NEW YORK HAPPY HOUR HAUNTS
BOOST YOUR WELLBEING
Business issue
Your l na perso y cop
LITHUANIA FARM TRAVELS
OUR NEW COLUMNIST SIXTEN KORKMAN
September 2013
Star chefs create
Finnair menus
CLIMB
HUASHAN MOUNTAIN WHY
PEOPLE SKILLS MATTER
BANGKOK
BY BIKE
PRINCESS FINLAND tel. +358 10 281 2910 · info@princess.fi · www.princess.fi mats.carlson@princess.fi · max.malmstrom@princess.fi Our representatives present at Cannes Boat Show 13-15th September and Southampton Boat Show 16-18th September
EDITORIAL
BY ARJA SUOMINEN SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS AND CORPORATE RESPONSIBILTY
WWW.FINNAIR.COM
DEPUTY EDITOR Laura Palotie laura.palotie@sanomamagazines.fi +358 9 120 5815 ART DIRECTOR Miia Taskinen miia.taskinen@sanomamagazines.fi LAYOUT DESIGNER Peter Sade CONTENT MANAGER Kati Heikinheimo REPROGRAPHICS Anne Lindfors, Tuukka Palmio ENGLISH TRANSLATION Wif Stenger EDITORIAL OFFICES Lapinmäentie 1, 00350 Helsinki, Finland, Postal address P.O.Box 100, 00040 Sanoma Magazines, Finland, tel. +358 9 1201, fax +358 9 120 5988, e-mail firstname.lastname@sanomamagazines.fi ADVERTISING SALES Media Assistant Sirkka Pulkkinen tel. +358 9 120 5921 PUBLISHER Sanoma Magazines Finland Oy Custom Publishing PRINTED BY Hansaprint, Turku, Finland 2013 PAPER Nova Press 70g Cover paper Lumi Art Silk 200g CIRCULATION 60,000 ISSN-0358-7703
The art of
travelling light
T
his fall I’m planning to put into practice what I learned this summer. Over the holidays I’ve packed and unpacked my bag several times. Each time I’ve re-packed only what I thought I needed – plus a few extra pieces. I have a tendency to add extra T-shirts, shorts, some-
thing festive, sweaters – just in case the temperature suddenly dips – despite the fact that I’ve checked the ten-day weather forecast for my destination. I also usually have a pretty good idea of whether or not I’ll need hiking boots or cocktail dresses. Yet, every time I return home from a trip I unpack a lot of unused, slightly crumpled clothing. I’m not the only one. I recently read a study that said 12 per cent of travellers never actually use all of the stuff they packed. Think of how much energy we would save if we
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Arja Suominen arja.suominen@finnair.com
packed more efficiently: we could lessen both the airplane’s load and our own load. Extra clothing means more stuff to carry, check in, unpack and repack.
FINNAIR HEAD OFFICE Tietotie 11 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
I’ve made a new promise: from now on I will go through and double-check everything that I’ve packed and see how much of it I can actually leave at home. Wishing you a wonderfully light journey. PS For an invaluable resource on the art and science of travelling light, go to onebag.com, nicknamed by Time magazine as “the go-light guru.” Frequent flyer Doug Dyment’s website turns the art of travelling light into a science.
SEPTEMBER 2013
32
45
20
THE EVOLUTION OF TALLINN
24
OPEN ROAMING IN FINLAND
32
A JOURNEY UP HUASHAN
40
PEOPLE-SKILLS IN BUSINESS
45
FARM HOLIDAYS IN LITHUANIA
52
TOP 5: BERLIN’S NEUKÖLLN
54
FINNAIR AND TOP CHEFS TEAM UP
60
TEA FOR TWO: JOONAS LAURILA
62
BANGKOK ON TWO WHEELS
75
WELLBEING SPECIAL
The city presents history from fresh perspectives
Hikers take shelter in free, unlocked cottages
A mountain near Xi’an has Taoist roots
Interview with business expert Ken Pasternak
A look at the country’s rural tourism trend
Snacks, bars and more in the hip neighbourhood
Star chefs create new Business Class menus
The runner and coach has beaten great odds
75
Biking culture grows in the Thai capital
Yoga trends, mindfulness and more
TRAVEL COLUMNS 6
8
10
12
14
16
NEWS
HELSINKI
BOOKS
NATURE
WELLBEING
DESTINATION
New route to Tromsø
Art, coffee and fall events
Focusing on happiness
Finnish Nature Centre opens
Care for your feet
New York’s happy hours
4 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
IN THIS ISSUE Tromsø, p. 6
REGULARS
Helsinki, p. 8 Nuuksio, p. 12 New York, p. 16 Tallinn, p. 20 Kuusamo, p. 24 Huashan, p. 32 Pamerkiai, p. 45 Berlin, p. 52 Bangkok, p. 62
18
TRAVEL MOMENT
30
SIXTEN KORKMAN
50
ALEXANDER STUBB
71
THIS MONTH AROUND THE WORLD
80
FINLAND IN FIGURES
52
54
FLYING FINNAIR
ON THE COVER: PEKKA TERÄVÄ BY PÄIVI ANITA RISTELL
New border crossings
82
Before and during the flight
83
In-flight entertainment
85
Helsinki Airport
86
Maps and destinations
88
Corporate responsibility
92
Fleet
94
Frequent flyer benefits
95
24
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
5
TRAVEL NEWS
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY KATJA PANTZAR
HELSINKI AIRPORT UPDATES
BRIGHT ARCTIC LIGHTS Tromsø
A NEW rest area opens near gate 31 as part of a pilot project. Feedback will be collected from passengers for the development of a service that incorporates rest and relaxation with Finnish nature and design innovations.
AIRSHELLS.COM
GOLD STAR Finnair holds a new Fast Travel Gold Award for implementing IATA’s Fast Travel program at Helsinki Airport, which is designed to reduce queues at airports and give passengers more options for self-service during their journey. IATA.ORG
JOINT VENTURE FINNAIR HAS JOINED the transatlantic joint business founded by fellow oneworld alliance members American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia. Finnair customers flying to North America can book flights to dozens of North American cities on one single ticket. Customers of the other three airlines now also have better access to 13 cities in Finland and the rest of Europe, thanks to efficient Nordic and Baltic connections from Finnair’s Helsinki hub. 6 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
F
innair opens a new route to Tromsø, Norway for the 2014 winter season with nonstop service three times a week from January 1 through March 28. One of Tromsø’s many attractions is the luminescent northern lights (aurora borealis). The small town is ideally located for viewing the spectacular natural phenomenon whereby lights dance in the polar sky. The capital of the Arctic, Tromsø offers an array of winter sports from downhill skiing and snowshoeing to dog- and reindeersledding. And every February, the town of 70,000 inhabitants hosts Sami Week in its role as Norwegian Lapland’s centre of Sami culture.
WARMER ESCAPES Owing to popular demand, Tel Aviv flights continue throughout the winter season starting in November. Known as Miami of the Middle East, the coastal Israeli city will be served by two weekly flights (Mondays and Fridays) designed to increase connectivity with European and Asian frequencies. Finnair also offers five scheduled flights and one charter flight a week to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Dubai, the city of superlatives with the world’s tallest buildings and fastest rollercoasters, also has the world’s largest immigrant population, making it a true multicultural mecca. FINNAIR.COM
MOST PUNCTUAL WITH 93.83 PER CENT of flights arriving or departing within 15 minutes of schedule in May and 91.14 per cent in April, Finnair is currently the world’s most reliable international carrier. This is according to Flight Stats, which supplies the travel industry and general public with real-time global flight tracking information. FLIGHTSTATS.COM
ISTOCKPHOTO
AIRSHELLS protective bags, which can be booked online, are now available for rent at the airport. Finnair recommends that customers rent the shells for items such as strollers, prams, car seats, wheelchairs and bikes.
ISTOCKPHOTO
FINNGOLD has opened two boutiques in Terminal 2 near gates 29-30 with jewellery from Swarovski, Pandora and Thomas Sabo and watches from brands such as Bering, Gant, Gucci and Michael Kors.
TRAVEL HELSINKI
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY LAURA PALOTIE
HELSINKI
HIGHLIGHTS
LAURA PALOTIE
FINLAND’S MAIN FURNITURE, interior décor and design fair, Habitare, is open to the public from September 20 to 22 at the Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre. Among its hundreds of exhibitors is iconic Finnish design company Artek, which celebrates the 80-year history of the Alvar Aaltodesigned, stackable stool. Katja Hagelstam
ART AND ESPRESSO
D
uring her two-decade-long career as a freelance photographer, Katja Hagelstam has compiled an expansive rolodex of Finnish artisans, designers and other artists – both the celebrated and the lesser known. “My eye has filtered a lot of art and design over the years, so to speak,” she says, “and I’ve found that those who work at the intersection of visual art and handicrafts don’t always get the attention they should.” While compiling her book 20 + 12 Design Stories from Helsinki for the city’s 2012 World Design Capital year, she began conceptualising a space in which she could showcase local creative work in a low-key setting. She opened Lokal (Annankatu 19), an exhibition space, showroom and café in the centre of Helsinki last April. “At first I envisioned it as a pop-up space, but because I wanted it to feel like home, I thought it should serve good coffee − so it had to have a kitchen,” says Hagelstam. “And if I was going to invest money and energy into getting this off the ground, I thought it should be a permanent space.”
8 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
The gallery features monthly exhibitions of visual art, furniture, interior design or small design goodies – and sometimes all of the above. Hagelstam’s long-standing affinity for mixing interior design and art comes across in a strong way, and coffee from Helsingin Kahvipaahtimo (Helsinki Coffee Roastery) invites guests to linger. Lokal, which recently launched an online shop, has already been featured in Japanese and German design and travel publications. Hagelstam’s endeavour is quickly turning into a family affair. Her 17and 19-year-old daughters both help with day-to-day operations. The older of the two, artist Ananya Tanttu, oversees Lokal’s social media efforts and coordinates Lokal’s young designers’ exhibition. Lokal’s summer market showcase, Tori, runs until September 8. The next exhibition, opening on September 13, will feature textile works by Kristiina Wiherheimo and Arja Lehtimäki, and furniture by Yrjö Wiherheimo, Pentti Hakala and Seppo Auvinen. LOKALHELSINKI.COM
THE ANNUAL HELSINKI DESIGN WEEK takes place from September 12 to 22, with a century-old warehouse in the Katajanokka neighbourhood serving as its headquarters. Among the events are a large design market at Helsinki’s Cable Factory, workshops for kids, a seminar entitled “Dreaming and Doing” and a series of exclusive dinners with designers at restaurants including Savoy. WITH A RECORD-BREAKING 57,000 viewers in 2012, the Helsinki International Film Festival (Love & Anarchy) is back with a line-up of 300 flicks from September 19−29. Among the featured works are Cannes Palme d’Or winner Adele: Chapters 1 & 2 and Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai’s latest, The Grandmaster. A culinary series combines food-related movies with themed dinners. In addition, a scriptwriting and film production workshop is offered for a select group of budding European talents. -Mirva Lempiäinen MESSUKESKUS.COM/EN
HELSINKIDESIGNWEEK.COM HIFF.FI/EN
ARTEK
THIS MONTH
TRAVEL BOOKS
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY KATJA PANTZAR
INVESTING IN HAPPINESS
W
ould you quit your job if it made you unhappy? Miserable employees can actually decrease company profits, while happier companies are more successful and sustainable in the long run, argues Tony Hsieh’s Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose. This New York Times bestseller has just been published in Finnish by Talentum.
Hsieh, of the US, is the CEO of Zappos, one of the world’s leading online shoe and apparel companies. Together with his “back up brain” (as he calls her), consultant Jenn Lim, he co-created a company called Delivering Happiness in 2010 to inspire contentment in work, community and everyday life. “When we started working on the book, we just thought we were putting out a business book,” says Lim, who is in Helsinki this month. “Now the book is available in 20 languages, and people regardless of age, religion and culture are realising that the happiness of ourselves and others is what we should prioritise.”
yourself ‘why’ enough times, it comes back to happiness – or the happiness of people around you.” Zappos, acquired by Amazon in 2009 for more than 1.2 billion dollars (about 920 million euros), is known for its forward-thinking corporate culture. Early initiatives included offering new hires 2,000 dollars (1,500 euros) for quitting if they were unsure about whether or not they wanted to work for Zappos. According to Lim, “The biggest challenge for a happier world is for people to act upon it.” DELIVERINGHAPPINESS.COM
HEWARD JUE
GLOBAL BLISS
Jenn Lim
Since its conception, the Delivering Happi- Jenn Lim, CEO of DeliveringHappiness, will be in Helsinki September 2−6. Events ness movement has spread to 3,100 cities include talks at Mainontapäivä and 110 countries. “Without that demand, (Advertising Day) www. we wouldn’t exist,” Lim says. “Happiness is something that mainontapaiva.com we all want in life,” she adds. and Klaus K Hotel NEW STORIES “If we ask ourselves what on September 4. Esteemed literary magazine our goals are – be it to start Granta launches three new a company, get healthier, international editions this fall have a family – if you ask in Turkey, Portugal and Finland. GRANTA.COM
TRAVEL-FRIENDLY FICTION
OTAVA
OTAVA.FI
10 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
LOVELY STORMY WEATHER MARIMEKKO’S autumn 2013 collection is inspired by weather and its influence on daily life. The collection, comprised of fabrics, tableware and kitchen accessories, includes a hardcover Weather Diary (€42) with high quality full-colour illustrations by Aino-Maija Metsola and recipes by Marimekko staff in Finnish and English. MARIMEKKO.COM
MARIMEKKO
NEW MINI-FLIP “Miki” books, inspired by the Dutch Jongbloed format, feature novels by Finnish writers such as Riikka Pulkkinen and Anna-Leena Härkönen, and translations of work by Jens Lapidus, EL James and Siri Hustvedt. Titles are currently available only in Finnish.
THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO EVERY RULE.
ROYAL OAK DIAMOND SET IN PINK GOLD.
TRAVEL NATURE
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY FRAN WEAVER
Finnish Nature Centre Haltia
THE NEW FINNISH NATURE CENTRE HALTIA SHOWCASES FINLAND’S FLORA AND FAUNA IN A LAKESIDE SETTING.
F
inland is a wanderers’ destination. Three-quarters of the country is covered by forests, equalling four hectares per citizen (read about hiking in northern Finland on page 24). You also don’t need to venture far from Helsinki to enjoy some forest air: the Nuuksio National Park is located less than 35 kilometres from the capital. This summer Nuuksio saw the opening of the Finnish Nature Centre Haltia, which offers an introduction to wilderness exploration and expects up to 200,000 visitors a year. Haltia, run by state-owned Metsähallitus Natural Heritage Services, features permanent and changing exhibitions. A special section features scenes from the “green belt” around the capital. “Our goal is to give visitors experiences that stimulate them to get outdoors,” says exhibition manager Petri Ryöppy. “Our staff can also give them practical help on planning trips.”
FOLKLORE AND ECODESIGN
The centre’s ducklike form, designed by 12 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
architect Rainer Mahlamäki, echoes the creation myth told in the Finnish Kalevala folk epic, where the universe hatches from a goldeneye duck’s egg. Inside, an eggshaped structure pays further homage to Kalevala; it houses Osmo Rauhala’s multimedia artwork in which two swans seem to be playing a life-shaping game. Haltia’s main exhibition features a panoramically filmed series of shifting seasonal scenes, as well as interactive exhibits presenting natural wonders from the arctic highlands to the Baltic islands. Younger visitors can crawl into a bear’s den or wait in a giant nest-box for a mother bird to bring food. This autumn’s temporary exhibition shows how Finnish designers have been inspired by arctic nature. The objects range from jewellery to hunting knives. The building’s cross-laminated timber elements are clad with handsome wooden surfaces in its light interiors and darker natural Finnish pine on the exterior. Haltia is designed to be 75 per cent energy selfsufficient, thanks to ground-source heat pumps, waste heat reclamation systems, a green roof, and spaces planned to optimise natural light. TREATS OF NATURE
Haltia’s café-restaurant offers both local ingredients and culinary highlights from across the country. “We have fish from the Lake District, reindeer meat from Lapland, locally sourced berries and mushrooms, and lamb from a nearby farm,” says chef Lauri Närhi. He recommends sautéed reindeer with mashed potatoes and lingonberries, best enjoyed with beer from
a Finnish microbrewery out on the terrace or by picture windows offering views over Lake Pitkäjärvi. For those who wish to lace up their hiking shoes immediately, the two-kilometre Gnome’s Trail leads from Haltia’s car park up to a rocky lakeside viewpoint. A longer trail takes trekkers off into Nuuksio National Park. HALTIA.COM
EXPLORING NUUKSIO PARK THE FINNISH NATURE CENTRE HALTIA is located on the fringes of Nuuksio National Park. Although Nuuksio is less than an hour’s drive from the centre of Helsinki, its unspoilt lakes, rocky crags and forests are rich in wildlife from moose and lynxes to elusive flying squirrels. In autumn the park is popular with berry-pickers and mushroom-gatherers. Nuuksio has many well-marked trails, but with a good map you can venture off the beaten track. The best place to start exploring the park is the info cabin at Haukkalampi. Haltia and Nuuksio can be reached by taking a train to Espoo station and changing to bus 85/85A. WWW.OUTDOORS.FI/NUUKSIO
AURA PIHA
PAAVO LEHTONEN
A ONE-STOP STEP INTO THE WILD
TRAVEL WELLBEING
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY KATJA PANTZAR
FOCUS ON
FOOT CARE IN TRANSIT
the FOOT
W
KATJA PANTZAR
e demand a lot from our Keltanen then examines a person’s pasfeet. Europeans walk ture and how he or she walks; an uneven approximately 382 kilogait or poor posture can lead to foot probmetres yearly, while for lems as well. Americans the equivalent number is 140 “People are gradually becoming more kilometres. aware of the importance of foot health,” Yet few of us properly care for says Keltanen. She recommends our feet until it’s too late, Feelmax, a line of ergonomic says Finnish podiatrist footwear invented in FinPODIATRIST Veera Keltanen. land that fit like (and “The journey look a bit like) a diving VEERA KELTANEN’S to foot care often glove. TIPS FOR THE begins with a sore “It’s the only footFREQUENT FLYER foot, which then wear that I wear. I leads people to seek 1 TAKE your shoes off in the airplane. even run with them.” out a specialist,” says 2 WEAR good inflight socks. Keltanen. She runs 3 DRINK lots of water. Vuosaaren Jalkaterapiakeskus (The Vuosaari Foot Centre), overlooking the sea in the Helsinki suburb of Aurinkolahti. “I take a somatic – whole body – approach to diagnosis, as each person is different,” says Keltanen. One of the most common problems, she says, is poorly fitting shoes; this can lead to pain, injuries and problems such as corns and calluses. “I start by looking at footwear choices; 70 to 75 per cent of Finns, for example, wear shoes that are too small,” she says. Women tend to have more podiatric issues than men, as they often wear shoes that are narrow at the toe and have a heel, whereas men tend to wear comfortable and properly fitting shoes. 14 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
WELEDA FOOT BALM (€15.80) with calendula and myrrh helps prevent blisters, odour, fungus and sweating that can lead to calluses. Burt’s Bees Coconut Foot Cream (€16.90) combines coconut oil, lanolin and glycerine to nourish dry feet. Finnish Dermosil has a foot therapy line including peppermint bath salt, a sugar crystal and almond shell scrub and antiperspirant spray. (€3.70−8.30). Columbia’s Powerdrain Cool (€89.95, pictured) is a hybrid shoe that goes from city to beach and bush. It comes with drainage ports in the heel and toe to keep your feet dry and cool. WELEDA.FI
BURTSBEES.COM
DERMOSHOP.COM COLUMBIA.COM
Read Blanca Juti’s interview with foot and running expert Joonas Laurila on page 60.
