Blue Wings Real issue October 2018

Real issue 08 / 2018

BLUE WINGS DON’T BE SHY – HELP YOURSELF TO THIS ISSUE AND SHARE IT WITH A LOVED ONE!

FINLAND’S FEISTY

NEW VO I C E

GO G RE E N

Latvia’s eco skincare pioneers

URBA N H I DEO UTS

Shanghai’s pockets of peace and calm

CZ ECH THIS

Prague’s restaurant renaissance

This building grows back Today we can build higher, stronger and lighter than ever before with a raw material that is renewable. By using wood in construction we can help cut CO2 emissions by up to 75%. It’s time to make the switch from fossil-based materials. Welcome to the renewable materials company. www.storaenso.com/renewablefuture

Editorial Welcome onboard

bluewings.finnair.com

FO KUS M E D I A F I N L A N D

ARJA SU OMIN EN

SVP, communications and corporate responsibility

Managing editor Amanda Soila Art director Aino Ahtiainen Web editor Shelly Nyqvist Visual designers Sesilja Lindell, Iris Mark Editorial assistant Aino Vähälä English editing Silja Kudel Reprographics Faktor Oy Cover Alma by Marko Rantanen Behind this issue Daniel Allen, Tim Bird, Mark Fletcher, Simon Fry, Tuomas Harjumaaskola, Laura Iisalo, Silja ­Kudel, Ville Lehvonen, Eeva Mäkinen, Katja Pantzar, Joann Plockova, Marko Rantanen, Elena Sulin, ­Liisa Valonen, and Emmi-Riikka Vartiainen Submissions and feedback bluewings@fokusmedia.fi Blue Wings online bluewings.finnair.com issuu.com/finnair_bluewings Editorial Offices Hämeentie 153 C, 00560 Helsinki, Finland, tel. +358 40 630 8253 firstname.lastname@fokusmedia.fi Advertising Sales Jaana Lindvall-Harki tel. +358 40 582 1416 jaana.lindvall-harki@fokusmedia.fi Publisher Fokus Media Finland Printed by Punamusta, Joensuu, Finland 2018 Paper UPM Valor 61g, Cover paper Stora Enso LumiArt 200g ISSN-0358-7703

Editor-in-Chief Arja Suominen arja.suominen@finnair.com Finnair Head Office Tietotie 9 A, Helsinki Airport, 1053 Finnair, Finland, tel. +358 (0)9 818 81, Postal address: P. O. Box 15, 01053 Finnair, Finland Customer feedback finnair.com/feedback or by mail: Customer Relations, SL/403, FI-01053 Finnair finnair.com, finnair.fi, finnairgroup.com

East meets west W E AT FI NNAI R have been connecting east and west for 35 years, and Helsinki Airport has grown into a major hub for travel between Asia and Europe.

To celebrate, Finnair and Finavia, the operator of Helsinki ­Airport, ­commissioned a short film about meaningful travel encounters between people. Titled East and West Side Story, the 13-minute film written by Danny Sangra and directed by two celebrated directors – Wookie from Korea and Johan Storm from Sweden – was recently screened at an exclusive premiere at Helsinki Airport.

The plot of the film follows S.P. Novak, a famous yet anonymous American sci-fi writer who is about to get her portrait taken for the first time by a top photographer from Seoul. The photo shoot is set to take place in Helsinki, but things don’t quite go according to script.

The film, the final in the Match Made in HEL series of creative events, also marks the launch of our direct route from Helsinki to Los Angeles next spring, our fifth direct route to the United States.

Finnair connects 19 destinations in Asia and eight in North America to over 100 destinations in Europe via its Helsinki hub, which is undergoing the fastest growth phase of its history. Truly a meeting of east and west.

Helsinki Airport has grown into a major hub.

Arja Suominen

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 3

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Visitors to Japan inevitably concentrate on the big-name cities of the country’s largest island, Honshu. But there’s an intriguing alternative: Kyushu.

Transportation options range from a one- or two-person sea kayak all the way up to a pirate galleon.

The Kyushu connection

Adventure in Nagasaki Take a leisurely cruise through Kujukushima, a part of Saikai National Park. The name means “99 Islands” – though there are actually over 200! Most of the islands are uninhabited; the largest is populated by the descendants of Christians who fled there in the 1600s to escape persecution on the mainland. The Hollywood movie The Last Samurai featuring Tom Cruise was filmed near Kujukushima. Finish your day in the nearby city of Sasebo with the local specialty: a Sasebo burger!

Non-Japanese are often shy about bathing among strangers, but when your hotel room has its own outdoor bath, it’s a non-issue.

Enjoying the views in Saga Prefecture Kyushu is full of atmospheric, elegant places to stay, and Saga Prefecture is no exception. At Kanigoten you can soak in the bath on the veranda of your private suite while taking in the view of Ariake Bay, with the active volcanoes of Unzen in the distance. The views don’t stop when the sun goes down: being far from major population centres means some of the best stargazing in Japan. Saga is also world-famous for the porcelain and pottery produced there, especially around the towns of Imari and Arita.

Kanigoten’s elaborate meals feature crab meat (the kani of “Kanigoten”) and dozens of other delicacies, all sourced locally.

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Statues of two of Buddhism’s Four Heavenly Kings guard the approach to Futagoji, one of the oldest temples in Oita.

Discover sacred Oita

Aquarium Umikirara houses only species native to Kujukushima.

Steeped in history and criss-crossed by pilgrim trails, the Kunisaki Peninsula qualifies as one of Japan’s major “power spots,” or places of mystical significance.

If you’re lucky, you just might meet one of the yamabushi (mountain priests) who’ve been coming here to practice their religion for about 1,300 years. They’re not hard to pick out of a line-up: dressed from head to toe in white robes, they carry tall walking sticks and sometimes accessorise with conch shells. In addition to Buddhist temples both large and small, the Kunisaki Peninsula is home to Usa Jingu, one of Japan’s most important Shinto shrines.

At both Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines it’s common for worshippers to write their wishes on votive plaques called ema.

Sipping tea in Fukuoka

At Konomien, a tea business with a 300-year history, an employee dries tea leaves over a charcoal-burning brazier.

Tea leaves are harvested between late April and early June, but the scenery is captivating all year long!

Kyushu is the westernmost of Japan’s four main islands, offering variety unmatched by Tokyo, Osaka, or even Kyoto, minus the tourist hordes. Finnair’s Helsinki–Fukuoka route takes you there directly.

There are seven prefectures, each with its own range of attractions. Just travelling across the four prefectures in the northern half of the island can keep you busy. Start by flying into Fukuoka and immersing yourself in the world of tea. In the southern part of the prefecture, the hills around the town of Yame grow some of Japan’s best tea, which is processed locally into powdered green tea and flavourful sencha, using age-old techniques. The finest sencha, grown in the shade rather than in full sunlight, is known as gyokuro.

The man who lived 31 days under water Fabien Cousteau, Ocean Explorer

“We have explored less than 5% of our ocean world,” Fabien tells us.

“As we push further, longer and deeper, we can learn a lot more.”

For the adventurous, discovery has no boundaries.

Contents October

Pop ­sensation Alma’s Finnish roots are a source of ­inspiration and strength (p. 34).

A young couple enjoy a stroll along the Hooghly River in Kolkata (p. 36).

First-of-its-kind restaurantbakery Eska in Prague (p. 42).

It’s always a good day for a korvapuusti in Helsinki (p. 15).

Dream

Explore

Keep your curiosity alive

13

H EL S I N K I

New wave cuisine

15

G LO B A L PU L S E

VR arcades

21

H O N G KO N G

The Peak attraction

Think beyond the box

3 4 PR OFI L E

Finnish pop export Alma

22 U P C LOS E

3 6 I ND I A

Oyster hunting in Denmark

24 PASS I O N PR OJ EC T

Kolkata’s romantic riverside

42 PRAG UE

Eeva Mäkinen’s wilderness

Foodie guide to the city

29 PR O DU C T I N S PI RAT I O N

51

SMAR T STUFF

Minimalism from Japan

Clever thinking by companies

31

AG EN DA

53 CONVE R SATI ON

October’s real events

Meik Wiking on digital detox

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 7

Contents October

Fly

Create

Celebrate accomplishments

5 6 C RE AT I V E CO R N ER

Latvia’s flower children 63 S H AN G H A I 66 INV E ST I G AT I O N

82 FI NNAI R SE RVI CE S 83 86 87

Future vision: Helsinki Airport

88

S H OW R O O M

89

Celebrating Finnish design

90

75 Q &A

91

Life Down Under

92 93 94 98

Tea time in Shanghai (p. 63).

What’s new Fly the short northern route FI NNAI R PLUS Frequent flyer rewards SHOPPI NG Wish list from the Finnair Shop MY FI NNAI R Passenger stories SKY FOOD Culinary options in the air W E L L NE SS Comfortable flying E NTE R TAI NME NT Stay connected STAFF TI PS Peak foilage spotting HOL I DAY SAMPL E R Exciting destinations SUSTAI NAB I L I TY Eyes open FL E E T Modern fleet at your service MAPS Helsinki Airport and destination check-list FI NL AND FACTS Fascinating figures

79 FI NNAI R NE WS

84

Peaceful escapes

71

The world of Finnair

Nature provides the best colour palette (p. 75).

New concept store Hetzu in Helsinki (p. 71).

8 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

Back to nature cosmetics in Latvia (p. 56).

Lue kuten haluat!

Tuhansia tarinoita jotka haluavat tulla kuulluiksi

Kokeile ääni- ja e-kirjoja 14 päivää ilmaiseksi!

Rekisteröidy osoitteessa storytel.fi ja kuuntele ja lue tuhansia kirjoja.

14 päivän kokeilujakson jälkeen tilaus jatkuu automaattisesti hintaan 16,99/ kk.

Voit päättää tilauksesi koska tahansa kokeilujakson aikana tai sen jälkeen.

Tarjous on voimassa uusille Storytel-asiakkaille.

www.barbour.com

PHOTO EEVA MÄKINEN

Dream

Keep your curiosity alive

Out and about Photographer Eeva Mäkinen on her moments in the wild (p. 24) OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 11

SE ON HAUSKANPITOA AAMUUN ASTI JA SILTI KUNNON YÖUNET Ota kaikki irti myös viimeisestä illasta! Platinumilla saat myöhäisen huoneen luovutuksen jopa klo 16 asti yli 1 000 hotellissa ympäri maailmaa.

Mukava esimerkki tavastamme huolehtia sinusta.

Hae korttia! Nyt 3 kk 0 € (arvo 180 €). americanexpress.fi/platinumcard Tarjous voimassa 31.12.2018 asti.

TEXT KATJA PANTZAR PHOTOS MARKO RANTANEN

Wise craft Local talents to watch

Inari’s co-owner Kim Mikkola is a seasoned Noma chef.

No boundaries cuisine W H E N INARI recently opened in Helsinki’s Punavuori district, many locals thought the name was a nod to the mystical region in Lapland.

“Inari brings to mind northern Finland, but in Shintoism, Inari is the goddess of rice, sake, wealth, happiness, and prosperity,” say co-owner and chef Kim Mikkola, who opened the city’s newest must-dine-at-restaurant with chef Evelyn Kim, his American-Korean wife.

Both Kim and Mikkola are seasoned Noma chefs, having worked at the Copenhagen institution for five years before moving to the Finnish capital.

The many meanings of Inari neatly mirror the concept of the restaurant, which defies categorisation. It serves a five- to seven-course surprise menu that brings together a world of flavours.

“Fusion is an old-fashioned term because these days we have so many influences from so many different places,” says Mikkola.

There’s a focus on local ingredients and vegetables, and unique−for Finland−portions such as the Korean specialty kimchi, which is made here from daikon radishes grown by the couple.

Served in small bowls, the dishes range from grilled broad beans served with a house-made rose kombucha, black leaf current oil, and herbal seasoning to a gourmet scallion pancake.

The couple has chosen every detail for the restaurant’s stylish interior which seats 28, from the glassware commissioned by Finnish glass artist Gina Salaris to the up-cycled Arne Jacobsen Series 7 (1985) chairs that came from the Goethe institute in Helsinki.

“We want people to feel like guests in our home, not customers when they come here,” says Mikkola. 

There’s a focus on local ingredients and vegetables.

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 13

kia.fi

@kiamotorsfinland

Täysin uusi Kia Ceed Nice move

Tavaratila jopa 625 l / 1694 l

Mukautuva kaistallapitoavustin

Risteävän liikenteen varoitusjärjestelmä

Langaton matkapuhelimen latausjärjestelmä

Kun etsit hauskaa ajamista, tyylikästä muotoilua sekä tilaa ympärillesi, olet löytänyt etsimäsi. Hatchback- ja Sportswagon-mallina saatavan täysin uuden Kia Ceedin voimakas, hienostunut muotoilu kiinnittää välittömästi huomiosi ja sen älykkäät uudet teknologiat sekä uudet moottorit ilahduttavat sinua – kuin myös markkinoiden pisin takuu, 7 vuotta.

Täysin uusi Kia Ceed on kaikin puolin nice move – fiksu valinta.

Mallisto alkaen 20.480 € Vapaa autoetu 485 €/kk, käyttöetu 335 €/kk

VUODEN TAKUU

Uusi Kia Ceed alkaen autoveroton hinta 17.939,92 € + arvioitu autovero 2.540,08 € + toimituskulut 600 € = kokonaishinta 21.080 €.

Vapaa autoetu alk. 485 €/kk, käyttöetu alk. 335 €/kk. EU-yhd. kulutus alk. 3,8 l/100 km, CO2-päästöt alk. 121 g/km.

