Anna Chrobak – married almost 60 years – were the ones to start hosting hikers decades ago. Ela has been running the homestay for a good 20 years now, with occasional help from her daughter and a neighbour during peak season. It’s hard work, especially as she insists on cooking all meals on the old wood-fired stove. “I absolutely despise cooking on the gas stove,” she says, feeding small splinters of wood into the fire. The extra work is apparently worth it: many visitors have been known to extend their stays just on account of
It takes determination to find this place, but the effort is certainly rewarded.
Anna Chrobak wears her folk costume weekly to Sunday mass.
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The Tatra mountains serve as constant backdrop in the Beskids.
her cooking. “The hiker I talked about earlier – he ended up staying a week,” she says with a jovial smile. TATRAS VS. BESKIDS As foreign travel was restricted during communist rule in Poland –which ended in 1989 – the Poles embraced a strong tradition of touristing in their homeland. With the seaside and the Masuria lakes in the north, the Białowieża forest in the east and the Tatra Mountains in the south, there’s no shortage of great places to explore. Among the most popular tourist attractions are the Beskids, forming part of the 1,500 kilometre-long Carpathian range stretching across central and eastern Europe. Locals are slightly amused by the popularity of the Tatras, some dozens of kilometres further south. The spiky Tatras might be more dramatic than the smooth, undulating Beskids, but the consensus among hikers is that the beauty of the Tatras is best admired from afar. Sure enough, watching the sunset from one of
THE RED TRAIL The Beskids consist of multiple small mountain ranges stretching through the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Ukraine. The Polish Beskids are divided into nine areas, from the Silesian Beskids in the southwest to the Bieszczady Mountains in the southeast. The main hiking trail through the Beskids is the Kazimierz Sosnowski Main Beskid Trail, colloquially known as the “red” trail due to the red signs marking it. About 500 kilometres in full length, the red trail is usually hiked in shorter sections. Studzionki is located in the Gorce Beskids, about 100 kilometres south of Kraków. It can be reached via the red trail, by car or by local bus from the nearby town Nowy Targ (it’s a 45-minute walk from the nearest bus stop). studzionki.szansa.org.pl
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A fleeting moment of haze over the mountains at twilight.
Colour codes help hikers stay on the right trail.
The male Goraler folk costume is decorated with a lavish steel brooch.
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Studzionki is like a parallel universe, combining small-scale farming and selfsufficiency with the gifts of the modern world. the summits of the Beskids and seeing the looming Tatras soak up the last soft rays of sunlight, one is inclined to agree. It’s like a breath-taking fantasy scene from The Lord of the Rings. The South Polish mountains are home to the indigenous Gorals (Górale literally meaning “highlanders”). The Chrobak family cherish their Goral heritage and take pride in preserving tradition. Attesting to this is a diploma of merit hanging on the wall of the dining room and the elaborate wooden carvings decorating the space. Goral woodwork trinkets are wildly popular
Manually heaped hay stacks create conspicuous landscapes.
The Czorsztyn lake, close to Ochotnica Górna, is famous for the beautiful castles by its shore: the Niedzica castle and the Czorsztyn castle.
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among tourists, but the woodwork in a real Goral house is on a much grander scale. The carvings in the Chrobak house are by Ela’s husband Waldemar Chrobak, who likes big projects: “Around here, the main beam of the house is usually decorated, or else a separate carved pine beam is suspended right under the ceiling. I do them on commission, all by hand, with nothing but a knife,” he says. The Chrobak family also runs a small-scale farm. “It’s tradition,” Waldemar explains. Here the local farmers still stack hay by hand and collect eggs from their own hens. Waldemar’s mother Anna attends Sunday mass dressed in traditional Goral dress before leading the cows Milka and Jagoda out to pasture – and not as a tourist gimmick. For the urban visitor, Studzionki is like a parallel universe, combining small-scale farming and self-sufficiency with the gifts of the modern world: free wifi and a huge satellite dish. l 48 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
BEHIND THE SCENES
Helen Korpak
Helen Korpak is a Helsinki-based writer and photographer who was first told about the beauty of the Beskids by an online friend.
Jussi Särkilahti Jussi Särkilahti is a Helsinki-based photographer who loves sunshine and friendly creatures across the board.
The Best Dreams in Town Exciting new hotel opening in August 2015
Hotel Lilla Roberts Pieni Roobertinkatu 1-3, 00130 Helsinki +359 9 6899 880 www.lillaroberts.fi | sales@lillaroberts.fi
DESTINATION JAPAN
Shadowing
the Shogun Japan’s former capital, with its cultural riches and enduring history, makes a blissful daytrip from busy Tokyo. TEXT AND PHOTOS BY PETER WELD
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Sasuke Inari Jinja is just one of the many shrines and temples tucked away in the hills surrounding Kamakura.
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Yabusame is the ancient sport of archery on horseback, still practiced twice a year in Kamakura, in April and September.
After drawing slips of paper with their fortunes printed on them, people tie these omikuji to strings outside Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, the main Shinto shrine in Kamakura. 52 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
T
okyo does many things well, but if you want to find something serene and steeped in tradition, you’re better off escaping the capital and heading to the former capital: Kamakura. For more than two centuries, even while the emperor had his palace in Kyoto, Kamakura was the de facto capital - the place where the real movers and shakers lived. About 45 kilometres south of present-day Tokyo, it was home to the head of the military, known as the shogun, who had so many servants, followers, and hangers-on that Kamakura is reckoned to have been the fourth-largest city in the world at that time. But “that time” was over eight centuries ago, and these days Kamakura is positively cosy compared to Tokyo, Yokohama, and other metropolises to the north. Perched on the edge of Sagami Bay (and as popular with surfers as with history buffs), the city is worth a day-trip from Tokyo at any time of the year but all the more so in April.
CHERRY CHARM In the last week of March and the first week of April, the cherry blossoms reach their peak. Through the center of Kamakura runs Dankazura, a raised stone lane leading northward to the area’s most important shrine, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu. Flanked along its 500-metre length by cherry blossom trees, Dankazura is the premier spot for strolling under a canopy of pale pink flowers, both by day and by night, when they’re lavishly illuminated. As the cherry blossoms pass their prime and start to rain down, Kamakura gears up for a series of special events. One of them is yabusame: men on horseback, dressed as they would have been in the shogun’s time, ride at high speed past three targets — and fire arrows at them. In terms of difficulty, this is like trying to board a rush hour train at Tokyo Station wearing skis, but amazingly some of these riders manage to hit one, two, or even all three of the targets.
In the last week of March and the first week of April, the cherry blossoms reach their peak. There’s also Shizuka no Mai, or the Dance of Shizuka. Said to date back to the twelfth century, it’s performed once a year on an outdoor stage: a single, elaborately-costumed dancer accompanied by flutes and shamisen. The event is named after Shizuka Gozen, who was a professional dancer and the mistress of the shogun’s chief rival, his younger brother. When the shogun’s soldiers captured her and brought her to Kamakura to perform for him, she danced to a song whose lyrics expressed her longing for his brother. The shogun was not amused. APRIL 2015
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The sash says “Miss Kamakura,” but she’s actually one of three Miss Kamakuras. The gentleman on the right is a Shinto priest.
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WRITING WISHES
MEETING BUDDHA
Both yabusame and Shizuka no Mai take place at the foot of the stone stairs leading up to the shrine of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu. Established nearly a thousand years back, it functioned both as a Shinto shrine and as a Buddhist temple in those days and grew to be one of the most important religious sites in this region of Japan. Today’s Hachimangu, all Shinto and no Buddhism, is much smaller and simpler, but it’s still worth a careful inspection. Watch the locals as they write their wishes on a wooden tablet called an ema and hang it along with untold hundreds of others. Watch them pull an omikuji, a slip of paper telling them their fortune, and then fold it and tie it to a tree branch. Watch how they pray: two bows, then two hand claps, then one more bow. If you’re lucky, you might catch a Shinto priest blessing a newly-purchased car or a newborn baby; if you’re really lucky, you might witness a marriage procession.
The other must-see in Kamakura is Daibutsu, the Big Buddha. It’s three quick stops from Kamakura Station on the cute little one-track Enoden line. Alighting at Hase Station, you can reach the Big Buddha in less than ten minutes’ walk, but Hase Kannon Temple, up a side street to the left, offers a worthwhile detour, both for its Japanese-style gardens and for the hundreds of little statues of Jizo, the protective guardian of children. The Big Buddha, cast in bronze pieces and assembled in the mid-thirteenth century, is one of Japan’s three great seated Buddha statues (the others are in Nara and Gifu), but it’s the only one outdoors. This is because the building which once housed it was swept away by a tsunami in 1498, even though
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If you’re lucky, you might catch a Shinto priest blessing a newly-purchased car.
On the Daibutsu Hiking Course, a local boy cautiously inspects turtles.
At the top end of Dankazura, a giant gate known in Japanese as a torii marks the approach to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.
At the top stands Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, below it the stage on which Shizuka no Mai is performed.