DID YOU KNOW? • EACH FOOT contains 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, 19 muscles and associated tendons. The bones in your feet account for about a quarter of your total number of bones. When foot bones are out of alignment, so is the rest of the body. • CONDITIONS such as diabetes, nerve and circulatory disorders and arthritis can display their initial symptoms in the feet. FOOT.COM
TRAVEL DESTINATION
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY TIMOTHY HARPER
A MANHATTAN HAPPY HOUR RECOMMENDATIONS
M
any American contributions to world culture are well known, such as jazz and basketball. But perhaps no invention from the US draws more regular participation than happy hour, the habit of gathering in the early evening for conversation and drinks at reduced prices at a pub, tavern, saloon or cocktail lounge. The phrase “happy hour” originated in the US Navy early in the 20th century, describing the occasional periods of shipboard leisure when sailors engaged in sporting competitions such as boxing and wrestling. In the 1920s during Prohibition, when there were no legal bars, people gathered in each other’s homes or in speak-easies for cocktails before dinner. After the Second World War, going out for drinks after 5 pm became a routine part of office culture. The term “happy hour” for after-work drinks became a common reference after a 1959 Saturday Evening Post article describing shipboard leisure time. “[Happy hour] is like flicking a switch from the workday to the evening – from on-deadline to decompressing, from structured time to shooting-the-breeze,” says New York-based food writer Indrani Sen. Today, many establishments attract the after-work crowd with happy hour deals including reduced-price drinks and food, and sometimes free snacks or entertain-
16 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
ment. But Americans commonly use the term “happy hour” for late afternoon or early evening drinks anywhere, including in their homes. New York, with its office towers and thousands of bars and pubs, is the beating heart of happy hour. Some places are darkly timeless, evoking Mad Men and the 1960s – especially the classic hotel bars of the Plaza, the Waldorf-Astoria and the Carlyle. Others are devoted to mixology, with vigorous bartenders conjuring up cocktails out of unlikely combinations. Many happy hours reflect the culture of the nearby offices: bars that attract lawyers and stockbrokers have a different feel than pubs that cater to the fashion industry or the start-ups. For young people, happy hour is an easy way to save cash. “Instead of spending your hard-earned dollars on expensive drinks and food, you can drop less than 20 dollars and go home feeling warm and full,” says Linnea Covington, who writes for several New York entertainment publications. She adds that going out right after work can get office workers home early enough for a good night’s sleep before getting up and doing it all over again.
FINNAIR flies nonstop daily to New York.
Midtown: BXL East (210 East 51st Street) and BXL Café (125 West 43rd Street) appeal to an upscale crowd with Belgian beers and bar snacks, sometimes including all-you-can-eat deals on mussels or oysters. Blue Ruin (538 Ninth Avenue) is a genuine dive bar, a favourite among grad students, where the always-cheap beer is even cheaper in the early evenings. The cosy Flute (205 West 54th Street) has two-person nooks, specials on champagne and sometimes live jazz. Downtown: The Beekman Pub (15 Beekman Street) is a Financial District watering hole with happy hour deals. The renowned Mermaid Oyster Bar (79 MacDougal Street) offers low prices on drinks and oysters on the half shell. Blind Tiger (281 Bleecker Street), a beer lover’s mecca, typically has reduced prices on wine and beer, including cask ale. Boxers (37 West 20th Street) is a gay-friendly sports bar and happy hour haven, with half-price drinks starting at 4 pm. Uptown: Harlem’s upscale landmark Red Rooster (310 Lenox Avenue, at 126th Street), led by Ethiopian-Swedish superchef Marcus Samuelsson, offers happyhour specials. Dive Bar (732 Amsterdam Avenue, at 96th Street) is a classic neighbourhood sports bar with a friendly staff and bargains from its long craft beer list.
ISTOCKPHOTO
AARON BAWOL
IN NEW YORK CITY, you never have to look hard to find half-price or two-for-one drinks and bargains on tacos or tapas. Look for a happy hour sign, slide onto a barstool and strike up a conversation.
M-Boxi Airport
Helsinki-Vantaa Airport Gates 27 & 33 01510 Vantaa www.m-boxi.fi
M-Boxi City
Galleria Esplanad Pohjoisesplanadi 33 00100 Helsinki
www.rimowa.com
18 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
TRAVEL MOMENT BY TIM BIRD
CATCHING THE SHIBUYA SHOW ONE OF TOKYO’S most iconic spots is the Shibuya crossing. People in the Japanese capital come here simply to experience the spectacle of the lights changing and the subsequent regulated flow of traffic and humanity.
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
19
20 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
UNDER CONSTRUCTION TEXT BY TIM BIRD
PHOTOS BY TIM BIRD AND GETTY IMAGES
ESTONIA’S CAPITAL SHOWS TOURISTS A CHANGING ARCHITECTURAL FACE WHILE DRAWING ON ITS COMPLEX HISTORY.
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
21
GO ONLINE Seaplane Harbour LENNUSADAM.EU/EN
Kumu KUMU.EE/EN Bastion Tunnels LINNAMUUSEUM.EE/KOK/EN
The Seaplane Harbour museum illustrates Estonian maritime history.
A bust of Lenin at Kumu is a reminder of Estonia’s troubled past.
22 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
KGB Museum at Sokos Hotel Viru SOKOSHOTELS.FI
A
ccording to an Estonian legend, it’s a good idea to answer carefully if an old man approaches you and asks whether the building of Tallinn has been finished. If you answer “yes,” the mythical man will cast a spell on the nearby Lake Ülemiste and flood the city. In light of this legendary incentive, perhaps it’s no surprise that development and construction in Tallinn have been brisk in recent years. A mini-Manhattan of shiny glass facades has sprung up alongside the capital city’s much-loved, UNESCOhonoured Old Town skyline of church spires and turrets. At the same time, visitors are discovering that there is more to the city than roasted almonds, hand-knitted woollen gloves and jumpers, medieval markets and sweet Vana Tallinn liqueur. The most impressive new attraction is the Seaplane Harbour on the western side of Tallinn’s port shoreline. Housed under a tripledomed hangar dating back a century, this exciting museum, augmented by a small fleet of historic vessels moored on the adjacent quays, takes visitors on a tour of Estonian and Baltic maritime history. A canopy walkway guides you through tales of smuggling and stories of daring wartime escapes across the frozen Baltic to the museum’s centrepiece, the British-built Lembit submarine. It served in the pre-war Estonian navy as well as that of the former USSR. When it opened in 2012, the Seaplane Harbour added a second new top-class attraction to Tallinn’s catalogue. The first was the Kumu Art Museum, the modern section of the national art museum set on the edge of the rambling Kadriorg Park. Kumu has been open since 2006, but its bold circle-section design is eternally fresh and contrasts with the Baroque details of the nearby Tsarist-period Kadriorg Palace. Kumu’s highlights include a permanent exhibition
of Estonian art from the end of the Second World War up until “re-independence.” Entitled Difficult Choices, the exhibition is an edgy mix of post-war Soviet realism, modernism and pop art. TUNNEL THROUGH TIME Back in the Old Town, some imaginative twists breathe new life into familiar themes. In the Bastion Tunnels under the slopes of Toompea Hill, visitors get insight into the history of these wonderfully spooky 17th century dungeons. Apart from accommodating tramps and a rare species of spider, the tunnels served as actual air raid shelters during Soviet attacks in the Second World War and as a prospective refuge from nuclear attack. The Soviet era is also brought back to life in the KGB Museum at the top of the Viru Hotel. Now under Finnish management, the Viru was one of just two hotels open to Western tourists during Estonia’s murky Soviet years from its opening in 1972 until the collapse of Soviet rule. Some 60 of the hotel’s rooms were bugged, and the listening devices and other tools of the espionage trade are on show in this chamber of revealed secrets. The 23rd floor of the Viru, to which the elevator did not extend and to which pre-arranged visits are now possible, was known as the hotel’s “technical area.” This was where the conversations of visiting journalists, diplomats and businessmen were monitored. “We want to show visitors how absurd life was in the Soviet days rather than concentrate on the horror stories,” says guide Jaana Sampetova, leading a tour group through a door still labelled Siin ei ole midagi – “there’s nothing in here” – a comically self-defeating deterrent to any inquiring mind. RUSTIC LUXURY Estonia’s determination to look ahead without losing contact with the past is evident outside but within easy reach of Tallinn (about 90 kilometres away) at the Vihula Manor. Located in the Lahemaa National Park, the manor and a surrounding cluster of picturesque farm buildings was founded in the 16th century. Today Vihula combines that period charm with modern luxury accommodation. Some of this, including superior family rooms, a “Zen Suite” and a swimming pool, is housed in a converted cattle barn. Bike rental is available for quick spins down to the Baltic coast, just five kilometres away, or longer explorations of the manors and verdant country roads. There’s an Eco-Spa, a kissing tower for romantic souls, an exhibition hall and soothing riverside walks. Vihula exudes an agreeable sense of completion, but since it’s an hour’s drive to the east of Tallinn, there is no need to worry about the legendary Ülemiste flood threat. l
daily.
FINNAIR flies nonstop to Tallinn several times
Visitor conversations were monitored at the Viru Hotel during the Soviet era.
TALLINN TASTES IN RECENT YEARS a dynamic restaurant scene has emerged in Tallinn, providing a creative and confident take on Estonian fare. Rustic menus served by staff in medieval period costumes paying tribute to the city’s medieval Hansa era are a well-established feature here. New restaurants, however, opt for a modern approach without shunning traditional ingredients. On the edge of the Old Town, MEKK makes a feasible claim to serve the “essence of Estonian cuisine” and gathers its cheeses, fish and meat as well as vegetables and berries from organic farms. MEKK.EE
Another new arrival, Neh, is the more casual urban sister of the hugely successful Alexander at the outof-town Pädaste Manor on Muhu island. It presents fresh country dishes in an informal bistro ambience. NEH.EE
Vihula Manor boasts great dining in the form of the elegant La Boheme restaurant in the main manor house, featuring menus drawn up from the estate’s own gardens and eco-farm, and supplemented by an excellent wine cellar. VIHULAMANOR.COM
Vihula Manor combines period charm with modern luxury. SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
23
WHAT’S MINE IS YOURS OPEN WILDERNESS HUTS IN FINLAND’S NATIONAL PARKS ARE EMBLEMATIC OF THE COUNTRY’S FAMOUSLY BOUNDARY-FREE HIKING CULTURE. TEXT BY ANTTI LAIHO
PHOTOS BY ARTTU MUUKKONEN
W
e arrive in Kuusamo in northeastern Finland, just south of Lapland, on a June evening. There are patches of snow on the ground, and the leaves on the birch trees are tiny. A few alpine skiers are training on the slopes of the popular Ruka ski resort, where the season usually stretches from October to mid-June. This is a reminder of Finland’s varied nature: in Helsinki it is +20 Celsius and sunny. With the bright midnight sun offering us guidance, we head into the neighbouring Oulanka national park, where the trails are still sparsely populated: the high season at Finland’s third most popular national park is the late summer and autumn. Oulanka’s hilly landscape contains forests of pine trees and river valleys with steep sand banks, gushing rapids and waterfalls.
24 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
The main hiking trail is the 80-kilometre Karhunkierros (“Bear’s Trail”), stretching from Hautajärvi in the municipality of Salla to Kuusamo. It was marked in the 1950s and has since become the most popular trail within Finland’s national park system. Bear’s Trail includes shorter routes suitable for day hikes, but for those who wish to make it a multi-day affair, a tent isn’t necessary: the park is home to seven overnight wilderness huts, a staple of Finnish nature travel. Everyman’s right − the freedom to hike, camp and pick wild berries or mushrooms almost anywhere − is a key selling point for nature travellers to the Nordic region. In northern Finland, a network of hundreds of uninhabited cottages give additional comfort for hikers and skiers by providing a free, dry place to stay. We walk along the high banks of Kitka River to Siilastupa wilderness hut. The cot-
tage is almost empty when we arrive: only one hiker is snoozing inside his sleeping bag on the lower bunk. We settle in quietly and crawl into our own bags. OPEN-DOOR POLICY Wilderness huts in Finland’s national parks are a longstanding tradition. Intended for a single night’s stay, some of the wilderness huts are open to anyone, while some can be reserved ahead of time for a nightly fee. There are also day huts that are not meant for overnight use: there is one of these in Oulanka as well. Communal responsibility is a prerequisite for the hut system: everyone is responsible of the cleanliness of the hut, chops wood, takes away the trash – and respects fellow hikers. If the hut is full, the first person to arrive will have to make room for the last. Most of the open wilderness huts are owned and maintained by Metsähallitus Natural Heritage Services, a state organisation that administers more than seven million hectares of stateowned land and water areas. There are roughly 340 huts in its roster. Most of them are located in the northern and eastern parts of the country, but a few open wilderness huts are also found on the islands on the Gulf of Finland. The most comprehensive network of wilderness
huts is in the Urho Kekkonen National Park in eastern Lapland. There are 38 huts in that park alone. Liisa Kajala, senior advisor at Metsähallitus, says that some open wilderness huts in particularly crowded areas have been changed to day huts to accommodate a growing number of users. Other new services, inside the Pallas-Ylläs National Park, for example, travellers are encouraged to hike from village to village instead of staying overnight at a wilderness hut. This way those who wish to sleep in a less rustic setting might have an incentive to get outdoors. “Our goal is to attract people to nature and exercise. We believe that this has a positive effect on public health,” says Kajala. DOWN THE RIVER When we wake up in the morning, the lone hiker is already taking off. He says he is German, and planning to walk the entire 80-kilometre length of Karhunkierros. We are on a different mission. Kitka and Oulanka Rivers both run through the national park and meet just before entering Russia to the east of the park. Oulanka River is a popular destination for canoeists, while Kitka is regularly navigated
WHAT IS EVERYMAN’S RIGHT? IN THE NORDIC COUNTRIES everyone can enjoy the forests, fells, lakes and rivers with very few restrictions on both public and private land. Everyman’s right states that people may walk, ski or ride their bikes on both public and private land as long as they do not disturb or cause damage to property or nature. Temporary camping is allowed, as long as one maintains a reasonable distance to people’s homes. Cutting down trees, setting a fire, driving a motorized vehicle or hunting without permission, however, is not allowed. Learn more about Everyman’s Right in Finland:
ROVANIEMI
ENVIRONMENT.FI
26 BLUE WINGS
KUUSAMO
SEPTEMBER 2013
OULU
Siilastupa is one of the most popular huts along Bear’s Trail in Kuusamo.
on rafts and kayaks. Our plan is to run the rapids of Kitka by raft. The weather is chilly, but we have prepared with layered clothing, and the adrenaline helps us stay warm. River guides can be hired at Basecamp Oulanka (BASECAMPOULANKA.FI/EN), an adventure outfitter based in the heart of Oulanka with easy access to the park’s trails and rivers. The company, which operates a wilderness hotel and restaurant, also offers hiking and Nordic walking programmes. Our adventure starts with a gentle paddle across Ala-Juumajärvi lake. On the way we learn the calls and practice the skills needed to navigate the raft through the rapids. The first rapid, Niskakoski, is a gentle one. The second, Myllykoski, is short but intense. We pass an old mill by a few inches and water splashes over the raft.
Wilderness huts are simply outfitted.
FREE WILDERNESS HUTS ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE.
