Blue Wings Brave issue November 2017

BRAVE ISSUE TRENDS, DESTINATIONS AND INSIGHTS FOR TRAVELLERS

NOVEMBER 2017

Your personal copy

GOA’S CLASSICAL

TUNES

VOLCANIC

VISIT TO SICILY EMERGING ART

Brave new colours in

Sámi culture

IN SHANGHAI

MINÄ OLEN DUSTIN.

Simo Tiilikainen Tuotepäällikkö

1 200

200 000

brändiä

IT-tuotetta

100

ITammattilaista Suomessa

Yrityksesi IT-kumppani.

200 000 IT-tuotetta, 1200 brändiä ja 100 000 yritysasiakasta. Me olemme yksi johtavista IT-tuotteiden sekä niihin liittyvien ratkaisuiden ja palveluiden jälleenmyyjistä Ruotsissa, Tanskassa, Norjassa ja nyt myös Suomessa. Verkkokaupassamme vierailee 2 000 000 kävijää kuukausittain ja Suomessa 100 IT-asiantuntijaa tarjoavat näkemystä, joka tukee liiketoimintaasi. Tervetuloa Dustinille.

MINÄ OLEN DUSTIN. ME OLEMME DUSTIN. LUE LISÄÄ MEISTÄ JA TARJONNASTAMME: DUSTIN.FI

5 000

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EDITORIAL

BY PEKKA VAURAMO CEO, FINNAIR WWW.FINNAIR.COM

FOKUS MEDIA FINLAND PRODUCER Amanda Soila ART DIRECTOR Sirpa Ärmänen SUB-EDITOR Shelly Nyqvist VISUAL DESIGNERS Sesilja Lindell, Iris Mark EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Aino Vähälä ENGLISH EDITING Silja Kudel REPROGRAPHICS Faktor Oy COVER Outi Pieski

by Elina Simonen BEHIND THIS ISSUE Daniel Allen, Tommi Anttonen, Tim Bird, Laura Iisalo, Silja Kudel, Mirva ­Lempiäinen, Andrew Marshall, Ville Palonen, Laura Palotie, Otto Ponto, Elina Simonen, Wif Stenger, Mikko Takala, Fran Weaver, and Peter Weld SUBMISSIONS bluewings@fokusmedia.fi BLUE WINGS ONLINE www.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 PUBLISHER Fokus Media Finland PRINTED BY Punamusta, Joensuu, Finland 2017 PAPER UPM Valor 61g Cover paper Stora Enso LumiArt 200g CIRCULATION 45,000 ISSN-0358-7703

100 destinations in Europe, Finnair is poised to enter the largest expansion in its 94-year history.

We are continuing to expand our network with 11 new Airbus A350s that have joined our fleet in the past two years.

We are opening new routes to India, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and to Cuba, adding significant capacity to Finnish Lapland and taking great strides in our overall customer experience.

It’s a very exciting time to fly Finnair.

I hope you enjoy your flight!

Pekka Vauramo

3

The Charms of Arctic Auroras festival showcases the Northern Lights in Inari Saariselkä, Lapland. November 17–26.

JORMA LUHTA / LEUKU

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK www.finnair.com/feedback or by mail: Customer Relations, SL/403, FI-01053 FINNAIR. www.finnair.com, www.finnair.fi, www.finnairgroup.com

1

World Cup Levi brings together the world’s best slalom skiers to mark the start of the alpine season in Levi, Lapland.

November 11.

ELINA SIRPARANTA

FINNAIR HEAD OFFICE Tietotie 9 A, Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, 1053 Finnair, Finland, tel. +358 (0)9 818 81, Postal address: P. O. Box 15, 01053 Finnair, Finland

F

innair is expanding like never before. Looking back on the past six months, we flew more routes, more flights, and our passenger numbers have topped all-time records.

I am proud to say our operational quality has remained at a very good level.

And you, our customers, have rated your satisfaction higher than ever in our feedback surveys.

We succeeded in tackling the challenges related to rapid growth thanks to our excellent personnel.

For this winter season, we are offering our customers more choice. With 20 intercontinental destinations and over

SAMI VÄLIKANGAS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Arja Suominen arja.suominen@finnair.com

Moving forward

2

Slush, one of the world’s leading startup events, brings global tech players to Helsinki.

November 30 to December 1.