KAMAKURA IN A NUTSHELL Almost 800 years old, Daibutsu – the Big Buddha – is more than 13 metres tall.
the shoreline is nearly a kilometre away. (All over Kamakura, visitors will see signs on utility poles that say “Be careful of tsunamis” and give the elevation above sea level.) Kamakura has enough to see, do, eat, and buy to keep you busy for several days; the only problem is that there’s nowhere interesting to stay. Kamakura does many things well, but “lodgings with character” isn’t one of them. For that, most visitors wind up hopping on the train at the end of the day to return to fast-paced, modern Tokyo. l
BEHIND THE SCENES
Peter Weld
A native of the US, photographer and writer Peter Weld has called Tokyo home for the past 30 years, and Kamakura is one of his favourite local escapes. 56 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
Y ou can get to Kamakura in about an hour from Tokyo or Shinjuku stations entirely on Japan Railways trains (sometimes requiring a change at Ofuna) or in one-and-a-half hours by taking JR to Fujisawa and switching to the narrow-gauge Enoden line. ●Y abusame is held on the third Sunday in April; Shizuka no Mai is on the second Sunday. en.kamakura-info.jp ●S hirasu – tiny fish no longer than your fingernail – are a local specialty. Try them on a bed of rice at Bowls, a hip eatery on the east side of Dankazura. ●P arallel to Dankazura but a bit farther west, the busy shopping street known as Komachi-dori offers snacks of all descriptions. ●K amakura’s best-known traditional craft is the carved, lacquered wooden items known as Kamakura-bori. Hakkodo, near the north end of Dankazura, offers a fine selection, and if you ask nicely, they might take you in back to watch their master craftsmen at work. ●O n Komachi-dori, the store called Shato sells an excellent assortment of hand-made paper, and at several shops you can buy tenugui: hand-dyed handkerchiefs which make great gifts. ●
EUROPEAN VOICES BY SIXTEN KORKMAN
Europe: United we stand?
T
he eurozone crisis is Second, as part of the package, Europe multidimensional: instructed Greece to adjust its economy by financial, economic, cutting public spending, raising taxes and social and politiundertaking structural reforms. However, cal. Most regrettathe adjustment programme turned out bly, it is also a crito have devastating effects on the Greek sis of understanding economy. This was partly due to faulty and trust between implementation by the Greek governcitizens and decision makers in the North ment. But it was also, as the IMF has readand South. In particular, political negotiaily admitted, due to the fact that the negations between Greece and other member tive effects of budget cuts were seriously states suffer from a lack of confidence. underestimated. In 2010 and 2011 Greece was granted Third, the humanitarian problems in 240 billion euros Greece should be a in loans from source of concern other member to all Europeans. THE MONETARY UNION IS states, EU instiThe EU is not a LIKE A MARRIAGE. tutions and the social union, but as International European citizens Monetary fund we cannot entirely (IMF). Then, in 2012, private bond holders shut our eyes to the suffering of citizens in were made to suffer losses on their holdcrisis-ridden member states. ings of Greek bonds through a “volunFourth, it is difficult to see any benefits tary” debt restructuring scheme. from Grexit, Greek withdrawal or expulThere are reasons for public anger, sion from the eurozone. This will not help both in Greece and across Europe. Yet, repay any debts, it will not help the eurothere are also reasons why citizens in zone prosper, and it will not cure the deep Finland or Germany should have empa- problems afflicting Greek society and its thy for the citizens of Greece. political system. It could, however, place First, the large debt overhang of the economic, social and political stability Greece is not only a consequence of of Greece at risk, and could have problemdecisions taken in Athens. What is atic geopolitical consequences. more, the funds generated by addThe monetary union is like a marriage, ing to the Greek debt burden have though perhaps not a marriage based on not gone towards paying Greek salalove. Some commentators feel the quarrels ries or pensions or social expenditure. indicate that it is not a marriage based on Almost all new loans have been spent reason, either. However, divorce would be on repayment of bond holders with painful. Hopefully trust can be rebuilt and Greek government bonds in their confidence restored. Our common interportfolios. These bond holders are ests and mutual dependence in Europe are typically European banks, often Gerso great that no effort should be spared man or French. in searching for a constructive path forward. l THE ALTERNATIVE to increasing Greek debt would have been a much AALTO UNIVERSITY professor Sixten larger and quicker default on govKorkman is the former director general at the ernment debt. Europe did not want Council of the EU’s Directorate for Economic that to happen for fear of jeopardisand Social Affairs. His latest book is Euro: ing the stability of its banking system. The chosen course of action was valuutta vailla valtiota (Euro: the currency without a state). dictated by European interests.
58 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
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62 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
TOMORROW’S
TRAVEL TRENDS The rise of the mobile channel, social media and the sharing economy are changing the way we make journeys.
I
TEXT BY KATJA PANTZAR ILLUSTATIONS BY TIINA KÄLKÄINEN
f the words “future travel” conjure up images of hotel check-in robots and virtual holidays, rest assured – there’s also a more human, personalised version of modern globetrotting aided by innovation in store. While technology is the travel industry’s biggest game changer, according to Angelo Rossini, a Euromonitor International travel and tourism analyst and an editor of the annual World Travel Market Global Trends Report 2014, it’s also opening up new opportunities. In Asia millions of people are already making travel reservations via instant messaging service WeChat, while in Europe and North America wearable electronics with travel apps for the always-connected are expected to go mainstream this year. “The rise of the mobile channel and social media in particular are changing consumer behaviour in travel, which in the past focused on the time before the trip when the bookings were made,” says Rossini. “Today the periods before, during and after the trip are all important.” As consumers post reviews, photos and videos on social media, they have a significant impact on travel planning by others, says Rossini, who cites another major shift: the emerging sharing economy. “The peer-to-peer trend means that individuals are now competing with companies to provide travel services,” says Rossini.
MI CASA ES TU CASA Peer-to-peer services such as Airbnb, with an estimated 30 million users worldwide, and Couchsurf-
ing with 10 million registered users in 200,000 cities have shaken up traditional hotel-based models of accommodation. “Couchsurfing should win a Nobel peace prize – if such a thing were possible – for its ability to bring people from different cultures of the world together,” says Thomas Perret, a Helsinki-based entrepreneur and frequent traveller. Couchsurfing, founded in 2003 in New Hampshire, allows users to stay for free in other people’s homes around the world. “Within 5 minutes of arriving in a new city, I’m in someone’s living room and we are really getting to know each other – it’s a totally personal, intimate experience compared with staying in a hotel,” says Perret, who travels widely for both business and leisure. Perret, just shy of his 40th birthday, first tried it out in 2009. Since then he has couchsurfed 40 times in countries. In addition to hotels, he also uses Airbnb, which allows users to rent out their lodgings for a fee. “If I’m tired and don’t have the energy to stay up late chatting, Airbnb is a great alternative because when you’re paying for accommodation you’re not obligated to socialise,” he says. PACKAGED OUT? Experiences such as couchsurfing and Airbnb are competing with package holidays, initially created in part to ease the fear of journeying into the unknown by providing a local host. But the reported demise of package holidays is premature – they are still popular among certain conAPRIL 2015
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sumer segments and for long-haul travel according to Rossini. “Shifts in consumer behaviour have resulted in the impressive growth of online travel agencies, which saw the two largest players in this sector, Expedia and Priceline, reach the top of the rankings of travel intermediaries in 2013, ahead of traditional players such as Carlson Wagonlit Travel, TUI Travel, American Express and Thomas Cook,” says Rossini. Globally, many tour operators have embraced a hybrid business model between traditional tour operator and online travel intermediary.
“This new model includes a marked move from bricks-and-mortar travel agency distribution to a multi-channel approach, with a growing importance of the online channel, which accounted for over 35 per cent of sales for both TUI Travel and Thomas Cook in 2013, and is expected to surpass 50 per cent of their sales by 2015,” says Rossini. NAVIGATING LIKE INSPECTOR GADGET In terms of hardware, the launch of the Apple Watch this month is expected to determine the take-off of wearable electronics, as other Apple products have done for smartphones and tablets, predicts Rossini. “Wearable electronics are going to become important devices within the wider mobile travel trend allowing travellers to conveniently receive notifications and services during their trip, as well as make additional bookings,” says Rossini. “Travel companies will then need to be present with their apps also on these devices to be able to more effectively reach consumers throughout their whole travel experience, which will be a key arena of competition in the travel industry over the next few years,” he says. A growing number of apps available for Android and iOS can transform a mobile phone into a travel assistant. Google’s travel-friendly app portfolio includes its newest Google Translate app that allows text scanning for instant translation, which can be invaluable. For example, imagine a scenario in a Florence restaurant where someone in your party has a life-threating food allergy and needs to know what’s on the Italian-language-only menu. Google’s most recent update of the app also has a conversation mode that manages English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Russian. Two people can speak their own respective languages while the app provides almost simultaneous translation. Taking the Florence scenario one step further, let’s say you’ve rented a room at the legendary Villa Vignamaggio (reportedly where Mona Lisa was born) in Tuscany and need to navigate there from Florence by car. Google’s Maps Navigation also works as a voiceactivated navigator, guiding you to your destination. Other apps such as Voice Search (made famous by Siri) allow you to ask pressing questions by tapping the microphone icon: “Was Mona Lisa born at Villa Vignamaggio?” Regardless of how you travel, one thing is clear: as Thomas Perret says, “technology makes new kinds of experiences possible.” l
In Asia millions of people are already making travel reservations via instant messaging.