Kia-takuu 7 vuotta tai 150 000 km, kolme ensimmäistä vuotta ilman kilometrirajaa.

Kia 24h tiepalvelu vuodeksi veloituksetta. Kuvien autot erikoisvarustein.

Hinnat ja päästöt uuden mittaustavan mukaiset.

Global pulse COMPILED BY KATJA PANTZAR

Inspiration and ideas from across the network

Open House

NEW YORK, NEW YORK! From October 12 to 14, the annual Open House New York Weekend opens up the Big Apple’s most important buildings providing residents and visitors the opportunity to step into private spaces and meet the people who design, build, and attempt to preserve New York.

Hundreds of sites across five boroughs are open ranging from residential to industrial, historical to contemporary.

Tours, talks, performances, and other special events take place as part of the programme, which is under wraps until “The Big Reveal” just before the event.

SHANGHAI CALLING

VR PLAYTIME of the future are getting smaller and more intimate, according to insider guide Time Out Shanghai, which recently listed the megacity’s best VR arcades. On their list, MacHouse is one of the last mall-based VR arcades that carries the classic large video game arcade experience; it’s located in the Joy City shopping mall less than a kilometre from People’s Square. The arcade has several stations with VR consoles and a selection of about 20 games.

At the other end of the spectrum, Chuangyi Zhigu is one of a growing number of the city’s small, apartmentbased VR arcades. Hidden behind a storefront, near the Laoshan Lu Pudong district, the cosy game rooms are separated by sliding doors for privacy.

VR Better, near Hongqiao Lu, is also housed in a flat converted into a pop-up VR game room with a selection of VR experiences and video games, hightech VR consoles and headsets.

PHOTOS ISTOCK, PIXABAY

G AM ING C E N T R ES

Aurora alert

KEEP IT REAL Developed using a network of aurora sensors located around Finnish Lapland, the nlalert.fi app sends a real-time alert when the Northern Lights, that natural spectacular light show, display across the sky. Last season the service sent 594 aurora alerts throughout Finnish Lapland. The app also features a six-hour aurora activity and weather forecast so you know when there’s high solar activity going on, a likelihood of Northern Lights action. Available at the App Store and Google Play.

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 15

Global pulse Inspiration and from across the network

BIG IN JAPAN

PRINTS CHARMING popular Omotesando district, the recently revamped Marimekko flagship store is one of the Finnish design icon’s largest stores globally.

As the second biggest single market for Marimekko after Finland, Japan is currently the top country in the Asia-Pacific region for the clothing, accessories, and homewares firm.

At the end of September, another new store opened in Japan bringing the number of Marimekko stores in Greater Tokyo to 14, with a total of 37 Marimekko stores in Japan all together. Marimekko’s shop design team based the Tokyo revamped flagship standalone store concept on a co-creation with the international Pentagram design agency.

I N TOKYO’S

Upcycling

PHOTOS MARIMEKKO, RESOLE

SOULFUL SHOES Swedish ethical shoe brand Resole makes sneakers from up-cycled fabrics sourced from fabrics from old buses, trains, and trams. The small family business, based in southern Sweden, grew out of a love for nature and sensible footwear.

Each pair is handmade in Portugal and the company donates to environmental charities for every pair sold.

Their cheeky Instagram feed features inspirational save-the-planet quotes like, “We are living on this planet as if we had another one to go,”

by Terri Swearingen, nurse and eco-activist.

@orrefors

&

Urban flair country air Peak • Design by Martti Rytkönen

The Peak series is designed for high-life high-jinks.

The glasses are perfect for metropolitan soirées with celebs or quiet evenings at the local pub, and you can complement them with clean-lined coasters and straws if you wish.

orrefors.com

Importer Oy Trexet Finland Ab A New Wave Group Company

ADVERTISEMENT

Investing in Espoo,

a growing city by the metro Espoo is a strongly growing city with citizens who have major purchasing power, a fact that has not gone unnoticed by Citycon, which owns and manages over 40 shopping centres in the Nordics. In the last years, Citycon has invested in Espoo’s shopping centres’ huge market potential. Locations by the metro line will see particular growth, believes Citycon.

Iso Omena (Big Apple), one of Finland’s largest shopping centres was opened in Matinkylä, Espoo in 2001. The centre will see over 20 million visitors this year. “After its expansion, Iso Omena has been a huge success,” says Sanna Yliniemi, Commercial Director of Citycon. The location is a strategic one. “The metro line and connecting bus terminal form a transportation crosspoint, bringing a stream of customers,” Yliniemi continues.

Citycon’s next project, Lippulaiva, will see the rise of a new shopping centre in Espoonlahti, another growing Espoo area within the next few years.

“We believe that destinations situated by metro and train stations will develop exponentially. Espoonlahti is an area that will grow significantly, with Lippulaiva in the works and 600 apartments set to be built on top of it,” says Risto Seppo, Property Development Director of Citycon.

About Iso Omena Shopping Centre Iso Omena covers over 200 establishments of fashion, grocery shops and restaurants. The shopping center includes the City of Espoo’s 6,000 sqm Service Centre, consolidating the library and health centre in one space. Iso Omena sees 60,000 daily visitors on weekdays and has a gross leasable area of 100,900 sqm. The estimated sales of Iso Omena is EUR 350 million.

www.locateinespoo.fi |

@locateinespoo

Did you know this about Espoo?

2

largest city

nd in Finland

279,044

lived in Espoo at the turn people of 2018

70,000 people

8.7 million

are predicted to live in the major Espoonlahti area in the next 10 years

Espoo’s housing production in floor area sqm by 2050

7.5

total construction volume in the metro million zone sqm by 2050

13

new stations

will be constructed along the West Metro Zone

Global pulse Inspiration and from across the network

PHOTO JULIA KIVELÄ / VISIT FINLAND

1. CAFÉ SU CC ÈS

Classic Café Succès on boutique-filled Korkeavuorenkatu street has been the go-to korvapuusti address since 1977.

3

2 . KANNI STON L E I POMO

Operating since 1914, Kanniston Leipomo has seven locations around town including its original charismatic Punavuori café.

Sweet treats

NO BUN INTENDED As cinnamon roll day officially takes place on October 4, we share Helsinki’s top 3 places for the biggest and best cinnamon rolls or korvapuusti, the quintessential Finnish treat made with a dash of cardamom.

3 . CAFÉ FLEURIST E

on Uudenmaankatu street is a French-style café and art gallery that serves what many consider to be the city’s best korvapuusti cinnamon buns.

LUT eMBA [ Yksilöllinen valinta ] Vaihtoehtoisia teemaopintoja alkamassa Innovaatiojohtaminen 29.11.2018 alkaen Lahdessa Hankintojen johtaminen 02/2019 alkaen Lahdessa Tietojohtaminen 04/2019 alkaen Helsingissä LUT eMBA -ohjelman yhteiset opinnot käynnistyvät marraskuussa 2019.

LISÄTIETOJA:

LUT Täydennyskoulutus

Asiakkuuspäällikkö Sari Valkeapää sari.valkeapaa@lut.fi

lut.fi/mba

Rohkeat ajattelevat toisin. Ole yksi meistä.

Coordinates PHOTO VILLE LEHVONEN

A place to be

N 22° 16’ 34” E 114° 08’ 44” LO CATIO N

Victoria Peak, Hong Kong

STU NNING V IE WS are guaranteed on Asia’s first cable funicular (built in 1888) between Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour and Victoria Peak. The Peak, as it’s known, is a divider between the busy city and tranquil south side of the island with the world’s most expensive properties. Residents use The Peak Tram on their daily commute but expect long queues as more than seven million tourists visit the peak annually.

– Ville Lehvonen, Finnish photographer and designer from the archipelago of North Karelia

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 21

Up close Off the beaten path

TEXT AND PHOTOS TIM BIRD

FI NNAI R FL I E S TO

Copenhagen (CPH) five times a day.

DENMARK

THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER “ T H E PO O R ER A PL AC E I S , the greater call there seems to be for oysters.” This quotation from Charles Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers suggests that this most sought-after of shellfish hasn’t always been as exclusive as it is today. But you don’t need to make a booking at a gourmet restaurant or pay through the nose at a posh shellfish bar to enjoy this delicacy.

22 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

On the island of Fanø in Denmark’s Wadden Sea one only has to pull on rubber boots and head out onto the sands at low tide to claim their very own oyster feast – free of charge. The best season for oysters is from October to April when the water is cool and the texture of shellfish is at its best. The locals won’t mind if you come back with an armful of oysters. In fact, they’re encouraging it.

“We want everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy oysters fresh from the sea,” says Povl Lønberg, organiser of the Fanø Oyster Festival. “It is not only during the four-day festival that you are able to harvest and enjoy oysters, as well as razor clams, cockles, soft clams, and blue mussels. The idea is to make oysters and seafood more popular to eat, also on weekdays.”

The festival, organised for the third time on October 14–17, was awarded as 2017 Seafood Experience of the Year by the Nordic region’s equivalent of the Michelin Guide, the White Guide.

According to the Guide, “the award is given to a place that offers a raw and unforgettable taste of fresh seafood and manages to cook and garnish it with unique tastes as the result.” 

#GenerationGo

Stores | Copenhagen | Stockholm | Gothenburg | Helsinki | Oslo Shop online or find your closest Samsonite store at www.samsonite.com

24 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

Passion project

Woman of the wilds Photographer and wilderness guide Eeva Mäkinen discovers her most memorable (and Instagrammable) moments close to home.

TEXT ELENA SULIN PHOTOS EEVA MÄKINEN

FI NNAI R FL I E S TO

Ivalo (IVL) four times a day during the winter season.

N

ot many people know that there’s a 40-metre-long, 80-metre-deep canyon hidden in the north of Finland. Kevo Canyon is a strictly protected nature reserve carved from 1900-million-year-old granulite bedrock extending from Paistunturit Fells in Utsjoki to Saariselkä in Inari. Enriched by water flowing into the Arctic Sea, the walls of the canyon are described as miniature botanical gardens full of incredible wildlife.

Visiting the canyon proved to be a turning point in the life of photographer, wilderness guide, and Instagram celebrity Eeva Mäkinen.

Having newly finished her wilderness guide training, Mäkinen headed straight for the canyon and its 63-kilometre trail from Sulaoja to Lake Kenesjärvi. “After my schooling, I had confidence in my skills and knew I could make it on my own in the wild,” she describes. Not only did she survive, but she thrived in the wilderness.

Since then, she has completed hundreds of wilderness quests around the globe and gained a following of 100,000 people on social media.

Countless admirers have been mesmerised by her amazing footage of the Northern Lights, journeys through the snow, and the incredible landscape of Alaska.

“I never planned for this to happen. My career has evolved organically,” she states modestly. >

Lapland’s fjelds offer breathtaking views.

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 25

ABSOLUTE FREEDOM

Lapland in autumn is full of lingonberries and wildlife.

Mäkinen’s success as a wilderness seeker is driven by her unquenchable thirst for freedom. “I’ve been an entrepreneur all my working life, for more than ten years now. For me, it’s the only way to live and be free,” she says.

“I used to travel to faraway locations, but now I stay local,” says Mäkinen.

With a nose for trends, Mäkinen predicts that local travel is set to be the next big thing.

“People are rediscovering their relationship with nature. And instead of travelling thousands of kilometres to remote places, they have started looking closer, chasing experiences more locally,” Mäkinen muses.

For Mäkinen, the best thing about the Finnish wilderness is its tranquillity and distinctive seasons, creating landscapes that never produce the same photo twice. And many places in the Nordic north still await discovery – but to find them, you really have to live for the search. 

Eeva Mäkinen’s amazing nature photography has made her a social media celebrity.

5 TI PS FOR KE VO CANYON 1. PAR K YOUR CAR up north and catch a bus to Sulaoja. Upon finishing the hike, you pop out of the wilderness in Lake Kenesjärvi – right next to your car!

2 . B R I NG WAR M CLOTHE S for

evenings at the campsite. Merino and pure wool are best.

3 . PUR CHASE a pair of Crocs.

They will keep your hiking boots dry while you do the water crossings.

4. L E AVE A TR E AT in the car for when you return. You’ll thank ­yourself after the 63-kilometre hike!

5. CAR RY A NOTE B OOK. The

trek is long and full of things you will want to remember later.

26 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

Mandatum Henkivakuutusosakeyhtiรถ

Culture swap COMPILED BY LAURA IISALO

Destination inspiration

Future-proof Japan

FI NNAI R F LIES TO

Tokyo (NRT) nine times a week with twice daily flights during the summer season.

Ultramodern and minimalist: Japanese brands are one step ahead both in design and technology.

2

1

3

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE COMPANIES

4

5

6

1 — PARKA I N YO U R PO C K ET The Blocktech Light Parka by Uniqlo fits snugly in your pocket, ready for unexpected rainy days. €59.90 from uniqlo.com 2 — EY E TO T H E F U T U R E Funky re-edition of the iconic IM-101 eyewear by designer Issey Miyake. €449 from isseymiyake.com 3 — A R T I F I C I A L A F F EC T I ON The Aibo robotic dog by Sony now with artificial intelligence from aibo.sony.jp 4 — TRAINE R U PG RA D E The Lawnship 2.0 Knit is an improved version of the classic Japanese trainer. €99 from onitsukatiger.com 5 — STE EL S EN SAT I O N Brycen by Citizen Watch needs no battery, as it is powered by light. €400 from citizenwatch.com 6 — S M ART A N D S H I N Y Hideo Wakamatsu’s futuristic carry-on is waterproof and spacious. €170 from hideowakamatsu.com

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 29

Corporate clothing for active people Maahantuoja Oy Trexet Finland Ab • www.newwave.fi • www.craftsportswear.com

Agenda Global calendar for curious minds

COMPILED BY SIMON FRY

Keeping it real Autumn reveals its true colours in October.

