That was October 2008

Now ... I have some time to write a short update on the past month. I know, "long time no hear".
What had happened in the past month here in Helsinki? Here we go ...

My parents in Helsinki
From 29.09. - 04.10. my parents visited me in Helsinki, so the whole week was mainly dedicated to do things together. First of all, of course, Helsinki sightseeing tour. I had the first opportunity to visit a real finnish restaurant ^^. This reindeer-meat tastes good but you can't compare it with anything else.
On Wednesday we took the opportunity and visited the city of Tampere, appr. 2 hours north-west of Helsinki. For me, it looks like Helsinki, just a bit smaller and with fewer sights ;-). But the way to Tampere was nice as well ... forrest, water, water, forrest, forrest, forrest ... this is repeated for 1,5 hours *gg*. That's Finland! At least the Särkänniemi observation tower (124m) offers a good overview over the city, unfortunately it was raining (jep, Finland, right!). Next day we scheduled a trip to Porvoo, I'm already "familiar" with this city *gg*.
Furthermore, we visited the Heureka museum with integrated amazing IMAX cinema.
The week passed by quite fast and on Saturday the plane back to Austria left ... for them :-).

The week after was dominated by .... guess ... jep, studying *gg*.
As the Sunday was a sunny day (jep, really), I made a short trip to the hill I can see from my flat, near Myyrmäki. That is how it looks like on "top" of this "hill"



The Friday, 17.10.2008 was another special day. I left Helsinki for 3 days for a trip to ... home in Austria.
Plane (Austrian Arrows) departet at 08.00 in the morning (with just 1h delay because of a slot caused by lack of ATCs in VIE :P)

Isn't this a nice pic? Fokker 100 at appr. FL80 climbing with overcasted cloudlayer below.

The main reason for my trip to Austria was the 25th anniversary celebration of our company VARIO-BAU in Wiener Neustadt. This was a really successful and entertaining evening so it was worth coming back for this. Saturday was dedicated to a Red Cross EMS-RTW-Session in Baden together with my friends Mr. Krammer & Mr. Spitzer. I have to say ... there hasn't been any chance at the Red Cross! :-)
On Sunday afternoon I flew back "home" to Helsinki (via Stockholm). Everything ran smoothly.

Wednesday, 22.10.2008
Another special day. Today, we organized a trip to Tallinn in Estonia by boat. Our boat (we chose Eckerö Line) left at 08.00 so we had to get up really early (for us students).
As we used the 06.50 M-train to Helsinki, the train was full.

I would like to give you the following statistic
Time: 06:50
Duration of train ride: 13 minutes
Number of persons in our wagon: 57
Proportion of newspaper-reading persons: appr. 75%
WORDS SPOKEN: 0 ! (= null, zero, nolla, nada, nixxi) AMAZING! That is Finnish mentality!

We got on the quite big ship ontime. The trip took 3 hours (one way). The ship is equipped with a supermarket, a lot of typical slot machines, some restaurants & caffees. Really entertaining.
At 11.00 we arrived in Tallinn and headed towards the old town, which is on the UNESCO world heritage list, therefore a MUST SEE. It's really an old old-town *gg*. Make yourself a picture below. After we have seen the old part, I went in direction "new Tallinn" which is interesting for me as engineer as well. They really have a modern new part of the city, really inviting. There you can see, that this region is booming (growth rates of appr. 7%). Enjoy the picture tour :-).

Boarding the M/S Nordlandia to Tallinn

One cafe on the boat. Wow.

And the famous finnish slot machines where Finns invest a lot of money.

Floor plan of the M/S Norlandia. Below the 5th floor there are several car and truck levels.

Bye bye, Helsinki. CU again this evening.

That's Eckerö-Shop, a swimming supermarket.

Mhm, "Mozartkugeln" offered between Finland and Estonia *gg*

Something really useful :-)

Due to the waves even this big boat was swinging and made some of our girls seasick.

Welcome to Tallinn ... here we see the harbour.

Here the old town of Tallinn starts. It's part of the UNESCO world heritage list.
a historical gate

Old vs. new

Upper-class cars are common here, as you see.

Tallinn isn't poor any more. At least not many people.

This building contains a coffeehouse with a pastry shop, yummy.

A bit more in direction "city center", near the Swedish ambassy.

Yeah, really, I have been there!! :-)

walking along "Pikk"

One of many restaurants in the old town. If you're used to see Finnish prices, it is really a good deed to see EUR 6,00 for a main dish!

The main square of Tallinn's old town ...

... with it's most famous building, the "Tallinn town hall"

Near the dome church, a very well-kept part of the city wall.