CUSTOMISED FOR TRAVELLERS Having recognised the DIY trend, Finnair is continually updating its service offering to better serve customers. “Our website content helps you design your own trips, not just flights but also hotel bookings and car rentals. Our new mobile app also helps along every step of the way, from storing boarding passes to providing terminal and gate information,” says Finnair’s vice president of marketing and product Jarkko Konttinen. New products such as Discover Asia allow passengers to fly to one destination and return from another, which provides more flexibility. “We also have better network connectivity – in addition to new interesting summer destinations such as Dublin, Malta, Athens, Split, Gdansk and Chicago, we’ve also added Business Class on routes such as Ljubljana, Antalya and Alanya,” says Konttinen. finnair.com
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INTRODUCING ECONOMY
COMFORT Make your trip comfier with more legroom
FOR US, A GREAT TRIP IS ABOUT PEACE OF MIND. THAT’S WHY WE CREATED ECONOMY COMFORT Enjoy priority boarding and exiting, get a seat in the front of the Economy cabin with up to 8-13 cm more legroom, a special headrest and noise-cancelling headphones, and relax using the privacy enhancing products in your personal amenity kit. Start tailoring your flight experience and select your Economy Comfort seat for your next long-haul flight at finnair.com
BRINGING IT BACK HOME 66 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
Finnish design is waking up to the realisation that when it comes to making things cool and ethical, there really is no place like home. TEXT BY SILJA KUDEL PHOTOS BY NANSO, LUNDIA, UPLOUD AUDIO AND JUHA SALMINEN
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B
efore you buy that budget-priced “I ♥ Finland” T-shirt, check the label. If your love for Finland is real, you might want to reconsider your purchase. Since the early 1990s, Finnish companies have been cutting labour costs by outsourcing production to low-wage countries. But many are now rethinking the logic of saving pennies at human cost. Cheaper is not better, agree Finnish consumers. A recent poll by the Association for Finnish Work revealed that 75 per cent of Finns favour domestic goods as a responsible choice. But is this enough to start a “Made in Finland” comeback? Many producers are re-examining the benefits of staying close to home, says Tero Lausala, CEO of the Association for Finnish Work. “The quality of the end product is better and easier to control on home ground. And today’s consumers want transparency and authenticity – which is exactly what Finnish firms deliver.”
PASSION FOR ECO-FASHION Lausala’s organisation grants the Key Flag Symbol to products that are made in Finland and are over 50 per 68 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
cent domestic in origin. One of the oldest companies sporting the symbol is 94-year-old Nanso Group, Finland’s top textile employer. Loved for its peppy prints and to-die-for comfort, Nanso is a 100 per cent Finnish-owned family firm that prioritises sustainability and timeless garments that survive many seasons. The brand has won a loyal following with its Selective Collection, which features edgy looks for the cool crowd by the likes of Paola Suhonen, head designer for the Ivana Helsinki label. (Check out her new Nanso Suvipaula collection in Finnair’s In-Flight Design 2015 video this April). Nanso is one of few Finnish textile manufacturers to keep production on home soil. All processes from design to fabric-making take place in Nokia, with about 80 per cent of garments stitched together in Tallinn, Estonia. Though domestic manufacturing comes with a higher price tag – both in labour costs and in the price of the finished product – CEO Leena Syrjälä believes a “Made in Finland” label is the best guarantee of quality and responsibility. “Competition is fierce in the clothing industry, but we see our Finnish roots as a great differentiator. Our strength is our impeccable quality and home-grown
Nanso combines distinctive design with in-depth knowledge of printing techniques. Each worker on the factory floor leaves a unique handprint on the end product.
expertise. With so many fashion labels just riding the eco-bandwagon, we keep a tight rein on the entire chain from yarn to ready-made garment,” she says. Design is of course paramount for the average fashionista, but ethical consumers choose Nanso also because it offers sustainable style that outlives throwaway fast fashion. “And consumers, too, want to keep textile jobs in Finland,” adds Syrjälä. Nanso’s commitment to domestic production is of course highly valued by its employees. “If every employer moves their business abroad, what kind of work will my children find in the future? It’s also important to me personally that we don’t cause any harm to nature or people either,” says Maarit Hyvönen from the cutting department.
“Nanso’s commitment to domestic production is highly valued by its employees.”
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Joanna Laajisto is the designer of Lundia System storage boxes, a miracle in multifunctionality launched last September.
Looking fresher than ever at 67, Lundia shows that sustainable style doesn’t have to scream for attention.
WAYS WITH WOOD Quality is also the secret to longevity for Lundia, makers of cosy wooden furniture since 1948. Combining home-grown raw materials with ageless design, Lundia Classic pine shelving lasts from generation to generation – and is found in countless Finnish homes. Modules bought 50 years ago are fully compatible with contemporary elements in the range, allowing buyers to put together their own unique storage solution. Beds and award-winning lighting by Jukka Korpihete complete the offering. All products are handmade by skilled artisans around Finland. “We want to do our part as an ecological and ethical company in this country. We have very high standards for our whole production chain and for our end products,” says managing director Michaela von Wendt. Lundia draws on a long legacy of Finnish wood knowhow. “We Finns live surrounded by forests and
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Combining home-grown raw materials with ageless design, Lundia Classic pine shelving lasts from generation to generation – and is found in countless Finnish homes. we have a long tradition of making things out of wood. It’s a material we know and value – and we have plenty of it!” she says. Keeping production on home ground is the best way for Lundia to fulfil its promise of quality and sustainability. “Many people assume we outsource our production to low-cost countries, so they’re pleasantly surprised to hear that by buying Lundia, they contribute to the Finnish economy,” says von Wendt. The latest addition to the range is a new line of versatile storage boxes by Joanna Laajisto. “Like Lundia Classic shelving, the boxes are ingenious. You can mix and match them in different ways to suit your lifestyle. We love the fact that our products are truly ecological because you can redesign them endlessly,” says von Wendt.
WORLD’S SMALLEST FACTORY You’ll find few factories closer to home than this: A tiny 10.8 m2 space in inner-city Helsinki houses the boutique workshop of Uploud Audio, makers of cosychic high-performance loudspeakers. Passers-by often stop and smile when they see lead designer Tuukka Kingelin soldering in the shop window. He and CEO Lassi Laitinen founded the company in 2011 with a social mission: “To stop couples from arguing! Hi-fi buffs want awesome sound, but premium-quality speakers are usually too black, boxy or shiny for design lovers. We wanted to create a speaker that sounds and looks great. No more ugly compromises,” says Laitinen. And there’s certainly nothing ugly about Uploud Audio speakers. Combining minimalism with a warm Nordic look, they can be dressed up to match your space with hoods in a variety of funky shades. The unit can be placed on a bookshelf or attached to the wall with a single screw, without any need for robot arms or unsightly stands. Helsinki’s in-crowd is snapping them up like hotcakes. The speakers are designed and assembled in Finland, with enclosures made in Paimio and hoods sewn in Seinäjoki by dressmaker Riitta Mäki-Jouppi. The coaxial loudspeaker drivers, however, are from Norway and the recycled fabric is from the USA. “Components of comparable quality simply aren’t made in Finland,” laments Laitinen.
They look great and sound even better: Uploud Audio combines high-tech performance with understated eye appeal.
Ilmoitusmyynti: Oy Suomen Myyntitieto Ab | P. 09-7742 330
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BLUE & WHITE IS THE NEW GREEN Check out these on-trend domestic operators:
HELKAMA It’s the only bike that any self-respecting hipster would consider riding: the 1965 classic Jopo is a retro beauty that shows no signs of fading. Finnish family-owned business Helkama recently brought the production of Jopo bikes back to Finland. helkamavelox.fi/en
INNOJOK Based in the Helsinki suburb of Kurkimäki, Innojok produces designer light fixtures and bright light therapy lamps. More than 80 per cent of production takes place in Finland. The company’s founder Jukka Jokiniemi has a PhD in architecture and is legally blind. innolux.fi/en/company
TREGREN Enjoy garden-fresh herbs and veggies yearround with Herbie hydroponic indoor gardens. This leading Finnish cleantech company founded in 2010 fuses urban gardening with great design to green up your kitchen. tregren.com
MUURLA Moomin and Mutts-themed enamel mugs are the latest novelties from this producer of tableware and gift items, also a licensee for the Angry Birds brand. Muurla Glassworks is located 100km from Helsinki. www.muurla.com
STUDIO EERO AARNIO Ever young at 82, there’s no stopping the playful granddaddy of Finnish design. Eero Aarnio’s chirpy Double Bubble lamp is among a growing collection of lighting products and other design pieces manufactured in Finland by Melaja Ltd. studio-eero-aarnio.com
PUKKILA Finland’s coolest bathrooms are decked in tiles made in Turku by Pukkila, Finland’s only producer of ceramic tiles. The range includes elegant collections by notable Finnish designers Markku Piri and Jarkko Kallio. pukkila.com
72 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
This is also why Nanso imports yarns from Europe: there are no factories in Finland that spin yarns any more. Lundia, too, imports 5 per cent of its 3,000 components because there simply isn’t anyone making them locally. Many more bold, blue and white (the colours of the Finnish flag) startups like Uploud Audio are needed to halt the offshoring fad – and then we might finally see more “Made in Finland” labels reappearing on store shelves. l suomalainentyo.fi nansogroup.com lundia.fi uploudaudio.co
BEHIND THE SCENES
Silja Kudel Ex-Sydneysider Silja Kudel is a Helsinki-based journalist, arts editor and culture vulture with an incurable case of travel fever.