PHOTOS DUNCAN DAVIS, LARS ÅKE ANDERSEN / TROMSØ ARCTIC PRIDE, TIM KARAU AND WILLIAM CALLAN, SERGIO AVILA

1

2 3

4

Photography talk

Pride

Film festival

Craft beer

THE REAL PICTURE

NORTH FACES

L.A. STORIES

MASH BASH

LO ND O N Photographer Jack Lowe describes the wet-plate collodion process used to photograph all 268 of the UK’s lifeboat stations. Lowe is halfway through his six-year labour of love, travelling in a decommissioned ambulance converted into a mobile dark room.

October 16 lifeboatstationproject.com

T R O M S Ø For the fifth consecutive year, the city hosts the world’s northernmost Pride festival. This year’s event includes concerts, discussions, workshops, and a queer film festival. The festival’s main purpose is celebrating diversity, creating warm inclusivity under the flickering Northern Lights.

November 5–11 arcticpride.no

LOS ANG E L E S Movie lovers can enjoy around 40 films at the fifth Highland Park Independent Film Festival.

Based in the Highland Theatre (on Route 66), categories include Los Angeles and Latino short stories plus women in cinema. Winners will receive certificates at an awards brunch.

October 4–7 hpifilmfest.com

B AR CE LONA

More than 200 Spanish, European, and US craft beers plus ciders and wines are on the menu at the second MASH Craft Beer Festival. Over 40 breweries will attend at Nau Bostik, a cultural arts facility in a former industrial space. Local gastronomy projects plus music enhance the offering at this neighbourhood meeting place.

October 26–27 instagram.com/mashbeerfest/

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 31

May I introduce

Bear Cave Suite Welcome to my underground suite to enjoy luxurious nights and splendid days!

The Bear Cave has a strong feel of natural materials – the interior walls are veneered pine, stone and lichen.

From the living area and private terrace there is a beautiful view to the nature around and a free view towards the north to spot the northernlights – or to enjoy the scenery overlooking the snow covered trees in the valley.

Enjoy the Bear Cave suite’s king size double bed and two saunas, a Turkish steam sauna and a traditional Finnish sauna. The old fireplace in the living area is made of natural stone. Next to the fireplace awaits a huge sofa and your own private jacuzzi for you to climb in and relax.

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PHOTO MARKO RANTANEN

Explore

Think beyond the box

Be real!

Where singer Alma finds her extraordinary strength (p. 34) OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 33

Think again

A SINGER WITH SISU Finland’s freshest pop export Alma finds strength in her unconventional upbringing, her family, and her Finnish roots.

TEXT KATJA PANTZAR PHOTOS MARKO RANTANEN

A

She credits her unconventional uthenticity. In addition to an upbringing and Finnish roots as sources incredibly strong voice and of inspiration and strength. catchy yet edgy pop lyrics, Her mother, who suffers from a large part of singer-songwriter Alma’s rheumatism, had the twins at 48. appeal is her originality. The Guardian And the twins’ father, who is 17 years recently described the 22-year-old as younger than their mother, has multiple “a cybergoth reimagining of a young sclerosis.

Adele (who) sounds like Beth Ditto.”

“I learned a lot from my childhood Alma doesn’t try to fit the from my parents, even though they conventional mould of a young female are disabled and my dad can’t walk. pop star, she’s a badass who does things They’ve given us such good her own way and exudes advice. I’m way richer in that unique quality of “I don’t my mind because of those Finnish fortitude, sisu. experiences,” she says.

“Sisu means never giving dream of Despite her tough image up,” says Alma. “If you set big cars Alma admits she’s a wee your mind to do something, bit nervous about her first you keep going no matter or houses, album; the release date has what; it’s like that power I like to sauna yet to be announced. One that comes when you’re so of the elements that sets done with everything but and I love it apart from her previous you just keep going.” to swim.” material is that it contains That hardworking ethic a lot of references to Finnish and a rigorous touring culture, according to Alma. schedule – in October alone she’s “I’ve travelled from Europe to Asia touring North America with gigs from and America and this culture is so rare, Seattle to Chicago – combined with a bit weird and unique,” she says. some big name collaborations including Asked to elaborate, she replies, Miley Cyrus and accolades (Sir Elton “I hang with my family. I don’t dream of John declared himself a fan) has helped big cars or houses, I like to sauna and to parlay her into one to watch.

I love to swim. I get shy yet sometimes Alma, whose full name is Alma-Sofia I talk, talk, talk, talk. I like to spend time Miettinen, made her debut performing in the forest. I have a lot of goals, but my on Finnish Pop Idol at age 16; soon after goals are very realistic and not too big. she was signed on by Universal Music.

I think if I were as big as Miley Cyrus, I Today her back-up singer is her twin would just disappear into the forest.”  sister and best friend Anna.

34 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

AL MA

22, Finnish pop sensation W HAT I WANT TO BE W HE N I G R OW UP

“Happy, stable, and powerful” W HO I NSPI R E S ME

“My mum, she’s the boss. I always have strong female role models, so I’ve never really understood that there are women who are too shy to voice their own opinion.”

FAVOUR I TE PLAC E

“I just love being in the forest, nature is the best part of Finland.”

Alma’s fans include Miley Cyrus, who she is collaborating with on several songs.

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 35

Escape India

Riverwalk heartbeat

While much of Kolkata’s Hooghly River shore is crowded with warehouses, some stretches are being rediscovered as a source of respite from the city’s urban sprawl.

TEXT AND PHOTOS TIM BIRD

36 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

The Howrah Bridge is one of Kolkata’s iconic landmarks. A stroll along its 700-metre span at rush hour is an essential Kolkata experience.

The bathing ghats close to Howrah Bridge are lined with shrines and markets, and are a popular evening gathering place.

>

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 37

Young couples enjoy a romantic stroll through ­Millennium Park, a riverside walkway close to Kolkata’s commercial heart.

As in any Indian town or city, the aromas of street food are a constant feature in Kolkata’s markets.

38 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

Fairground attractions in Millennium Park on the eastern shore of the Hooghly are popular with local and visiting families.

A neatly presented floral display at Mullick Ghat Flower Market near the eastern end of Howrah Bridge.

>

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 39

FI NNAI R FL I E S

daily to Delhi (DEL), from where you can catch a flight to Kolkata.

Football at sunset close to the ferry jetties and eastern ghats of the Hooghly.

Helsinki-based Tim Bird is a ­regular Blue Wings contributor and is addicted to India’s endless visual variety.

40 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

PARIISISSA NÄHDÄÄN. SIMPLY CLEVER

UUSI VAHVA ŠKODA KODIAQ RS Maailman ensi-ilta lokakuussa 2018 Pariisin autonäyttelyssä.

skoda.fi

Field trip Prague

Restaurant

42 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

revolution No longer just a city of pubs, Prague is finding its way onto the food map.

TEXT JOANN PLOCKOVA PHOTOS TUOMAS HARJUMAASKOLA

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 43

W

ith the exception of beer, Prague is not a city that’s been associated with food or a restaurant scene.

For many visitors their memory is of a dark, smoky place with surly waiters and heavy food that left them sleepy and longing for vegetables. But thanks to a new generation of well-travelled chefs, business owners, and coffee connoisseurs the city’s restaurant experience has been elevated to new heights.

You can feel difference,” says Jan Valenta, co-founder along with his wife Zuzana Daňková of Taste of Prague, a top food tours company and authors of the first Prague Foodie map. “Three years ago, you could just walk in to a restaurant, now you have to make a reservation.”

From Prague’s centre to its surrounding districts, well-designed specialty coffee cafés, neighborhood bistros, Michelin-star restaurants, and some creative combinations have brought the city a vibrant new culinary scene.

IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS AMBIENTE “Today everyone asks, ‘Where’s it from?’” Valenta says, of an increasing interest among locals of the origins of their food. “It started with the restaurant group Ambiente.”

Led by founder Tomáš Karpíšek, the group set a new precedent in quality, service, and atmosphere through a steady flow of the city’s most innovative restaurant concepts. “Even when I was chef, I realised it’s not just about the food, but what’s around,” says Karpíšek. “It’s in the name, Ambiente. It’s about the experience of eating.”

As the story goes with many of those responsible for Prague’s booming scene, Karpíšek began after returning home from abroad. Working at a successful Tex-Mex restaurant in Austria he decided to bring the concept back to the Czech Republic.

“After the revolution everyone was hungry for the exotic,” he says. Opened in 1995, The Living restaurant was Karpíšek’s take on Tex-Mex and

44 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

Ambiente’s first restaurant. He followed it up with two others and then, satisfying a constant request for Italian, opened Pasta Fresca, Pasta Café, and then Brasiliero, a Brazilian concept with two locations. But it was the group’s first Czech concept that put Prague on the food map.

“It was quite tricky at the start,” says Karpíšek.

“We needed to earn some credibility for Czech cuisine.” Their idea was to open something a bit upscale. After a first attempt at the historic Café Savoy, they looked to the recipes of a celebrated 19th-century cookbook and opened La Degustation Bohême Borgeoise in 2006. Offering a multi-course tasting menu with an emphasis on sourcing locally,

La Degustation brought Prague one of its first ever Michelin stars in 2012.

“Quite often we asked ourselves the question ‘do we change?’ But we stuck to what we believed,” Karpíšek says. “The judges said that was the most important thing. That we stuck with our original concept and believed what we set out to do.”

EMA espresso bar showcases Prague’s booming specialty coffee scene.

KEEPING IT LOKAL It was through larger conversations about the Michelin star that led to further emphasis on “keeping it local.” Unlike in France and Italy where the conditions make it easier to source from

>

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 45

1 Eska is set inside a former factory.

2 A bee buzzing around the herb garden at Bistro Milada.

3 Bread from Eska’s on-site bakery makes for a simply delicious starter.

4 Opened in 2015, Eska is a restaurant-bakery hybrid in Prague’s popular Karlín district.

5 At Lokál, carefully treated pilsner is draught from the tank.

1

5

2

3

4

6

7

8

6 Presentation is just as important as taste at Eska.

7 Ambiente founder Tomáš Karpíšek stands inside the group’s newest restaurant: Kuchyň.

46 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

9

8 At Eska, food is sourced from local farmers and producers.

9 Manifesto Market has brought the city a diversity of flavours.

home, the Czech Republic has relied on importing from those countries. “But the judges don’t really like that,” says Karpíšek, “So there was a need to discover the local farm scene. To get raw materials from local producers.”

This has particularly come into play at Eska, a first-of-its-kind restaurant-bakery combination opened in 2015. Set inside a former factory in Prague’s Karlín district, the light and bright, twofloor space offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a daily changing menu for the latter with the likes of beef tartare with shallots, mustard, and grilled bread for a starter, or potatoes in ash, smoked fish, dried egg yolk, and kefir.

Through Eska and other restaurants in the area, Ambiente has helped establish Karlín as one of the city’s top food spots. “Our idea was to provide and nourish the areas we live in with bon vivant,” Karpíšek says.

They are also spreading an appreciation for the experience of food in other areas of the city through venues like Lokál, a network of neighbourhood pubs where Czech classics have been updated with fresh, regionally-sourced ingredients.

“Communism interrupted Czech cuisine,” Karpíšek says. “Now we’re going back to the past, we’re digging deep into the traditions of our past.

Our generation is trying to restore the riches and treasures we have.”

BISTROS EVERYWHERE One success story is the bistro. From Karlín to the Letná district, these affordable venues have been popping up around the city attracting locals and visitors as much for their food as for their Instagram-worthy interiors. Among them is Bistro Milada. Located on a leafy street in the popular Letná district (another food hot spot), the quaint neighborhood restaurant where warm nights allow for dining al fresco in the inner courtyard garden

“Our generation is trying to restore the riches and treasures we have.”

was founded by La Degustation’s executive chef and co-owner Oldřich Sahajdák and his wife Šárka.

“People started to be curious about cuisine.

Once you know what they’re eating in London or Copenhagen, for example, your expectations rise. If people are aware of what’s good it makes us want to be better,” Sahajdák says sharing some of his thoughts on the reason behind Prague’s restaurant rise.

It was his own food travels that inspired Milada. “I travel to Paris where I like to eat in small bistros,” he says. Inspired by one place in particular, he wanted to bring something similar to Prague− “something not posh, the food is very good, everyone can afford it.”

Keeping the restaurant open just four days per week, Sahajdák and his two chefs reserve three off days to head to the nearby Holešovice market where they shop for ingredients.

Although Sahajdák says Prague still has “a long way to go” compared to other European cities, he feels it’s inching nearer to the one city he always uses as a reference point: “Berlin.” >

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 47

Fruit dumplings, a classic Czech dish.

AND THEN THERE WAS COFFEE Across the board, all are in agreement that the shining star of Prague’s food scene is coffee. “When we travel we miss coffee in Prague,” says Taste of Prague’s Valenta.

With a specialty coffee café around every corner, locals have the opportunity to choose their favourite place by neighbourhood and explore their tastes.

“Prague now offers one of the top coffee scenes in Europe. The quality of the coffee is super,” says Kamil Srbek, who first helped bring specialty coffee to the city through Café Lounge in 2009. But it was through EMA, one of the city’s first proper espresso bars, that he played a leading role in setting the pace for Prague’s coffee culture.