ADVENTURE SEEKERS AND WONDERERS Metsähallitus has conducted research with the University of Eastern Finland and found that people head into the region’s national parks for many different reasons. We would be categorised as “exercising nature explorers,” visitors who seek out physical activity, adventure and nature-related skills. Other visitors might classified as “nature-oriented relaxation seekers” or “social self-developers.” The number of people visiting the Finnish national parks each year has doubled over the past decade, to two million. The large national parks up north see the most visitors: in 2012
Dried reindeer meat is a traditional hiking snack.
Rafting along Kuusamo’s rivers offers opportunities for thrills and scenery-gazing.
INFORMATION METSÄHALLITUS Natural Heritage Services administers about 340 wilderness huts around the country. OPEN HUTS: l All of Finland: about 290 l Lapland: about 190 l Ostrobothnia: about 70 l Southern Finland: about 15 HUTS AVAILABLE FOR BOOKING: l All of Finland: 43 l Lapland: 34 l Ostrobothnia: 9 l Price is typically 10 euros per sleeper. NATUREGATE, a free and recently upgraded Android and iOS mobile app, allows you to identify and record your observations of flora and fauna in Finland and around the world, including plants, trees, birds, fish and butterflies.
NORTHERN PARKS SEE THE MOST VISITORS.
TWO SIDES OF AN ADVENTURE The rafting adventure at Kitka river takes us through the 800-metre Aallokkokoski Rapid, which looks like a huge, bumpy hill from the top, then around Jyrävä, a nine-metre waterfall, and later down the gentle, lower parts of the river in a deep canyon. Just after Kitka River joins Oulanka River – and before the rivers enter Russia – we reach the shore again. Here the river is calm and the surrounding nature is silent. Adrenaline gives way to silence. This is the way I like the Finnish nature: thrilling one moment and harmonious the next. l FINNAIR flies nonstop to Kuusamo daily.
OUTDOORS.FI
28 BLUE WINGS
almost half a million people visited Pallas-Ylläs, and more than 300,000 visited Urho Kekkonen National Park. In southern Finland, one of the most popular destinations is Nuuksio National Park in Espoo, only a 30-minute drive from Helsinki (see our story on the Finnish Nature Center Haltia in Nuuksio on page 12).
SEPTEMBER 2013
petrifun.fi
EUROPEAN VOICES BY SIXTEN KORKMAN
Why the euro?
W
hen asked to assess the French Revolution, the Chinese leader Zhou Enlai reportedly answered: “too early to tell.” Indeed, big changes require a longterm perspective. Europe’s Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) is still a young project. While the eurozone has been suffering from seemingly unresolvable difficulties for five years now, the jury is still out on what will happen next. Only time will tell whether the euro will become the success we are hoping for, or the disaster critics have been predicting. But why was the euro set up in the first place? There was nothing inevitable about the Maastricht Agreement of 1992. On the contrary, establishing a currency without a state was a historically unique experiment, a jump into the unknown. THERE ARE FOUR MAIN EXPLANATIONS to why this jump was taken. First, historically Europe has been strongly attached to fixed exchange rates. Most countries have sought monetary stability by pegging their exchange rate to gold, the dollar or the German D-Mark. However, such pegs are vulnerable to speculation. In a world with large and free capital flows, one has to choose between floating exchange rates and a common currency. In the early 1990s, Europe’s decision makers wanted to protect the internal market against potentially disruptive swings in exchange rates by making such swings impossible. Second, joining a monetary union with Germany and setting up a strong and independent central bank was seen as an attractive way to achieve credibility for price stability. In addition, all members of EMU would have a say on monetary policy rather than simply having to adapt to decisions made by Germany’s Bundesbank. 30 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
Third, there was the long-standing dream of Europe taking steps towards an “ever-closer union,” with a federal “United States of Europe” as the final destination. German chancellors and French presidents have viewed EMU as a step – or a big leap – in that integration process.
WITH EUROPE’S FUTURE ON THE TABLE, THE STAKES ARE HIGH. Finally, there was the fall of the Berlin Wall in November of 1989, and its aftermath. German reunification raised concerns and gave impetus to French and German aspirations for integration through monetary unification. The Maastricht Treaty not only laid the foundation for the single currency but also set a timetable for its adoption. Was setting up the euro a wise choice? This has been, and will be, a controversial issue. In retrospect, the EMU was based on high-flying political ambitions and wishful thinking. The monetary union is now operating in a world different from the one envisaged two decades ago. The crisis in the eurozone is far from over. The original construction suffered from flaws of design, which need to be corrected. However we evaluate the choices made decades ago, we can’t go back. The EMU must be made to work. This is the challenge faced by national and euro area decision makers. With Europe’s future on the table, the stakes are high. l Aalto University professor Sixten Korkman has worked as Managing Director of the Economic Research Institute of the Finnish Economy (ETLA) and Director General at the Council of the European Union’s Directorate for Economic and Social Affairs. His latest book is Talous ja Utopia (“Economy and Utopia”).
Planning the next move? Make Bureau Veritas your check mate. Bureau Veritas is a global leader in testing, inspection and certification, delivering high quality services to help clients meet the growing challenges of quality, safety, environmental protection and social responsibility. We offer tailored support for your local and global business. Please visit us at www.bureauveritas.fi
THE TAO OF HUASHAN AN ANCIENT PLACE OF PILGRIMAGE NEAR THE CHINESE CITY OF XI’AN OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEST ONE’S PHYSICAL LIMITS AND REFLECT IN MELLOW MOUNTAIN AIR. TEXT BY KIT GILLET
32 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
PHOTOS BY TUOMAS HARJUMAASKOLA
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
33
Scaling the Black Dragon Ridge takes time, bravery and a great deal of energy.
Near the summit many rent heavy military coats to ward off the cold.
Heart-stopping drops accompany many sections of the Soldier’s Trail.
34 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
I
t is 5:30 a.m and the East Peak of the Chinese holy mountain of Huashan is already filled with crowds of people. The peak is enveloped in darkness, and many of the young men and women around me are sitting on boulders, wrapped up tightly in padded coats. Some are holding flashlights, necessary for the nighttime climb up the precipitous mountain paths that eventually lead to the top of a 2,100-metrehigh cliff face – said to offer majestic views of the rising sun. For several days the skies around the mountain have been misty. Few of those huddled together expect to see the sunrise clearly, but that hasn’t stopped them, or me, from gathering at the roof of one of the holiest mountains in China. For more than 2,000 years Huashan has been an important spot for Taoism – a Chinese religion and philosophical belief system that emphasises the need to live in harmony with the flow of the world. Taoism has long been a key shaper of Chinese society. Huashan is one of five sacred Taoist mountains in China – there are also four holy Buddhist mountains – and has long been a place of pilgrimage and the setting of legends. One tale has it that Huashan is home to the god of the underworld. Taoist hermits, some of whom are said to have lived for centuries, once climbed Huashan’s craggy peaks in order to isolate themselves from the outside world to seek enlightenment. From as early as the 2nd century BCE there are reports of a Taoist temple at the base of the mountain, located 120 kilometres east of the old Chinese trade capital of Xi’an. Its close proximity and easy access to one of China’s main tourist attractions, Xi’an’s Terracotta Warriors, has recently boosted Huashan’s reputation as a destination in its own right.
“This mountain is just stunning,” one Swedish visitor tells me, late at night near one of the few guesthouses situated on the mountaintop. I had arrived the day before my sunrise vigil, taking the recently built high-speed train line from the provincial capital of Xi’an to Huashan North Station and then a short bus ride to the base of the mountain. In the space of just over an hour I had gone from booming metropolis and major tourist destination to startling nature – from modern capitalist China to the China of myths and legends. Arriving at the base of the mountain visitors can look up at the towering North Peak above, following with their eyes the cable cars route that now offers an easy route up for those wanting to get to the summit more quickly. Many visitors, however, opt to take the legendary Soldier’s Trail. The three-hour hike up the Soldier’s Trail to the first of the five peaks is a suitably taxing and intense beginning to a journey up Huashan. From the base of the mountain, a stark path was long ago carved into the rock-face. Steps have been hacked out of sheer rock by hand in what still remains an awe-inspiring show of faith and dedication. In the old days, scaling the paths up to the summit of Huashan was considered a test of faith and fortitude. As the mountain became more of a tourist destination in the 1990s, efforts were made to improve some of the more dangerous sections of the path, with safety railings added throughout in order to prevent people from falling. Safety measures have become increasingly important during the warmer months, when groups set off from the base of the mountain with flashlights at around 11 pm in order to climb through the night and arrive at the East Peak in time for sunrise.
HUASHAN IS AN IMPORTANT SPOT FOR TAOISM.
INTO MYTHICAL CHINA Nowadays visitors to Huashan are more likely to be tourists than pilgrims, but the mountain does not offer its delights easily. Even those who come for purely recreational reason still leave the mountaintop with a sense of spirituality and wonder.
INTO THE CLOUDS Climbing today’s path in the daylight you can still see sections of the older Soldier’s Trail, where the route follows an almost vertical path up the mountainside. Workers, busy constructing a new section of the path, laugh when I ask if it is possible to follow one particularly intense section. “No one takes that path anymore, it isn’t safe and you would die,” I’m told with a smile. SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
35
PILGRIMS ENGRAVE PADLOCKS WITH THEIR PRAYERS AND WISHES.
Reaching the North Peak, the first of the five peaks, the path levels out at a crowded temple. Soon it rises again, along a thin ridge-top path known as Black Dragon Ridge. On either side of the path the landscape falls away sharply and the ridge feels almost like a stairway to heaven, filled with men and women labouring against the steep ascent. The scenery at Huashan is suitably fitting for a holy mountain, with knife-blade ridges, sheer rock faces, beautiful cherry blossoms in the spring and views that stretch out over the vast countryside as far as the eye can see. I WAS HERE As part of tradition, pilgrims to Chinese holy mountains often engrave padlocks with their prayers and wishes, and then leave them locked to something on the mountainside. Running alongside the paths at Huashan thousands of padlocks have been left attached to the heavy-duty safety railings that have been placed all over the mountain – over the two-day hike I will pass hundreds of thousands of them, if not more. Along the way the trails also pass by many ancient temple buildings carved out of the rocks themselves. Nearby, Taoist messages have been painstakingly inscribed into the cliff faces. These are constant reminders that this isn’t simply a mountain but an important religious site. Five hours into my hike I reach the West Peak, also known as Lotus Flower Summit. In the courtyard of a picturesque temple nestled tightly against the peak Bao Ming, a middle-aged Taoist monk, tells me about his life on Huashan.
36 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
The temple at Huashan’s Central Peak houses an ornate Taoist altar.
“I’ve lived up here for almost five years,” he says, pointing to a small side room off of the main temple where he sleeps. “I’ve followed Taoism since I was a child, and this is where my belief has brought me.” Bao Ming is one of two monks living at the West Peak, offering incense and prayers for those who make their way up to the temple. As the sun begins to go down I stop at a small guesthouse near the East Peak. The temperature drops rapidly and stars begin to appear throughout the sky. Lights from the few other temples and guesthouses on the mountaintop can be seen in the distance, but little else is visible and the silence is almost deafening. With little to do or see, and with an early morning ahead, I turn in for the night. DANGER AND SERENITY The next morning I make my way towards the nearby peak and wait for the sun that never quite materializes from behind the mist. Instead, I head to the Long Sky Dangerous Road, one of the most hair-raising sections of the mountain and a major draw for those seeking adventure. Located on a sheer cliff-face, the road is little more than a two-foot-wide wooden plank nailed into solid
”Suosittelen Vantaan Energiaa sähkön myyjänä . *)
Toyota pyrkii huomioimaan ympäristön kaikessa toiminnassaan. Siksi myös vesivoimalla tuotettu puhdas sähkö on meille luonteva valinta.”
Toyota Auto Finland Oy:n hallintojohtaja Harri Heinonen
*) Vantaan Energian asiakastyytyväisyystutkimuksen mukaan 89 % suosittelisi Vantaan Energiaa mielellään tai erittäin mielellään.
www.vantaanenergia.fi
ISTOCKPHOTO
Metal railings have been added to some of Huashan’s paths.
rock above a sheer drop of hundreds of feet; it is hard to imagine how it was once navigated without harnesses, let alone how it was constructed in the first place. Nowadays, those wanting to experience it are strapped into harnesses in order to traverse the plank path and reach the small cave temple at the far end. Inside the small cave a solitary Taoist statue sits serenely in the darkness, illuminated only by a few candles. Even in this seemingly impossible place to reach, Taoist devotees on Huashan have left signs of their faith. As the day heats up I begin to make my way back towards the Black Dragon Ridge and the North Peak. Crowds of young couples and families are working their way towards the far peaks. We pass one another on thin mountain paths never made with two-way traffic in mind. After many more hours of hiking, I finally reach the North Peak and jump aboard one of the cable cars for the final leg of the journey. Relaxing in my seat I glance down at the small dots below, each one a person climbing towards the summit of one of China’s holiest mountains. It certainly feels like a worthy pilgrimage, whether spiritual or personal. Two hours later I am back in the frantic lights of Xi’an, sipping a martini. l Huashan’s sceneries vary dramatically between seasons.
38 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
FINNAIR flies nonstop to Xi’an three times weekly until October 25.
A DIFFERENT VIEW TO ENGINEERING Neste Jacobs is a preferred solution provider of high-quality technology, engineering and project services for a wide range of industries in the oil and gas, petrochemicals, chemicals and biotechnology fields.
nestejacobs.com
E XC E L L E N C E I N E N G I N E E R I N G
THE IMPORTANCE OF PEOPLE SKILLS PREVAILS AMONG YOUNG GRADUATES ENTERING CORPORATE LIFE IN A DIGITAL AGE, SAYS HELSINKI-BASED MANAGEMENT EXPERT KEN PASTERNAK.
WANTE T
D:
YOUTH WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TEXT BY JORMA LEPPÄNEN
ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARIKA EEROLA
his autumn, millions of young people around the world enrol in higher education. Much has been reported about rising numbers of youth unemployment and changes in corporate culture: a need for an entrepreneurial attitude, an increased focus on technical skills and a more uncertain employment landscape. According to Finnish-American author, consultant, educator and former banker Ken Pasternak, who has been working in the global business arena for 40 years, universities and companies should merge the importance of long-standing values with an understanding of fresh skill sets and mindsets. In many ways, he says, universities and new graduates should understand that employer attitudes and priorities do not vastly change from one era to the next. A graduate of Yale University in the US, Pasternak worked 22 years for Citibank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He has advised executives in many industries internationally for almost two decades as a consultant in management development. “One enduring truth in my experience is that most companies have short institutional memories. The larger and more complex the organisation is, the shorter the memory. Methodologies, approaches and even teaching materials are recycled more often than one would think. So, we can learn a lot from the past.” On the other hand, new drivers are shaping business life. Pasternak says the young, digitally oriented generation is used to cutting the corners of old hierarchies and doing things rapidly.
40 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
“Knowledge is disseminated quickly through networks and social media. Some forms of problem solving, like [the idea of ] ‘looking up and sharing,’ have changed the ways in which youth work. Professors and managers have to get used to this,” he says. “[However,] corporations cannot always deliver on the high expectations of Millennials.”
PARALLEL EXPECTATIONS A recent study by McKinsey Center of Government reveals that employers, education providers and young people pay attention to vastly different things. “They live in parallel universes,” Pasternak says. According to the McKinsey study, half of the 4,500 young people surveyed in nine countries were not sure about whether or not their postsecondary education had improved their chances of finding a job. With 75 million young people unemployed around the world, this is an alarming trend. Pasternak says that educators should increase dialogue and improve cooperation with employers. “Through dialogue there can be a convergence of goals, which can result in mutually beneficial, collective actions,” he explains.
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
41
graduating. Managers and team leaders should be able to take on different roles during different phases of a project, and potential leaders should be found on all levels of an organisation. “Encouraging this kind of leadership is essential in teamwork,” says Pasternak.