The biggest orthodox church in Tallinn, of Alexander Nevski

The other side of the city wall

Tallinn is covered with 52 wireless accesspoints for free wireless internet connection across the city. See this sign here. That's pretty useful!

The emporer GRUBI enjoying the outlook in front of the orthodox church :-).

Park near Toompea-road ... autumn is here

The danish embassy in the background

Johan Pitka monument, he was kontradmiral in the Estonian navy.

The Estonian national opera, actually presenting Giuseppe Verdi's "AIDA".

From now on, we leave the historical part of the city and move to "New Tallinn".
PriceWaterHouseCoopers-Building.

No construction sign building-blackboard, zzz. So I can just tell you that this is ... a building site :-).

Hesbuger is present in Tallinn as well.

Viru shopping mal, a quite new shopping mall ... looks like everywhere in Europe or elsewhere.

Same like at home, just cheaper.

A very welcoming and friendly athomsphere

Fuschl am See ... looks like Austria :-).

Fresh Coffee ... availible on every corner here in Tallinn, together with delicious pastry.

A landmark you see from long distance as well. Sokos Hotel Viru.
"Viru" = Estonia

Nordic Hotel Forum right opposite the Sokos Viru Hotel

SEB-building of "Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken"

The recently opened Swissotel-hotel, the highest building in town

but not the only skyscraper here

The fassade of Tallink City Hotel

Radisson SAS hotel skysracper with a few offices inside.

Right in front of the Swissotel ... Finnish Stockmann retail store.

Aaand ... a "normal" condo building.

Once again: very old vs. very new

Olümpia Conference Center

an "overview"

Let's go shopping ... I really like shopping here. The first reason is ... MILKA :-).

The second reason ... they really sell "Schwechater" beer here in Tallinn.

The third and fourth reason ... "Gösser (dark) beer" and "Zipfer". Amazing!!!
I had to buy a few of them :-).

A new office building, build with DOKA framework systems from Amstetten, NÖ :-)

Some more high-rises

WTCT - World Trade Center Tallinn, near the harbour.

And here we go again, back home to Helsinki. Another 3 hour trip, but at least we had comfortable seats. As we were very tired, falling asleep wasn't too difficult. :-)

Friday, 24.10.2008
Today, our Metropolia university organized an "International Gala Dinner" for all their english-speaking students, lecturers and staff. Appr. 120 persons on the 10th floor of Sokos Hotel Vaakuna in Helsinki city center with excellent view over nightly Helsinki (check out this 360° panorama HERE ON SOKOS WEBSITE). An excellent location and good mood in there.

Metropolia AMK ... started at 19.00

"Professional photo shooting" at the entrance

The French femal community.

Austria x2

View of the 1oth floor down to Kamppi shopping mall.

Restaurant Karree well prepared upon our arrival.

No, I don't drink wine! :-D.
Céline from France drinking with me.

Southern Italy vs. Northern Italy

Yes, we had a live band as well!

Hahaaa, students and buffet, what a great idea.

And it was really recommendable food. Okay, it's the restaurant of a 4* hotel.

Here we go ... corn feed chicken brest

And finally ... Creme Brulee with Berry salad

Our Finnish 1st year students

Marko Korkeakoski, our Director of International Degree Programme
therefor our "boss"

Julie photo-addicted as many others.

Here you can see a selection of the Netherlands, Poland/Germany, Finland, Italy and Spain

Ha, the whole Austrian connection.
Julia, me and Vera. 2x IMC Krems and
1x FHWien - Studiengänge der WKW :-D

Raphi and Galaad (France) together with our "Corporate Finance" lecturer Michael Keaney (Glasgow & London, UK)

Once again, our band.

Prateek from Belgium (originally from India) who participated in my group work on India as well.

Crowd dancing.

Nightly view from the top of Vaakuna Hotel during ugly rain.

A very successful evening, recommendable for every Metropolia student. The ticket was EUR 15, so affordable for students as well.
The next day on Saturday at 09.15 --> Asia-Pacific presentation about India ... great!

Saturday, 25.10.2008
Hungarian cooking event - Our 2,5 hungarian girls invited us for dinner on Saturday eve. Let's try hungarian cuisine! And don't forget to desinfect afterwards *gg*.

International chef team, lead by Hungary (no ... by hungry)

A kind of noodles with jam inside.

yummy

here we go ...

And don't forget to kill all these bacterias in the food afterwards :-D.

So, now you're up2date again.

Tomorrow 4 friends of mine, Mr. Bernhard Krammer, Mr. Patrick Spitzer, Mr. Philip Fugger and Mr. Harald Spritzendorfer are coming to Finland to visit me for 4 days. Photos will follow. :-)
CU soon.