NOVEMBER 2017

BLUE WINGS

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IN THIS ISSUE Sámi artist and activist Jenni Laiti

NOVEMBER 2017 30 30

LIFESTYLE NEW ERA OF THE SÁMI

Meet the people recreating Finland’s indigenous culture

40

LIFESTYLE TOP 5 HIKES AROUND THE WORLD Best treks to explore on foot

44

DESTINATION CLASSICAL GOA

Musical renaissance of the Indian state

52

BUSINESS SLUSH SEASON IS BACK

Finland’s start-up spectacle gears up for its 10th round

40

58

DESTINATION VOLCANIC ACTION IN SICILY From volcano-watching to mudbaths on Italy’s islands

66

DESTINATION SHANGHAI’S SCENE

Take an insider art walk tour of China’s biggest city

England’s Coast-to-Coast Walk

TAKEOFF STARTERS

Eco-touring Puerto Plata......... 11

NEWS

Street art and style......................12

NEWS

Meals and wheels of nature.... 14

44

WORLD

Global goings-on...........................16

A musical view of Goa

FINNISH FAVOURITES

Stay warm head-to-toe.................18

DESTINATION

Star-gazing in Oregon................ 20

EVENTS

Out and about in Finland.......... 22

FLYING STORIES

Slush’s CEO speaks out............. 24

DESTINATION

Osaka’s eatery avenue............... 26

MAKERS OF

Dress to impress...........................28

NOVEMBER 2017

BLUE WINGS

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IN THIS ISSUE

52

Slush energy in Helsinki

66

58

Shanghai’s industrial art scene

Volcano-spotting in Sicily

REGULARS

Travel Moment............................................ 8

Alexander Stubb.....................................42 Marja Makarow........................................56 Finland in figures....................................98

FLY FINNAIR

Tips for takeoff........................................ 80 Inflight wellbeing.................................... 81 Entertainment.......................................... 82

Kyrgyzstan, p. 8 Puerto Plata, p. 11 Oregon, p. 20 Finland, p. 22, 30, 52

Shopping..................................................... 83 Sustainability............................................. 84 Border crossings..................................... 85 Helsinki Airport ....................................... 86 Maps and destinations......................... 88 Fleet and My Finnair............................. 92 Finnair Plus................................................ 94 6 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

Check this month’s Finnair Shop offers on page 97

Osaka, p. 26 Goa, p. 44 Sicily, p. 58 Shanghai, p. 66

Karissa Biz. It’s in the details.

Stores | Copenhagen | Stockholm | Gothenburg | Helsinki | Oslo Find your local Samsonite Store and offical dealer at www.samsonite.com

TRAVEL MOMENT

BY VILLE PALONEN

TREKKING IN KYRGYZSTAN Kyrgyzstan is famous for its nomadic culture: skillful horsemen, felted yurts, and fermented mare’s milk. Central Asia’s most fascinating country has superb trekking routes, too. Hiking in the wilderness of the Tian Shan mountain range is an exotic experience by any standards.

One of the most scenic trails snakes through 8 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

the Telety Valley. Walking along the glacial river is breathtaking – not only due to the thin air (3,000 metres above sea level), but because the scenery is simply magnificent. The snow-capped mountains reach towards the bright blue sky as horses graze on the green meadows. For such a view, it is definitely worth travelling to the end of the world.

TRUE NORTHERN RARITY.

The beryl jewellery collection by Kulmala embodies the purity of rare Finnish gems, the strength of Finnish design and the sincerity of Finnish craftsmanship.

www.kultaseppakulmala.fi www.beryllikorut.fi

astron gps solar. the watch that keeps you on perfect time. worldwide.

As Novak Djokovic travels the world, his Astron GPS Solar keeps him on time, adjusting automatically to his time zone at the touch of a button.

With dual time and a large date window, world travel has never been easier.

* If there are changes in the region / time zone, manual time zone selection may be required.

seiko.fi

TAKEOFF

NEWS / EVENTS / DESTINATIONS / STORIES / FAVOURITES

ADVENTURE

Eco-tour paradise

COMPILED BY SILJA KUDEL PHOTO BY ISTOCK

P O P

s to flie ta r i la na Fin rto P g the e n u .

P uri y d eason l k e s e w ter om win nair.c fin

The revitalised port town of Puerto Plata is a picture-perfect winter escape and launchpad for a lush array of tropical eco-tours on the north coast of the Dominican Republic.