“People drink more and more specialty coffee,” he says. In the grinder at EMA – an appealing small spot with light wood furniture and massive windows that make up for its slightly gritty location

WHAT WORKS IN SWEDEN

WORKWEAR COLLECTION 2018 48 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

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We feel that if they work in Sweden, they will work everywhere and more and more workers, all over the world, agree with us.

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FINNAIR FL IE S TO

Prague (PRG) two times a day.

across from Masaryk train station – beans are from European micro-roasteries and more recently, their own.

“Along with the quality of coffee and the food they are eating, people are more interested in interiors and the way things look,“ says Petra Lálová, a customer at Místo, another popular specialty coffee café in the city. Local firm Edit!

Architects are behind the design which features walls clad in oak with “little views,” says co-founder Vítezslav Danda, and hints of colour through whimsical walls of art by local artists.

“Our intentions are quite selfish, we want to create nice places for ourselves,” Danda says, laughing. “But also, we see the comments from people saying they like it. It’s a good feeling to improve people’s lives.”

ROOM TO GROW Despite the remarkable evolution of Prague’s restaurant scene, those helping to create it agree that there is still room for improvement. “It’s honest, the cooking is there, but it’s still fairly conservative,” says Valenta. “Service is still not there and with the exception of maybe Italian and Vietnamese, variety is still difficult to find because of little immigration.”

One recently opened venue is certainly making an exciting attempt at filling in these gaps. Carved into a formerly neglected space just down the street from EMA, Manifesto Market has brought the city its first proper food hall where a diversity of flavours, from Argentinian to Asian-Fusion to

Czech, are mixed with a daily offering of culture.

“We love the diversity of people, food, culture, and drinks,” says Martin Barry, founder of Manifesto and reSITE, a non-profit focused on improving cities. “You can find over 25 nationalities working at Manifesto every day – that’s another story (along with high-quality service) that is difficult to find elsewhere in Prague.”

Looking out at the city from the rooftop of one of the black shipping containers that give Manifesto its distinctive feel, the changing landscape of Prague is visible. Just like the city’s food scene, it’s a bit of past and present, it’s shifting and evolving, it’s finding its way. 

Manifesto Market has brought a mix of food and culture to a once neglected urban space in Prague.

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 49

WE HAVE IT IN CHECK At Hästens, we have been crafting better sleep since 1852.

For the past 40 years, our blue-and-white check has been the hallmark of the high quality we offer. This instantly recognisable pattern acts as a guarantee that your bed is an authentic Hästens, exclusively created using premium structures and materials. You can choose your checked fabric from a range of one or two-tone colourways to suit your own style.

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Smart stuff COMPILED BY MARK FLETCHER

Discoveries for a clever life

WHAT LIES BENEATH Blueye Robotics has developed the Pioneer underwater drone which can be controlled via smartphone or tablet. The drone allows users to explore ocean depths of down to 150 metres and can be used by enthusiasts and scientists alike to gain an understanding and appreciation of our underwater ecospheres.

PHOTOS HEIDI-HANNA KARHU, PENTATONIC, BLUEYE ROBOTICS AS, BIG EAR COMPANY GRAPHIC

MUSICALITY ON THE MOVE A new arrival in learning games, Big Ear Games sets out to empower your inner musician with their mobile music game. Players can build popular songs from scratch while solving musical puzzles and all while being able to collaborate with others online. CEO Aviv BenYehuda says, “This could be described as being like musical Lego.�

TRASH INTO TREASURE PEN TATO N I C A R E GI VI NG cigarette butts (and other rubbish items) a second chance by repurposing the materials into slick furniture via an adapted injection-moulding process, all in the name of leading the world into a circular economy. There is seemingly no limit to what can be made with rubbish and Pentatonic have managed to create items such as desks made from DVDs and bowls made from smartphone screens.

GARDEN OF IDEAS The City of Espoo recently won the international Intelligent Community Awards for 2018 with the Espoo Innovation Garden in a contest themed humanising data. The objective has been to establish an interconnected and sustainable environment that encapsulates smart infrastructure (such as housing and energy). The whole area plays host to technology, business, science, arts, and culture.

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 51

Photo: Tappara

Destination Tampere Region

Tampere Helsinki Stockholm Riga

1h Bremen

2h Budapest

3h Malaga

Home of Ice Hockey Two teams

New home Arena

It’s in the DNA

Tampere has two ice hockey teams in the Finnish national ice hockey league.

The teams are called Tappara (“Axe”) and Ilves (“Lynx”). The hot question for any newcomer in Tampere is: which of the two teams do you support? Both teams have been successful, so you can choose either – although sometimes it is better just to stay neutral. When in Tampere, be sure to catch a thrilling home match between the two rivals.

From 2021, Tappara and Ilves will play their home games in a new, world-class, multi-purpose arena. Dedicated to sports and culture, this will be the largest indoor arena in Finland. The Arena’s IT infrastructure will enable all kinds of future digital experiences as well as service integration. Be prepared to enjoy hockey on a digital entertainment platform!

Finns love hockey. But people in Tampere are crazy about it. Ice hockey and the city of Tampere have a long history. The first artificial ice rink and the first indoor ice arena in the country were built in Tampere in the 50s and 60s. From then on, Tampere has always been home to internationally renowned hockey players and hardcore fans. Hockey is a key element of Tampere’s DNA.

www.airrport.fi/en @FlyTampere

Conversation Guest writer Meik Wiking

Keeping it real we ran an experiment at the Happiness Research Institute to explore whether people who reduce their consumption of social media are happier and connect more in the real world.

We asked participants about different dimensions of happiness and then randomly allocated the participants either to a control group, which continued to use social media as usual, and a treatment group, which did not use social media for a week. When the week had passed, we asked the participants to evaluate their lives once more.

What we found was that the treatment group reported significantly higher levels of life satisfaction.

The people in that group also reported higher levels of enjoyment in life and felt less lonely.

Not using social media furthermore led to an increase in social activity and satisfaction with their social lives.

Further study is needed to understand the long-term effects of such an intervention but, for now, it is another piece of evidence demonstrating that, while digital technologies are still in their infancy, we, too, are still in our infancy in terms of our ability to use it.

So, what can we learn from all this?

How to keep things real and how to focus our attention on the real world?

One of the challenges is critical analogue mass. By critical analogue mass, I mean enough people whose attention is not entirely sucked up by their devices, so there is someone around to play or talk with. How do we ensure that we have

A CO U PL E O F Y EAR S AG O,

M E IK W IKING is CEO of The Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen and the author of The Little Book of Lykke: The Danish Search for the World’s Happiest People.

somebody to play with if we disconnect from the digital community? A Danish boarding school might have found a way to do that.

When the students, 14- to 16-years old, arrive at the school, the staff confiscate smartphones and other gadgets.

Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat can be accessed only at the beginning of the school day, and pupils are allowed one hour of gadget time per day.

After the first term, the system was put to a student vote. Should we continue with this system, or be free to use our phones and gadgets as much as we want? Eighty per cent voted for the first option.

Obviously, these kinds of measures work only when a sufficient number of people are on board.

If you are the only one without your phone and the rest of the class is Snapchatting with their friends, it can be a lonely experience. Achieving critical mass within your social circle is crucial.

You could convince a number of families on your street to make Thursday night analogue night and send the kids out to play together or start at home by making Thursday night family night. Other options are to create a no-phone zone for two hours around the evening meal or place a basket for phones by the coat hangers and encourage friends to deposit any devices there when they visit. There are plenty of options to keep things real – at least for a while. 

How do we ensure that we have somebody to play with if we disconnect from the digital community?

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 53

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PHOTO LIISA VALONEN

Create

Celebrate accomplishments

Wild appeal Makers of Latvian cosmetics find their inspiration in nature (p. 56) OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 55

Creative corner Latvia

Botanical bounty When it comes to beauty, Latvian cosmetics innovators know that you can’t compete with Mother Nature.

TEXT SILJA KUDEL PHOTOS LIISA VALONEN

56 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

“I know every inch of these fields.”

L AURA KR E I ŠMANE , CO- FOUND E R OF ECO- COSME TI CS B RAND DAB B A

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 57

L

aura Kreišmane is the face of Dabba – a face that perfectly captures the spirit of this “back to nature” organic cosmetics brand.

She has the look that many women yearn for their skin – that elusive quality called “glow.”

Besides glow, her face also bears an expression of steely determination. All Dabba products are fully natural, organic-certified, and produced inhouse from high-quality local ingredients.

“We don’t compromise. At least 85 per cent of our ingredients are fully organic, which is four times the industry average,” Kreišmane says.

Founded in 2011 as a family-owned floral water distillery, Dabba produces a steadily expanding range of skin and hair products distilled from northern flowers, leaves, roots, seeds, and barks.

“We’re growing, but we want to keep things small to maintain our local identity,” asserts Kreišmane, who runs the company together with her partner Jaˉnis K ‚ esa.

The couple represent a growing tribe of creatives who are leaving the Riga rat race for a more laidback lifestyle in rural Latvia. In her former life, Kreišmane was a sociologist and K‚esa was a lawyer.

WONDER INGREDIENTS

always looking for some kind of magic elixir in the ­Amazon, but some of the most potent plant-based ingredients are found right here in Latvia! We had to travel all around the world to discover the beauty of home,” she says.

BEAUTY WITH A BEARD Country life clearly agrees with K‚esa, who left behind a budding legal career to start afresh in the medieval town of Ceˉsis in northeastern Latvia. His legal skills ­nevertheless come in handy in his new role as the founder of Bad Weather, a new line of organic skincare products dedicated to men and their needs.

“When we started Dabba, it was meant to be a unisex brand – the image isn’t ultra-feminine – but it is mostly women who hear our message. I wanted to find a way of reaching out to a male audience. Besides, men have different needs. We have generally thicker, tougher, and oilier skin than women, so we have different problems to address,” he explains.

His personal favourite in the range is an all-inone product named “Survival Balm.” This “single strike” balm promises effortless skin care even for men who balk at the word exfoliation.

“Men don’t really need a legion of serums to look and feel fresher. All it takes is one great product to take care of everything from puffy eyes to shaping your moustache. And just think: applying a cream is ten times easier than a gym membership,” he chuckles. >

“Latvians still have a very close bond with nature.”

Strolling the grounds of Dabba’s 25-hectare organic farm near the village of Rauna in north-eastern Latvia, Kreišmane can identify the exact sea-buckthorn bush that yielded the berries for Dabba’s latest batch of complexion-balancing serum. “We know which part of the orchard every specific extract comes from. That’s a level of traceability that few companies can match,” she declares.

Dabba products contain a variety of local plant extracts, including wild raspberry leaves, yarrow, fireweed, birch leaves, and peppermint.

“These ingredients are found in abundance in Latvia. We’re basically turning oftentimes overlooked plants into products packed with antioxidants,” she notes.

The decision to found Dabba took shape while the couple were backpacking. “Everyone is

58 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

Ex-lawyer and ­cosmetics pioneer Ja ˉ nis K‚esa also runs a microbrewery in the town of Ce ˉ sis.

“Bad weather has its upsides.

It makes our plants potent.” ˉ NIS K‚ESA JA

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 59

“I am a forest girl, heart and soul.”

LOT T E T I S EN KO PFAI LT N ER E

“We were ‘freaks’ 12 years ago. But today the back-to-nature trend is mainstream,” says Lotte TisenkopfaIltnere.

60 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

“Latvians are second only to the Chinese in the use of ancient remedies. Instead of taking a painkiller, we drink meadowsweet tea. We have always used natural plants and herbs – and now science is proving our grandmothers were right,” she says, with a laugh.

F I N N A I R F L I ES TO

Riga (RIX) three times a day.

BIRCH SAP AND STEM CELLS

FEEL-GOOD HERO “Bad Weather” might seem an ironic name for ­products that draw their potency from the sun.

“We have long winters and unique weather here in the North – terrible weather, quite frankly – but the lack of sunshine makes our plants tougher. Their power is concentrated, and we harness that potency in our products,” he explains.

“Bad Weather” also refers to the outdoorsy ­Latvian way of life. “Laura and I live in a small town surrounded by miles of woodlands. Even when the weather is dreadful, we put on our raincoats and spend hours walking our Staffordshire Bullterriers in the forests and meadows. And we always come home feeling good and energised,” describes K‚esa.

Latvians still have a very close bond with nature. That’s probably why we excel at developing innovative plant-based products,” he says.

Tisenkopfa-Iltnere describes herself as “a forest girl, heart and soul.” She spent her childhood summers running wild in the Latvian countryside picking berries and mushrooms with her grandmother.

“Every spring, we went out birch tapping. We drilled a hole in the tree trunks and collected the sap, and Grandma made me drink the sweet liquid.

The same tradition is still being passed on today,” says the mother of three.

Today birch water is one of MÁDARA’s hero ingredients. It contains 55 active molecules, and it has a similar stimulating effect on skin as it does on tree growth, helping to build collagen tissue.

“The 400 natural ingredients we use are based on ancient Latvian heritage. Using 21st-century tools, and working with universities, we are able to form a new understanding of why they so effective. It’s beautiful that we are able to use modern science to dig down into the mechanisms that trouble our skin,” she says.

MÁDARA is among the companies that spearheaded the “back to nature” paradigm shift.

“It’s clear that the future of skincare is in the woods and meadows – but this wasn’t obvious a decade ago,” she says.