Uploud Audio CEO Lassi Laitinen making a home delivery in the trendy Helsinki district of Punavuori – an unlikely location for a speaker factory.
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CITY OF CHICAGO
DESTINATION CHICAGO
D R O
nno ies go fl a r ly hic nai o C week Fin t p s o e er st tim umm e e s thr ring .com du air finn
Chicago’s GOT
74 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
THE BLUES!
W
TEXT BY JAMES O’SULLIVAN
hile the mention of Chicago evokes images of piping hot deep-dish pizza and kick-starting a road trip along the iconic Route 66, the Windy City is primarily known for one thing: the electric blues. When blues musicians first arrived at the open-air market in the Maxwell Street area in the 1920s, their acoustic tales struggled to rise above the urban din. The solution was electric. The resultant blistering sounds spread like wildfire to the south and west of the city, driven by the swagger and showmanship of Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and Jimmy Reed, along with a growing list of Chicago greats. “When you think of the original Chicago blues, you think of Muddy,” affirms local bluesman Toronzo Cannon. “But nowadays you also think of Buddy Guy.” Located just south of the downtown area (or “The Loop” as Chicagoans call it), Buddy Guy’s Legends is the popular blues haunt named in honour of the living legend, and draws a keen crowd. “When people come to Buddy Guy’s they are looking to see what band is going to knock their socks off,” Cannon continues. “They are engaged; they’ve got their seats front and centre.” While the blues clubs in the original hotspots of the South and West Sides come and go, there are some reliable stalwarts to be found on the city’s North Side, such as B.L.U.E.S. and Rosa’s Lounge. The exact ingredients constituting the genuine Chicago sound remain a hotly disputed topic on the local scene. Cannon feels that there is only one vital criterion. “Everybody’s blues is different,” Cannon enthuses. “If it’s dirty, gritty and vocally raw, as far as telling you the truth about whatever that song is about – that’s authentic Chicago blues.” And one can’t talk about Chicago blues without mentioning the half a million fans who descend on Grant Park for three days in June each year for the largest free blues festival in the world. l
JOSH CHEUSE
FINDING THE BLUES
BUDDY GUY’S LEGENDS This club showcases the biggest names in the business; the eponymous bluesman can often be found at Legends during his annual residency. 700 S. Wabash Ave, Chicago buddyguy.com JAMES O’SULLIVAN
B.L.U.E.S. Also known as “B.L.U.E.S. on Halsted,” this intimate Lincoln Park club treats its audience to a packed calendar of local artists. 2519 North Halsted Street, Chicago
Chicago Blues Festival June 12–14
chicagobluesbar.com
chicagobluesfestival.us
TONY MANGIULLO
CITY OF CHICAGO
The Chicago Blues Festival draws half a million blues fans to the city for a packed bill of free events.
ROSA’S LOUNGE Off the beaten track and located deep in the residential area of Logan’s Square, Rosa’s has been offering an authentic blues-joint experience for 30 years. 3420 West Armitage Avenue, Chicago rosaslounge.com
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FINNAIR NEWS
DID YOU KNOW? Finnair flies nonstop to Toronto three times weekly starting in June.
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY KATJA PANTZAR
TOP DESTINATIONS
3 x Volga River cities
Nizhny Novgorod Russia’s fifth
largest city was known as Gorky for almost 60 years (until 1990) after the famous writer Maxim Gorky who was born in the economic and cultural centre of the Volga region, just 400 km east of Moscow.
DESTINATION
Marvellous Malta THE SMALL MEDITERRANEAN island country just south of Sicily is emerging as one of Europe’s top travel destinations – Lonely Planet recently named the Maltese capital Valetta a must-visit for 2015. Known for its prehistoric temples and secret coves, Malta is generating a lot of buzz for many reasons including a new opera house scheduled to open later this year in Valetta’s city centre designed by celebrity architect Renzo Piano. Sister island Gozo was the filming location for By the Sea, a soon-to-be released movie written and directed by Angelina Jolie and starring Hollywood’s highest
paid actress and her husband actor Brad Pitt. Add to that affordable hotels and cuisine, along with a lively nightlife – DJ Annie Mac hosts the first Lost and Found festival on the island April 3 to 5 – and Malta is giving Ibiza a run for its money. Malta is one of Finnair’s three new seasonal routes, with twice-weekly service (Mondays and Thursdays) starting up on April 2. Dublin and Athens also join the roster; flights from Helsinki to Dublin commence on March 30 and to Athens on April 5th. finnair.com
Kazan Known as the Istanbul of Russia, the capital of Russia’s republic of Tartarstan is the world centre for Tatar culture and one of the points where Asia and Europe meet.
AIRPORT ART
Simply Sibelius Helsinki Airport’s Art Gallery next to Gate 37 hosts “Jean Sibelius at Home” exhibition to celebrate the 150th anniversary of one of Finland’s greatest composers Jean Sibelius (1865-1957), whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish identity. To December 31, open 24 hours, free admission.
76 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
Samara This industrial hub has an emphasis on transportation – its Samara State Aerospace University was instrumental in Russia’s space programme.
Rentoudu monipuolisissa suosikkikohteissamme tai näe uutuuskohteidemme Maltan, Kroatian Sibenikin tai Kreetan Kalivesin henkeäsalpaavat rannat. Tutustu laajaan kesäkohdevalikoimaan ja osta seuraava lomasi aurinkomatkat.fi
L O M A L L E L E N TÄ Ä
Ny t voit ostaa my ös pelkät le nnot finnair.fi
FINNAIR NEWS
INFLIGHT WELLBEING See page 81 for handy exercises that will keep you fit while flying.
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY KATJA PANTZAR
Finnair crew tips Avid golfer and cabin attendant Satu Eckhardt shares her tips for scoring a hole in one in the Indian capital:
GOLFING AROUND
Delhi
1
Classic Golf Resort, Gurgaon One of the greatest professional golfers ever, Jack Nicklaus designed this 27-hole course located in a quiet suburb of Delhi.
NEW PRODUCT
The lowest fare option FINNAIR HAS JUST introduced Light, a new ticket type for travel between Finland, Scandinavia and the Baltic countries that caters to passengers travelling with hand baggage only and offers the lowestfare option of all Finnair’s ticket types. If needed, Light ticket holders can purchase
extra checked baggage allowance, either in advance or at the airport. Finnair Plus Silver, Gold and Platinum members travelling with Light tickets are allowed one piece of checked baggage free of charge. finnair.com F ind us on Facebook Badge
TWEET OF THE MONTH
2
The Delhi Golf Club An established club with a challenging course in the heart of Delhi, where peacocks roam and historic buildings create a special atmosphere.
3
Qutab Golf Course The first golf course in Delhi that’s open to everyone boasts a carefree and relaxed atmosphere.
C MYK / .ai
FINNAIR ON
Finnair fun facts Finnair Cargo transported over
145,000 tonnes of cargo last year.
Finnair Business Class red wines win gold and silver @BTUK #cellarsintheskyawards!
Have you booked your trip yet? This exciting video takes you to 15 places to experience in Asia.
twitter.com/Finnair
78 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
youtube.com/user/finnair
Use your Finnair Plus points for a touch of luxury. Try our upgrade and pamper yourself in our Business Class. facebook.com/finnair
That equals
38,000,000
laptops.
FLY FINNAIR
Your complete guide to travelling with us
WELCOME ABOARD We want you to enjoy your flight. This guide contains all the information you need for stress-free travelling. We have even included tips for inflight wellbeing and entertainment. So sit back, relax and enjoy your travel experience.
APRIL
In this guide 80 TIPS FOR TAKEOFF 81 INFLIGHT WELLBEING 82 ENTERTAINMENT 83 SHOPPING 84 SUSTAINABILITY 85 HELSINKI AIRPORT 88 MAPS 92 FLEET 94 FREQUENT FLYERS 98 FINLAND IN FIGURES APRIL 2015
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FLY FINNAIR TIPS FOR TAKEOFF
FINNAIR
TRAVEL TIPS
in a nutshell
NORA HÄRME, Head of Ancillary Revenue, began her career at Finnair in 2001. “Our new Economy Comfort seating option makes your intercontinental travel more enjoyable. The extra 8–13 cm of legroom makes a big difference! Relax with the help of noise-cancelling headphones, and enjoy your personal amenity kit with a classic Marimekko pattern containing a few travel essentials. Select your seat when booking your flight or before you depart via Finnair.com/ manage booking.”