Tours are hosted by local Dominicans who know all the secret spots and insider tips. Top spots for a day tour include crystal-clear Gri Gri Lagoon – a luxury swimming experience like no other – and the 27 pristine Damajagua Waterfalls, where you can take a ride on a natural waterslide. Other great ways of going wild include horseback tours of El Limón National Park and safaris in the jungle-clad mountains of the Samaná Peninsula. For the less energetic, a cable car ride to the top of Isabel de Torres Mountain offers panoramic views over Puerto Plata.

NOVEMBER 2017

BLUE WINGS

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TAKEOFF NEWS

TOWARDS A BETTER PLANET Finnair received an award of merit ­recognising excellence in the field of sustainability at the 2017 Finnish Travel Gala. Read more about Finnair’s sustainability strategy on page 84.

COMPILED BY SILJA KUDEL

TERHO AALTO MARCH

SAFETY STAR

Shine like the Milky Way

URBAN CANVAS

XXL street art A 56-METRE photorealist portrait of a mother and child is halting drivers in their tracks in the Finnish city of Hämeenlinna, where Australian artist Guido van Helten has completed the Nordic region’s largest mural as part of the UPEA17 Street Art Festival. Now held for the second time, UPEA invited artists from all over the world to raise appreciation of this urban art form by creating over 20 giant murals in 13 Finnish cities.

The mega-Madonna was inspired by van Helten’s observations on Finnish

ISTOCK

society: “Education and parenthood are obvious when I look around here – more so than any other places I have travelled,” says the artist. Apolo Torres, Fintan Magee, Wasp Elder, and Pat Perry are among other world-famous names who contributed murals this year, many of them commenting on social topics on a scale that is literally hard to ignore. “Any art that makes someone stop and take notice – and think – is important,” says van Helten. upeart.com

NEXT-LEVEL PITCH

Slush in the sky

HERE’S THE ultimate event for startups looking to impress investors with their fearless bravado. Slush recently launched the world’s first skydive pitching competition in San Francisco.

The concept is simple: budding entrepreneurs jump out of a plane from 12 kilometres, pitch their idea during

12 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

Combining style and safety, March Design’s brilliantly multifunctional Reflective Tote Bag doubles as a sturdy shopping bag and safety reflector. “It’s a lifeguard that shines bright even on the darkest nights, encouraging people to stay visible and look awesome at the same time,” says designer Martynas Kazimierenas from Lithuania. March Design offers a range of stylish safety items including worldwide bestseller OREFLECTOR badges. The tote bag retails at €35 at selected Helsinki outlets. march.lt

free fall via radio link, and, with luck, land themselves along with a sweet deal after deploying their parachute. The winner gets a ticket to the Slush conference in Helsinki (November 30 – December 1). slush.org/skydivepitching

SPECIAL EDITION 2017 HÄSTENS TRIBUTE

Hästens Tribute, the 165th-anniversary bed with special upholstery, 180 x 200 cm, €7,490.

Also available in other sizes.

The headboard pictured is sold separately.

HÄSTENS STORE HELSINKI, Mannerheimintie 8, tel. +358 20 780 1370, hastens.com

TAKEOFF NEWS

MEET FINN Finnair launches its first chatbot, ­affectionately known as Finn. It is ready to help customers plan their journeys via Finnair’s ­global Facebook Messenger account.

COMPILED BY SILJA KUDEL

JELLA BERTELL JUSSI HELLSTEN

MINI-APP

ONE-TIME-ONLY DINNER

Breaking bread on the wild side LOOKING FOR that exclusive dining experience? At Restaurant Wild, Michelinstarred chef Jouni Toivanen serves up “Finnish nature on a plate.” But there is a catch: only once a month and only for 24 diners at a time.

Each dinner has a nature-inspired theme, from “Wild Trees” and “Baltic Sea” to “Great Game,” complete with beverage pairings. Located in the heart of Helsinki in the TRE design concept store, Wild is

the only restaurant in Helsinki to avoid no-shows by selling advance tickets.

“No-shows are a major problem for restaurateurs. Having only 24 seats per month, selling tickets is the only sensible option,” says Toivanen.

A seven-course menu with drinks costs €150. Private dinners can also be booked for groups of 15 guests or more. restaurantwild.fi

WIILUBIKE

Helsinki on WeChat HANDY FACTS about the Finnish capital will soon be available to almost one billion WeChatters through a new Helsinki mini-app designed for Chinese travellers.

China’s biggest internet company, Tencent, has selected Helsinki as an intelligent tourism destination for China’s outbound travellers.

BIRCH BIKES

Wheels on wood Forests hold a special place for Ilari Alaruka, creator of Wiilubike, bicycles made of birch.