Tisenkopfa-Iltnere is especially excited about the new sun protection range, which contains a rare blue flower, Nordic Dragonhead – or, to be precise, not the real flower, but stem cells grown in a bioreactor.

“I’m proud of the way our company combines ancient wisdom with cutting-edge science. It’s funny, really – I used to hate chemistry!” 

“Science is proving our grandmothers right.”

NATURE’S ROCKET SCIENCE “This plant is mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris. We use it in our deep moisture fluid,” says Lotte ­Tisenkopfa-Iltnere, lifting a purple-stemmed plant growing wild in a meadow next to the headquarters of MÁDARA, Latvia’s leading organic cosmetics brand. The meadow is the site of the factory’s forthcoming expansion.

Striding through long grass and chatting with disarming warmth, Tisenkopfa-Iltnere seems more a 21st-century flower child than the creative director of a multi-million-euro corporation.

She co-founded the company 12 years ago, driven by a mission to “make rocket science out of the forest.” After developing an allergy to synthetic cosmetics, she began testing her own natural formulas based on ancient recipes. Teaming up with university researchers, she developed a range of 100 per cent natural “power products” that are revered by beauty bloggers all over the world.

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 61

Sidesteps Shanghai

SHANGHAI’S GREEN POCKETS The locals of the Chinese megacity know where to find a peaceful escape from the urban bustle.

TEXT AND PHOTOS AMANDA SOILA

where bigger always seems to mean better, it’s easy to get carried away by the glamour of the mega malls and glitzy nightclubs. But beyond the neon lights and skyscrapers, the city’s softer underbelly beckons to those looking for quiet time in serene surroundings.

“Even if Shanghai is a fast-paced city, there are cosy spaces everywhere,” says Kari Hakala, author of a guidebook on Shanghai co-written with ­journalist Oskar Helling targeted especially at Finnish travellers.

While the former French Concession and Jing An areas are excellent places to find cute shops and cafés, ­Shanghai’s building boom has also spared a great

IN A CITY

The ancient water town of Qibao boasts charmingly historical settings along Shanghai’s metro line.

number of parks, and it’s surprisingly easy to find small spaces of lush ­greenery tucked away in the middle of the concrete jungle.

“These parks are an antidote to the stress of life in the metropolis and they give locals a chance to pause and reconnect with nature,” says Hakala.

Parks are also an important social hub where people gather for tai chi, mah jong, or dance classes. >

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 63

SECRET GARDEN SOME OF SHANG HAI ’S best urban hideouts can be found in the most unlikely settings. A surprising example is Rose Garden. Nothing about the exterior suggests that the backyard of the GR Furniture home interiors store in the former French Concession is a jungle-like garden that doubles as the shop’s café. Overgrown and tangled, with spindly tables and old greenhouses, this green space has a disarming shabbiness that contrasts pleasantly with the urban grandeur beyond its walls.

Rose Garden, 405 Julu Lu

FI NNAI R FL I E S TO Shanghai

(PVG) daily.

TEA TIME TE A P L AYS a starring role in Chinese history, but for Shanghai’s tourists, teahouses carry rather a dubious reputation due to notorious “teahouse scams” that leave gullible travellers considerably lighter on cash.

But this should not discourage anyone from seeking a more authentic experience of the age-old ritual. One place to find it is in the former French Concession area, in the backyard of Urban Tribe, a boutique selling design apparel and ceramics. Boasting an impressive tea menu, the tea comes with a selection of healthy snacks in a peaceful garden shaded from the sun.

Urban Tribe, 133 Fuxing Xi Lu

64 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

ORGANIC OASIS have seen a definite rise in interest towards healthy lifestyles and clean foods. Spearheaded by a couple of ex-pat brands, the health boom has enjoyed celebrity endorsement, and today the city is brimming with options for superfood snacks and vegetarian fare.

One of the first mainstream venues for organic food is Green and Safe, a two-storey food hall and café housed in a modern loft-style industrial space in the former French Concession area. Particularly popular for its high-end organic supermarket, salad bar, and pizzas, the eatery also offers some of the city’s most impressive pancake portions. 

T H E PAST F EW Y EA R S

Green and Safe, 6 Dongping Lu

@sagaform

WE ARE CELEBRATING 25 YEARS! Katso lähin jälleenmyyjä www.sagaform.fi | Maahantuoja Oy Trexet Finland Ab | www.newwave.fi

Investigation

Airport of tomorrow

66 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

What are the puzzle pieces required to create a stress-free travel experience with a wow effect?

H

TEXT TIM BIRD ILLUSTRATION EMMI-RIIKKA VARTIAINEN

elsinki Airport has come a long way since its opening in July 1952 during the summer Olympics, when passengers were handled through what was effectively a large shed. It currently handles 19 million passengers annually, a figure projected to soar over the next decade.

Fuelled by Finnair’s ever-increasing traffic between Asia and Europe, the airport has evolved into its own community, directly and indirectly employing 20,000 people who work for some 2,000 operators.

Ensuring the continued organic growth of this thriving transport hub poses its administrators, Finavia, with an enormous and complex puzzle.

The current programme of expansion, due for completion in 2022, covers not only physical construction and development but also a whole range of enhancements in terms of technology and passenger experience. Terminal space will increase by 45 per cent, adding eight new gates for wide-bodied aircraft and boosting both baggage handling and passport control capacity by 50 per cent.

HIGH HOPES In 2017, Helsinki handled just over three million transit passengers, up from 2.66 million in 2016. The majority were transferring to and from Finnair’s many scheduled Asian and North American flights. In order to increase the speed and efficiency of transferring passengers from nonSchengen to European Schengen area flights and vice versa, the airport is currently seeing a major expansion of its non-Schengen area.

“A main goal for this part of the airport is to serve transfer passengers travelling from Asia and Europe and from Europe to Asia,” says Tuomas Silvennoinen of PES-Architects Ltd, chief architect for the development.

A major feature of the extension is the separation on different levels of arriving and departing passengers. Silvennoinen thinks this creates a spatially new and interesting situation. “We have planned highly developed passenger bridges with

escalators, and there will be travelators connecting the gates with transfer and baggage areas. We also try to use timber as much as possible to create the visual Finnish and Nordic identity,” he says.

The experience also has to be positive and memorable, says Silvennoinen. It has to serve those who are using the terminal every day and those who are using it once in a lifetime. He refers to the “rational poetry” of the building, which he sees as important to any terminal or transport hub.

“If you think of big railway stations, they are romantic, fantastic, inspiring places,” he says.

“That should always be in your mind when you are designing this kind of building.”

His idea has been to continue in line with the previous terminal design tradition, based on a streamlined, easy to navigate, “single roof” concept, while adding something new.

“The extension has to fit the existing building and at the same time we are subtly developing the aesthetics and general look. There is a lot of ‘visual noise’ in a terminal building – signage, advertisements, shop fronts. It’s important to create some sort of lasting architectural background, both visually and functionally.”

PERSONALISED TOUCH Enhancement of the airport’s digital processes is also central to the developments. These processes make automation and self-service procedures faster and smoother, in turn expanding capacity. Airline customers and airport users across Europe already take digital automation for granted and are eager to use it, understanding that it makes the travel process easier.

“We have been developing our digital services, such as the Helsinki Airport App that provides info about the airport’s services and commercial offering, and our renewed website, giving a digital face to the airport,” says Heikki Koski, Finavia’s chief digital officer.

In order to create services for the passengers in a smooth digital journey, Finavia has been cooperating with airlines, and especially Finnair as the hub operator. “So Finnair’s own app will >

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 67

FALL IN LOVE WITH LISBON

T H E N O R D I C WAY

ENJOY THE SUNNY PORTUGAL THIS AUTUMN

Venture deep into the beautiful capital of Portugal where traditions and modern life harmoniously supplement each other. Stroll down the little alleyways of Alfama to the sound of fado music, ride around in an old-fashioned tram and stop to enjoy the various delicacies served at the local restaurants. Finnair flies a direct route to Lisbon from Helsinki year-round. Book your flights now finnair.com

include info about airport restaurants, parking, security line status, and so on. The Helsinki Airport map is now available on Apple Maps and we want to use more channels in more languages,” says Koski.

In addition to other digital elements that are visible to the passenger, such as automated check-in and bag drop, a whole range of “under the hood” services are incorporated into the development plans. These include aircraft services, turnaround management, and baggage handling. Looking further ahead, all digital processes at the airport will be integrated.

Biometric identification systems will be introduced and applied across different processes. In the future, your face could be your boarding pass!

“It’s a full ecosystem and we can’t operate it alone,” says Timo Järvelä, Finavia’s vice president, passenger experience and processes.

“The passengers don’t care so much about who is responsible for each process, they are just interested that it works. So the different parties at the airport have to work together. It helps that we are part of a community,” he says.

The ultimate aim is to facilitate a stress-free passenger journey. The passenger needs to know where to go to proceed through the different processes as fast as possible, with minimum hassle.

“I am always highlighting this during planning for extensions,” says Järvelä. “And I want the experience to leave the passenger with an extra ‘wow’ memory.”

A plaza area connecting the West and South Piers in the non-Schengen area will have video walls showing images of Finland to create an emotional identification with the country. There will be lots of daylight and space, and wooden floors and ceilings. “We want to keep things simple and under a single roof,” says Järvelä. 

In the future, your face could be your boarding pass!

TOTAL ECOSYSTEM Technology enhances the airport customer experience, playing an ever-greater role, but the human touch points remain important.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Finnish/Belgian international group is looking for multiple high potential profiles.

Join our teams in Finland or Belgium. Check out your next career move:

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FEEL THE ARCTIC MAGIC IN KEMI, FINNISH SEA LAPLAND

The essence of Lapland is in the region’s nature, people, and distinct change of seasons.

Kemi, a small Finnish town by the sea, offers a taste of everything Arctic.

ICY ADVENTURES

FROZEN FORTRESS

STARRY NIGHTS

Experience winter activities on the

Imagine sipping a drink from an ice

If you’re looking for something different,

frozen sea. Take an icebreaker cruise,

glass surrounded by amazing

book a stay in the award-winning

drive a car or snowmobile on the sea

ice sculptures even in the midst of

Seaside Glass Villas. The villas are made

ice or go ice fishing. When the ice and

summer. The SnowCastle is turning into

of glass walls and ceilings. Experience a

snow melt, the waters call for sailing and

a year-round destination where you’ll be

light show like no other, the magic of the

fishing and the island forests beckon

able to step into a winter wonderland

northern lights in the autumn and winter

hikers. If you want to experience a true

any day of the year! To top off your visit,

or bask in the wonder of the white

Finnish custom, take a traditional steam

a bit of pampering is in order in the

nights, as the sun never sets below the

sauna followed by a dip in the sea.

luxurious spa and sauna department.

horizon in the summer.

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Celebrating creative outcomes

Home of Hetzu is the name of a perky fox terrier frequently found on the premises of Hetzukoto, a new concept store opened in Helsinki’s Design District by Piyapong Kerdmoh, an architect from Surin, Thailand.

The name reflects the playful spirit of the store, which showcases emerging young labels including Kerdmoh’s own bold and adorable shirt brand HezzuHezzu.

Finland’s freedom from hierarchies was among the key reasons Kerdmoh decided to build his career in Helsinki. “Everyone is equal, and everyone is important. And there’s a lot of great young design talent.

By opening Hetzukoto, I wanted to enhance the experience of customers looking for something new in Helsinki,” he says.

“ H ETZ U”

KEEP A COOL HEAD Chill October winds are a great excuse to splurge on a beautiful beanie.

VE STI AR I UM mohair beanies come in lovely hues from dusty pink to electric blue. €59 from World of TRE

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE COMPANIES, CHRIS VIDAL TENOMAA (GARDEN), ARI KARTTUNEN / EMMA

Bulevardi 15

GARDEN À LA MODE Budding talent needs fertile soil to blossom – and this will be offered in spades

by Garden, a new hub of Finnish fashion opening at Galleria Esplanad on November 15.

Well-known brands will also open boutiques at the hub, including Arela, Samuji, Terhi Pölkki, Hálo, and Nomen Nescio. Alongside commercial projects, the space will host experimental fashion shows and student exhibitions.

FAR ME STE R hand-made organic Finnsheep beanies are a fusion of rural charm with urban panache. €94 from Myssyfarmi

STRONG WOMEN AT EMMA The Espoo Museum of Modern Art celebrates female energy with the Finnish debut of Alicja Kwade, a Polish contemporary artist acclaimed widely in international art biennials. Kwade’s show will engage in a unique dialogue with the museum’s brutalist architecture. October also sees the opening of Čuolmmadit, a solo show by Sámi artist and activist Outi Pieski.

FLOW X MAK IA keeps the party going during the long wait for next summer’s Flow Festival. €29 from World of TRE

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 71

be rewarded. be one.

Earn and redeem miles and points across all member airlines.

be recognized Welcome to oneworld, an alliance of the world’s leading airlines committed to providing the highest level of service and convenience across more than 1,000 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 all oneworld airlines and, for Finnair Plus Platinum and Gold members, access to some 650 premium airport lounges.