TIMELESS TALENTS Pasternak says that he sees a growing need for corporations to return to skills that were highly valued years ago. “If we look at what a student normally is taught in university and graduate school, we often see too many technical skills and too few people skills.” He adds that an economics degree in banking, for example, is undoubtedly beneficial, “but if you are a trader, relationships manager or consumer banker, you need skills that are quite different from those of an economist.” Adept interpersonal skills can also provide a competitive edge. “If you want to keep your customers, you need to treat them in a way that makes them feel a sense of loyalty and belonging,” Pasternak explains. “I’m not suggesting that technical skills are not necessary. For example, there is a growing need for a capability to manipulate ‘big data.’ But because employees with undergraduate degrees are able to handle the basic technical skills, there is already a decline in the need for MBAs as technical number crunchers.” According to Pasternak, employers are also increasingly looking to hiring people with undergraduate degrees and educating them in-house, on-the-job; this is a cost-efficient way to develop talent. Investing in education pertaining to people skills is a sure bet because the need will always be there, no matter how far technology advances and how the company’s focus changes. “Even for an engineer managing a big construction project, the soft skills are the most essential ones. The reason why big projects are delayed and fail is very often poor project management, not a lack of technical competency.” Aki Seeck, former teacher in tactics at Finland’s Defence Forces and head of the Solutions and Content team at Aalto University Executive Education (Aalto EE) in Helsinki, agrees. “Modern businesses with their complex matrix organisations and cross-cultural teams present a challenge to educators. New innovations in ICT help manage the value chain, but we still need soft skills in order to connect with customers, employees and other stakeholders in a way that builds trust.” Students should gain some experience in cross-functional, cross-cultural and cross-geographical teams before
MINDSET MAKES A DIFFERENCE When Pasternak started his banking career, his boss gave him only one piece of advice: “Always act professionally.” “I recall not quite understanding what my boss meant, [because] I didn’t have the experience or perspective. Over time I have developed my own code of professionalism, and studied what experts say being professional means. It’s very much about how you treat people, be they employees, partners or customers,” Pasternak says. “It is important to note that when graduates fail to succeed in their early work life, it is usually not because they are technically incompetent. They fail because they are not able to forge the kind of working relationships that are required in companies.” Pasternak says that while technical competency is considered crucial, a vast majority of the most highly rated skills pertain to behaviours. “Reliability, honesty, integrity, continual learning, supporting others, listening carefully and staying focused are valued in professional communities. They should be valued in universities, too.” Aki Seeck says that negotiation skills should be added to this list. “If we could negotiate better, our business relationships would be better. This can be easily understood if we look at how the best services companies do business, or if we look at the best negotiators in world politics.” Pasternak adds that in many fast-moving industries recruiters may not even know what kind of skill sets they will be looking for in future years. “But they do know the fundamental mindset of the people they want,” he says. Authors and business experts James Reed and Paul Stoltz published research on companies across Europe, Asia and the Americas in their 2011 book, Put Your Mindset to Work. According to their surveys of employers, 96 per cent picked mindset over skillset as the key element in those they recruited and wanted to retain. To put it simply, employees with the right mindset are valuable to companies because they are interested in the people they work with. Technically competent, young employees can also help companies deliver their brand promise in new ways. “There will be a growing need to learn to predict customer choice. Companies need people with technical skills in handling data, but also people with intuition to make vital creative decisions,” Pasternak says. As these projects often require cross-cultural teamwork, self-awareness is crucial. “Young people should know themselves and their own culture before they go out into the world. I believe universities can help them in this. ‘Know thyself,’ as Socrates put it, is still a valuable piece of advice.” l
INVESTING IN PEOPLE SKILLS IS A SURE BET.
42 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
OSLO TEEMA
ANNMA A J H PO YT AT N SOHV TA! IS ISKU
TEXAS
Raikasta skandinaavista muotoilua edustavat Pohjanmaantuotteet valmistetaan alueen luontoa ja pitkiä käsityöperinteitä kunnioittaen. Valmistajan missiona on tehdä maailmasta mukavampi tuottamalla ekologisesti kestävällä tavalla laadukkaita huonekaluja. Laadusta kertoo sohville ja lepotuoleille myönnettävä 20 vuoden runkotakuu.
www.pohjanmaan.fi
PIDÄ OMAT RAHAT OMASSA KASSASSA. Yksi työeläkeyhtiö pitää huolen siitä, että yrityksesi maksaa työeläkemaksuja kuukausittain sen minkä pitää. Ei liikaa eikä liian vähän. Varsinkin epävakaissa suhdanteissa on hyvä juttu, että kassassa on juuri sen verran kuin sinne kuuluu. Homma hoituu yksinkertaisimmin Eteran kuukausi-ilmoituksen avulla. Vaihda työeläkevakuutukset nopeaan ja sujuvaan Eteraan.
Lue lisää osoitteesta etera./sujuvampi
CountryGROWN
LITHUANIA, WHERE A THIRD OF THE POPULATION LIVES IN RURAL AREAS, IS INVESTING IN AGRICULTURAL TOURISM.
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY YAROSLAVA TROYNICH
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
45
Even traditional village houses have basketball courts in Lithuania (Farmstay Grikucis is pictured here).
T
he bee pacifier – a metal jar puffing out eye-stinging smoke that’s supposed to calm down these buzzing insects – doesn’t seem to be working. The infuriated bee colony takes off from its blue home and heads straight in my direction. Fortunately I’m prepared: overed with a mosquito-netted hat and protective white robe, I look like a cross between a heart surgeon and an astronaut. As dozens of bees swarm around my head, I watch Laima Mačionienė reach into a hive and pull out honeycombs, returning the ones containing bee eggs. The residents protest by trying to sneak under our hats and inside our sleeves. By the time we load up our wheelbarrow with sticky honeycombs, Mačionienė has been stung, but I miraculously get away without a single bite. Today my other farm holiday chores include picking berries, grinding flour, churning butter, and making pancakes for lunch. In order not let me go idle for a single moment, Mačionienė’s husband Kostas teaches me to carve a spoon out of wood. In the after-
I PICK BERRIES, GRIND FLOUR AND CHURN BUTTER.
46 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
noon I take a bike ride around neighbouring villages, marvel at the scenery and see a few storks. The Mačionienės operate Farmstay Grikucis in Pamerkiai, a village of less than 100 inhabitants located 70 kilometres south of Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius. Merkys River, a popular spot for fly fishing and kayaking, runs by the village. Nearby are the famous Dzūkija National Park with its wild forests and clean rivers, and several picturesque villages that have preserved their traditional lifestyles. SHARING TRADITIONS Mačionienė, a former math teacher, cites kayaking as the reason why she and her husband opened the farmstay about five years ago. “A friend asked if Kostas and I would like to accommodate a few kayakers in our home, which we did, of course. We have travelled a lot ourselves, and always loved staying at homestays and learning about other cultures. We realised that we, too, have a lot to offer to tourists.” After launching a homestay for kayakers and other guests, the couple kicked off an educational programme. They built beehives and planted buckwheat fields, and for the past two years they have been telling school groups about country traditions, especially buckwheat farming. Buckwheat has always been an important part of rural Lithuania’s diet, particularly in the Dzūkija region. The grain can grow on poor soil, and it is high in nutrients.
DELICACIES LITHUANIA is divided into five regions. Each has its own food specialties, but potatoes, meats and dairy products are common everywhere. Regional specialties of woodland DzĹŤkija are buckwheat pancakes, smoked sausages and mushroom dishes. The most popular Lithuanian dish is cepelinai, potato dumplings stuffed with minced meat or cottage cheese. They are served with sour cream and fried lard and are often washed down with local beer. Eating in Lithuania is very affordable. Farmstays usually provide three meals for ten or 15 euros per day, while dinner with wine in a Vilnius restaurant costs roughly 20 euros per person.
The house specialty, buckwheat pancakes, is served with chanterelle mushrooms and sour cream. SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
47
Laima Mačionienė removes honeycombs out of beehouses a few times during the summer .
Lithuania became Catholic in the 15th century. The wooden Lithuanian cross is a ymbol of national and religious identity. One bee colony gives about 30 kilos of honey during one summer.
GETTING THERE THE MOST CONVENIENT WAY to get from Vilnius to Pamerkiai is by train. Local trains leave from the Vilnius railway station several times daily. The ride takes about an hour and 20 minutes and costs about 11 Lithuanian litas (one euro equals about 3.5 litas). Pamerkiai is an ideal location for day trips. In addition to visiting Vilnius, one can marvel at the beautiful castle of Trakai or relax at the spa resort of Druskininkai. Roughly 50 kilometres away is Dzūkija National Park, the largest in Lithuania. TRAKAI.LT (CASTLE) INFO.DRUSKININKAI.LT/EN (SPA) DZUKIJOSPARKAS.LT (NATIONAL PARK) WWW.LITRAIL.LT (TRAINS)
48 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
Laima Mačionienė says that rural traditions weren’t always appreciated in Lithuania. “Being a farmer wasn’t considered prestigious when our country was part of the Soviet Union.” Her grandparents grew buckwheat, but her parents did not. Buckwheat grains at the farm are ground with a millstone that belonged to Mačionienė’s grandmother, and the flour is later cooked into pancakes and pies. She says that most of her guests happily break a sweat cranking the handle of a round millstone. SPREADING THE WORD A rural holiday in Lithuania can range from staying at a cottage, fishing and hiking to participating in daily farm chores. “Agritourism helps small farmers and other villagers to live in a sustainable way,” says Linas Žabaliunas, president of Lithuania’s Rural Tourism Association. “It also gives tourists an opportunity to learn about local culture.” Žabaliunas’s parents run a bed and breakfast near Kaunas. “They got the idea 20 years ago while staying at a farm in Devon, UK for six months. Shearing sheep was an unforgettable experience for them.” Compared to the highly developed rural tourism market in countries like Italy and Germany,
Laima Mačionienė collects fresh honey.
the concept of countryside tourism is relatively new in Lithuania; the Rural Tourism Association was founded in 1997 with about 20 participating homesteads. Žabaliunas’ biggest challenge has been changing the way farmers think. “They often fail to see potential for tourism and opportunities to earn extra income,” he says. Even so, more than 600 farms – including Farmstay Grikucis – welcome visitors in Lithuania, and 380 have registered with the Lithuanian Rural Tourism Association. The biggest jump in registrations happened between 2003 and 2006. The country has a strong foundation for a successful farm tourism scene: a rich history, strong agricultural traditions and plenty of remote villages. The country’s rural regions offer opportunities for trekking, mushroom-picking, hunting and kayaking, and farms organise handicraft and culinary courses. “Plus the food is great,” says Žabaliunas. Agritourism is supported by both the Lithuanian government and the EU. For the period of 2007 to 2103, about 45 million euros were allocated to the country’s rural tourism industry. The European Federation of Farm and Village tourism, which includes 28 countries, is working on developing a shared system of standards for farmstay accommodation all over Europe.
AGRITOURISM RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM THE EU.
STORK-SPOTTING At the Mačionienės’ dining room, the meal couldn’t be more local: buckwheat for pancakes grew just a hundred metres away, and milk for the sour cream and butter came from a cow owned by Laima’s mother a few kilometres down the road. I have ground the flour and churned the butter, and Laima and I have gathered the chantarelles, lingonberries and honey. We wolf down the pancakes until all that remains are a few crumbs. After the meal we sit on the terrace and watch “the local TV,” as Laima and Kostas call the view. A white horse grazes on the other side of Merkys River, and a couple of kayaks drift by. The air smells of honey, pine and blooming thyme. A large white stork dries her wings above a chimney on a neighbour’s roof. The national bird of Lithuania is the symbol of childbirth, but here farmers also believe that a stork nesting near a house will bring prosperity and luck. This is why the Mačionienės have constructed a small platform on the roof. They hope that one will built a nest at their farm. l
ACCOMMODATION THE LITHUANIAN RURAL TOURISM ASSOCIATION runs an online database with options ranging from campsites and farmstays to cottages with modern comforts. Farmstay Grikucis has two houses with six rooms. A bed and three homemade meals cost about 25 euros per person. A sauna or wooden hot tub can be reserved upon request. Grikucis also organises kayaking trips, rents bicycles, and provides transportation and guiding services. In the same region, a lakeside private cottage with a fireplace costs about 60 euros. Camping costs 15 euros.
ATOSTOGOSKAIME.LT/EN/FARMSTEAD/ MACIONIENES-SODYBA ATOSTOGOSKAIME.LT/EN/FARMSTEAD/ SODYBA-ZALISKE
FINNAIR flies nonstop to Vilnius twice daily. SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
49
EUROPEAN VOICES BY ALEXANDER STUBB
Work outside the box
I
know I shouldn’t be reading about work during the holidays, but I’m glad I did. Saku Tuominen and Pekka Pohjakallio’s Työkirja (“The Workbook” WSOY, 2012), which arose from a World Design Capital Helsinki project to redesign the workday, is probably the best book I have read about modern work. It gets you thinking. We spend most of our waking hours working. Yet we often have a rather negative take on it. We talk about “workaholics” or WE THINK ABOUT “burnout” at a young age. We prefer holidays WORK IN A RATHER to work and often feel OLD-FASHIONED WAY. a bit weighed down by work-related stuff. The words “busy” and “stress” are frequently linked to what we do for a living. Yet we are not sure what we actually achieve during a workday. The traditional office day often feels a bit messy and inefficient. That leads to frustration and a lack of motivation. I don’t think it should be this way. Here are some thoughts on how to improve the situation. MUCH OF THE problem is linked to the rather old-fashioned way in which we think about work. In the olden days work was a necessity: you needed to put food on the table, and there was no separation between work and life. The industrial revolution changed it all. First people started putting in 16-hour working days, six days a week. Henry Ford’s assembly line and working philosophy changed that. An eight-hour workday, five days a week, became the norm. We started to use time cards to monitor our hours. There was a clear separation between work and free time. When you were on you were on, and when you were off you were off. That separation still holds true for physical labour. But why should the same apply to regular office work? You do not have to be at the office to be crea50 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
tive. This column, for instance, was written onboard a Finnair aircraft and at Stockholm Arlanda Airport. Tuominen and Pohjakallio point out that digitalisation, globalisation, free movement and insecurity are changing the way in which we work. We are moving from an industrial era to knowledge-based work, from the office to home, from fixed hours to flexitime. IN MY PREVIOUS COLUMN I talked about the importance of planning and my 8+8+8 philosophy, i.e. eight hours of work, eight hours of play and eight hours of rest. I pointed out that this is a good theory, but difficult in practice. I really think that we should start thinking about work outside the box. First, ditch those bloody time cards at work. Today it is impossible to clearly separate between work and life, no matter how much you love 8+8+8. We end up thinking about work throughout the day anyway. Second, be more flexible about where you work. Work in a café, work at home, work at the office. Who cares where you are as long as you get stuff done and feel good about it. And when you feel like switching off, do so! Third, take responsibility for your own actions. We all have bad habits. Recongnise them and replace them with good habits. It does not take much, but you have to persevere. Bad, old habits can be sticky, while new, good ones can be slippery. Every day is not perfect, but we should all feel good about what we do. Our work should feel meaningful. Good planning helps to relieve stress. It is equally important to give positive feedback and words of encouragement to your colleagues. Work is really about life, and life should be fun. That’s why I am happy that I read about work during my summer holiday. And that’s why it feels so good to be back at the office. l alexander stubb is Minister of European Affairs and Foreign Trade of Finland. He loves life and work.
FINNAIR PLUS FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM
JOIN A
WORLD OF BENEFITS
As a Finnair Plus member you enjoy individual and flexible service and many exclusive and valuable membership benefits and rewards. You can collect points not only from flights with Finnair but also from oneworld airlines.
NEFITS GET THESE BE IMMEDIATELY s tax-free offer • Exclusive les sa t on special • Head star for flights es ic embers’ pr m l ia ec Sp • choose 3,000 items to an th e or M op • Finnair PlusSh from online at
Get a free membership now at finnair.com/plus
NEUKÖLLN, BERLIN
1
ROLLING ON THE RUNWAY Tempelhof, which operated as an airport from 1923 to 2008 and was the base for the post-war Berlin Airlift, re-opened three years ago as a huge recreation area. A symbol of freedom in a central location, Tempelhof’s runways and green spaces attract cyclists, rollerbladers, picnickers and urban gardeners. Among the multitude of events here is Berlin Festival (September 6th and 7th), which features Blur, Björk and the Pet Shop Boys. TEMPELHOFERFREIHEIT.DE/EN FINNAIR flies to Berlin twice daily and offers several additional non-stop flights in cooperation with Air Berlin.
52 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
TOP
NEUKÖLLN, BERLIN
MANY BERLINERS SAY THAT THE MULTICULTURAL NEIGHBOURHOOD OF NEUKÖLLN IS PEAKING RIGHT NOW. THERE’S PLENTY TO DO AROUND THE CLOCK, AND IN RECENT YEARS A THICKET OF WATERING HOLES AND BOUTIQUES HAS SPRUNG UP. NEUKÖLLN HAS ATTRACTED CREATIVE TYPES WITH ITS LOW RENTS – WHICH ARE, NATURALLY, ON THE RISE. TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ALEKSI KINNUNEN
2
MARKETS AND VINTAGE Maybachufer street, home to frequent art shows and a laid-back communal feel, runs along the tree-lined Landwehr Canal, which flows through North Neukölln. A market springs up here on Tuesdays and Fridays, specialising in organic and Turkish delights. Vintage vultures should pay a visit to the Nowkölln Flea Market, held on the first and third Sundays of each month, as well as the Sing Blackbird café (Sanderstraße 11), which sells second-hand clothing.
3
SIZZLING TREATS Berlin’s best burgers are found at the small but beloved Berlinburger International (Pannierstraße 5), where quiet electronic music blends with the sound of sizzling meat. For dessert, head for the übercool Fräulein Frost (Friedelstraße 39) ice cream parlour. If for some reason you are still feeling peckish, try the kebabs at Imren Grill (Karl-MarxStraße 75) near the Rathaus Neukölln U-Bahn station. North Neukölln also offers plenty of Indian and Sudanese flavours. BERLINBURGERINTERNATIONAL.COM
NOWKOELLN.DE
4
LIVING ROOM BARS Here’s how to perfect the unpretentious Berlin interior design style: rip down the wallpaper in an old business space, drag in some knocked-around furniture and light candles on the tables. Neukölln has a wealth of bars like this, with dark corners made for people-watching. Weserstraße and its side streets form the main bar-hopping axis. Visit the elegant Nathanja & Heinrich (Weichselstraße 44), the youthful Ä (Weserstraße 40) and the edgy Silverfuture (Weserstraße 206).
AE-NEUKOELLN.DE SILVERFUTURE.NET
5
MOBILE SLEEP The most amusing place to stay in this neighbourhood is Hüttenpalast (Hobrechtstraße 66), where vintage mobile homes and small designer cabins have been set up in a former factory hall. “It’s like a campsite, but indoors,” explains Silke Lorenzen, one of the founders. The classic caravans are popular, but those who prefer more privacy can opt for a standard hotel room. HUETTENPALAST.DE
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
53
Michelin-star-honoured chef Pekka Terävä is famous for his mastery of Finnish flavours.