The hand-crafted frame has an idiosyncratic pattern making each bike unique. The origins of the wood can be traced almost to the individual tree, and a new sapling is planted for each birch that is chopped down.

On a mission to “spread the

14 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

word about the wonders of the forest,” Alaruka also organises bicycle tours in Kokemäki, 200 kilometres from Helsinki. “That way people can really see where our wood comes from and how well we take care of our forests.”

The bike retails at €1390 via their web shop. wiilubike.fi

www.kia.fi

Hybridi. Crossover.

Automaatti.

CO2 alk. vain 88 g/km Mallisto alk. 27.990 € Autoetu alk. 435 €/kk

Nyt saata vana myös ladattava na hybridinä !

CO2 alk. 29

g/km

Molempien parhaat puolet.

Kia Niro on aivan uudenlainen hybridi, joka todistaa, että voit saada kaiken tinkimättä mistään.

Se yhdistää hybridin polttoainetalouden crossoverin muotoiluun, tekniikkaan ja mukavuuteen.

1.6 GDI bensiinimoottori, sähkömoottori ja automaattivaihteisto. Vastuullisuus ei ole koskaan näyttänyt näin upealta.

Uusi Kia Niro -mallisto alk. autoveroton hinta 24.479,69 € + arvioitu autovero 3.090,89€ + toimituskulut 600 € = kokonaishinta 28.170,58 €.

Vapaa autoetu alk. 585 €/kk, käyttöetu alk. 435 €/kk. EU-yhd. kulutus 3,8–4,4 l/100 km, CO2-päästöt 88–101 g/km. Kia-huolenpitosopimus alk. 30 €/kk (sopimusaika 36 kk, 10 tkm/vuosi).

Kia-takuu 7 vuotta tai 150 000 km, kolme ensimmäistä vauotta ilman kilometrirajaa. Kia 24h tiepalvelu vuodeksi veloituksetta.

Kuvan auto erikoisvarustein.

TAKEOFF WORLD

BOOK YOUR DREAM HOLIDAY Finnair Holidays is an easy way to find flights, hotels, and unique e ­ xperiences all in one place. See the intriguing ­destinations at holidays.finnair.com

COMPILED BY SILJA KUDEL SIBELIUS SOCIETY

CALENDAR

SHANGHAI

November events ICELAND AIRWAVES

NOV 1–5 REYKJAVIK. An edgy line-up of indie music talent features at this year’s Iceland Airwaves festival, which was started 15 years ago in an aircraft hangar. Art and fashion events are also included. icelandairwaves.is

Sibelius in China NOV 6–18

Chinese music lovers are invited to (re)discover Sibelius in a series of nine concerts to be held as part of the Shanghai International Arts Festival in Shanghai, Wuxi, Changzhou, Hefei, and Ningbo. Performers include Folke Gräsbeck, one of the best known interpreters of Sibelius piano music. The concerts kick off a new cultural partnership between the Sibelius Society of Finland and the China Symphony Development Foundation.

DAVID BECKER

sibeliusseura.fi/eng/society

NOV 7–12 NEW YORK. Laugh yourself to stitches at the New York Comedy Festival. Kevin Smith, Ralph Garman, Trevor Noah, and Amanda Seales are among the comedy royalty wielding their wit at various venues around NYC. nycomedyfestival.com KUN DING

MIKI SORDI

LONDON

Nordic wonderland NOV 10 – DEC 30

NOV 17–20 RICHTERSWIL. During Räbechilbi, turnips are carved into an imaginative smorgasbord of sculptures, lit up with thousands of candles, and carried through the Swiss town of Richterswil in a glowing fairy-tale procession. myswitzerland.com/en

16 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

Wintertime brings a feast of seasonal magic to the Southbank Centre as the climax of Nordic Matters, London’s yearlong festival of Nordic culture. Highlights include a wintertime market and a Finnish Rooftop Sauna with a panoramic bar in the picturesque roof garden of Queen Elizabeth Hall overlooking the Thames. southbankcentre.co.uk/nordicmatters

ÄRSYTTÄÄKÖ LIIAN PIENI TV? LOPETA TIHRUSTAMINEN, VAIHDA PROJEKTORIIN SUOMEN LAAJIMMAN VALIKOIMAN PROJEKTOREITA LÖYDÄT MAREKSOUNDILTA