Finnair Plus Silver

Finnair Plus Gold

Finnair Plus Platinum

oneworld Ruby

oneworld Sapphire

oneworld Emerald

Earn & redeem Finnair Plus Points on oneworld member airlines Earn tier points on all eligible oneworld flights Access to Business Class priority check-in Access to preferred or pre-reserved seating Priority on waitlists and when on standby Access to Business Class lounges Priority boarding Extra baggage allowance Priority baggage handling Fast track at security lanes Access to First Class priority check-in Access to First Class lounges *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. Fast track is not available at all airports. Priority baggage handling is not available on flights operated by British Airways. Extra baggage allowance benefits differ for Sapphire and Emerald level members. 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). American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LATAM Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines, SriLankan Airlines and oneworld are trademarks of their respective companies. LATAM Airlines (Paraguay) is currently not a part of oneworld. Some limitations and exceptions may apply. For more information, visit www.oneworld.com/benefits.

oneworld member airlines

member of American Airlines British Airways Cathay Pacific Iberia Japan Airlines LATAM Malaysia Airlines Qantas Qatar Airways Royal Jordanian S7 Airlines SriLankan Airlines

ADVERTISEMENT

Rantalainen Accounting Services Ltd. International accounting firm in Finland with over 600 employees in 40 locations.

Part of the Geneva Group International (GGI) network of experts. GGI enables the company to arrange financial administration services for its customers in 120 different countries.

Rantalainen’s international team has employees who speak Finnish, Swedish, German, Russian, Estonian and Spanish as their mother tongue, as well as English, Italian, Portuguese, Danish and Norwegian as second languages.

The team employs experts with degrees in financial administration from Russia, Estonia, Germany, Spain and the Dominican Republic, in addition to Finland.

Rantalainen’s international team is made out of the right mix of experience, talent and innovation.

From left: Matti Salonen, Joakim Lindfors, Hanna Ala-Sippola, Anna Piiroinen, Tanya Tapaila, Simon Prätorius and Carmelo Holguin.

The most international accounting firm in Finland Wide-ranging expertise and a good service attitude have made Rantalainen Finland’s leading accounting firm for companies with international operations.

S

ervice Manager Joakim Lindfors, who heads up Rantalainen’s international team in Vantaa, exudes a certain calm cheerfulness. That, and patience, are necessary, because serving international customers is a process of constant tailoring and compromising between the legal duties in Finland and customers’ internal reporting.

It is not uncommon for Lindfors and his subordinates to receive a 100-page manual from abroad on how to handle a customer’s accounting.

“We create a reporting model

that fulfils both the customer’s needs and the demands of Finnish legislation. In practice, we act as a link between the customer’s requirements and the Finnish tax authority,” Lindfors says.

A one-stop shop

Rantalainen Accounting Services Ltd. serves both foreign companies establishing themselves in Finland and Finnish companies seeking to enter the international market.

Rantalainen’s clients operating in Finland have

parent companies in Asia, Israel, the United States, Spain, Russia, Estonia, Croatia, Serbia, Germany and the Scandinavian countries, just to name a few.

Outside of Finland, Rantalainen serves customers itself as well as in cooperation with its partners in Russia, Estonia and Sweden. For example, its subsidiary in St. Petersburg offers financial administration and legal services for foreign companies establishing themselves or broadening their operations in Russia in cooperation with

Finnish legal offices.

The idea is that Rantalainen’s customers in Finland can also handle financial administration for their companies in Russia and Estonia while still dealing with a Finnish company.

“If desired, the customer can receive all the necessary consulting and financial reporting regarding its international operations in its preferred language and in Finland, adapted to suit the IFRS or FAS system,” says Jussi Ala-Risku, Business Director at Rantalainen.

Jussi Ala-Risku, Business Director | jussi.ala-risku@rantalainen.fi | +358 10 321 6746 | rantalainen.fi/en

Globetrotter On the road with a travel blogger

Off the beaten track in Uluru in central Australia

Nature’s colour palette near Queenstown, New Zealand

Decadent edible art at Melbourne’s Calia Collective

Spa country tones at Daylesford, Australia

Capturing the hues of Down Under Australian photographer Rachel Li finds magic in the little things.

W H AT M AD E YOU FA L L I N LOV E

S H A R E A SECR E T TO ­D I SCOVE R I NG

I was always the d ­ esignated photographer on f­amily ­holidays with a camera in my hands.

It gave me the freedom to capture the ­emotions behind a certain time and place.

N EW SI D E S OF A ­D E STI NATI ON?

W ITH P H OTO G RA PH Y ?

W H AT C ­ AP TIVAT ES YO U W H EN TA K I N G PHOTOS? Colours! I rarely photograph in black and white because I’m always fascinated by different hues−the blues of the ocean or the gradient of a sunset.

Keep an open mind and be inquisitive, even when exploring your hometown. No two photos are ever the same.

RACHE L L I is an

FAVOUR I TE SE ASON TO PHOTOG RAPH?

Any time of day in winter and spring.

Although the days are shorter, I feel like the sun is softer and the cloudy days are more dramatic. It’s also much more comfortable taking ­photos when I’m not melting in the sun!

­Australian photographer who loves exploring new places and is passionate about capturing different ­perspectives. rachlitravels

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 75

OPEN

24/7

S A F E H AV E N F O R B U S I N E S S E S

Much more than meets the eye In answer to modern business space demands, Business Meeting Park Ltd. has created an unique business enviroment and base of operation in the Finnish capital.

In today’s global business world, an office full of desks, chairs and computers is no longer enough for a happy and efficient workforce. Workspaces have to be easily accessible, secure, flexible and all-inclusive, incorporating different type of spaces with high quality business services on demand.

He’s not wrong. Services even extend to travel and business arrangements, match-making, technology partner scouting, realestate agent services, and arbitration facilities, which are widely used due to Meeting Park’s unique general confidentiality policy.

Meeting Park is conveniently located in the heart of Helsinki, inside the FORUM shopping centre, where you can find over 140 Business Meeting Park Ltd. in Helsinki offers just that; an all stores and restaurants, including the finest shops like Marimekko, inclusive diverse and confidential business centre, that is open Victoria's Secret, MoominShop, Pentik, Lindex and H&M. Forum around the clock 24/7. It’s offers more than 110 different meeting has been chosen as the Best Nordic Shopping Center in and conference rooms, VIP lounges, 2017 by Nordic Council of Shopping Centers (NCSC). co-working and office spaces for temporary and long-term use. It ”I compare our With all this to offer, it’s little surprise that Business includes all traditional business cenMeeting Park has become the go-to destination for business to a hotel tre services too, such as video coninternational customers visiting ferencing and streaming facilities, a concierge service” Finland on business. Already with mailing, assistant and full catering. over 2,000 business clients from all around the world, Meeting Park is the “I compare our business to a hotel concierge service because fastest growing private business meeting we provide to our clients such a high level of service and countless and office park in Finland. facilities. After all, we are not just providing office or meeting spaces, we are wide-ranging business park that caters to everyHaving seen such success in Helsinki, thing the modern worker and business could need. We offer a Dr Jani Kaarlejärvi is the Business Meeting Park is now expanding to executive vice president safe haven for businesses” says Dr Jani Kaarlejärvi, executive vice and co-founder of new locations with international partners.

Business Meeting Park Group president and co-founder of Meeting Park.

MeetingPark.fi +358 10 5011 501

PHOTO FINNAIR

Fly

The world of Finnair

Inspiring journeys The world is your playground with Finnair’s extensive network OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 77

Dürnstein Linz

Melk

Wien

SLOVAKIA Bratislava

TONAVA ITÄVALTA

UNKARI

Budapest

World of Finnair Highlights of the month

HAJ Hannover

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

Hannover may be considered one of Germany’s most underrated cities, but contrary to popular belief it is far from dull.

The multicultural neighbourhood of Linden deserves special attention. The edgy district with its bohemian lifestyle holds an original vibe quite like that of Berlin. Its streets are bursting with colourful street art, trendy ­little boutiques, cafés, and true urban imagination.

PHOTO JAN PROBST

Finnair flies to Hannover daily starting April 23, 2019.

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 79

World of Finnair Highlights of the month

California dreaming SU N, SAND, AND H O L LYWO O D.

Starting March 31, 2019, Finnair flies three weekly frequencies to Los Angeles. The new route is Finnair’s first US route regularly operated with Airbus A350 aircraft.

“We opened our route to San Francisco two years ago with tremendous success, proving that California and the West Coast are very popular with our customers,” says Juha Järvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Finnair.

Los Angeles is Finnair’s fifth US destination, along with New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami. The approximate flight times are expected to be 11 hours to LAX and 10½ hours to Helsinki.

Finnair is also increasing its number of weekly flights to San Francisco to four next summer. The addition of the LA route means that the airline will offer daily flights to California from Helsinki during the summer season.

More flights east to Asia

unveils more frequencies on popular Asian routes from the 2019 summer season. Japan sees three weekly flights added on the Helsinki-Osaka route, and a third daily flight added to Tokyo during Japan’s Golden Week holiday. From May 9 onwards, Finnair operates Airbus A350 aircraft on its Nagoya route.

China sees 14 weekly departures to Hong Kong year-round with Airbus A350 aircraft, and four frequencies to Guangzhou with A350 aircraft.

FI NNAI R

FINNAIR ON SOCIAL MEDIA

After 39 years of career, thousands of flight hours and zillions of encounters with Finnair passengers, our queen of customer service Helena has started her retirement.

FINNAIR

80 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

We have new Harvest Menus plus a new ice cream flavour onboard starting today. Our Business Class passengers can enjoy blackcurrant @jymyicecream when flying with us on long-hauls.

FINNAIR

East and West Side Story premiered in a special event at Helsinki Airport, where an aircraft hangar was turned into a movie theatre for a night.

Watch the film: matchmadeinhel.com

FI NNAI R

SOON LANDING IN LA LA LAND

T H E N O R D I C WAY

FINNAIR FLIES DIRECTLY TO LOS ANGELES STARTING NEXT SPRING

New York, San Francisco, Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles. Finnair flies to these iconic American cities several times per week.

Experience the charm of Los Angeles, the dazzle of Hollywood and the warmth of the world-famous beach boulevards with direct flights from Helsinki starting on 31.3.2019. Book your flights now finnair.com

World of Finnair Services

STAY CONNECTED

Fly the short northern route

FI NNAI R CHAT Finnair Live chat is available on weekdays 7 am to 10 pm, on Saturdays 9 am to 6 pm, and on Sundays 10 am to 10 pm (Finnish time).

chatbot, affectionately known as Finn, who is ready to help plan your journey via Finnair’s global Facebook Messenger account.

ME E T FI NNAI R ’S

FI NNAI R APP Tap your way through your journey. Log in with your last name and booking reference or your Finnair Plus username and password.

All Finnair A330 and A350 aircraft offer Wi-Fi connections.

SKY HI G H W I - FI

WITH A MODERN FLEET, extensive route network, and world-class service, Finnair offers a comfortable and convenient way to travel.

Finnair is one of the world’s oldest airlines.

Since then, the company has grown from a small carrier to one that is a respected member of the international airline industry.

Finnair’s route network includes 19 destinations in Asia, eight in the Americas, and 100 in Europe. In ESTAB L IS H E D IN 1 923 ,

2017, Finnair carried almost 12 ­million passengers. And during the 2018 summer season, Finnair will operate 97 flights a week to Asia, of which 38 flights are to China and 38 flights to Japan.

Finnair’s modern and ecofriendly fleet consists of over 60 aircraft, most of which are Airbuses.

W ECHAT

Scan and follow Finnair’s official WeChat account.

SMART PACKING

TIPS FOR A SMOOTH TAKEOFF

Pack too much?

Avoid excess baggage fees by paying in advance for extra allowance at special pre-paid prices directly from finnair.com.

Onboard etiquette

Carry-on allowance

Self-service bag drop

Fragrances can sometimes be overwhelming so please be considerate of those with allergies.

Less is best.

Finnair customers can take onboard one carry-on baggage and a personal item such as a backpack that must be placed under the seat in front of you.

Print your bag tag at the self-service kiosk, go to the self-service bag drop, scan your boarding pass, scan your bag tag, and send your bag through.

82 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

Liquids rule Liquids are allowed through security in containers (max 100ml) packed in a transparent resealable 1-litre plastic bag.

World of Finnair Frequent flyer program

Finnair Plus membership

FI

N

N

A JO IR IN .C A O T M /P L

U

S

THE FINNAIR PLUS program allows you to earn both tier points and award points when travelling with Finnair or a oneworld airline and award points from services provided

by Finnair Plus partners.

A WORLD OF BENEFITS

WHAT’S NEW THIS MONTH?

BEST FROM PARTNERS

EARN POINTS free by filling in the form attached to this magazine or online at finnair.com/plus.

As a Finnair Plus member, you get access to valuable benefits and rewards. Earn points for flights and services and use them both at home and abroad.

You can use your Finnair Plus award points for additional Finnair services such as seat selection, meals, and extra baggage payments. The number of points you pay depends on your flight and the chosen service. You can pay for travel extras at the time you book your reservation or later through the Manage Booking tab.

Go to finnairshop.com to find Finnair gift cards, partner services, and award vouchers.

Book until October 31, 2018 and rent until December 31, 2018. Minimum 15+ days rental for 9,000 points, 8-14 days for 6,000 points, and 3-7 days for 3,000 points. Minimum car group C or above. Requires a Finnair Plus Avis Worldwide Discount number. avis.fi/finnairplus

J O IN FINNAI R PLU S F O R

To get the most out of your Finnair Plus membership, keep your personal profile up to date. You can edit your contact information at any time, set your meal preferences, and book flights easier. By filling in your passport details, you also save time at check-in. To receive exclusive flight offers and member promotions, just update your marketing preferences as well. Log into your Finnair Plus profile: finnair.com/plus

DIG PINK October is Pink Ribbon month!