Established in 1923, Finnair is one of the world’s oldest operating airlines. Finnair’s route network includes more than 50 international destinations. In 2014, Finnair carried 9.6 million passengers. More than 1.5 million passengers fly between Asia and Helsinki each year.
For more information go to finnair.com
SAFETY
IN YOUR POCKET A NEW FINNAIR MOBILE APP is available for Apple iOS devices, with other platforms to follow. The app provides personalised, up-tothe-minute flight information and e-boarding pass storage. It can also be used to check in, select seats, purchase upgrades, receive news, and view point balances. Download yours now from the App Store!
80 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
SMOOTH JOURNEY SAFETY INFORMATION is presented by the cabin crew at the start of each flight. This information is also listed on the safety instruction card in your seat pocket. Safety belts must remain fastened when the “Fasten safety belt” sign is on. For safety reasons we recommend keeping them fastened even when the sign has been switched off. Passengers may use MP3, CD or DVD players when the "Fasten safety belt" sign is turned off. This is when laptop computers, tablets and mobile phones can also be used in airplanemode.
FLY FINNAIR INFLIGHT WELLBEING
FOOD AND DRINK
Business Class passengers can enjoy Signature Menus created by top Finnish chefs. Starting April 29, you can enjoy “en route to perfection” by Kari Aihinen, Executive Chef de Cuisine from Restaurant Savoy.
EAT WELL
Foods to fuel on European flights THE NEW SKY BISTRO MENU IS AVAILABLE! Make sure to arrive at your destination restored and energised. For a little extra money, you can choose from a tasty selection of food and drink. You will find the Sky Bistro menu card in your seat pocket. Coffee, tea, water, and Finnair’s signature blueberry juice are served free of charge on all Finnair flights.
MINDFULNESS Sit back and relax
WELLBEING
INFLIGHT EXERCISES
These moves keep you fit while flying. Hold each movement for a few seconds and repeat five times per side.
CIRCLES
LIFT
RAISE
LOWER
Lift one foot and draw circles with your toes. Reverse direction.
Lift one knee up and then lower your foot back down to the floor.
Keep heels on the floor and lift your toes upwards, then release.
Keep toes on the floor and lift your heels upwards, then release.
Mindfulness instructor Aleksi Litovaara's exercises will help you feel calm and rested during the flight.
1
BE AWARE The basic idea of mindfulness is that you have arrived. The aircraft is already taking you where you need to be so just sit back and relax. Watch, listen and feel your present environment without judgement – just be aware of it.
2
TACKLE ANXIETY If you experience nervousness or restlessness, try holding and feeling an object in your hand. It will help bring your attention to the simple physical sensation instead of getting caught up in your own thoughts.
3
BREATHE EASY Focus on your breath. Think of the word “peace” when inhaling, and of the word “calmness” when you exhale. You can also try the 7/11 method: count to seven when breathing in, and to 11 when breathing out. It will have a balancing effect on your nervous system.
SHRUG
NOD
ROTATE
TURN
Lift your shoulders up towards your ears and release.
Lower your chin slowly towards your chest and lift back up again.
Gently rotate your head from side to side. Keep your shoulders relaxed.
Slowly lower your left ear to your left shoulder and then back up again.
aleksilitovaara.com
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FLY FINNAIR ENTERTAINMENT
APRIL
WATCH TIME FLY
Make the most of your flight with your personal entertainment system. Use your handset or touchscreen to choose from 72 movies, 150 TV shows, 15 games and a wide selection of music.
PICK OF THE MONTH MOVIE THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES. The conclusion to Bilbo Baggins’ epic quest to help Thorin Oakenshield reclaim Erebor. Note: The content may not be suitable for younger passengers. (Finnish subtitles, Rating PG-13)
NEW PERSONAL entertainment systems are available on Airbus A330 and Airbus A340 aircraft. Just one click and you can choose your favourite from movies to music and games. Available language tracks depend on the programme; some programmes include Finnish and Chinese subtitles.
You can also track your flight’s progress with the Airshow moving map. Entertainment systems may vary by aircraft. On scheduled intercontinental flights, headphones are available free of charge. On leisure flights (AY1000 series), there is an entertainment fee, which includes headphones.
KIDS PICK
Fun for the little ones PADDINGTON A young Peruvian bear travels to the city in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone, he begins to realise that city life is not all he had imagined — until he meets the kindly Brown family. (Chinese subtitles, Rating PG)
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ON SCREEN Latest films and TV series
MOVIE MR. TURNER. Follow the great, if eccentric, British painter JMW Turner (1775-1851), during the last quarter century of his life. (R)
MOVIE NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB. Larry spans the globe, embarking on an epic quest to save the magic before it is gone forever. (PG)
MOVIE BIRDMAN. A washed-up actor must overcome his ego as he mounts a Broadway play in a bid to reclaim his past glory. (R) TV SERIES SURVIVING JACK. Joanne catches Rachel kissing a boy other than her boyfriend and finds herself in an awkward conversation about kissing somebody else while still with Jack. TV SERIES TWO AND A HALF MEN. Alan and Lyndsey’s relationship is strained when he won’t give her a key to the beach house. Meanwhile, Walden, Billy and Herb commiserate about women and relationships.
RADIO SINGAPORE SLING. The perfect soundtrack to enjoy with a cocktail or two. With music from Capital Cities, Faye Wong, Sarah Aqilah, Wale and more. Powered by MixRadio. Enjoy more music at mixrad.io.
PLUG IN!
Most Airbus A340 aircraft and all Airbus A330 aircraft are equipped with an electricity socket, which you will find under your seat.
FLY FINNAIR INFLIGHT SHOPPING
ORIGINS PEACE OF MIND SET, AROMA GEL 3 X 15 ML Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €34
ELIZABETH ARDEN EIGHT HOUR CREAM ESSENTIALS SET Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €37.50
LA TWEEZ RADIANT BEAUTY SET Available in pre-order shopping catalogue and intercontinental flights €31.50
CLINIQUE DAILY ESSENTIALS DRY COMBINATION SET Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €54
SHOP NOW Best in flight FINNAIR CARRIES a broad selection of cosmetics, fragrances, gift items, confectionary and jewellery, which can be purchased during your flight. On most Intercontinental and flights to and from destinations outside the EU, wine and spirits are also available for purchase.
BUTTERFLY TWISTBALLERINA BLACK Available in pre-order shopping catalogue and intercontinental flights €35 THEYE TRAVELLING ESSENTIAL SET Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €15
TIPS FOR PRE-ORDERING
SKROSS WORLD ADAPTOR PRO+USB Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €36
Pre-orders for leisure flights and transcontinental flights must be placed no later than five days before departure. For European flights, orders must be placed no later than three days prior to departure. Happy shopping!
PRE-ORDER T BLUE 975 POWER BANK 2600 Available in preorder shopping catalogue €22
Shopping made easy Pre-ordering your favourite products is stressfree. There’s no minimum order and your purchases will be waiting at your seat on your next flight! finnairshop.com
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FLY FINNAIR SUSTAINABILITY
APRIL TITTA LASSILA
BETTER PLANET A few examples of Finnair’s societal involvement in action:
THE UNITED NATIONS Global Compact is a corporate responsibility initiative aiming to make human rights, fair labour standards, environmental responsibility and anti-corruption core parts of the participating companies’ operations. Finnair has been a member since 2103. The airline company has also signed the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles in 2011.
PRESERVING MADAGASCAR’S BIODIVERSITY SINCE 2012, Finnair has supported the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (FANC) in its work on Project Manondroala, a forest restoration initiative carried out near the village of A ndasibe in eastern Madagascar. The project’s goal is to connect two fragmented areas of rainforest through a forest corridor in order to preserve the wealth of local flora and fauna; the area is considered one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. Project Manondroala is also supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland. Thus far about 80,000 trees have been planted in an area of about
WORK WITH US
DO GOOD Finnair makes it even easier to donate to charity. Passengers can now make a donation to UNICEF Finland when they book their flights on the Finnair website. Donations are possible in sums of one, five or ten euros. Finnair also collaborates with many other environmental and humanitarian organisations.
84 BLUE WINGS APRIL 2015
75 hectares. The crop of seedlings represents 82 different rainforest tree varieties that are all native to the region. A crucial part of the project is also to clear the area of aggressive foreign species. Finnair provides funding for the project, spreads knowledge among customers and stakeholders, and offers the possibility for Finnair Plus members to support FANC’s work. A donation of 1,000 Finnair Plus points buys three tree seedlings (see pointshop.finnair.com).
IN 2015 Finnair will receive its first four Airbus A350 aircraft, which will cut back on fuel consumption and emissions by 25 per cent. FINNAIR is one of the first airlines in the world to receive an IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) certification; this environmental management system is designed to assess an airline’s environmental management.