MY FINNISH FAVOURITES

100 YEARS Blue Wings salutes Finland’s centenary by spotlighting iconic Finnish products t­ hroughout the year. suomifinland100.fi

COMPILED BY SESILJA LINDELL

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WARM AND TOASTY

Hot products for cold days 1. Nothing keeps you cosy like a soft woollen blanket. lapuankankurit.fi 2. Bring some light to the dim nights of late autumn with this beautiful Kastehelmi votive – a beloved design since the 1960s. iittala.fi 3. Arabia’s charming new Moomin set is perfect for a warming tea-moment. arabia.fi 4. This classic Airam thermos will make sure your hot chocolate stays hot on that long autumn trek. airam.fi 18 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

5. Keep your fingers warm in a pair of good old-fashioned mittens, hand-made in Finland. taitaentehty.fi 6. These hand-crafted and delicious raw chocolates made in downtown Helsinki will warm your heart and soul. goodiochocolate.com 7. Frantsila ayurvedic oil promises to energise and cleanse the tired winter body. frantsila.com

Sesilja Lindell is a visual designer for Blue Wings and a big fan of winter – as long as she doesn’t need to feel the cold.

Omalla tasollaan.

Täysin uusi i30 Wagon.

Tavaratilaa 602–1 650 litraa.

Auto, joka liikkuu kuin ajatus ja liikuttaa kevyesti mukanaan kaiken sinulle tärkeän, sekä ihmiset että tavarat. Mieti kenet ottaisit kyytiin? Mitä pakkaisit 602 litran tavaratilaan?

Mitä mediaa liittäisit auton järjestelmiin tai mitä uusimmista turvallisuusominaisuuksista arvostaisit eniten? Tämä ja paljon muuta selviää koeajolla. Kaiken kruunaa 30 päivän tyytyväisyystakuu. Lue lisää hyundai.fi

Uusi i30 Wagon mallisto alkaen 21 390 € Hinta sisältää markkinoiden parhaan takuun ilman kilometrirajaa.

Toimituskulut sisältyvät hintaan. Kuvan auto erikoisvarustein. i30 Wagon malliston EU-yhd. kulutus 3,7–5,6 l/100 km, CO2 96–131 g/km.

TAKEOFF DESTINATION TEXT AND PHOTO BY PETER WELD

OREGON TRAIL Finnair flies to Portland with oneworld partners American ­Airlines and British Airways as well as with codeshare partner Alaska Airlines.

Stars of the show The state of Oregon in the U.S. attracted tens of thousands of visitors in August when a total solar eclipse cut a swath across it.

But even without an eclipse, the state offers plenty of nightlife: it’s one of the best areas in the country for star-gazing. Stub Stewart State Park, a short distance west of Portland, is already far enough from city lights to draw a steady stream of amateur astronomers and their telescopes on summer evenings.

East of the Cascade mountain range, night skies get even darker. The four-day Oregon Star Party in the Ochoco National Forest has been held every year for the past three decades, during the new moon of August or September. The dry air of central Oregon and the altitude – about 1,500 metres above sea level – make for excellent viewing, and the Star Party attracts as many as 900 participants.

On a moonless night, the Milky Way illuminates Haystack Rock on Oregon’s coast.

20 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

OMA SÄNKY. PARAS SÄNKY. MOOTTORISÄNKY NYT TAVALLISEN SÄNGYN HINNALLA!

180 x 200 cm, 3.190 €

Hyvä uni on yksi elämän tärkeimmistä asioista. Jensen on parantanut ihmisten nukkumista ja unenlaatua jo vuodesta 1947.

Diplomat Dream on Jensenin moottorisänkyjen klassinen malli, joka sisältää kaikki olennaisimmat toiminnot. Huolellisesti valittujen materiaalien lisäksi tässä sängyssä on Jensen® Original -vyöhykejärjestelmä, jossa on pehmeä hartiavyöhyke ja sisäänrakennettu ristiseläntuki. Headrest-toiminto mahdollistaa sen, että niskasi ja pääsi ovat aina hyvässä asennossa kun istut sängyssä. Mukana myös muistitoiminto oman suosikkiasennon tallennukseen. Nuku aina parasta unta omassa sängyssäsi.