Finnair is an active partner in the Pink Ribbon campaign that supports breast cancer research and counselling in Finland. Finnair Plus members can help the cause by donating Finnair Plus points. finnairshop.com

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 83

World of Finnair Deals of the month

7 reasons to love finnairshop.com

CABEAU Air evolution inflatable pillow grey Available in finnairshop.com for seat delivery.

THE FINNAIR SHOP is your one-stop shopping site to pre-order products before your flight, buy Nordic design items delivered directly to your home, and use your Finnair Plus points for various Finnair Plus partner services.

GAUHAR Cosmetic bag linen blue medium Available in finnairshop.com for home or seat delivery.

€30

€19

MOROCCAN OIL Dry body oil, 50ml.

Available in finnairshop.com for seat delivery.

€28

OCTOBER DEALS

SUUNTO Spartan, trainer wrist watch Available in finnairshop.com for seat delivery.

€296

84 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

AUTUMN CAMPAIGN Between October 15-28 receive 20% off when you buy over €100! This offer is valid for onboard shopping or pre-order shopping for your Finnair flight flown during that time.

Please see the catalogue in the seat pocket in front of you or ask a crew member for more information.

World of Finnair Deals of the month

RETAIL THERAPY

ARTEK A330S pendant lamp, two colour options Available in finnairshop.com for seat delivery.

1, O 00 FF 0 ER P

€285 + 1,000 p

SHOPPING MADE EASY! Now you can use your Finnair Plus points to pay for your pre-order products and o ­ nboard purchases! Go to the complimentary Nordic Sky portal onboard – the ­pre-order webshop is always open on Wi-Fi connected Finnair flights. Find the best deals on ­tax-free ­products and enjoy special Finnair Plus offers.

1, O 00 FF 0 ER P

4X WAYS TO SHOP

DBRAMANTE1928 ONB OARD

Kastrup WEEKENDER bag, two colour options Available in finnairshop.com for seat delivery.

Shop online via your own mobile device during the flight using the complimentary Nordic Sky portal.

€182 + 1,000 p PR E - OR D E R

Pre-order online before any Finnair flight. finnairshop.com

HOME DELIVERY

MUSEUM CARD

Use Finnair Plus points to shop for products delivered directly to your home.

PHOTO MUSEOKORTTI

Redeem an award voucher for a Musuem Card. Use your ­Finnair Plus points or a combination of money and points (available in finnairshop.com).

VOUCHE R S

from €59.23 + 3,000 p

Use Finnair Plus points to redeem a voucher for restaurants, hotel stays, car rentals, and much more.

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 85

World of Finnair Flying stories

Every seat has a story

3X #FEELFINNAIR

IT’S THE CUSTOMERS who make Finnair and that’s why we’ve dedicated this page to your travel stories.

Share your Finnair moments on Instagram using @feelfinnair.

If you want to be featured, use #feelfinnair.

MEET THE FREQUENT FLYER

chriscreature spending the next few days visiting Finland for the first time @FeelFinnair #FeelFinnair #MatchMadeInHEL

TH O M AS P U H A

Finnair Plus m ­ ember from Finland

the city, the food, and of course, the weather.

W H AT I S T H E M OST

HOW D O YOU STAY B USY ONB OAR D?

I watch movies now that Finnair upgraded their inflight entertainment system.

FINNAIR P LUS TIE R

IMPRESSIVE ­A IRPORT?

Platinum, since 1999

Dubai International Airport is quite incredible, but I have a soft spot for the Tom Bradley International terminal at LAX.

backpack

AV E RAGE FL IGH TS P E R Y E AR

50-60

NE X T D E STINATION S

chocolatemuimui #muimuitravelhelsinki I love my pink room @stgeorgehelsinki @feelfinnair #FeelFinnair #Finnair #Finavia #EastAndWestSideStory

W HAT I TE M COUL D YOU NE VE R TRAVE L W I THOUT?

My

Seattle and New York W H I C H F I N N A I R PLU S

SHAR E ONE TI P TO

WH AT IS YO U R

B EN EF I T DO YO U U S E

COMB AT JE TL AG

A L L-TIM E FAVO U RI T E

Without a doubt, the travel class upgrades.

Outside of sheer willpower, I don’t think anything else helps!

­D ESTINATIO N?

Miami. I love the vibe of

M OST ?

86 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

rubychengx A lovely day in Heidelberg #travel #layover #heidelburg #germany #solotravel #feelfinnair #wanderlust

World of Finnair Sky food

Eat well FANCY A SNACK ONBOARD? Finnair offers a wide selection of seasonal and healthy options that combine the best of the Nordics, Europe, and Asia.

3 WAYS TO A TASTY MEAL Complimentary beverages Complimentary coffee, tea, water, and Finnair’s signature blueberry juice are always served on Finnair flights.

SI G NATUR E ME NU.

Business Class passengers on Finnair longhaul flights can enjoy Signature Menus prepared by chefs from top restaurants.

S KY B I STR O.

Pick of the month With our Seat and Meal and new Seat and Meal Junior, you can enjoy a three-course meal, drink, seat in front of ­Economy Class, and boarding among first customers.

Available on several European routes, including the Canary Islands and Funchal.

Passengers on Finnair flights within Europe and the Middle East can mix and match favourite tastes from the onboard Sky Bistro menu.

FINNA

SKY BISTRIR O

CHEF OF THE SEASON sensation awaits long-haul Business Class customers departing from Helsinki. Swedish top chef Tommy Myllymäki’s Signature Menu e ­ mphasises the fresh flavours that reflect his Nordic and Finnish heritage, and of course, brings out the best of the ­Nordic season.

A NOR D I C TASTE PR E - OR D E R .

Passengers on Finnair flights within Europe and the Middle East can choose sandwiches, salads, breakfast, or dinner in advance from the Nordic Bistro menu.

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 87

World of Finnair Wellness & comfort

Onboard wellness

3X TIPS FOR CABIN COMFORT

STAY HYDRATED It is recommended to drink 1-2 decilitres of water every hour. If possible, minimise the amount of tea, coffee, and alcohol you drink.

HEALTHIER AIRCRAFT

The Finnair A350 combines the latest technology with advanced passenger comfort features to help you rediscover the thrill of flying. An advanced HEPA filtering system changes the cabin air every two to three minutes ensuring comfort and health for all passengers. Large windows let natural light flow into the cabin and LED technology emits lighting and colours that are customised to fit the time of day, destination, or season. The noise level is 16 decibels below the standard requirement, so resting and relaxing while onboard is easy.

GET SOME SLEEP The best way to tune out is to wear an eye mask and ear plugs. Keep warm, too – have a jacket or blanket handy in case you need it.

2X COMFORTABLE UPGRADES NORDIC BUSINESS CLASS Finnair’s Business Class seats let you fully recline on your intercontinental flight. The seats transform into a 200 cm (6’6”) horizontal bed, so you can enjoy a good night’s sleep.

88 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

ECONOMY COMFORT Finnair’s Economy Comfort seating in the front of the Economy Class cabin makes intercontinental travel even more pleasurable with 8–13 cm (3–5 inches) more legroom.

GENERAL WELLBEING Try to bring something to snack on.

Fruit and veggies are always a great healthy option. And remember to wear comfortable clothing.

World of Finnair Flight mode

Stay connected THE NORDIC SKY Wi-Fi portal is available on all intercontinental flights and gives you access to news, destination information, and Finnair services. You can use the portal to connect your own devices to the internet.

HOW TO GET STARTED FINNAIR APP – YOUR TRAVEL COMPANION

1

Get boarding passes, book flights and travel extras, view your Finnair Plus balance, and much more with the Finnair app. The app supports your Finnair journey all the way from home to your destination and back!

urn your T device to flight mode and ­enable Wi-Fi

2

Join the Wi-Fi ­network Nordic Sky

3

Open the browser of your choice

4

Start exploring at nordic-sky. finnair.com

1 HOUR

3 HOURS

12 HOURS

7.95€

11.95€

19.95€

You can purchase or redeem internet access directly from the portal.

WHAT’S PLAYING HE AR TS B E AT LOUD

HOTE L TRANSYLVAN IA 3

As Frank prepares to send his daughter off to college, he tries to stay connected to her through their shared musical passions.

A dream vacation turns into a nightmare when Mavis realises Drac has fallen for the ship’s captain, who hides a dangerous secret.

ANNI HI L ATI ON

NE L L A THE PR I N C ESS KNI G HT

A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don’t apply.

JURASSI C WOR L D : FAL L E N KI NG D OM

This sequel sees the return of favourite characters and dinosaurs — along with new breeds more terrifying than ever before.

Follow the adventures of Nella, a brave princess who turns into a princess knight.

TE AM UMI ZOOMI

Hey all you Umifriends, Team Umizoomi needs your help! Build a superfast speedboat with shapes.

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 89

World of Finnair Staff tips

A compendium of floral colour

Fall foliage in Töölö Bay

Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco

Falling for colour With the days getting shorter and the nights chillier, the first thing that comes to mind is to stay cosy indoors.

But I promise you it’s well worth your while to get outdoors and admire ­the autumn colours.

FA L L FO L IAG E

The misty and crisp mornings this time of year inspire me to take endless photos. Töölö Bay in Helsinki is a great place to stroll around. It’s

close to the city centre, yet there’s a sense of tranquility.

M U S EU M DAY

I highly recommend a visit to the recently opened Amos Rex Museum in Helsinki. The teamLab collective’s digital installation is fabulous. I also recommend a visit to Taidehalli to see David H ­ ockney’s vibrant exhibition.

L EA F S POT T I N G

Japan is one of my all-time

90 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

favourite destinations. I can’t wait to spend more time in Kyoto. The fall foliage during the autumn is stunning and can last up to two months. If you find yourself in Tokyo, the Shinjuku Gyoen garden is aglow in crimson and gold.

E X PE R T TI P

When I visit a city for the first time, I like to check out the public gardens. The colours and fragrances always ground me after a long flight.

HE TA PAR TANEN

is a Finnair Service ­Motivator and in her free time she cultivates her inner gardener.

PHOTOS HETA PARTANEN

“There’s nothing more beautiful than autumn,” says Finnair Service Motivator Heta Partanen.

World of Finnair Holiday sampler

Experience more with Finnair

TOP 3 CITY BREAKS Tailor-make a holiday filled with culture, sightseeing, and shopping. Choose your experience at finnair.com/holidays.

Discover the city that never sleeps. Take in a Broadway show, enjoy some serious eats, and stroll through the bohemian Lower East Side.

NE W YOR K.

EXPLORE FINNAIR HOLIDAYS THE STORY OF A LIFETIME is waiting for you. Flights, hotel, unique experiences, and triple amount of Finnair Plus points can now be found from one place. Finnair Holidays is available in Estonia, Finland, and Sweden. Find your story at finnair.com/holidays.

Intriguing destinations

Triple Finnair Plus points

Finnair Holidays opens the door to the most intriguing places in the world. Choose a theme for a unique holiday experience.

You can earn three Finnair Plus tier and award points for every euro used on your Finnair Holidays experience.

R OME . Uncover the history and charm of the Eternal City. For as old as the city is, there is always something new to see or do. Maybe you find your way to the best tiramisu.

Flights, hotel, and a holiday experience Finnair Holidays is an easy way to find flights, hotels, and unique experiences all in one place.

The best way to explore the quaint streets are by bike. Wind your way along the pretty rings of canals and if you get tired, visit one of the many museums.

AMSTE R DAM.

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 91

World of Finnair Sustainability

Eyes open against human trafficking its ­responsibilities seriously as a member of the global community. But the global aviation s­ ystem, unfortunately, can be exploited for the illegal ­trafficking and forced labour of men, women, and children.

Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. Traffickers may use ­different methods to transport their victims to the destination country, including international civil aviation.

“We are fully committed to a resolution denouncing human ­trafficking passed at the last IATA Annual General Meeting. The ­resolution reaffirms every airlines’ commitment to fighting human trafficking by means of staff train-

FINNAIR TAKE S

ing, reporting, and sharing best practices,” says Kati Ihamäki, Director of Sustainability.

Finnair is also committed to ensuring, as far as possible, that there are no forms of slavery and human trafficking within its business and that of its suppliers. The airline uses the SEDEX (­Suppliers Ethical Data Exchange) system in its sourcing processes and operating methods to reduce supply chain risk and is committed to responsible business practices and applicable laws and regulations.

Finnair passengers can find out more from the IATA video, Eyes Open Against Human Trafficking, included in the inflight entertainment menu.

BETTER PLANET Finnair’s sustainability strategy is built on three principles – cleaner, caring, and collaborative.