54 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
ASIA MEETS NORTHERN EUROPE IN FINNAIR’S NEW BUSINESS CLASS SIGNATURE MENUS CREATED BY TWO HEAVYWEIGHTS OF THE FINNISH FOOD SCENE.
ST RS OF
FINNISH CUISINE TEXT BY KATJA PANTZAR
W
PHOTOS BY PÄIVI ANITA RISTELL
hen men’s lifestyle magazine Details ran an article in 2012 – “The Next European Hot Spot: Helsinki” – journalist Julie Taraska lauded the Finnish capital’s sexy beaches, booming nightlife and amazing fare. “Finnish food – like English cuisine a decade ago – has gone from laughingstock to cutting-edge, as chefs embrace indigenous produce (rutabaga, turnips, chanterelles, all kinds of berries) and game (duck, elk, grouse),” wrote Taraska, who also praised the minimalist Scandi aesthetic of Michelin-starred restaurant Olo. Any culinary jetsetter worth their salt knows that Helsinki’s restaurant scene is dynamic. There are five Michelin-starred restaurants in the downtown core within a twominute walk of each other. Among the city’s top fine dining experiences are chef Pekka
Terävä’s Olo and chef Tomi Björck’s Farang, Gaijin and Boulevard Social. The super duo of Terävä and Björck have now created Finnair’s new Business Class Signature Menus, which specialise in Nordic and Asian cuisine to mark the airline’s 90th anniversary and reflect its growing Asia-Pacific network. The four different menus debut in September and will be served over the next 12 months on all long-haul flights outbound from Helsinki. Dishes include reindeer fillet with mushroom purée, oven baked potatoes and organic barley, butternut squash dressed in oriental spices, and a Japanese feast that includes ramen noodles and truffle-yuzu sauce and spicy salmon. Specially selected wines complement the Signature Menus, which are prepared by Finnair partner LSG Sky Chefs. “The menus are planned using pure, seasonal Finnish natural ingredients,” says Terävä, whose Olo restaurant was named Finland’s best restaurant earlier this year. Terävä’s SigSEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
55
THE CITY’S TOP TABLES FINNISH CHEFS Tomi Björck and Pekka Terävä run several of Helsinki’s top restaurants, all in the downtown core within a five- or ten-minute walk of one other. BOULEVARD SOCIAL Generous portions of divine Mediterranean cuisine served in a relaxed milieu. Bulevardi 6 BOULEVARDSOCIAL.FI
EMO Fine European ingredients meet traditional Finnish dishes, with a gastrobar for sampling appetizers. Kasarmikatu 44 EMO.FI
GAIJIN The words means “outsider” in Japanese, but this is where Helsinki insiders go for the best fusion of Japanese and Korean food in town. Bulevardi 6 GAIJIN.FI
FARANG Sumptuous Southeast Asian cuisine served inside Helsinki’s neoclassical Taidehalli building. Ainonkatu 3 FARANG.FI
OLO Top Michelin-starred modern Nordic gourmet cuisine in a historic setting overlooking the harbour. Pohjoisesplanadi 5 OLO-RAVINTOLA.FI
Reservations at all are essential.
56 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
nature Menus reflect Nordic cuisine, while Björck’s highlight Thai and Japanese cuisine, influenced by the time he has spent in Japan, Thailand and Indonesia. “The menu and the raw materials used reflect a passion in modern Asian cuisine,” says Björck. Indeed, dining at Björck’s award-winning Helsinki restaurants Gaijin and Farang (there’s a second Farang in the Swedish capital Stockholm) is like taking a delicious mini-trip to Asia. FINE DINING IN THE AIR Translating the gourmet dining experience into highend inflight meals provided new challenges for both chefs. “The logistics of keeping the meals and ingredients fresh for passengers is completely different than in a restaurant,” says Terävä. “The process is demanding because the meal has to packaged, kept chilled, delivered and heated. So the ingredients must be chosen very carefully.” Björck, who is one of the judges in the Finnish version of MasterChef, the television cooking game show franchise that originated in the UK and now runs in 35 countries, concurs: “The challenge was coming up with a menu for a large number of people. In a restaurant you’re serving individual portions and here you have to cater to many people, yet take into account very different types of diners. For example, in India the curry is a bit spicier, whereas in South Korea a lot of vinegar is used and dishes tend to be less spicy. I wanted to cater to each group of diners yet retain my own personal style.” Another hurdle for Björck was that he uses many fresh herbs in his cooking. While it would have been lovely, it wasn’t logistically possible to have individual fresh herbs placed on each inflight meal. But in the end, “everything and everyone worked together to create the perfect inflight experience,” says Terävä.
INGREDIENTS FOR INFLIGHT MEALS ARE CHOSEN CAREFULLY.
MORE STARS ON THE HORIZON Terävä has just opened a new restaurant called Emo, which focuses on modern European cuisine with a gastro bar. Emo is located in the same space Olo previously occupied on Kasarmikatu in Helsinki. Michelin-starred Olo has moved to the recently renovated historic Lampan Talo (built in 1814−1817) on the Esplanade across from the bustling Market Square. Björck’s newest restaurant opens in March 2014 on the ground floor of Eteläesplanadi 20 at Brondankulma, also undergoing refurbishment, in the heart of the city. “We’re still keeping the whole con-
“I wanted to cater to each group of Finnair diners yet retain my own personal style,” says Tomi Björck.
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
57
FINNISH CUISINE IS INCREASINGLY INVENTIVE.
CULINARY MECCA In the last ten years, Helsinki food scene, Finnair’s hub, has blossomed. The Financial Times recently wrote that, “Finland’s capital has started to rival its Danish counterpart in the dining stakes. It may not have produced its own version of René Redzepi’s much-fêted restaurant Noma, but a new generation of Finnish chefs is distilling the country’s forest and seashore flavours into increasingly inventive ‘New Nordic’ cuisine, marrying the earthy tastes of mushrooms, roots and berries to fresh Baltic fish, outdoor-reared meat, and even game such as reindeer and bear.” According to Björck, many talented Finnish chefs who have sharpened their skills at the world’s top restaurants have returned home and set up shop. “I think the reason for the dynamism of the Helsinki culinary scene is partly due to those returning from abroad,” he says. Terävä says that Helsinki’s reputation as a culinary destination will only grow. “We have such good flight connections to Asia and a steady flow of travellers year round, which guarantees that every independent restaurant can develop even further because demand and supply of ingredients and customers are steady.” l
58 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
DESIGNING MEALS THE NEW BUSINESS CLASS SIGNATURE MEALS are served on a collection of tableware and textiles designed for Finnair by design house Marimekko, a Finnish institution that has successfully parlayed its colourful design aesthetic internationally. Tableware, made of light porcelain, helps Finnair reduce aircraft weight and contributes to fuel efficiency and a lighter carbon footprint. Plates and cups feature the patterns of two legendary Marimekko designers, Maija and Kristiina Isola, which have been re-tailored for inflight use by Marimekko designer Sami Ruotsalainen.
FINNAIR
cept under wraps, but I will divulge that it’s a little piece of New York in Helsinki with an all-day lobby bar,” says Björck, whose business partner is chef Matti Wikberg. Both chefs have cookbooks forthcoming. Olo and Emo cookbooks will be published later this fall, in time for the Christmas season, and there’s a Gaijin cookbook currently in the works.
Danske Bank Oyj, www.danskebank.fi
Business on the go Now also on iPad
Tablet Business app
Access your company’s finances, whenever and wherever The new Tablet Business app will provide you with a quick and straightforward overview of your company’s finances, when you are on the move. Tablet Business lets you: • g et an overview of transactions, payments and balances on your business • a pprove domestic and foreign payments in real time • v iew equity, bond and commodity prices • c onvert currencies and see exchange rates
Download Tablet Business from the App Store, and Mobile Business from the App Store or Google Play. Read more on www.danskebank.fi/tablet
TEA
FOR TWO
RUNNING FOR
LIFE 60 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
MORE THAN A DECADE AGO, JOONAS LAURILA LOST MOST OF THE MUSCLE IN HIS RIGHT FOOT TO SYNOVIAL SARCOMA, A RARE TYPE OF CANCER THAT TYPICALLY OCCURS NEAR THE JOINTS. LAURILA TAUGHT HIMSELF TO RUN AGAIN, AND HAS DEVOTED HIS LIFE TO FOOT HEALTH AND RUNNING; HE PARTICIPATES IN MARATHONS AND WORKS AS A RUNNING COACH. I MEET HIM AFTER A SATURDAY JOG. PHOTO BY ANTTI MUTKA
H
ow was your illness detected? At 18, I was playing floorball competitively. While reaching for the ball during a game I fell in a way that twisted my ankle and put a lot of pressure on it. Something unusual showed up in the MRI, and eventually it was diagnosed as cancer. The tumour was removed, and muscle and skin were grafted from my inner thighs into my right foot. Cells from a pig were injected into my tissue, which gave me thicker skin. I was told I would probably walk again, but there was no guarantee how well. How did you get back into shape? At first I could only put five per cent of my body weight on my foot, so crutches were necessary. After six months I started training my upper body at the gym. But even with the help of physical therapy, which taught me how to build muscle, it took two years for the foot to heal. You studied social sciences and political history. Did you suspect your life would revolve around sports? I am thoroughly interested in history and politics, but sports are a core part of my being. I’ve been able to combine the two: my master’s thesis deals with both sports and politics. I like being around people and working with them; it’s important to do concrete things that help people. You are involved with three companies that focus on feet and running. Tell us a bit about your work? I’m the co-founder of Arctic Sport Addicts (arcticsportaddicts.fi). It started as a Finnish-language blog about sports, sports products and events, and has evolved into a community. We have a running school, and I coach those seeking intensive training. I also work as test manager for custommade soles at Foot Balance. I run an average of 100 kilometres each week, and up to 120 kilometres weekly during training season.
What motivates you? Part of the fun of jogging is celebrating the fact that I have two legs. Of course I have some personal goals too – I recently ran the Stockholm Marathon and improved from my previous time of two hours and 57 minutes to two hours and 48 minutes. I also thoroughly enjoy coaching. I have learned so much about running and the biomechanics of the body that I feel it’s my turn to share that knowledge. I would like to coach more, and work with kids. I would also like to do some charity work through Arctic Sport Addicts. As a specialist in foot soles, what do you think about running barefoot? Barefoot running can be a good thing, but you need to know how to do it: you must run with the forefoot, not with your heel. The industry has had to make modern shoes a bit more protective. Where do you get your inspiration? I like making progress. If I don’t believe that I or my clients are making progress, I become stressed. Even if I see small moments of success, I’m happy. What do you think are the most over-and underrated values? The most underrated value is forgetting to value your time. People run from one task to another and forget to spend time with themselves. The most overrated value is running after material things. One can do a lot with less money. Do you have a life motto? Running to live! I run for a living but I also live through running. l Blanca Juti is a marketing and sales professional. She interviews inspiring Helsinki inhabitants on her blog, BLANCAJUTI.COM
62 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
THOSE EXPLORING BANGKOK AND ITS SURROUNDINGS BY BIKE SEE A QUIETER, MORE INTIMATE SIDE OF THE THAI CAPITAL.
SADDLE SIAM TEXT AND PHOTOS BY DANIEL ALLEN
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
63
tanding beside bunches of sun-ripened Shiraz grapes on the PB Valley Estate in Khao Yai, it’s easy to forget you’re in Thailand. Located roughly 150 kilometres north of Bangkok, this prestigious winery’s gently rolling hills and serried ranks of vines are more evocative of Bordeaux or Beaujolais than steamy southeast Asia. It’s a connection not lost on avid biker Struan Robertson, British expat and managing director of local cycle tour company Spice Roads. “Whenever I get tired of Bangkok, this is where I come to recharge the batteries,” he says. “Of course I don’t miss the weather of England, but a spin around here satisfies my cravings for European scenery.” Trucks, taxis and tuk-tuks are three good reasons for cyclists to avoid the traffic and glutinous tarmac of Bangkok. Yet those who take to the saddle in and around the Thai capital will find there’s more to this city than superhighways and serial gridlock. From leafy vineyards and jungle hideaways to waterborne markets and ruined cities, a smorgasbord of sights are accessible to those prepared to join Bangkok’s two-wheeled revolution.
“Cycling is truly the best way to see this city because riders can see, smell and hear everything,” he adds, citing Robert Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: “On a cycle the frame is gone. You’re completely in contact with it all. You’re in the scene, not just watching it anymore.” GO GREEN If Paris has the Jardin du Luxembourg and New York Central Park, then Bangkok has the island of Bang Krachao. Known locally as the city’s “green lung,” this (virtually) car-free pocket of green on the banks of the Chao Praya River is a cyclist’s utopia. A short ride across the water from the malls and sterile skyscrapers of downtown Sukhumvit, the capital’s main commercial district, it feels a million miles away. “A few years ago Bang Krachao was a secret spot frequented only by Bangkok residents in the know,” says Amorn Oun-Anong, founding member of the Bangkok Cycling Club. “While it’s now on the itinerary of many cycle tour operators, Bang Krachao still makes for a perfect afternoon’s biking. If you can’t make it to the north of Thailand, then a little piece of jungle on Bangkok’s doorstep is the next best thing.” Fed by the nutrient-rich waters of the Chao Praya river, much of Bang Krachao is fringed by mangrove, while the interior is smothered in thick jungle. Cyclists can take to the island’s network of elevated concrete pathways, which give locals access to a smattering of one-storey homes nestling under the dense canopy. Patricia Weismantel recommends the floating market of Bang Namphueng for those biking across Bang Krachao at the weekend. “Unlike many other Bangkok markets, this is not a tourist trap. This is where many islanders and Bangkok residents come to buy cheap local produce,” she says.
MORE PEOPLE ARE CYCLING AROUND BANGKOK THESE DAYS.
AN EMERGING BIKE CITY “More people, both locals and visitors, are cycling around Bangkok these days,” says Patricia Weismantel, Spice Roads’ product manager and US transplant. “There’s a long way to go before you can start calling this the Amsterdam of Indochina, but it’s a positive trend. The sheer number of sights accessible by bike make cycling a cheap, healthy and original transport option.” Where the bike really comes into its own is on the open country lanes around Bangkok, as well as the small sois (alleyways) that criss-cross the capital like a network of capillaries. “Navigating some of the sois can be a squeeze sometimes, but there’s always something interesting going on around every corner,” says Robertson. 64 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
BEAUTY IN THE BURBS One neighbourhood where visitors will see plenty of Bangkok residents on two wheels, not to mention the backs of lumbering elephants, is on the paths and pavements of Ayutthaya. Situated just north of the
Bikers around Ayutthaya share the local bike paths with some interesting traffic.
BIKE SHARING IN BANGKOK LAUNCHED in November of 2012, the Pun Pun bicycle share project, similar to schemes in Paris, London and New York, is still in its pilot stage. There are currently a dozen docking stations around Bangkok, including stations at Chamchuri Square and Siam Square. The plan is to expand further. Beyond the membership fee of 320 baht (less than eight euros), the first 15 minutes of use are free, the next forty-five minutes cost 10 baht (less than 25 euro cents), eventually rising to 80 baht for between six to eight hours of use and 100 baht beyond that. Rental fees are paid by electronic smart cards available online or at the bike rental stations. Bike users must be at least 18 years old and can register using ID cards or passports. PUNPUNBIKESHARE.COM (in Thai)
The vineyards of Khao Yai are more evocative of France than Thailand.
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
65
Cycling around Bang Kra Jao demands deft handlebar control.
The green oasis of Bang Krachao is just a five-minute ride across the Chao Praya River.
66 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
current city limits, this sprawling complex of ruined buildings was once the Thai capital. Largely destroyed by a Burmese army in 1767, it retains an air of mystical grandeur. Ayutthaya cycle tours generally kick off at Wat Yai Chaimongkol temple, its massive central stupa slowly sinking into the ground, before moving on to Wat Phra Mahatat, the epicentre of this ancient city. Look out for the famous Buddha head, now embedded in the roots of a sacred bodhi tree. “The final part of this ride, to the summer palace at Bang Pa-In, is a treat,” says Amorn Oun-Anong. “Moving into the countryside proper, cyclists bike along deserted roads that overlook the lush paddies lining the Chao Praya River. You soon forget that you’re anywhere near Bangkok.” MARKET MEANDERING For the strictly urban biker Bangkok still has plenty to offer − slow-paced cycling around select city blocks is a great way to see sights that are lesser known. From roses and lilies to chrysanthemums and orchids, the flower market at Pak Khlong Talat offers a stunning array of blooms each day. Pedal past here in the early morning to take in the botanical perfume hanging heavy on the air. A short cycle ride from Pak Khlong Talat are two more of Bangkok’s less tourist-saturated markets. One of the city’s biggest, cheapest and most popular places to buy wholesale products, Sampeng is typically thronged with local shoppers, street food carts and transport dollies. They all scurry through a seemingly everlasting sprawl of jewellery, souvenirs and random bric-a-brac. Onward from Sampeng, cyclists arrive in the heart of Chinatown, which extends from an arch on Yaowarat Road past Sampeng Market to Pahurat, known locally as Little India. This area is home to a bewitching mass of small markets, temples, restaurants, medicine shops and myriad other small businesses. With its gentle bends, Yaowarat Road is said to resemble a dragon’s back, and is considered lucky by local Chinese. “When I first came to live in Bangkok I was scared to get on a bike,” says Saranarat Kanjanavanit, secretary-general of the Green World Foundation, a Bangkok-based NGO which recently published Thailand’s first bike map. “I think a lot of tourists feel the same. But if you know where to go, you can have a great time on two wheels here. If locals see foreigners on bikes it also helps sustain the bike craze. Please, keep pushing those pedals.” l
“WHEN I FIRST CAME TO LIVE HERE I WAS SCARED TO GET ON A BIKE.”
