Sep 26th, 2009 at 2:00PM: We're into the home stretch on 2009, with only three months left to enjoy. Then, the calendar page flips over, and we take on 2010. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways left to make the rest of this year memorable. In Finland, home to some of the strangest celebrations on the planet, you can find a few interesting distractions – and they'll make for great stories when you get home. Of ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Finland posts
Ten Finnish festivals to finish the year
Sep 26th, 2009 at 2:00PM: We're into the home stretch on 2009, with only three months left to enjoy. Then, the calendar page flips over, and we take on 2010. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways left to make the rest of this year memorable. In Finland, home to some of the strangest celebrations on the planet, you can find a few interesting distractions – and they'll make for great stories when you get home. Of ...Seven vintage fashion stores at the Helsinki Vintage Fair
Sep 22nd, 2009 at 8:00AM: The Helsinki Vintage Fair happens twice a year in Finland, and the next one is right around the corner. On September 27, 2009, nearly 50 vintage and second-hand clothing and décor stores will get together at Kaapelitehdas to sell there goods, and visitors will get to watch a fashion show, live retro music and an exhibition of vintage arcade games. So, whether you're looking for furniture, ...For Helsinki, Design Week 50% longer
Jul 22nd, 2009 at 3:00PM: Seven days just won't work for those crazy Finns. These design-savvy northern Europeans thus had to stretch its design celebration to 10 days. From September 4, 2009 to September 13, 2009, Helsinki will host the Fifth Helsinki Design Week: Do Touch! With workshops, seminars and shopping, you can turn this into a hands-on experience. Don't worry, the usual exhibitions, fashion shows and studio ...Finnish trash cans talk back
Jul 10th, 2009 at 3:00PM: digg_url = 'http://digg.com/odd_stuff/Finnish_Trash_Cans_Thank_You_in_6_Languages_For_Using_Them'; This summer, the garbage cans of Helsinki will have something to say ... to you ... in six languages. The strange people who brought you wife-carrying contests and team berry-picking (you just can't make this stuff up) are happy to present the talking trash receptacle – which comes with a ...Sit on an ant hill in Finland, win a prize
Apr 22nd, 2009 at 4:00PM: What can't you do in Finland? If traditional activities don't scratch your bizarre itch, try to endure sweltering heat or hurling electronic devices. This country is home to the strangest "sporting events" you can imagine ... and it's enough to make me consider going back.
Throughout the year, you'll find more than 40 weird contests, some titillating and others just plain freakish. I'll pass on ...Sauna, rinse, repeat in a Finnish mokki
Mar 16th, 2009 at 12:00PM: Finland isn't as cold as you'd expect, according to Trevor Corson in The Atlantic Monthly. It's far enough north that, on this side of the ocean, you'd freeze your ass off on the best of days. But, thanks to the magic of the European climate, it feels a lot like Maine. It's in this part of the country that the locals find the perfect vacation spot. Nudity abounds, though of course behind closed ...7 steps for surviving a destination wedding
Mar 3rd, 2009 at 9:00AM: It always sounds like it's going to be fun. Your friend is getting married somewhere exotic and has invited you to come along. What's not to love? Really, everything. Destination weddings are recipes for disaster. They are even worse when it's your spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend or family member who has the connection. Quickly, you find yourself surrounded by people who don't interest you in an ...Travel sans visa coming for European, Caribbean, Mauritius, and Seychelles nationals
Feb 13th, 2009 at 2:00PM: A mutual agreement allowing Europeans, nationals from four Caribbean countries, and citizens of two island nations in the Indian Ocean is expected to be passed and approved by the end of March, which will allow for hassle-free and smoother travel. If you hold a passport from any of the following countries, it means you're that much more free to travel between those listed sans visa: Austria, ...Play chicken in Helsinki traffic
Feb 6th, 2009 at 9:00AM: I was pretty impressed by Helsinki's public transportation, which was more than ample with trolleys, subways and buses. There were few SUVs, and the bike lane was rarely empty. While the Finns got the ingredients right, the mixing was ... well ... suboptimal. The least menacing of the interesting transportation overlaps involves the bike lanes and sidewalk. Neither is clearly defined, and I ...The most amazing bed-time view in Finland
Jan 22nd, 2009 at 3:00PM: The Hotel Kakslauttanen is in Saariselka, Finland, a small town in the far north of this already northern country. From your guestroom, you can turn off the lights and take in the aurora borealis from your bed. This, quite simply, is an experience you won't find anything else. Glass igloos take the place of traditional guestrooms at the Hotel Katslauttanen. A small room, encased in transparency, ...NYT Celebrates Finnish Food Revival
Dec 15th, 2008 at 5:00PM: Finland is famous for it's substandard cuisine, having been ridiculed by leaders from across Europe. And, let's face it, it's not all that hard to poke fun at an upscale restaurant named "Grotesk." The country is trying to repair its culinary image, though, which is no easy task for the land of herring and reindeer. Of course, the Times pitches restaurants like Juuri and Loft, not exactly bargain ...No need to Finnish yet-- we're on vacation!
Mar 17th, 2008 at 10:40AM: A member of Finland's Parliament has proposed a novel idea for keeping his country's couples together: grant all employees a 7-day "love vacation," during which they can re-connect with their spouses or significant others.
The proposal is the brainchild of Tommy Tabermann, a poet and author who was recently elected to the Finnish Parliament. According to Tabermann, "During the seven days, couples ...One for the Road: The Palace of the Snow Queen
Oct 21st, 2007 at 10:02AM: I've had a copy of this book for awhile, but unfortunately have not had a chance to read it yet. However, I want to let you know about Barbara Sjoholm's new book now, because she's got an event coming up this week. The Palace of the Snow Queen is a travel narrative that follows the author through Sweden, Finland and other parts of Lapland. Sjoholm visits the Ice Hotel in Kiruna, takes part in ...National Geographic Film Festival
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Oct 1st, 2007 at 1:57PM: The All Roads Film Project is one of those very special, very wonderful National Geographic events which any traveler worth their salt will truly love. The project was launched four years ago "to provide an international platform for indigenous and underrepresented minority-culture artists to share their cultures, stories, and perspectives through the power of film and photography." Man, you can't ...Finland, Oh Finland
Jan 23rd, 2006 at 6:03PM: Good old Monty Python mocked poor Finland in that old ditty saying of one of the lesser known Scandinavian countries: You're so sadly neglected And often ignored, A poor second to Belgium, When going abroad. Second to Belgium? I doubt that's the case anymore. I've had several fiends return from Helsinki to tell me that it is a bustling, fascinating city with a rich, varied culture of music, ...