DO GOOD Finnair Plus members can make point donations via finnairshop.com to • The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation • Crisis Management Initiative (CMI) • The Association of Friends of the University Children’s Hospitals • The Cancer Society of Finland • The Finnish Red Cross • UNICEF Finland • Hope • UN Women

90+ YEARS AND COUNTING 1 92 3

1 924

Finnair, known as Aero, is founded

Finnair receives its first aircraft: Junkers F 13

92 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

1 9 47

1952

1968

1969

1980

1992

Finnair air hostesses take to the skies

Helsinki ­ irport opens A

Finnair reveals its new logo and name change

First Finnair trans-Atlantic flight to New York City

Blue Wings launches

The Finnair Plus program is introduced

World of Finnair Fleet

AIRB U S A35 0- 9 0 0

Number 11 + 8 on order Seating capacity 297-336 Length 66.8 m Wingspan 64.75 m Cruising speed 903 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 13,000 m AIRB U S A330-3 0 0

Number 8 Seating capacity 289/263 Length 63.6 m Wingspan 60.3 m Cruising speed 870 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 12,600 m AIRB U S A32 1

Number 19 Seating capacity 196–209 Length 44.5 m Wingspan 34.1 m Cruising speed 840 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 11,900 m

* gradual roll-out by 2019

AIRB U S A32 0

Number 10 Seating capacity 165 Length 37.6 m Wingspan 34.1 m Cruising speed 840 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 11,900 m

* gradual roll-out by 2019

AIRB U S A31 9

Number 8 Seating capacity 138 Length 33.8 m Wingspan 34.1 m Cruising speed 840 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 11,900 m

* gradual roll-out by 2019

E M B RAE R 1 9 0

Operated by Norra Number 12 Seating capacity 100 Length 36.2 m Wingspan 28.7 m Cruising speed 850 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 12,300 m

ATR 72

Operated by Norra Number 12 Seating capacity 68/72 Length 27 m Wingspan 27 m Cruising speed 463 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 7,620 m

1 995

Finnair’s website launches

1 997

1 999

2 004

Finnair joins oneworld alliance

Arrival of ­ irbus A320 A

Online check-in opens

2 013

Launch of Marimekko for Finnair ­collection

2 014

2 015

2017

Finnair celebrates its 90th anniversary

Arrival of ­ irbus A350 A

Finnair celebrates Finland’s centenary UNDER THE

NORT HER N SKIES – 100 STORIES CELEBRATING

FLYING –

| VIEW FROM THE COCKPIT | KING | STYLE IN THE CRAB FLIES CARGO SKIES | DISCOVERIES | WELCOME TO WITH | FINNISH SNOW-HOW NOBEL LAUREATE BENGT HOLMSTRÖM HEL | | BEHIND THE SCENES | LOVE IN THE AIR | AT THE AIRPORT |

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 93

World of Finnair Airport info

55

54

53 52

SOUTH PIER GATES 54–55

2ND FLOOR

BUS GATES 51 A–D

FINNAIR LOUNGE FINNAIR PREMIUM LOUNGE

34

NONSCHENGEN AREA

T2

33 GROUND FLOOR

BUS GATES 50 A–M

Security control

NONSCHENGEN AREA

32 32a

Welcome to Helsinki Airport

2ND FLOOR

TRANSFER SERVICE 3

TRANSFER SERVICE 2

Border control

CHECK YOUR GATE and departure time on the airport monitors. All Finnair and Nordic Regional Airlines (Norra) departures are located in the same terminal. If you do not have a boarding pass for your connecting flight, please contact the transfer service desks in T2.

31x 31 31a-e 30

SCHENGEN AREA

Border control

Security check

29

1ST FLOOR

28

T2

CHECK-IN 240–270

27 GATE

11

CHECK IN 101–114 GATE AREA

12

Security check

TRANSFER SERVICE 1

25

Security check

13

14

15

16 17 18 19

20

21

22

23

PHARMACY

T1

TOURIST INFO BAGGAGE STORAGE

HE L SI NKI AI R POR T has 35 automated border control gates for travellers flying to or from destinations outside of the Schengen area. Fifteen are located in the departure hall; 15 are located in the upstairs arrival hall; another five are available in the downstairs arrival hall (for EU/EEA/CH citizens only).

Passengers from the EU, EEA, CH, Japan, and South Korea with biometric passports can use the automated border control gates. Australian, Canadian, New Zealand, and U.S. citizens with biometric passports may use the automated border control upon departure only. All other nationalities must use the manned border control booths in the departure and arrival halls.

Those passengers travelling with infants, baggage trolleys, or wheelchairs must use the manual control lane.

26

FINNAIR CHECK IN/ SERVICE DESKS 201–229

2ND FLOOR

HAPPY LANDINGS

GROUND FLOOR

FINNAIR LOUNGE

24

THE FI NNAI R CI TY BUS

to the Helsinki Railway Station leaves from T2 every 20 minutes, stopping also at T1. Travel time is approx. 30 minutes. €6.30

3RD FLOOR

THE R I NG RAI L L I N E

connects Helsinki Airport to downtown Helsinki via train.

There is direct access from the corridor between T1 and T2.

1ST FLOOR

WIRE L E SS I N T ER N ET

PL AY R O O M

NON- SMOKI NG

Helsinki Airport offers free Wi-Fi throughout the airport.

Children’s playrooms offer toys, videos, and baby care facilities.

Smoking is prohibited outside of designated smoking rooms.

94 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

World of Finnair The Nordic way

Fly the short northern route FLY VIA HELSINKI and take the most direct route between Europe and Asia.

Thanks to Helsinki’s location, Finnair’s northern route is a geographically convenient way between Europe and Asia. The northern route also offers competitive travel times to destinations in the US from many European cities.

The Helsinki Airport is efficient, compact, and easy to navigate, making it ideal for transferring between Europe, Asia, and the US with short transfer times.

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 95

World of Finnair

Domestic and European destinations

Tromsø Reykjavík

Russia

From Helsinki

Ivalo

Iceland Kittilä Rovaniemi

Finnair Destinations New Finnair Destinations 2018/2019

Umeå

Norway Oslo Bergen

Manchester United Kingdom

Visby

Spain Madrid

Lisbon

Gdansk

Malaga

Belarus

Bulgaria

Varna

Turkey

Greece Skiathos Mytilene Preveza Athens Kos Zakynthos Santorini

Corfu

Antalya Dalaman Alanya Cyprus Rhodes

Malta

Chania

Heraklion

Canary Arrecife Islands Tenerife Norte Fuerteventura Tenerife Sur Las Palmas

From Helsinki

Great Circle Estimated distances / km flight times

Alanya/Gazipasa 2722 03:45 Alicante 3034 04:25 Amsterdam 1525 02:35 Antalya 2638 03:50 Arrecife 4518 05:55 Athens 2490 03:40 Barcelona 2632 03:55 Bergen 1112 03:30 Berlin 1123 02:00 Biarritz 2581 03:45 Billund 1060 01:50 Brussels 1651 02:40 Budapest 1481 02:20 Catania 2636 03:45 Chania 2756 03:50 Copenhagen 895 01:40 Corfu 2329 03:25 Dalaman 2639 03:40 Dublin 2030 03:10 Dubrovnik 2027 03:00 Düsseldorf 1512 02:25 Edinburgh 1717 02:40 Eilat 3457 04:45

Samara

Moscow

Naples

Catania Madeira Funchal

Yekateringburg Kazan

Minsk

Amsterdam Poland Hannover Berlin Netherlands Warsaw Brussels Germany Düsseldorf Belgium Kraków Prague Frankfurt Czech Republic Paris Stuttgart Vienna Salzburg Munich Zurich France Geneva Innsbruck Austria Budapest Hungary Switzerland Slovenia Venice Ljubljana Lyon Milan Croatia Biarritz Verona Pula Rimini Nice Pisa Split Italy Dubrovnik Rome Barcelona

Ibiza Menorca Palma de Alicante Mallorca

Ivalo 931 01:35 Joensuu 360 01:00 Jyväskylä 235 00:50 Kajaani 464 01:20 Kemi/Tornio 609 01:35 Kittilä 823 01:25 Kokkola/Pietarsaari 391 01:10 Kuopio 335 01:00 Kuusamo 667 01:15 Mariehamn 282 00:55 Oulu 514 01:05 Rovaniemi 697 01:20 Tampere 143 00:35 Turku 150 00:35 Vaasa 348 00:55

Lithuania

Copenhagen Hamburg

London

Portugal

Kajaani

Saint Petersburg Tallinn Tartu Estonia Latvia Riga

Stockholm

Denmark Billund

Dublin Ireland

Kuusamo

Finland Kokkola Kuopio Joensuu Sweden Vaasa Jyväskylä Tampere Turku Helsinki Mariehamn

Gothenburg

Edinburgh

Kemi Oulu

Great Circle Estimated distances / km flight times

Paphos Israel Tel Aviv-Yafo

Eilat From Helsinki

Great Circle Estimated distances / km flight times

Frankfurt 1543 02:35 Fuerteventura 4578 06:05 Funchal 4310 05:45 Gdansk 768 02:00 Geneva 1994 03:00 Gothenburg 785 01:25 Hamburg 1 172 02:00 Hannover 1278 2:15 Heraklion 2777 03:55 Ibiza 2897 04:00 Innsbruck 1701 02:35 Kazan 1521 02:30 Kos 2620 03:45 Kraków 1 186 02:00 Las Palmas 4700 06:10 Lisbon 3369 04:50 Ljubljana 1713 02:40 London 1863 03:10 Lyon 2081 03:10 Madrid 2950 04:25 Malaga 3357 04:35 Malta 2822 04:15 Manchester 1817 03:00

96 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

From Helsinki

Great Circle Estimated distances / km flight times

Menorca 2688 04:05 Milan 1953 03:05 Minsk 734 01:15 Moscow 876 01:40 Munich 1577 02:30 Mytilene 1471 03:35 Naples 2283 03:25 Nice 2202 03:25 Oslo 766 01:30 Palma de Mallorca 2777 04:00 Paphos 2898 04:00 Paris 1900 03:05 Pisa 2093 03:20 Prague 1322 02:10 Preveza 2397 03:25 Pula 1865 02:55 Reykjavik 2429 03:50 Rhodes 2668 03:45 Riga 382 00:55 Rimini 1993 03:00 Rome 2235 03:25 Saint Petersburg 301 01:00 Salzburg 1592 02:30

From Helsinki

Great Circle Estimated distances / km flight times

Samara 1698 02:35 Santorini 2660 03:40 Skiathos 2353 03:30 Split 1956 02:55 Stockholm 400 01:00 Stuttgart 1637 02:45 Tallinn 101 00:30 Tartu 245 00:50 Tel Aviv-Yafo 3230 04:25 Tenerife Norte 4691 06:10 Tenerife Sur 4745 06:10 Tromsø 1078 01:55 Umeå 459 01:20 Varna 1911 02:55 Venice 1847 02:55 Verona 1903 02:55 Vienna 1462 02:30 Vilnius 633 01:15 Visby 481 01:25 Warsaw 940 01:40 Yekaterinburg 2098 03:05 Zakynthos 2526 03:55 Zurich 1781 02:45

Winter season 2018–2019 Finnair adds flights to popular winter destinations in Lapland, including new non-stop flights from London, Paris, Tallinn, and Zurich London Gatwick – Ivalo 2 weekly flights London Gatwick – Kittilä 1 weekly flight Paris – Kittilä 1 weekly flight Tallinn – Kittilä 1 weekly flight Zurich – Kittilä 1 weekly flight

World of Finnair

Intercontinental destinations

Beijing Seoul South Korea

Xian

China

Nanjing

Nagoya Osaka

Japan Tokyo

Fukuoka

Shanghai

Chongqing Delhi Dubai United Arab Emirates

Guangzhou

India

From Helsinki

Hong Kong

Bangkok 7912 09:45 Beijing 6325 07:55 Chongqing 6736 08:40 Delhi 5229 06:50 Dubai 4537 05:55 Fukuoka 8060 09:30 Goa 6328 08:50 Guangzhou 7693 09:30 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 8510 10:50 Hong Kong 7821 09:35 Krabi 8350 10:20 Nagoya 7780 09:40 Nanjing 7165 09:35 Osaka 7751 09:30 Phuket 8312 10:05 Seoul 7050 08:40 Shanghai 7410 09:05 Singapore 9272 11:30 Tokyo 7849 09:45 Xian 6421 07:50

Thailand Bangkok

Goa

Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City Phuket

Krabi

Singapore

Chicago San Francisco

Great Circle Estimated distances / km flight times

New York

United States From Helsinki

Los Angeles

Miami Mexico Puerto Vallarta

Great Circle Estimated distances / km flight times

Chicago Havana Los Angeles Miami New York Puerto Plata Puerto Vallarta San Francisco

7139 09:15 8703 11:15 9016 10:35 8342 11:10 6626 08:45 8410 11:15 9960 12:30 8724 10:45

Havana Cuba Puerto Plata Dominican Republic

OCTOBER 2018 BLUE WINGS 97

FINLAND FACTS Nature

188,000 lakes

75%

land covered by forests

Government

1917

Sovereign parliamentary republic

1995 area

390,908 km2*

Monthly avg. temperatures in Helsinki (2017):

Member of EU since January 1995

200 members

elected for four-year terms

Parliament *includes water area

whooper swan

land used for agriculture

Population

5.5

million

Languages SÁ

President

SE

Economy

Education

GDP

(2017*)

€224

FI

billion

the annual change in volume 2.8% *preliminary

88% speak Finnish 5.2% speak Swedish 0.04% speak Sámi

elected every six years; current president is Sauli ­Niinistö, who was re-elected to a second term in January 2018

Currency

EURO

Fun facts

71%

15

Universities *incl National Defence University

of students have ­studied beyond basic ­education

25

Universities of applied sciences

Consumption of coffee per capita

9.6kg*

12.3 l*

*per year

National food: rye bread

Ice cream consumed per capita *per year

98 BLUE WINGS OCTOBER 2018

2,000,000* saunas *estimate

(June 2018)

*preliminary

590,000*

overnight stays by foreign travellers

SOURCE: STATISTICS FINLAND ILLUSTRATION: ANGELINA LUZHINA

7%

National bird

62 VUOTTA ELÄMÄÄ UUDELLEEN LÖYDETTY YSTÄVYYS RAKKAITA MUISTOJA JAETTAVAKSI HETKIÄ , JOTK A JÄ ÄVÄT ELÄMÄ ÄN.

aurinkomatkat.fi

Conquest V.H.P.