FINNAIR flies nonstop to Bangkok daily.
Visitors climb the massive central stupa of Wat Yai Chaimongkol Temple, north of Bangkok.
TWO WHEEL TIPS & TOURS BANGKOK’S wide selection of cycle tour companies includes Spice Roads (SPICEROADS.COM), which offers guided tours to locations inside and outside Bangkok, including Bang Krachao, Khao Yai and Ayutthaya. Despite the frequently hectic nature of Bangkok traffic, residents of the Thai capital are a generally mellow bunch, and instances of road rage are rare. Thais like to use their horns to communicate while driving − if a driver honks you when you’re cycling, he or she is usually just warning you to be careful.
A vendor at Bang Namphueng market on Bang Krachao Island
be a step ahead. be one. Priority check-in. Priority boarding. Fast track at security lanes. As a Finnair Plus tier member, you spend less time in line, more time relaxing. Learn more at oneworld.com
member of
be connected Welcome to ONEworld, an alliance of the world’s leading airlines committed to providing the highest level of service and convenience across more than some 850 destinations worldwide. Whenever Finnair can’t take you to your final destination, we encourage you to travel with our ONEworld partner airlines. Enjoy an array of special privileges and rewards — which include earning and redeeming Finnair Plus points on ONEworld airlines and, for Finnair Plus Platinum and Gold members, access to over some 550 premium airport lounges.
ONEworld alliance members
be recognised As a ONEworld traveller, satisfaction awaits you around the globe. Your Finnair Plus status is recognised across all member airlines. And you are entitled to a range of benefits, which are provided according to the following ONEworld tier levels, no matter which cabin class you are flying in:
*Access to preferred or pre-reserved seating is in accordance with the individual policy of the ONEworld member airline operating the flight. First and business class check-in desks and lounges are not available at all airports. Lounge access for Emerald and Sapphire tier members only. Fast track at security lanes and extra baggage allowance for Emerald members only. ONEworld benefits are available only to passengers on scheduled flights that are both marketed and operated by a ONEworld member airline (marketed means that there must be a ONEworld member airline’s flight number on your ticket). For information on ONEworld, visit www.oneworld.com. Air Berlin, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines, and ONEworld are trademarks of their respective companies. LAN Colombia is currently not part of ONEworld.
be global Round-the-world travel is easy, flexible and affordable with ONEworld Explorer. Fares are based on the number of continents you visit or pass through, and class of travel. Select your route, plan your stopovers, even adjust your itinerary. ONEworld Explorer means ultimate flexibility and value.
To book, or to discover more multi-continent and single-continent options, visit www.oneworld.com/flights
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
THIS MONTH AROUND THE WORLD WHERE TO GO, WHAT TO DO AND SEE COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY MIRVA LEMPIÄINEN
NORTHERN CLIMATE CHANGE A climate change exhibition at the Provincial Museum of Lapland in the Finnish city of Rovaniemi sheds scientific light on how global warming affects the ecological balance and biodiversity of Lapland. The annual cycle of northern nature and the miraculous Northern Lights are presented with the help of music and slideshows. Visitors can take an interactive quiz.
ISTOCKPHOTO
Until September 15 WWW.ARKTIKUM.FI/EN/EXHIBITIONS/ TEMPORARY-EXHIBITIONS.HTML
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
71
THIS MONTH AROUND THE WORLD
Indian energy
New York runways
Design in Belgium
Humorous Hong Kong
Organised for the second time, New Delhi’s Power Industry India conference gathers together 30 expert speakers. The delegates, including government officials and representatives of multinational companies, will discuss the country’s energy situation. Can India solve its power issues by developing a comprehensive mix of green and traditional energy?
Initially named Press Week, the semiannual New York fashion week has been around since 1943. More than 300 designers will showcase their spring styles. The Finnish label Ivana Helsinki takes the stage on September 4, the day before the MercedesBenz Fashion Week kick-off. Its Bridges of Madison County collection will be live-streamed at liveevent.fi/ivanahelsinki.
Brussels Design September is an activity month featuring some 100 commercial and cultural events, workshops and boutiques. The focus is on interactions between different design realms, such as architecture and textiles. Bloom Hotel hosts One & Only, a pop-up studio and exhibition, and young designers create cutlery collections with 90-year-old Belgian company Eternum.
Hong Kong is all laughs during the month-long seventh annual HK International Comedy Festival, the brainchild of New Yorker Jami Gong. With visiting comedians such as Paul Ogata and Dwayne Perkins of the US and John Moloney of the UK, the festival is one of the biggest in Asia. Competitions with cash awards are arranged for English and Chinesespeaking comedians.
September 5–12 MBFASHIONWEEK.COM
September 5–30 DESIGNSEPTEMBER.BE
September 5–October 6 HKCOMEDYFESTIVAL.COM
September 4–5 INDIA.POWERINDUSTRYEVENTS.COM
9
1 4
3
7
3
2
6 72 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
5
8
THIS MONTH AROUND THE WORLD
An African city run
Foam in Belgrade
Coastal conversation
Hip with wine
Jumping over chairs, squeezing through barrels, gliding on water slides and rushing through trains – The Urban Run in Port Elizabeth, South Africa is a fun nontimed 10K obstacle race for children and adults. The goal is to raise more than 300,000 rand (22,200 euros) for charity while showing participants and spectators a superb time.
Since 2009 some 40,000 revellers have gathered at the Belgrade Arena in Serbia every autumn for a wild 12-hour foam fest. Dressed in costumes or swimming gear, the partiers wave their hands wildly above the foam as they enjoy the world’s top DJs spinning house music. The party is held also in Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana.
Coral reef preservation, lowland development and tsunamis are some of the main topics of the 7th International Conference on Asian and Pacific Coasts in Bali, Indonesia (APAC2013). The biannual gathering promotes cooperation among coastal, port and ocean engineers. Dr. Ian Vassie, one of the keynote speakers, will talk about sea level rise.
At US-based Wine Riot you won’t just get to check out hundreds of wines, meet winery representatives and attend seminars. You can also get fake tattoos, mark your favourite wines on your smart phone app, pose in goofy photos and listen to DJ stylings. The event has gained popularity on both coasts.
September 14–15 WWW.URBANRUN.CO.ZA
September 21 BELGRADEFOAMFEST.COM
September 24–26 APAC2013.ORG
September 20−21 (New York) September 27−28 (D.C.) SECONDGLASS.COM
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
73
TOGETHER ACROSS THE ATLANTIC Are you flying between Europe and North America? Finnair has teamed up with American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia to provide you with more flight choices, smoother connections and better pricing on transatlantic routes. Make your global travel experience easier and more rewarding. Learn more at finnair.com
28 163
NOW BETWEEN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA
GATEWAYS IN NORTH AMERICA
ONWARD DESTINATIONS IN NORTH AMERICA
16 126 GATEWAYS IN EUROPE
102
DAILY RETURN FLIGHTS
ONWARD DESTINATIONS IN EUROPE
AUTUMN WELLBEING SPECIAL AS THE WEATHER COOLS AND THE PACE AT THE OFFICE PICKS UP, SETTING ASIDE MOMENTS OF REVIVAL BECOMES IMPORTANT. FOR A SOFT LANDING INTO FALL, TAKE A BREAK WITH MINDFULNESS EXERCISES OR TRY OUT A NEW YOGA TREND.
TEXT BY KATJA PANTZAR
PHOTOS BY TIMO JUNTTILA/ÄIJÄJOOGA
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
75
KATJA PANTZAR
Laura JangerLaitio is the co-founder of one of Helsinki’s newest yoga studios.
GPS FOR THE SOUL A STRESS-RELIEVE APP by The Huffington Post lets you monitor and maintain your wellbeing. ITUNES.APPLE.COM
HEADSPACE demystifies meditation with easy exercises incorporating science and technology. HEADSPACE.COM
A NEW FINNISH CONCEPT uses sounds to manage stress and improve overall wellbeing with an array of techniques including the soothing Nordic Zen CD available from iTunes. NORDICZEN.FI
VILLA MANDALA is a newly opened wellness centre for stress management and relaxation in Loviisa, which is about an hour’s drive from Helsinki. VILLAMANDALA.FI
76 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
MIND
OVER MATTER
MY FIRST mindfulness class, which I thought would be all about lying on a yoga mat and thinking pleasant thoughts, was an eye-opener. “Mindfulness is living and being in the moment without judging. For example, it’s noticing how the sun hits the surface of the water as you walk past – instead of not seeing it because you’re so busy rushing by and thinking about what you’re going to do next,” instructor Laura Janger-Laitio of Helsinki’s HIMA Happiness yoga studio explained at the start of the session. Janger-Laitio then sent us out to walk for 30 minutes through the city’s historical heart to focus on our surroundings and not think about work or other concerns. Having walked around Senate Square hundreds of times before, I was surprised to notice features I had previously overlooked. I heard the sound of footsteps on the cobblestones and the clacking of the tram as it rumbled past. I felt as though I had gone on a journey to a new destination. According to Janger-Laitio, an occupational therapist and mental coach who co-founded HIMA Happiness with Keiju Vihreäsalo, there are several benefits to mindfulness. “Being overly busy can lead to stress,” she says, adding that our goal- and results-driven society can cause people to feel as if they are measured only by how much they achieve. Workplace stress and the blurring lines between work and free time have been subjects of increased scrutiny. According to the independent Global Organization for Stress, six in ten workers in major global economies are experiencing increased workplace stress. Depression, often caused by stress, is among the leading causes of disability worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Even if you can’t reduce your daily workload, scheduling short breaks can be a good first step to reducing stress. “Our pace of life is often so hectic that it prevents us from calming down and stopping. When you take breaks, you are more effective and efficient. Mindfulness also allows you to return to a state of peace and happiness that is not dependent on achievements,” says Janger-Laitio. New autumn classes at HIMA Happiness include yoga for the 55+ set and aerial yoga. HIMAHAPPINESS.COM
SENSORY STRESS-REDUCTION
OM FOR ALL SEASONS
COULD A HOLISTIC WORK environment improve employee productivity and happiness? Helsinki-based concept designer Margit Sjöroos tackles this question with her Stress Free Area concept (conbalance.com), which aims to reduce sensory irritants in classrooms, offices and other spaces. Sjöroos works with some of Finland’s largest companies, universities and property developers. “We use things like ergonomic chairs; why shouldn’t we pay attention to other senses as well?” says Sjöroos, whose spatial designs incorporate lighting, sound, colours, materials and other elements to a stress-reducing, alertness-improving effect. She has studied brain research and has collaborated with experts at Aalto University, Tampere University and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. Her concept took off in 2004 when she created a stress-free café for a convention in Helsinki. Among her recent projects is a stress-free gaming hall in Tampere, created in partnership with Finland’s Slot Machine Association RAY. Next she will design a locker room for one of Finland’s professional ice hockey teams. “My dream is to open a stress-free hotel or café in a busy metropolis like New York, or help create a stress-free neighbourhood.” -Laura Palotie
SEASONAL YOGA is based on the ancient Eastern concept that the body’s needs change with cycles in nature: in winter one should pause in deep, meditative poses, while bending poses and twisting motions are especially beneficial in spring. In summer the body is full of energy, enabling the body to build up stamina, and in late summer it can take on challenges of balance. In autumn it can focus on breathing out and releasing. In Finland, where changes in weather can feel drastic, seasonal yoga is offered by Wellness and Balance in Espoo (wellnessandbalance.fi), an Espoobased studio founded by trainer and physical therapist Suvi Hakala. Instruction is available in English for non-Finnish speakers. -Laura Palotie
BROGA
FOR BLOKES
AT TWO METRES and more than 100 kilograms, Petri Linnankivi doesn’t conform to the stereotypical image of a yoga instructor. Yet the CEO of Nordic Yoga, which just opened its third studio near Helsinki Airport, is a model example of the changes taking place in yoga circles, both in Finland, where dozens of new studios have recently opened, and globally. “Yoga is for everyone regardless of body type or age,” he says. “I think that part of the reason why people come to my classes is that I’m a big yogi. I’ve done my fair share of struggling with yoga poses.” Though it was created for men in India in 500 BC, yoga has traditionally been more popular among women than men in many parts of the world including Europe, North America and Australia. But that’s fast changing. “A growing number of men are coming to yoga classes,” says Linnankivi, whose wife Harriet Linnankivi founded Yoga Nordic in 2004 in Helsinki. It was one of the first studios to introduce hot yoga to Finland. He adds that many professional athletes such as ice hockey, football and basketball players are taking hot yoga and vinyasa classes to stay fit during the off-season.
1 2 3
YOGA ELEMENTS IN BANGKOK YOGAELEMENTS.COM
HAMSA YOGA IN COPENHAGEN HAMSAYOGA.DK
BE YOGA IN TOKYO BEYOGAJAPAN.COM
Source: seekretreat.com
Petri Linnankivi advocates the benefits of yoga for everyone, regardless of body type.
NORDIC YOGA
Margit Sjöroos has designed a space for Aalto University’s student union.
ANTTI ESKELINEN
SUN SALUTATIONS AROUND THE WORLD
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
77
FOUNDING FATHER Journalist and yogi Veikko Tarvainen started Äijäjooga (“yoga for blokes”) in Finland seven years ago. After noticing that there were usually only one or two men in a group of ten to 30 women, he started teaching classes for men only. “Men have less of a need to show off when there are no beautiful women in tights “BROTHER” (BRO) nearby,” he says. Now, ten years + “YOGA” = BROGA later, there are dozens of weekly men’s yoga classes throughout (YOGA FOR MEN) Finland including in small, fairly remote towns such as Lapua 135€ and Ylikiiminki. “Men often suffer from stiffness. Yoga is aday/person/double good natural medicine that relieves aches and pains, ” says room... Tarvainen. He is writing a book about yoga for men in Finnish, and plans to release an instructional Englishlanguage DVD. MOVEMENT AND BREATHING At its best, yoga balances the body’s internal processes. “Sleep comes more easily when your muscles and mind are relaxed. Many men learn to listen, respect and treat their bodies better. They also learn a new way of breathing, which adds vitality as the body’s cells receive more fuel – oxygen,” Tarvainen says. Nordic Yoga’s Linnankivi teaches a range of classes including dynamic styles such as aerial yoga, hot yoga and solar yoga for men and women. “The human body needs movement; many people sit for 14 to 18 hours of the day. Going to the gym or doing other sports is nice, but it can lead to further stiffness,” he says. “There’s also the fairly common misconception that yoga is only stretching,” he adds. “Yoga is full of muscular challenges, building endurance, learning breathing techniques and, of course, quieting the busy mind.” Äijäjooga is taught daily at locations around Helsinki and points further afield. New courses this fall include jäbäjooga (“dude yoga”), dynamic yoga aimed at young men in their 20s and 30s. Drop-ins and nonFinnish speakers are welcome at both Äijäjooga and Yoga Nordic. l
Have a conference & a holiday!
Back to Business!
Day Meeting 39 €/person, incl. 2 coffees & lunch Over Night Conference 135 €/person/double room
Petäyksentie 35 14620 Tyrväntö FINLAND
CONFERENCE AND LEICURE hOTEL
PETäys REsORT
tel. +358 (0)3 673 301 info@petaysresort.fi www.petaysresort.fi
FINLANDIA HOTELS Kemijärvi
Aidosti erilainen!
Kemi
Genuinely different!
Oulu Kalajoki
Ylivieska Kokkola Pietarsaari Seinäjoki Kurikka
Joensuu
Kuopio Jyväskylä Jämsä
Savonlinna
Tampere
WWW.AIJAJOOGA.FI YOGANORDIC.FI
Harjavalta
Imatra Lahti
Tuusula Espoo
Loviisa Helsinki
Utö
www.finlandiahotels.fi 78 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013 Ilmoitusmyynti: Oy Suomen Myyntitieto Ab | Mirja-Liisa Vuorenmaa | P. 09-7742 3316
Ilmoitusmyynti: Oy Suomen Myyntitieto Ab | Mirja-Liisa Vuorenmaa | P. 09-7742 3316
GROW YOUR BUSINESS AND PEOPLE. » LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT » STRATEGY & ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE » FINANCE & ACCOUNTING » MARKETING, SALES & CUSTOMER FOCUS
HANKENSSE.FI
LUT eMBA
[ Yksilöllinen valinta ]
Voit aloittaa opinnot työn ohessa heti Yhteisiin opintoihin kuuluva Strateginen johtaminen yrityksessä -ohjelma käynnistyy 28.11.2013 Tutustu lut.fi/mba
LUT Executive and Professional Education
Tarpeisiisi räätälöityvin.
www.viagroup.fi
HANKEN MBA OFFERS: » ASSETS FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT » KEY LEADERSHIP SKILLS » NETWORKS AND CONFIDENCE
MBA.HANKEN.FI
Tietojohtaminen, Hankintojen johtaminen, Innovaatiojohtaminen
eMBA in Managerial Leadership
FOCUS ON YOUR COMPETENCE. WE DO.
jalometalli-
harkot ja
-kolikot
sijoitakultaan.fi Puh. (09) 2764 2750
ECONOMIC STRUCTURE Employed persons by industry, 1st quarter 2013
FINLAND IN FIGURES
MANUFACTURING Food prod. and textiles 13%
Construction and energy Miscellaneous services
FOREIGN TRADE 2012 EXPORTS BY PRODUCTS BY ACTIVITY: 56,777 MEUR (per cent of total)
14%
34%
19%
Forest industry prod
Other manufactured goods 25%
8%
23%
Chemical ind prod
13%
Electric and electronics
Forest products 14%
13%
15%
Metals and metal products
Manufacturing
4% Agriculture
10%
Financial and business services
16%
14%
Machinery and equipment
16%
Other industries
IMPORTS BY USE IN 2012: 59,158 MEUR (per cent of total)
Transport and communications
MONTHLY TEMPERATURES AND RAINFALL IN HELSINKI 2012 MEAN MAX MIN RAINFALL AVERAGE 1971-2000
Intermediate goods Energy Capital goods
Metal and engineering products 48%
Trade and hotel
C C C mm
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII VIII
IX
X
XI
XII
52
36
38
32
37
57
63
56
76
70
58
-3,4 -6,8 0,8 4,1 10,9 13,7 17,7 16,0 12,5 6,7 4,2 -5,3 4,6 3,9 9,3 14,8 22,5 24,5 26,6 24,2 19,8 14,0 8,9 2,5 -15,9 -26,2 -14,3 -5,5 3,5 5,6 10,2 8,0 5,3 -6,2 -7,5 -16,2 80
Non-durable goods Durable consumer goods 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
EXPORTS AND IMPORTS (MEUR) TOTAL 2012 SWEDEN GERMANY RUSSIA USA NETHERLANDS CHINA GREAT BRITTAIN FRANCE
EXPORTS
56,777 6,283 5,238 5,688 3,580 3,561 2,961 2,885 1,689
IMPORTS
59,158 6,220 7,282 10,579 1,970 3,327 4,642 1,752 1,808
POPULATION 5.4 million, giving an average density of 18 people per sq. km of land area; annual growth rate 0.5% Life expectancy: men 77.2 and women 83.5 years. As in most other industrial countries, t he middle-aged groups predominate. Average household s ize: 2.1 persons. 55% of the households live in single-family houses; 44% in apartment b locks. 84.4% are urban-dwellers, with 1 million in the Helsinki Area, which includes Espoo and Vantaa.