ESPOO | HELSINKI | HÄMEENLINNA | JYVÄSKYLÄ | KOUVOLA | KUOPIO | LAHTI | LAPPEENRANTA MIKKELI | OULU | PORI | PORVOO | RAISIO | ROVANIEMI | SEINÄJOKI | TALLINNA | TAMPERE | VAASA | VANTAA

TAKEOFF EVENTS

100 YEARS Blue Wings salutes Finland’s centenary by highlighting ­interesting events throughout the year. Stay tuned for more! suomifinland100.fi

COMPILED BY LAURA IISALO CRAIG BARNES

CALENDAR BAOZHONG BEI

NOV 23–25 Performed in Chinese, King in Moominvalley is a family musical returning to the Swedish Theatre in collaboration with the China National Theatre for Children. Swedish subtitles are available via mobile phone.

ON THE ROAD

Finland goes Madrid NOV 16 – JAN 14

100 Objects from Finland is an exhibition opening at Madrid’s National Museum of Decorative Arts in time for Finland’s 100th Independence Day. Items including sixties icon the Futuro house and Finland’s world-known maternity package demonstrate the making of a democratic society.

100objects.fi

svenskateatern.fi ANTTI KOKKOLA

NOV 3–4

The best of Finnish ethno music will be honoured at a special gala at Tavastia rock club. Nominees in seven categories include BaranBand and Maija Kauhanen – both of whom will also perform. kansanmusiikki.fi/etnogaala ARTTU KOKKONEN

KATJA HAGELSTAM

BRILLIANT BUYS

Day of local design NOV 26

NOV 3–4 The Viaporin Kekri festival is a day of high spirits and a night of indulgence featuring a programme of art and music. Some of the closed parts of Suomenlinna fortress will be open to visitors during the event. suomenlinna.fi Events subject to change.

22 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

Design District Helsinki’s pre-Christmas market gathers around 40 makers and shopkeepers under one roof at the Old Student House. Aside from local design, fashion, and art, there will be music, food, and a free art workshop for families. designdistrict.fi

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FLYING STORIES TEXT BY MIRVA LEMPIÄINEN PHOTO BY JUSSI RATILAINEN

In this series Blue Wings looks into the fascinating world of flying through inspiring people, discoveries, and inventions.

24 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

FINNAIR INSIGHTS The story below is published in ­Finnair’s jubilee publication celebrating Finland’s 100-year anniversary. You can pre-order a copy from finnairshop.com before your next Finnair flight.

Flying startups Since the early 2000s, a full-on digital revolution has swept the world where people and ideas fly swiftly across borders. In Finland, nothing epitomes this like the tech start-up conference Slush, which takes place in Helsinki every November and has grown exponentially ever since its founding in 2008.

Last year Slush boasted 17,500 visitors and 2,300 startups. Attendees came from 120 different countries.

Marianne Vikkula, CEO of Slush, says Finnair’s existence has been crucial to the success of the tech conference.

“It’s critically important for Slush that there are direct flight connections to Helsinki. The easier it is to come here, the more people will attend,” she says.

In the future Vikkula does not see Slush growing much bigger in numbers, but the percentage of international participants is slated to increase. Vikkula herself is frequently seen onboard Finnair’s direct Asian flights now that Slush has expanded to Tokyo, Shanghai, and Singapore.

Like most modern business travellers, Vikkula considers flying a normal part of life – no longer a luxurious indulgence. Her main priority is that everything goes smoothly at the airport and during the journey.

“I’m the person who comes to the airport at the last minute. I always try to minimise my travel time and score a window seat,” she says of her travel habits.

Her sentiments are largely representative of today’s young business travellers and entrepreneurs – the less time you spend in transit, the more you can devote to creating innovations that benefit people the world over.

MindSphere puhuu sujuvasti esineiden internetiä Juoksukengät keskustelevat suunnittelijansa kanssa MindSphere on Siemensin avoin pilvipohjainen IoTkäyttöjärjestelmä, joka yhdistää fyysiset laitteet digitaaliseen maailmaan. MindSpheren avulla yksilölliset juoksukengät pystytään tuomaan markkinoille aikaisempaa nopeammin ja edullisemmin. Miljoonista käytössä olevista lenkkareista kerätään tunnistimien avulla dataa, joka siirtyy saumattomasti kengistä suunnittelijalle ja takaisin suunnittelijalta kenkiin. MindSpheren avulla data jalostuu innovaatioiksi, jolloin asiakkaiden tarpeet voidaan huomioida tuotannossa koko ajan paremmin.

siemens.fi/mindsphere

TAKEOFF DESTINATION

MOSHI MOSHI OSAKA Feast your eyes on the foods of Japan. Finnair flies to Osaka five times a week during the winter season.