THE AIRLINE supports the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) goal of zero emissions trading scheme. Finnair is dedicated to reducing its carbon dioxide emission revenue as much as 20 per cent per tonne-kilometre from 2009 to 2017. Another ambitious goal is to reduce the total amount of de-icing fluids by 40 per cent from 2006 to 2016.
sll.fi/madagascar
embers of Finnair’s frequent flyer M programme can still donate points to the following charities at pointshop.finnair.com: • The Finnish association for Nature Conservation • The Association of Friends of the University Children’s Hospitals • The Cancer Society of Finland • The Finnish Red Cross • UNICEF Finland • The Baltic Sea Action Group • Hope
FINNAIR CONDUCTS an annual employee well-being survey, participates in campaigns promoting equal opportunities at the workplace and places a strong focus on occupational safety and continuous training.
FINNAIR WAS INCLUDED on the Carbon Disclosure Project's (CDP) 2014 A List: The 2014 Climate Performance Leadership index for its efforts to reduce emissions and slow climate change. Among the 187 businesses included, Finnair was the only airline.
FLY FINNAIR HELSINKI AIRPORT
HAPPY LANDINGS Arriving and departing Helsinki Airport
PASSENGERS at Helsinki Airport can use the 30 automated border control gates. Fifteen of these are located in the departure hall. The Finnish Border Guard’s automated border control helps serve growing passenger volumes at Helsinki Airport. EU, EEA, Japanese and Swiss nationals with biometric passports can take advantage of the automated border control gates. Third country nationals, who are exempt from the visa requirement and hold a biometric passport, may also use the automated border control upon departure. The service is available for Australian, Canadian, Japanese, New Zealand, South Korean and U.S. citizens. The automated border control is monitored by a border guard ensuring secure border crossings. Please note that passengers travelling with an infant, baggage trolley or wheelchair must use the manual border control lane.
AUTOMATED BORDER CONTROL Place your passport with the info page face down on the reader. Please wait while your passport is being read for biographical and biometric data. When the scan is complete, the gate will open. ヘルシンキ・ヴァンター空港シェンゲンエリアで は、入出国審査の際に自動化ゲートをご利用頂けま す。対象となるのはICパスポートをお持ちのお客様 です。
대한민국 전자여권을 소지한 승객께서는 유럽에서 한국으로 입국 시, 헬싱키 공항에서 자동출국심사 서비스를 이용 하실 수 있습니다.
① パスポートの顔写真ページを読み取ります。該当 ページを読み取り機の上に置いて下さい。個人情報 と生体認証データを読み取ります。
우선, 전자여권의 사진 페이지를 인식장치에 올려주시기를 바랍니다. 이 과정에서 여권정보가 시스템에 자동 인식됩니다.
② ゲートが開いたら中に入り、右を向いて下さい。 パスポートの顔写真と照合します。バックパック・ 帽子・眼鏡などは外して下さい。足跡マークの上に 立って画面を正面からまっすぐに見て下さい。 ③ 二番目のゲートが開いたら、入国審査官のカウン ターにお進み下さい。パスポートを確認した後、入 国または出国スタンプを押印致します。シェンゲン エリア居住許可証をお持ちの方は、入国審査官にご 提示下さい。
finnair.com/jp
첫 번째 게이트가 열리면 안으로 들어가 오른쪽에 위치한 카메라로 안면인증을 거치게 됩니다. 이후 마지막 게이트에서 출입국관리 직원의 출국확인도장을 받으시면 됩니다. 보다 간편하고 빠른 본 자동시스템의 많은 이용 바랍니다. 대한민국 전자여권은? 2008년 8월 25일 이후 발급된 여권으로 표지 하단부에 전자칩과 안테나가 내장 되어 있는 여권입니다.
finnair.com/kr
Enter through the gate and turn right. Please remove your backpack if you’re wearing one and stand on the footprints on the floor. Remove your glasses and hat. Stand still and look directly at the screen keeping your face visible. The camera will compare your facial image with the biometric feature scanned from your passport. Wait until the second gate opens. The border check for EU, EEA and Swiss nationals is completed when the gate opens. Third country nationals must now move towards the border guard, who will check your entry stamp and mark your passport with an exit stamp.
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FLY FINNAIR HELSINKI AIRPORT
WELCOME TO HELSINKI AIRPORT HOW TO TRANSFER Check your gate and departure time on the airport monitors. All Finnair and Flybe departures are located in the same terminal. If you don’t have a boarding pass for your connecting flight, please contact the transfer service desk. Most passengers transferring from non-EU countries to EU countries have to go through security and passport control. Please note that liquids are restricted in carry-on baggage. If your baggage has not been checked through to your final destination, collect it from the baggage claim area and go to checkin and security control. AUTOMATED BORDER CHECKS are available to passengers with Border control bio-metric EU, EEA, Japanese or Swiss passports. Place your passport on the reader with the photo page down, then pass through the first gate, turn towards the monitor, and wait for the second gate to open. See more information on page 85. FINNAIR TRANSFER SERVICE desks in Helsinki Airport T2 terminal are ready to help you with any inquiries related to your connection flights. TRANSFER SERVICE
BUS CONNECTIONS The Finnair City Bus to the Helsinki Railway Station leaves from Terminal 2 every 20 minutes, stopping also at Terminal 1. Travel time is about 30 minutes. Price: €6.40
CHECKING IN Checking in to your Finnair flight is easy. You can save time by checking in at a self-service stand at the airport, online 36 hours before departure or by text message. FLIGHT DISRUPTIONS In case a flight is delayed or cancelled, Finnair will make every effort to keep you updated. Please make sure that you have provided Finnair with your email address and phone number.
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34 35
SHOP
33
32
32a
Security control
SHOP
31a-e 30
31x 31
Border control
SHOP
SHOP
LONG-HAUL AREA NON-SCHENGEN
Bo con
TRANSFER SERVICE 3
2ND FLOOR 36
FINNAIR LOUNGE FINNAIR PREMIUM LOUNGE 37
38
2ND FLOOR
Lähettäjä Aihe Vastaanotettu Koko Luokat liisa.saarni@galateia.fi Kutsu matikkasopalle ti 19:51 131 kt
37a-d
GROUND FLOOR
During 2015 the Helsinki airport will renovate most of the shops, cafés and restaurants for your greater enjoyment. Thank you for your patience!
SERVICES AND FACILITIES
TRAVEL TIPS
Make most of your time SHOP SHOPPING Receive special offers for airport services when you show your Finnair Plus card. You will recognise our partners by the Finnair Plus symbol. Helsinki Airport features more than 30 shops and boutiques and various restaurants and cafés.
WIRELESS INTERNET is available free of charge. An eService Bar is located across from gate 21. CHILDREN Children’s playrooms offer videos, microwave ovens and baby care facilities. NON-SMOKING Smoking at Helsinki Airport is prohibited outside of designated smoking rooms.
SHOP
FLY FINNAIR HELSINKI AIRPORT WALKING TIME GATE 24-30: 7 MIN
T2 29
28
LOST AND FOUND Restaurant & Deli Fly Inn
27
26 SHOP
SCHENGEN AREA
SHOP
SHOP
GATE AREA
Security check
TRANSFER SERVICE 2 SHOP
23 SHOP
FINNAIR LOUNGE
Security
order ntrol
CHECK-IN 240–270
P
SHOP
SHOP
INQUIRIES Lentäjäntie 1 (next to T2, street level) Open Mon–Fri 09:00–17:00 and Sat 09:00–15:00 Tel 0600 41006 (1,97€/min + local network charge)
24
25
FINNAIR check CHECK-IN/ SERVICE DESKS 201–232
22
GROCERY
3RD FLOOR
21
SH
OP
20
1ST FLOOR
SHOP
19
TOURIST INFO
18
PHARMACY
17 16
TRANSFER SERVICE 1
15
FINNISH DESIGN EXPERIENCE Take a moment for yourself and unwind in one of the many Finnair Lounges at Helsinki Airport. The Finnair Lounge in the Schengen area departures hall by gate 22 opens at 5:30 every morning — so enjoy a hot breakfast to start your sunny day! You can also take a nap in a world-renowned Ball Chair by Eero Aarnio or relax in the Karuselli and Moderno chairs by Yrjö Kukkapuro. Anyone can access the lounges for only €48 or 10,000 Finnair Plus points unless travelling in Business Class or holding a Finnair Plus top-tier loyalty programme card, which automatically entitles you to lounge service.