Other major cities in Finland include Tampere, Turku, Oulu and Jyväskylä. Languages: 90% speak Finnish; 5.4% Swedish. Religion: 78% are Lutheran; 1% Orthodox. Education: 81% of the popula tion aged 25 to 64 have com pleted upper secondary or tertiary education and 37% (the highest percentage in the EU countries) have university or other tertiary qualifications.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CURRENT TRENDS IN FINLAND, SEE:
80 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
AREA 390,920 sq. kilometres or 150,900 sq. m iles, of which 9% is fresh water; land area is 303, 909 sq. kilometres or 117,337 sq. miles. There are 188,000 lakes. 6% of the land is under cultivation, with barley and oats the main crops. Forests (mainly pine and spruce) cover 68% of the country. GOVERNMENT Sovereign parliamentary republic since 1917. From 1809– 1917, autonom ous G rand D uchy within the Russian Empire; before that part of the Kingdom of Sweden for centuries. The president is elected ever y six years. The new 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. WORKING LIFE 80% of women aged 25–54 are employed outside the home. Average monthly earnings, 1st
quarter 2013: men 3,530 euros; women 2,929 euros. Unemployment rate 10.8%, in May 2013 according to Labour Force Survey. ECONOMY GDP 2012: 190 billion euros, the annual change in volume -0.2%. Annual inflation rate as of June 2013: 1.4%. Currency: Euro.
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT PER CAPITA 2012* (EUR)
Nominal
Adjusted for Purchasing Power Standard
NORWAY 77,500 49,900 DENMARK 43,800 32,000 SWEDEN 43,000 32,800 USA 38,800 37,900 FINLAND 35,900 29,400 GERMANY 32,300 31,100 FRANCE 31,100 27,500 UK 30,500 28,400 EU27 25,600 25,600
Eurostat
Source: Statistics Finland
This is Finland at WWW.FINLAND.FI (English, Russian, Chinese, French, German, Spanish and Portuguese) News by Finnfacts at WWW.GOODNEWSFROMFINLAND.COM Finficator: WWW.FINDICATOR.FI
Tervetuloa / Välkommen/ Welcome / Bienvenue / Willkommen / Добро пожаловать / Tere tulemast / ようこそ / Bienvenido / 欢迎 / Benvenuti / Velkommen / 환영 / Witamy /
www.finnair.fi www.finnair.se www.finnair.com
www.finnair.fr
www.finnair.de
www.finnair.com/ru
www.finnair.ee www.finnair.com/jp
www.finnair.es
www.finnair.dk
www.finnair.com/cn
www.finnair.kr
www.finnair.it
www.finnair.fi/pl
Flying Finnair AUTOMATED BORDER CONTROL
82
BEFORE AND DURING THE FLIGHT
83
IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
85
HELSINKI AIRPORT
86
MAPS
88
CORPORATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
92
FLEET
94
FREQUENT FLYER BENEFITS
95
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
81
FINNAIR INFO HOW TO USE THE AUTOMATED BORDER CONTROL GATES
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.
Enter through the gate and turn right. Remove your glasses and hat. 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. After that the border check is completed.
Have a nice journey!
日本人で、ICパスポート（※）をお持 ちの方は、2012年5月から試験的に、 出入国審査場において自動化ゲートを ご利用頂けます。 ヘルシンキ空港のシェンゲンエリアか ら、日本に向けて出国される際にお使 い頂くことが可能です。 まず、パスポートの顔写真ページを読 み取ります。該当ページを開き、読み 取り機に向けて置いてください。
二番目のゲートが開いたら、出入国審 査官のカウンターにお進み下さい。 パスポートの入国スタンプを確認した 後、出国スタンプを押印致します。 ご協力頂きまして有難うございます。 ※ ICパスポートとは、2006年3月20日 から申請受付を開始したIC旅券、つま り冊子中央にICチップ及び通信を行う ための
こちらで個人情報と生体認証データを 読み取ります。
アンテナを格納したカードが組み込ま れているバイオメトリック・パスポー トのことです。
ゲートが開いたら中に入り、右を向い てください。カメラで顔認証を行い、 パスポートの顔写真と照合します。
www.finnair.com/jp
82 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
Smooth crossings PASSENGERS AT HELSINKI AIRPORT can now use the 25 automated border control gates, which are for arriving and departing passengers. Ten of these are located in the departure hall; the rest are located at arrivals. Previously only EU, EEA and Swiss nationals with biometric passports have been able take advantage of the automated border control gates. As of May, the Finnish Border Guard is launching a trial that will expand the scope of eligible users. Third country nationals, who are exempt from the visa requirement and hold a biometric passport, may use the automated border control upon departure. First the service will be available only for Japanese citizens. Other vise exempt nationals will be eligible to use the service in the near future. The increase in passenger volumes at Helsinki Airport requires that border control be organized in a smooth and efficient manner. The Finnish Border Guard’s automated border control fulfils this objective. The automated border control is monitored by a border guard ensuring secure border crossings. Please note that passengers travelling with an infant or wheelchair must use the manual border control line.
FINNAIR-INFO
FINNAIR INFO BEFORE THE FLIGHT
BEFORE DEPARTURE
Speed up your takeoff! Checking in to your Finnair flight is quick and easy. You can save time and reduce hassle by checking in at a self-service kiosk at the airport, online or by text message. Find out more about our check-in services at WWW.FINNAIR.COM.
ONLINE CHECK-IN Check in over the internet at your convenience, 24 hours a day, for all scheduled Finnair departures from Finland or destinations abroad (except from Ljubljana, where check-in can be completed on the airport’s own website), as well as connecting flights. Online check-in is also available for leisure flights departing from Finland. The service opens 36 hours before departure.
AUTOMATIC CHECK-IN Save time before departure and leave the check-in to us: if you haven’t completed online check-in, we will automatically take care of it for you and send your boarding pass to your mobile phone. If your flight departs in the morning, you will receive a check-in confirmation between 5 pm and 7 pm the previous evening. If your flight departs in the afternoon, you will get a confirmation approximately three hours before the flight takes off. This service is available for Finnairoperated flights and Flybe-operated AY2000-series flights departing from most airports in Finnair network.
CHECK-IN VIA A SELF-SERVICE KIOSK To check in at an airport selfservice kiosk, all you need is your passport or your Finnair Plus membership card or credit card. Finnair check-in kiosks are available at the following airports: Helsinki, Amsterdam, Beijing, Brussels, Budapest, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hong Kong, London, Manchester, Munich, Oulu, Prague, St Petersburg, Stockholm-Arlanda, Tallinn, Vienna, Warsaw and Zurich. The kiosks at Helsinki Airport can also be used when departing on a leisure flight.
Finnair in a nutshell • Finnair is Number One in air traffic between Northern Europe and Asia.
BAG DROP SERVICE If you only have carry-on baggage, proceed directly to security control. After selfservice check-in, checked baggage should be left at the Bag Drop desk within the normal check-in times. ONLINE CHECK-IN is available for leisure flights departing from Finland, and at check-in kiosks for departures from Helsinki.
IN CASE A FLIGHT IS DELAYED OR CANCELLED, Finnair will inform you about the situation via SMS. Please make sure that you have provided Finnair with your mobile phone number. Find out more information on flight disruptions at FINNAIR.COM/FLIGHTINFO.
• In 2012, Finnair carried 8.8 million passengers. • Close to one and a half million passengers fly between Asia and Europe via Helsinki each year. • In 2012, the number of passengers on scheduled flights totalled 8 million. Domestic travel accounted for 1.6 million passengers. Passenger total on leisure flights was nearly 813,600. • In 2012, Finnair transported more than 148,000 tonnes of cargo. • Established in 1923, Finnair is one of the world’s oldest operating airlines. • Finnair’s route network includes more than 50 international destinations.
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
83
FINNAIR INFO DURING THE FLIGHT
IN THE AIR
Welcome aboard! SAFETY
PERKS FOR KIDS
• Safety information is presented by the cabin crew at the start of each flight. The same information is also listed on the safety instruction card in the seat pocket.
• Children are offered puzzles or colouring books on intercontinental scheduled flights and leisure flights.
• 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. • During the flight, passengers may use MP3, CD or DVD players as well as laptop computers when the “Fasten safety belt” sign is off.
• Music and video entertainment is available on intercontinental scheduled flights and leisure flights. • On the Airbus A340-300 and Airbus A330-300 aircraft, games are available as part of the personal entertainment system. MEALS • Meals or snacks are served on most international flights. • Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages are available on scheduled flights.
Inflight shopping Purchases can be made in two different ways on most flights: • You may order products in advance from our large and affordable pre-order assortment at www.finnairshop.com. • On most flights we also have onboard sales items. The selection varies depending on the route. • Tax-free products, alcohol and tobacco are sold on the aircraft when you fly to and from destinations outside the European Union. These include all intercontinental flights, as well as Ekaterinburg, Geneva, Moscow and Zurich.
ENTERTAINMENT • Inflight entertainment on intercontinental scheduled flights and leisure flights includes music, movies and an Airshow programme, which allows passengers to track their flight on a map. • On scheduled flights, headphones are available free of charge. On leisure flights, the entertainment fee includes headphones.
• Alcoholic drinks are for sale in Economy Class on European scheduled flights, except on routes to and from Riga, St. Petersburg, Stockholm and Tallinn. • In Economy Class on intercontinental scheduled flights we serve a hot meal with complimentary wine and beer. • On European and intercontinental scheduled flights coffee, tea, juice and soft drinks are complimentary. • In Business Class all drinks are free of charge. On leisure flights, there is a charge for all beverages. • On flights to and from northern Finland, alcoholic beverages are sold after 9 am.
84 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
• Due to limited space onboard, alcohol and tobacco products are not for sale on flights operated with Embraer aircraft, but these products may be ordered through the pre-order service. • On flights within the EU, products are affordable but not tax-free. • Gift items, cosmetics, fragrances and confectionary are sold on scheduled flights to and from the following destinations: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Dubrovnik, Düsseldorf, Ekaterinburg, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hamburg, Ljubljana, London, Madrid, Manchester, Malaga, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Nice, Paris, Prague, Rome, Venice, Vienna and Zurich. SHOP WITH POINTS Pamper yourself with Finnair Plus points at www.finnairplusshop.com
FINNAIR INFO INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
THIS MONTH ’ S INFLIGHT PICKS Movies, TV, music and games onboard
S The Great Gatsby (2013) Director Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel follows would-be writer Nick Carraway as he comes to New York City in 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz, bootleg kings, and sky-rocketing stocks. (Finnish Rating K12)
The Internship Two salesmen whose careers have been torpedoed by the digital age find their way into a coveted internship at Google, where they must compete with young, tech-savvy geniuses for a shot at employment. (Finnish Rating K12)
NEWS UPDATES DAILY NEWS ROUNDUPS from the BBC, FINNISH YLE, RT and JAPANESE NHK are now available on your personal inflight entertainment system.
Monsters University The sequel to Pixar’s 2001 hit, Monsters, Inc, follows Mike and Sulley during their days at Monsters University − when they weren’t necessarily the best of friends. (Finnish Rating K7) BW P
ICK
OF T
HE M
ONT
H
Before Midnight The third installment in director Richard Linklater’s acclaimed series catches up with Jesse and Celine (Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy) in Greece. Almost two decades have passed since their first meeting on that train bound for Vienna. (Finnish Rating K12)
Love With Accent This Russian film, interlacing several character narratives, is a love story exploring the plethora of human feeling: the stories are bright and passionate, mature and merciless, naïve and absurd, odd and funny, lucky and fortunate and sad and melancholy.
it back, relax and enjoy your flight with your personal entertainment system. Use your handset or touchscreen to choose from 72 movies, 150 TV shows, 24 music channels, up to 200 CD albums and 15 games. From films to news and sports, there’s always something for you to enjoy, including programs from Hollywood, Asia and around the globe. Available language tracks include English, Japanese, Korean, Thai, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Swedish and Finnish, depending on the program, as well as Finnish and Chinese subtitles. We also offer family films and cartoons on all international and leisure flights. Selection may vary by aircraft type. You can also create a music playlist from up to 200 CDs (on select aircraft). Most entertainment systems also include a satellite phone for texting and emails, and a power outlet so you can use your own laptop computer or personal entertainment device. The system also offers an Airshow moving map that displays the progress of your flight. Personal entertainment systems are available on Airbus A330 and Airbus A340 aircraft. Headphones are free of charge on intercontinental scheduled flights. On leisure flights (AY1000 series) there is an entertainment fee including headphone rental (on Boeing 757, €5.00 per person including return flight; on Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft, €8.00 per person per flight). Most Airbus A340 aircraft and all Airbus A330 aircraft are equipped with an electricity socket, telephone and the option to send SMS & email messages via the Inflight Entertainment System (not available for inbound SMS to the US or Canada). Messages cost $2.00 each. Calls cost $7.00/first minute and $3.50/every 30 secs thereafter.
Entertainment/communication systems may vary by aircraft.
FINNAIR INFO BEFORE AND AFTER THE FLIGHT HELSINKI AIRPORT
TRANSFER SERVICE
34
33
32
32a
31x 31
31a-e 30
HOW TO TRANSFER • Check your gate and departure time on the airport monitors.
35
• If your baggage has not been checked through to your final destination, collect it from the baggage claim area and go to check-in and security control.
SHOP
Security control
NON-SMOKING Smoking at Helsinki Airport is prohibited outside of designated smoking rooms.
86 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
Borde contro
36 Finnair Tax-Free Shop
FINNAIR LOUNGE
AIRPORT SHOPPING
Finnair Plus members receive special discounts at the Finnair Tax-Free Shop when presenting their membership card.
37
2ND FLOOR
37a-d
GROUND FLOOR
Border control
AUTOMATED BORDER CHECKS are available to passengers with biometric EU, EEA 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.
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.
SHOP
2ND FLOOR
38
CHILDREN Children’s playrooms offer videos, microwave ovens and baby care facilities.
SHOP
Transfer Service 3
• All Finnair and Flybe departures are located in the same terminal.
WIRELESS INTERNET is available free of charge. An eService Bar is located across from gate 21.
Border control
LONG-HAUL AREA NON-SCHENGEN
• If you don’t have a boarding pass for your connecting flight, please contact the transfer service desk. • Most passengers transferring from nonEU countries to EU countries have to go through security and passport control. Please note that liquids are restricted in carry-on baggage.
SHOP
LOST AND FOUND INQUIRIES, tel +358 600 41006 WWW.LOYTOTAVARA.NET
SHOP
WALKING TIME GATE 24-30: 7 MIN
CHECK OUT
T2 29
28
Restaurant & Deli Fly Inn
27
FINNAIR LOUNGE 26
Finnair Tax-Free Shop
23
GATE AREA
Security check
er ol
CHECK-IN 240–270
CHECK-IN 201–232 SHOP
SHOP
24
25 Transfer Service 2
SHOP
Security check
22
Finnair Service Desk
GROCERY
21
20
SH
OP
SCHENGEN AREA
THE LATEST FINNAIR PLUS TAX-FREE OFFERS ON PAGE 97.