TEXT BY MIKKO TAKALA PHOTOS BY TOMMI ANTTONEN

Daruma

Kinryu Ramen

Dotonbori’s best okonomiyaki, Japanese pizza-pie-pancake-omelet hybrid is served at Chibo (1–5–5 Dotonbori).

LOCAL FLAVOURS

Feast of Osaka Dotonbori, Osaka’s noisy canal-side restaurant avenue, brims with eateries catering to every taste and whim.

KING OF KUSHIKATSU Craving something sinful? Kushikatsu skewers can be made of almost anything: fish, meat, fruits, even ice cream, as long as it is dipped in batter and then deep fried to death in oil – not necessarily healthy, but as addictive as it gets. The skewers are served with black dipping sauce which works magically with almost everything.

Daruma has served kushikatsu since 1929 and is still hugely popular. Just look out for a huge statue of an angry-looking chef and you’re in the right place.

Daruma, 1-6-4 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka 26 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

CONVEYOR-BELT GOODNESS There’s no such thing as decent budgetpriced sushi, but that’s only true in Europe.

Daiki Suisan is a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant that somehow manages to fire on all cylinders without breaking the bank.

Take your time surveying what passes under your nose and grab what you fancy.

Everything is fresh, skilfully cut, and tasty, but especially great picks are miso-glazed unagi (eel) and toro (fatty tuna), which really melts in the mouth. The bill rarely tops 30 euros, even if you splurge a bit.

Daiki Suisan, 1-7-24 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka

BEST RAMEN IN TOWN After a grand tour of Dotonbori’s k­ araoke bars, there’s nothing better than a steaming bowl of ramen. Kinryu is a rowdy ramen shop populated by all kinds of patrons from fashionistas to shady types.

Kinryu’s milky white stock of pork bones takes at least one day to simmer, the noodles are always al dente, and the chashu, slices of pork belly, are moist and fatty.

Kinryu has two shops along Dotonbori.

Both are easy to recognise by the huge dragon statues.

Kinryu Ramen, 1-7-26 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka

MAAILMAN MYYDYIN

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MAKERS OF FINLAND TEXT AND PHOTO BY LAURA IISALO

HELLO, GOOD BUYS Discover Finnish and Nordic design products in the Finnair Shop.­When you pre-order, your purchase will be waiting for you on your next flight. finnairshop.com

CLOTHES MATTER

Dressing for success Better style leads to better success in business. So believe journalists Jani Niipola and Minna Kiistala, who have written a new book devoted to the subject.

“It’s unfortunate that many people feel uncomfortable in situations where they need to perform at their best.

Some people think that business style is an obligation when it can actually be a great opportunity,” Niipola states.

Great style starts with understanding the basics: a dark blue suit, a well-fitting white shirt, and black shoes never go amiss for men. Yet Niipola emphasises the importance of feeling comfortable.

The solution is to find an outfit that strikes a balance between the profession, the weather conditions, and personal preferences. “Once you know the rules you can break them and make the outfit yours by accessorising. You don’t have to make an effort every day if you make an effort when you shop,” Niipola advises.

For women it’s less straightforward.

“Women’s work style has gone a bit too casual and I want to bring back a certain poise. It’s an old cliché but it’s true: don’t dress for the job you have, but for the job you want,” Kiistala says. By sharing practical tips and personal experiences, she wants women to take a critical look at their wardrobe to understand why and for whom they dress. “If you can bring out the best side of yourself, why wouldn’t you do that?” shop.almatalent.fi

Jani Niipola and Minna Kiistala’s book Menesty tyylillä (Succeed with style) is published in Finnish by Alma Talent.

28 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

In this series we meet the bright talents of Nordic design.

ADVERTISEMENT

Make it count, make it good We Finns may not be the boldest conversationalists in the world, but one thing always manages to strike a spark in us: functionality. The inbred interest to use what we have more efficiently has been redefined from granny-style stinginess to an innovative era of green solutions that just may save the world.

So it comes as no surprise that one of the biggest retail chains in the land, K Group, hates wastage. It turns the biowaste from almost 200 K-food stores and the Kesko Logistics central warehouse into biogas and uses that as an energy source in producing new own-brand Pirkka products for the shop shelves. “By doing this, we reduce our annual carbon dioxide emissions by 540 tonnes. That is equivalent to emissions from approximately 4.5 million kilometres of car travel. The unsold products from K-food stores are primarily diverted to food aid, but this cooperation with Gasum will help utilise any food wastage that is unsuitable for human consumption in a smart way,� says Ari Akseli, Kesko’s Vice President for Commerce, grocery trade division.