CHECK-IN 101–114
LOUNGE
GROUND FLOOR
T1
14
Security check
BAGGAGE STORAGE
13
GATE AREA
2ND FLOOR
12
11
SHOP
1ST FLOOR APRIL 2015
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FLY FINNAIR FLIGHTS WITHIN EUROPE KARTAT Great Circle Estimated FROM HELSINKI AMSTERDAM ALANYA/GAZIPASA ARRECIFE ATHENS BARCELONA BERGEN BERLIN BIARRITZ BILLUND BRUSSELS BUDAPEST CATANIA CHANIA COPENHAGEN DALAMAN DUBLIN DUBROVNIK DÜSSELDORF EILAT EKATERINBURG FRANKFURT FUERTEVENTURA FUNCHAL GDANSK GENEVA GOTHENBURG HAMBURG HERAKLION INNSBRUCK KAZAN KOS KRAKOW LAS PALMAS LISBON LJUBLJANA LONDON MADRID MALAGA MALTA MANCHESTER MILAN MINSK MOSCOW MUNICH MYTILENE NAPLES NICE NIZHNIY NOVGOROD NORRKÖPING OSLO PALMA DE MALLORCA PAPHOS PARIS PISA PRAGUE PREVEZA RHODES RIGA
Distances km
Great Circle Estimated Distances Flight km Times
Flight Times
1525 02:35 2722 03:45 4518 05:55 2490 03:40 2632 03:55 1112 03:30 1123 02:00 2581 03:45 1060 01:50 1651 02:40 1481 02:20 2636 03:45 2756 03:50 895 01:40 2639 03:40 2030 03:10 2027 03:00 1512 02:25 3457 04:45 2098 03:05 1543 02:35 4578 06:05 4310 05:45 768 02:00 1994 03:00 785 01:25 1172 02:00 2777 03:55 1701 02:35 1521 02:30 2620 03:45 1186 02:00 4700 06:10 3369 04:50 1713 02:40 1863 03:10 2950 04:25 3357 04:35 2822 04:15 1817 03:00 1953 03:05 740 01:25 876 01:40 1577 02:30 1471 03:35 2283 03:25 2202 03:25 1189 02:10 530 01:30 766 01:30 2777 04:00 2898 04:00 1900 03:05 2093 03:20 1322 02:10 2397 03:25 2668 03:45 382 00:55
RIMINI ROME SAMARA SANTORINI SKIATHOS SPLIT STOCKHOLM ST. PETERSBURG TALLINN TARTU TEL AVIV TENERIFE NORTE TENERIFE SUR TROMSØ VARNA VENICE VERONA VIENNA VILNIUS VISBY WARSAW ZAKYNTHOS ZÜRICH
1993 03:00 2235 03:25 1698 02:35 2660 03:40 2353 03:30 1956 02:55 400 01:00 301 01:00 101 00:30 245 00:50 3230 04:25 4691 06:10 4745 06:10 1081 02:00 1911 02:55 1847 02:55 1903 02:55 1462 02:30 633 01:15 481 01:25 940 01:40 2526 03:55 1781 02:45
SCHEDULED DESTINATIONS LEISURE DESTINATIONS PARTNER-OPERATED CODE-SHARE OR MARKETING DESTINATIONS SEASONAL ROUTE EW SCHEDULED N SEASONAL ROUTE NEW SCHEDULED DESTINATION IN 2015
Atl Oc antic ean
TÄHÄN KARTTA
8 WINGS 88BLUE BLUE WINGSDECEMBER APRIL 20152014
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS New
FROM HELSINKI IVALO JOENSUU JYVÄSKYLÄ KAJAANI MARIEHAMN KEMI/TORNIO KITTILÄ KOKKOLA/PIETARSAARI KUOPIO KUUSAMO OULU ROVANIEMI TAMPERE TURKU VAASA
quay
931 01:35 360 01:00 235 00:50 464 01:20 282 00:55 609 01:35 823 01:25 391 01:10 335 01:00 667 01:15 514 01:05 697 01:20 143 00:35 150 00:35 348 00:55
Bay of B isca ya
Arct ic
Ocea n
FLY FINNAIR IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Nor weg ian S ea
Nort
h Sea
on
on-D
tov-
Ros
Heraklion
Medit erranea n Sea DECEMBER 2014BLUE BLUE WINGS89 8 APRIL 2015 WINGS
rctic
Arctic Ocean
FLY FINNAIR FLIGHTS INTERCONTINENTAL Circle Estimated KARTAT Great Distances Flight FROM HELSINKI
km
Times
AGADIR 4193 05:35 BANGKOK 7912 09:45 BEIJING 6325 07:55 CHICAGO 7139 09:15 CHONGQING 6736 08:40 DELHI 5229 06:50 DUBAI 4537 05:55 GOA via Sharjah 6739 10:15 HAVANNA 8718 12:05 HÔ CHI MINH CITY (Saigon) 8510 10:50 HONG KONG 7821 09:35 KRABI 8350 10:20 MIAMI 8342 11:10 NAGOYA 7780 09:40 NEW YORK 6626 08:45 OSAKA 7751 09:30 PHUKET 8312 10:05 PUERTO PLATA 8417 11:15 SEOUL 7050 08:40 SHANGHAI 7410 09:05 SINGAPORE 9272 11:30 TOKYO 7849 09:45 TORONTO 6619 08:50 XIAN 6421 07:50
Atlantic Ocean
Havanna
FINNAIR PLUS members earn Plus points from travelling on any scheduled flight with a oneworld airline.
Pacific Ocean
Ocea n Atlantic Ocean
Oneworld: almost 1,000 destinations
8 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2014
Arctic Ocean
FLY FINNAIR IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Nizhniy Novgorod
an
Agadir
Taiwan
Pacific Ocean
Indian Ocean
n
DECEMBER 2014 BLUE WINGS 8
FLY FINNAIR FLEET
AIRBUS A350-900 (NEW IN 2015) Number 19 in order Seating capacity 297 Length 66.8 m Wingspan 64.75 m Cruising speed 903 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 13,000 m AIRBUS A340-300 Number 7 Seating capacity 266/263/257 Length 63.6 m Wingspan 60.3 m Cruising speed 870 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 12,500 m AIRBUS A330-300 Number 8 Seating capacity 289/263 Length 63.6 m Wingspan 60.3 m Cruising speed 870 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 12,600 m AIRBUS A321 (ER) Number 11 Seating capacity 136–209 Length 44.5 m Wingspan 34.1 m Cruising speed 840 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 11,900 m AIRBUS A320 Number 10 Seating capacity 110–165 Length 37.6 m Wingspan 34.1 m Cruising speed 840 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 11,900 m AIRBUS A319 Number 9 Seating capacity 105–138 Length 33.8 m Wingspan 34.1 m Cruising speed 840 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 11,900 m EMBRAER 190/170 Operated by Flybe Number 12/2 Seating capacity 100/76 Length 36.2/29.9 m Wingspan 28.7/26 m Cruising speed 850 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 12,300 m
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FLY FINNAIR FLEET A350
COMING SOON EUROPE’S FIRST AIRBUS A350 XWB WITH FINNAIR THE A350 is noticeably more spacious. Even in Economy Class the seats are nearly 46 centimetres wide. The new Economy Comfort seats have up to 10 centimetres more legroom and comfier headrests, too. The 297-seat configuration includes 46 seats in Business Class, 43 seats in E conomy Comfort and 208 seats in Economy Class.
OUR NEW ECO-SMART Airbus A350 aircraft brings the future of air travel to Finnair passengers. Finnair will begin operating its first A350 XWB (extra wide body) aircraft in 2015, initially serving Shanghai, Beijing and Bangkok. Look for flights to Hong Kong and Singapore in 2016.
ROLLS-ROYCE Trent XWB engines ▶25% less CO2 emissions per passenger than current generation aircraft
297 seats
Airbus
Length 66.8 metres
CARBON FIBRE reinforced plastic fuselage ▶lower fuel burn & easier maintenance
WINGS change their shape for maximum aerodynamic efficiency throughout the flight
NEARLY all-composite 32-metre wings ▶ more lift & less drag and fuel burn
THE MAKING OF A350 FINNAIR’S A350 aircraft are currently being built in Toulouse, France. Finnair is happy to share this photo of one of our 19 customised tail fins rolling out from the paint shop, and ready for installation at the Airbus factory.
FOLLOW THE STORY ▶a350.finnair.com ▶on Twitter #A350Finnair Finnair @Finnair Mar 5 Hi @TheHUBRoutes date for 1st flight is not known yet. We use #A350Finnair for FAM flights in Europe & 1st longhaul is Shanghai in late Oct.
70% advanced materials ▶combining composites, titanium and modern aluminium alloys
Source: Airbus
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FLY FINNAIR FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAMME
JOIN NOW
DID YOU KNOW? JOIN FOR FREE by filling in the Finnair Plus form attached to this magazine or online at finnair.com/plus
Big benefits for frequent flyers
FINNAIR PLUS PROGRAMME allows you to earn points when travelling with Finnair or oneworld airlines and from services provided by many Finnair Plus partners. As a Finnair Plus member you can also benefit from many valuable offers and benefits including: · A head start on special flight sales · Exclusive members prices on offers · Earn and use points on Finnair, oneworld and partner airline flights · Earn and use points on numerous worldwide partner services EARN POINTS when flying Finnair scheduled and leisure flights. Points can also be earned on oneworld scheduled flights. As a member you also receive points when purchasing products and services from any one of our Finnair Plus partners. USE POINTS to purchase Finnair award flights, pay for additional baggage and upgrade your Finnair flight from Economy to Business Class. You can also use your points for oneworld flights. Points are valid currency in the Finnair PlusShop online and you can use them to pay for services and products from Finnair Plus partners. Read more about our partners on page 96.
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IMPROVED CLASSIC AWARD Even better benefits for Finnair Plus members.