LOUNGE 2
1ST FLOOR
SHOP 19
Tourist info
18
Pharmacy
17 16
Transfer Service 1
15
CHECK-IN 101–114
14
Security check
Baggage storage
T1
GROUND FLOOR
13
GATE AREA 12
2ND FLOOR
11
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: €6.30
SHOP
1ST FLOOR
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
87
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS FROM HELSINKI
Great Circle Estimated Distances Flight km Times
ALGHERO 2473 03:35 AMSTERDAM 1525 02:35 ANTALYA 2637 03:40 AQABA 3494 05:05 ARRECIFE 4518 05:55 BANGKOK 7912 09:45 BARCELONA 2632 03:55 BEIJING 6325 07:55 BERGEN 1112 03:30 BERLIN 1123 02:00 BILLUND 1060 01:50 BODRUM 2572 03:55 BRUSSELS 1651 02:40 BUDAPEST 1481 02:20 BURGAS 1982 03:00 CANCUN via Scandinavia 9127 13:40 non-stop 12:05 CATANIA 2636 03:45 CHANIA 2756 03:50 CHONGQING 6736 08:40 COPENHAGEN 895 01:40 DALAMAN 2639 03:40 DELHI 5229 06:50 DUBAI 4537 05:55 DUBROVNIK 2027 03:00 DÜSSELDORF 1512 02:25 EKATERINBURG 2098 03:05 FARO 3480 04:45 FRANKFURT 1543 02:35 FUERTEVENTURA 4578 06:05 FUNCHAL 4310 05:45 GENEVA 1994 03:00 GOA via Sharjah 6739 10:15 GOTHENBURG 785 01:25 HAMBURG 1172 02:00 HANOI 7478 10:10 HÔ CHI MINH CITY (Saigon) 8510 10:50 HONG KONG 7821 09:35 HURGHADA 3743 05:05 INNSBRUCK 1701 02:35 IRÁKLION 2777 03:55 KAVALA 2159 03:15 KERKYRA 2331 03:25 KIEV 1171 01:55 KOS 2620 03:45 KRABI 8350 10:20 KRAKOW 1186 02:00 LANGKAWI 8560 10:25 LAS PALMAS 4700 06:10 LISBON 3369 04:50 LJUBLJANA 1713 02:40 LONDON 1863 03:10 MADRID 2950 04:25 MALAGA 3357 04:35 MANCHESTER 1817 03:00 MARSA ALAM 3932 05:10 MILAN 1953 03:05 MINSK 740 01:25 MOSCOW 876 01:40 MUNICH 1577 02:30 NAGOYA 7780 09:40 NEW YORK 6626 08:45 NICE 2202 03:25 NORRKÖPING 530 01:30 OSAKA 7751 09:30 OSLO 766 01:30 OVDA 3457 04:30 PALMA DE MALLORCA 2777 04:00 PAPHOS 2898 04:00 PARIS 1900 03:05 PHUKET 8312 10:05 PONTA DELGADA 4316 05:50
88 BLUE WINGS SEPTEMBER 2013
Great Circle Estimated Distances Flight km Times PRAGUE 1322 02:10 PREVEZA 2397 03:25 PUERTO PLATA via Scandinavia 8417 12:40 RHODES 2668 03:45 RIGA 382 00:55 RIMINI 1993 03:00 ROME 2235 03:25 SANTORINI 2660 03:40 SEOUL 7050 08:40 SHANGHAI 7410 09:05 SHARM EL SHEIKH 3664 05:00 SINGAPORE 9272 11:30 SKIATHOS 2353 03:30 SPLIT 1956 02:55 ST. PETERSBURG 301 01:00 STOCKHOLM 400 01:00 TALLINN 101 00:30 TARTU 245 00:50 TEL AVIV 3230 04:25 TENERIFE NORTE 4691 06:10 TENERIFE SUR 4745 06:10 TOKYO 7849 09:45 TORONTO 6619 08:50 VARADERO via Scandinavia 8665 12:55 VARNA 1911 02:55 VENICE 1847 02:55 VERONA 1903 02:55 VIENNA 1462 02:30 VILNIUS 633 01:15 WARSAW 940 01:40 XIAN 6421 07:50 ZAKYNTHOS 2526 03:55 ZÜRICH 1781 02:45
SCHEDULED DESTINATIONS LEISURE DESTINATIONS PARTNER-OPERATED CODE-SHARE OR MARKETING DESTINATIONS SEASONAL ROUTE EW SCHEDULED DESTINATION N IN 2013
Atl Oc antic ean
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS FROM HELSINKI ENONTEKIÖ IVALO JOENSUU JYVÄSKYLÄ KAJAANI MARIEHAMN KEMI/TORNIO KITTILÄ KOKKOLA/PIETARSAARI KUOPIO KUUSAMO OULU PORI ROVANIEMI SAVONLINNA TAMPERE TURKU VAASA VARKAUS
900 02:15 931 01:35 360 01:00 235 00:45 464 01:00 282 00:55 609 01:30 823 01:25 391 01:05 335 01:00 667 01:15 514 01:05 214 00:40 697 01:20 281 00:55 143 00:35 150 00:35 348 00:55 259 00:50
Bay of B isca ya
Arct ic
Ocea n
Nor weg ian S ea
Nort
h Sea
Black Sea
Medit erranea n Sea SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS 89
Arctic Ocean FINNAIR-INFO WORLD MAP
Finnair Plus members earn Plus points from travelling on any scheduled flight with a oneworld airline.
Atlantic Ocean
Cartagena
Pacific Ocean
Ocea n Atlantic Ocean
oneworld: more than 800 destinations
90 BLUE WINGS SEPTEMBER 2013
Arctic Ocean
Taiwan
Pacific Ocean
Indian Ocean
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS 91
FINNAIR INFO CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
Society and the environment Finnair wants to be the number one choice for quality- and environmentally-conscious travellers. The airline collaborates with many environmental and humanitarian organisations, and invites its frequent flyers to participate in these efforts by donating Finnair Plus points. Here are a few other examples of Finnair’s societal involvement in a changing world:
• From 1999 to 2009, Finnair cut its carbon dioxide emissions per seat by 22 per cent. By 2017, it intends to reduce this number by another 24 per cent; total reductions per seat from 1999 to 2017 will equal as much as 41 per cent. Finnair supports the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) goal of zeroemissions air travel by 2050, as well as a global emissions trading scheme. • Finnair flies one of the youngest fleets in the business. The average aircraft age is 8.4 years. Operating with new aircraft cuts back on fuel consumption and emissions by 20 to 30 per cent. The airline also flies the shortest routes between Europe and Asia via Helsinki, reducing fuel consumption. Passengers and cargo are carried on the same flights.
92 BLUE WINGS
• As part of the Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) program, Finnair provides weather measurements to the Finnish National Weather Service and to a number of meteorological institutes globally.
• Through its collaboration with Nordic Offset, a Finnish company, AREA travel agency offers companies the opportunity to offset their carbon emissions from business travel by donating to renewable energy projects in growing markets such as China and India. • Finnair employees are offered continuous training and development opportunities. The company also conducts an annual employee wellbeing survey, participates in campaigns promoting equal treatment at the workplace, and places a strong focus on occupational safety.
SEPTEMBER 2013
CUSTOMER CONVERSATION SOCIAL MEDIA channels such as Facebook and
Twitter have become cornerstones of Finnair’s communication with travellers and stakeholders. One of the airline’s highest-profile social media projects has been Quality Hunters, which launched in 2010 and has been recognised twice at the European Excellence communications awards. The goal of Quality Hunters, run in partnership with Helsinki Airport, is to examine and improve the experience of travel from a passenger perspective. During the first two campaigns, a select group of international bloggers explored Finnair’s destinations and reported on their experiences. The 2013 chapter, meanwhile, invites anyone to submit ideas and participate in conversations on improving travel-related services. The project addresses experiences at home, at the airport, onboard and on arrival, and includes a blog, Twitter channel, Facebook page and Pinterest boards. QUALITYHUNTERS.COM
FINNAIR INFO ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
PARTNER OF THE MONTH Finnair Plus members can now donate points to Hope, a charity organisation assisting families and children around Finland. For example, the group provides clothing, furniture and recreational opportunities for children of limited means.
HOW YOU CAN HELP At pointshop.finnair.com, members of Finnair’s frequent flyer programme can donate points to the following organisations: ☛ The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation ☛ The Association of Friends of the University Children’s Hospitals ☛ The Cancer Society of Finland
• Finnair supports groups such as the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation and UNICEF, and has provided humanitarian assistance during environmental crises including the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The airline has also worked with smaller organisations including Tikau and ENO, an environmental education programme. • Finnair prioritises recycling: for example, the airline has donated cabin crew uniforms, blankets and other textiles to Uusix and GlobeHope, companies that turn used materials into design items. • Finnair serves 16,000 meals
onboard daily, with more than 55 per cent of the waste going to recycling or re-use.
• Plastic wine bottles, mugs, packages and utensils, as well as cardboard cups and paper napkins are burned to produce energy. Aluminium cans and clear plastic bottles are recycled. The recycling process begins during the flight. • Plastic trays are washed and reused. In Business Class, washable dishes and utensils are used. F · innair’s emissions calculator (at www.finnair.com/emissionscalculator) allows travellers to check their personal fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by plugging in their departure and destination cities. Data assurance is done by PricewaterhouseCoopers and updated on a quarterly basis.
☛ The Finnish Red Cross ☛ UNICEF ☛ The Baltic Sea Action Group
FIND OUT MORE Finnair has published an annual overview of its sustainability efforts since 1997. The 2012 Sustainability Report, available online, offers information on Finnair’s efforts in four areas: customers, personnel, operations and safety. Visit www.finnairgroup.com/
responsibility/index.html to access the report. BLOGS.FINNAIR.COM
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
93
FINNAIR-INFO FLEET
AIRBUS A340-300 Number 7 Seating capacity 270/269 Length 63.6 m Wingspan 60.3 m Cruising speed 890 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 12,500 m AIRBUS A330-300 Number 8 Seating capacity 297/271/263 Length 63.6 m Wingspan 60.3 m Cruising speed 890 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 12,600 m AIRBUS A321 (ER) Number 7 Seating capacity 136–196 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 Operated by Flybe Number 12 Seating capacity 100 Length 36.2 m Wingspan 28.7 m Cruising speed 850 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 12,300 m BOEING 757 Number 4 Seating capacity 227 Length 47.3 m Wingspan 41.4 m Cruising speed 860 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 12,800 m
94 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
Enjoy your Finnair Plus benefits FINNAIR PLUS is a frequent flyer program open to all Finnair passengers. Children between the ages of two and 17 can join the Finnair Junior Plus program. Enter your Finnair Plus membership number upon booking or show your card at check-in to earn Plus points on Finnair and oneworld flights. FINNAIR PLUS POINTS can be collected from more than 300 Finnair Plus partners around the world, including car rental companies, restaurants, hotels, airport shops and more.
award with a set amount of points, or a flight on a oneworld airline. An Any Seat flight award can be purchased on the Finnair Plus site and used when booking a Finnair flight.
MEMBERS can use points to buy services from Finnair Plus partners or make purchases from the online Finnair PlusÂShop, which stocks more than 3,500 items from gadgets More benefits to design classics. Shop with points, money or a combina& offers for tion of both. members!
Join now!
FINNAIR OFFERS its frequent flyers a variety of benefits and flight award options. Purchase an Any Seat flight award with a flexible combination of points and money, a Classic flight
JOIN FINNAIR PLUS at www. finnair.com/plus or by filling out an application in your seat pocket. The Finnair Plus site also includes information on collecting and using points and allows you to check your points balance, book flight awards, and browse special offers.
There are four Finnair Plus tiers: Basic, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Move up to higher tiers by collecting qualifying tier points on Finnair or oneworld flights. See more information at www.finnair.com/plus.
BASIC BENEFITS:
+ C lassic and Any Seat flight awards
+ T ext message check-in for + + + + +
Finnair flights P ayment for excess baggage charges with points W aiting list priority based on tier P lusShop and partner service purchases with points D iscounts and points for partner services P oints for credit card purchases
ADDITIONAL SILVER BENEFITS:
+ B usiness Class check-in with
Finnair -Priority Lane* security checks + O ne extra piece of baggage free of charge and Finnair lounge access when flying with Finnair + 1 0% points bonus on Finnair flights + 1 0% discount on purchases made in Finnair Shops and on flights outside of the EU
Finnair Plus
oneworld
BASIC SILVER GOLD PLATINUM
--RUBY SAPPHIRE EMERALD
Benefits by tier
ADDITIONAL GOLD BENEFITS:
+ C onfirmed seat 48 hours before
+ + + + + +
Finnair flights (European or intercontinental for Business Class, intercontinental for Economy Class) P riority Lane* security checks t ravel class upgrades for Finnair flights U se of a service phone number S pecial baggage free of charge on Finnair flights O neworld Business Class and Frequent Flyer lounge access + 1 guest 1 5% points bonus on Finnair flights
ADDITIONAL PLATINUM BENEFITS:
+ N o expiration of points during tracking period
+ Oneworld First Class checkin and lounge access
+ 25% points bonus on Finnair flights
* For example: Helsinki, Stockholm-Arlanda
SEPTEMBER 2013
BLUE WINGS
95
FINNAIR PLUS FREQUENT FLYER BENEFITS
Improved Atlantic crossings
Finnair’s new, joint venture with three oneworld airlines offers travellers between North America and Europe more destinations, flexibility and services. THIS JULY FINNAIR ENTERED a transatlantic joint business with oneworld members American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia, providing travellers of all four airlines with an array of flexible connections into North America and Europe: this includes 102 daily return flights across the Atlantic and 163 further destinations. Especially Finnair’s frequent travellers will benefit by browsing and booking flights on these partner airlines with an AY code and easily collecting Finnair Plus points from their journeys. “Earning Finnair Plus points on all oneworld airlines has been possible before, but now Finnair customers have even more options and flexibility when booking,” says Kai Strandberg, manager of joint business at Finnair. This autumn, Finnair Plus members will also be able to earn more points on transatlantic Finnair flights, and redeem flight awards with fewer points than before. “It’s a much deeper partnership than an alliance connection,” Strandberg says, adding that an AY flight designator can now be applied to all AA, BA and IB
96 BLUE WINGS
SEPTEMBER 2013
Transatlantic flights − even if these flights are not operated by Finnair. “We’ve had cases in which customers have booked a Finnair-marketed flight from a destination where Finnair does not currently fly; an American Airlines flight from Dublin to New York, for example.” With the joint venture, customers will also be able to conveniently check into their connecting flights on American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia. In case a transatlantic flight is delayed or cancelled, Finnair customers are able to receive assistance from American Airlines, British Airways or Iberia staff if Finnair staff is not available. To celebrate the joint business, Finnair is offering members of its frequent flyer programme an opportunity to earn up to quadruple the amount of points compared to what they would normally earn when crossing the Atlantic. If you book a return flight from Helsinki to New York this autumn with Finnair, register your membership number and join the campaign at finnair.com/ INT/GB/ajb-plus-benefits. Find out more at finnair.com.
FINNAIR PLUS FREQUENT FLYER BENEFITS PARTNERS
OFFERS FOR FINNAIR PLUS MEMBERS IN SEPTEMBER
SEE YOU OPPOSITE GATE 28!
Tax-free offers at the airport THE FINNAIR TAX-FREE SHOP at Helsinki Airport welcomes Finnair Plus members with monthly offers and benefits. Just show your membership card and save 20% or more on our regular tax-free prices on certain items.
WINES Avgvstvs Cabernet Franc Tempranillo For Finnair Plus members €11.90 (normal tax-free price €14)
SELECTED NOMINATION JEWELRY -20% from tax-free prices
Domaines Schlumberger Riesling Grand Cru Saering For Finnair Plus members €16.60 (normal tax-free price €19.60)
CLARINS MULTI-ACTIVE AND EXTRA FIRMING LINE PRODUCTS -20% from tax-free prices
GATE 28
FINNAIR PLUS PLUSSHOP
Shop online with Finnair Plus points HOME DELIVERY
Fatboy's original bean bag chair is a comfy companion for rainy autumn afternoons.
SEVERAL COLOURS
Designed by Finnish Jukka Setälä, the Fatboy bean bag has become iconic. Ideal for the living room or even for the office, the Fatboy is soft enough to sink into and sturdy enough to provide support. The Original is sized at 140 x 180 centimetres.
Regular price €247 Member offer €199 + 1,000 Finnair Plus points
THE ONLINE FINNAIR PLUSSHOP stocks over 3,000 items and delivers around the world. Pay with Finnair Plus points, money or a combination of both. Items will be shipped to your home or to your nearest post office.
FINNAIR PLUS PLUSSHOP
More PlusShop offers NEW COLOUR!
SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB 3 7.0 3G TABLET €349, white Member offer €319 + 1,000 points
MARIMEKKO KAIVO IPHONE 5 CASE €39.50 Member offer €29 + 1,000 points
POLAR FT60 HEART RATE MONITOR €165 for women: black or lilac, for men: black Member offer €139 + 1,000 points
MARIMEKKO MINI MATKURI BAG €229, brown/black leather Member offer €199 + 1,000 points
STELTON VACUUM JUG 1,0 L €59.95, different colours Member offer €39 + 1,000 points
HAGLÖFS CORKER MEDIUM BACKBAG €74.90, 6 colours Member offer €60 + 1,000 points
FINLAYSON ELEFANTTI BEDSET €46, blue or red Member offer €30 + 1,000 points
SAMSONITE ERGO-BIZ ROLLING TOTE 15,6" €179 Member offer €139 + 1,000 points
TEMPUR OMBRACIO PILLOW €183 Member offer €129 + 1,000 points
PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
WWW.FINNAIR.COM/PLUS
THRILL OF DRIVING
M O T O R B O A T O F T H E Y E A R – C AT E G O R Y P E R F O R M A N C E A N D S U P E R B O AT
PERFORMANCE DESIGN STRENGHT
B O ATCENTER.FI
www.bOaTceNTeR.FI
ma x malmström
kenneth Jakobsson
info@hydrolink.com
+358 400 185 035
+358 500 567 005