About two days ago, we recognized that the winter is knocking on Southern Finlands doors. Our termometer showed temperatures of arround -7°C in the morning. A little snow could be seen already yesterday. But today, the "real winter" started.
Furthermore, Helsinki opened it's christmas street (the big joulukatu avataan) today at midday, so we took the opportunity and went to Alexanderinkatu and surrounding area, where this opening took place. There really have been a lot of people for the opening, but the "christmas street" is disappointing. There are just some christmas light on the streets, nothing else. NO wooden cottages where they sell hot wine, punch, chocolate fruits, langos. Actually, there was nothing, just a few lights. And the christmas lightning in my hometown Baden in Austria is for sure better than the one here. That's really boring, I have to say. So no Glühwein or Punsch for the Austrians in Helsinki. We miss it!
And it's really strong snowfall and heavy wind here. Enjoy the photos!
At the railway station in Helsinki ... on the way to Alexanderinkatu
A lot of people on the senatssquare (senaatintori).
Yvonne enjoying the winter experience.
Punainen risti ... the Finnish red cross selling staff for charity
Céline and Heon took the opportunity for a photo shooting with a snow man.
SantaClaus (in Finnish "joulupukki") is arriving with the tram this year, because his sledge isn't able to go on the streets as they aren't fully covered with snow (at least not at this time).You can see joulupukki in the middle of the picture.
Afterwards, he went upstairs to the cathedral, spoke a few sentences in Finnish, Swedish and English, sang with the whole group up there and took a seat in his improvisational sledge to join a christmas parade along Alexanderinkatu.
The "christmas lights" along the christmas street. WOW :-(.
A winter-proved Austrian (me) together with a South Korean (Heon) not used to see that much snow at once.
The parade along Alexanderinkatu (the street connecting the senatssquare in front of the white cathedral and the biggest road Mannerheimintie at Stockmann).The parade took appr. 5 minutes, that's it. Not really spectacular.
As this weather isn't really cosy, we rewarm ourselves in Fazer cafe. A good idea!
Half an hour later, everything was over. Just a few people on the street.
A snow-covered Mannerheimintie.
Stockmann shopping mall in a snow storm.
The eastern part of the railway station square (Rautatientori) . Wääää weather.
Let's go home again.... That's how it look like from my flat a few hours ago. Now, everything is covered with snow and the national weather agency asks all Helsinki residents to stay at home and avoid any car drive, because it's extremely slippery on the roads.Nevertheless, it's a nice experience. That's how Finland should be at this time of the year.
The snow will get even stronger till midnight, so we'll enjoy a real winter wonderland tomorrow morning.
The snow will get even stronger till midnight, so we'll enjoy a real winter wonderland tomorrow morning.
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