Finnair Plus members can now book Finnair Classic European award flights without having to pay the fuel surcharge fee. The fee is removed from European Classic flight awards, as well as from Tel Aviv and Dubai Classic flight awards. The surcharge ranges between 15–40 euros per one way within Europe. The amount of Finnair Plus points needed for Classic flight awards remains the same, and in addition, the passenger pays necessary taxes and other government charges. BOOK ONLINE finnair.com/plus
FLY FINNAIR FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAMME
KIDS
FINNAIR PLUS MEMBERSHIP
These are some of the benefits you receive as a member. For more information go to finnair.com/plus.
FINNAIR PLUS TIER BENEFITS
BASIC Up to 40,000 tier points
SILVER 40,000 – 90,000 tier points or 24 scheduled flights
GOLD 90,000 – 150,000 tier points or 54 scheduled flights
PLATINUM 150,000 tier points or 92 scheduled flights
• F lights awards •A dditional baggage charges with points*
• One extra piece of baggage free of charge*
• Special baggage free of charge *
• Special baggage free of charge*
• F innair lounge access*
•W aiting list priority based on tier
•P riority Lane*
•P artner service purchases with points
• 1 0% discount on normally priced tax-free purchases outside of the EU*
• T ravel class upgrades* • Finnair and oneworld Business Class and Frequent Flyer lounge access + 1 guest
• T ravel class upgrades* •D iscounted travel upgrades for family members*
• 1 0% points bonus*
•P riority Lane* • 1 5% points bonus* • 1 0% discount on normally priced tax-free purchases outside of the EU*
• Finnair and oneworld Business and First Class and Frequent Flyer lounge access + 1 guest •P riority Lane* •N o expiration on award points during tracking period
JUNIOR
Kids get points, too! Children aged 2–17 can join the Finnair Plus Junior programme. The points earned can be spent on flight awards and exciting product prizes.
• 2 5% points bonus* • 1 0% discount on normally priced taxfree purchases outside of the EU* * Finnair flights (AY operated and AY marketed)
EQUIVALENT ONEWORLD TIERS Finnair Plus oneworld Basic --Silver Ruby Gold Sapphire Platinum Emerald
Combine your Finnair Plus membership card with a credit card and you can earn Finnair Plus points on all your purchases. Read more: finnair.com/plus
DID YOU KNOW? YOU CAN MAKE your travel easier by filling in your passport information to your Finnair Plus profile. When adding your Finnair Plus membership number to your Finnair booking, the passport details will be automatically added to all bookings that require passport information. Just make sure that all information is up-to-date in your profile.
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FLY FINNAIR PARTNER BENEFITS
MORE THAN 300 PARTNERS For your benefit As a member of our Frequent Flyer programme you can earn and use points when purchasing services and products from our world-class partners around the globe.
SCANDIC AWARD NIGHTS SCANDIC IS THE UNRIVALLED MARKET leader in the Nordics with nearly 230 hotels, since the acquisition of Rica. Every day, Scandic’s 13,000 team members work with one single goal in mind: to make guests welcome to stay for work or pleasure, or as a meeting place with friends. As a Finnair Plus member, you can use your points, or combination of money + points, to redeem a voucher for Scandic Hotels.
Not yet a member? Find out how to join on the previous page.
finnair.fi/pluspartners
· Airlines · Travel · Credit Card · Insurance · Restaurants · Shopping · Wellness · Golf · Entertainment · Charity · Leisure time For complete listings and more information: finnair.com/pluspartners
RENT A CAR AND FOLLOW the dancing Northern Lights from the comfort of your own car. Sixt Rent a Car serves you in all airports in Lapland and has a large selection of vehicles suitable for exploring Lapland. Book now and save 20%! Offer is valid until April 30, 2015.
TREAT YOURSELF THIS spring with a spa vacation. Enjoy pampering treatments, a cosy atmosphere and delicious food. Buy a gift voucher with your points to Naantali Spa Hotel or Ruissalo Spa Hotel. You can also earn Finnair Plus points on your stay at either one of these partner hotels.
sixt.info/lapland-en finnair.fi/pluspartners
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FLY FINNAIR PLUSSHOP OFFERS
SHOPE ONLINE wherever you are! The Finnair PlusShop stocks a wide selection of brand products, including Finnish design items, and delivers around the world. To order, simply login using your frequent flyer number, place your order and pay with Finnair Plus points, money or a combination of both. Shop for the always affordable 1,000 Point Special Offers and your Plus points can be worth hundreds of euros! As a Finnair Plus member, you can choose a new offer every time you have 1,000 Plus points.
NEW BALANCE 996 LIFESTYLE SHOES €119 For men & women Member offer €79 + 1,000 points
All this and more from:
finnairplusshop.com
NEW FOR THE SPRING FROM MARIMEKKO! Cosmetic bags at special prices, several different options
ASUS MEMO PAD™ 8, 4G (ME581CL) White €299 Member offer €279 + 1,000 points
MARIMEKKO PAJU TIPPA COSMETIC BAG Red & blue €49.50 Member offer €35 + 1,000 points
HAPPY PLUGS IN-EAR & LIGHTNING SET Gold, silver & rose €65 Member offer €49 + 1,000 points
MARIMEKKO TAIMI MINI UNIKKO COSMETIC BAG €39.50 Member offer €28 + 1,000 points
SALOMON RUNNER’S SET Including. Salomon Elevate Commuter backpack, Park Hydro handset & Night cap €185 Member offer €119 + 1,000 points
NEWPORT BALMORAL WEEKEND BAG & BALMORAL TOILET BAG €458 Member offer €275 + 1,000 points
NEWPORT PEACH TREE WEEKEND BAG & ARLINGTON TOILET BAG Various colors €338 Member offer €199 + 1,000 points Prices subject to change.
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FINLAND IN FIGURES
DID YOU KNOW? AREA: Sixty-eight per cent of Finland is covered with forest and woodlands (mainly pine and spruce).
FINLAND
ECONOMIC STRUCTURE
IN FIGURES
Employed persons by industry, 4th quarter 2014 (per cent of total)
AREA • 390,920 sq. kilometres, of which 9% is fresh water; land area is 303, 909 sq. kilometres. There are 188,000 lakes. 6% of the land is under cultivation. Forests (mainly pine and spruce) cover 68% of the country. GOVERNMENT • Sovereign parliamentary republic since 1917. • The president is elected ever y six years. The current president of Finland, Sauli Niinistö took office in March 2012. The 200 members of Parliament are elected for fouryear terms. • Finland has been a member of the European Union since January 1995. ECONOMY • GDP 2013: 193 billion euros, the annual change in volume -1.4% • Annual inflation rate as of December 2014: 0.5% • Currency: Euro
Construction and energy 8%
Miscellaneous services
13%
35%
Manufacturing
14% 4% Agriculture
10%
15%
Transport and communications
Manufacturing
Financial and business servces
Trade and hotel
GDP
Norway Denmark Sweden USA Finland Germany France UK EU27
48%
Other manufactured goods
23%
Forest products
15%
Food prod. and textiles
14%
EXPORTS BY PRODUCTS
Nominal
Adjusted for Purchasing Power Standard
75.900 44.400 43.800 40.000 35.600 33.300 31.300 29.600 25.900
49.200 32.100 32.700 39.900 28.700 32.000 27.800 27.200 25.800
Chemical industry products
25%
Forest industry products
20%
Other industries
16%
Metals and metal products
14%
Machinery and equipment
13%
Electronics
11%
Foreign trade 2013 exports by products by activity: 55.903 MEUR (per cent of total)
GDP per capita 2013 (EUR)
MONTHLY TEMPERATURES IN HELSINKI 2014
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Mean˚C -5.9 0.2 2.1 5.9 10.6 13.5 20.1 17.9 13.0 6.7 3.2 0.1 Max˚C 5.6 4.7 10.9 19.9 26.3 24.4 29.6 28.4 20.3 14.7 10.3 5.5 Min˚C -18.2 -7.6 -8.3 -4.5 -1.2 3.5 11.1 9.6 0.4 -3.8 -2.4 -15.7
More information: finland.fi, goodnewsfromfinland.com, findicator.fi
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Metal and engineering products
Source: Statistics Finland
POPULATION • 5.5 million • Life expectanc y: men 77.8 and women 83.8 years • Average household size: 2.1 persons • L anguages: 89.3% speak Finnish; 5.3% Swedish • Religion: 75% Lutheran; 1% Orthodox • 81% of the population aged 25 to 64 have completed upper secondary or tertiary education and 37% have university or other tertiary qualifications.
FLY THE SHORTCUT BETWEEN EUROPE AND ASIA Fly the faster, northern route via Helsinki to 15 destinations in Asia and to over 60 destinations in Europe. Learn more at finnair.com
Chicago Miami
New York Toronto
Helsinki
Tokyo Nagoya Xi’an Seoul Osaka Shanghai Beijing
Delhi Chongqing Krabi Phuket
Hong Kong Bangkok Ho Chi Minh City Singapore
WAT C H E S & J E W E L L E RY Oy Osk. Lindroos Ab Helsinki Airport Schengen, gate 27, +358-9-354 0500 Helsinki Airport Non-Schengen, gate 33, +358-9-354 0510 www.lindroos.fi