Gasum biogas is a smart and versatile energy form that is part of a well-functioning circular economy and 100% local.

Surplus and waste products are turned into renewable lowemission energy for industrial use as well as to fill up your car: What is waste for some can be energy for others. www.gasum.com

Sámi culture STRIKES BACK

Finland’s indigenous art makers are breathing new life into the Sámi way by weaving together ancient legacies with contemporary resonance.

TEXT BY SILJA KUDEL PHOTOS BY OTTO PONTO AND ELINA SIMONEN

Milla Elmiina Pulska tucks her long red hair behind one ear and jangles her large, looped earrings.

“These belong to my mother. She is Sámi but she never learned the language as a child. For many like her, the language is passive. But she made a point of making us learn Sámi in school – and I’m really happy I got my language back. I sing in Northern Sámi as a way of keeping our heritage alive,” says the lead vocalist and lyricist of Ravggon, a folk-rock group formed by Pulska, her sister Unna-Maari ­Pulska, and guitarist Matti Naakka.

Now comprising six members, the group released their debut album Ráji ravddas (On the Border) to a positive critical reception last year.

Ravggon translates as “renegade reindeer,” a fitting name for a group that follows its own path. Combining easy beats with down-to-earth sounds, their music is not “ethnic,” but it deals with Sámi concerns such as the greed of mining corporations.

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Pulska and her sister grew up herding reindeer in the Sámi village of Vuohčču (Vuotso) near the Russian border. Her lyrics such as In Dárbbat Appelsiinnaid (I Don’t Need Oranges) extol the serenity of the far north, while others pay tribute to Sámi oral traditions.

“Our music is a modern form of storytelling. We keep alive stories passed down through generations, adding our own colours to the painting,” says Naakka.

Pulska’s brow furrows briefly when asked whether her songs are political. “I want the Sámi to be visible in a positive way, not as the angry stereotype,” Pulska asserts.

“My lyrics address my frustration about the future.

Our forests are there to give life, not just for making money,” she adds.

“But above all, we want to inspire young people to embrace their Sámi identity. Speaking Sámi was once a source of shame, but now it’s a source of pride.”

RAVGGON •F olk-rock band formed in 2012 •B ased in Oulu and Vuohčču (Vuotso) in Finnish Sápmi •D ebut album Ráji ravddas released in 2016 •S ámi lyrics meet modern sounds in songs critiquing Western greed ravggon.com

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POWER OF THE RED HAT Outi Pieski’s red hat makes a pointed statement. Red hats are in fact the theme of her latest art project, which deals with the extinction of a horn-shaped Sámi hat that was demonised as “evil” by Christian colonisers.

“Sámi women are starting to wear traditional hats again as a gesture of decolonisation. The red hat is very contemporary,” says the winner of this year’s prestigious Fine Arts Academy of Finland Award.

Given the deep political message of her work, it seems ironic that Pieski has been described as a “non-political artist.” This misnomer brings a wry smile to the lips of an artist who sees art as “a platform for raising issues when political channels are blocked.”

Pieski is best known for her immersive installations such as Falling Shawls, which comprises hundreds of colourful tassels resembling the fringe of a Sámi shawl. The piece was crafted as a communal effort by 12 Sámi women using a traditional handicraft technique.

“The work was inspired by people coming together and wearing their gákti (traditional dress). In our culture, we don’t have monuments. Our cultural identity is expressed through our clothing. Our colourful shawls and red hats are a war cry: I will survive!”

Pieski’s semi-abstract paintings convey a similar message. Evoking the hazy contours of the timeless northern landscape, their symbolic thrust comes from the gákti fringe

32 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

attached to the bottom of the canvas.

“I’m interested in the connection between our land and our people. Our identity is deeply connected to the landscape.”

Pieski divides her time between Helsinki and the tiny village of Dálvadas, 50 kilometres north of Utsjoki. Her father is Sámi, but his language was never spoken at home. “I’m a member of the lost generation. Our parents didn’t speak Sámi to us because they believed there was no point. I made sure my own children were educated in Sámi.”

Despite ongoing political challenges, Pieski is optimistic about the survival of Sámi culture. “There are many talented young artists doing exciting things, also in the virtual realm.

Culturally, we are thriving.”

“Our colourful shawls and red hats are a war cry: I will survive!”

OUTI PIESKI

• Contemporary artist born in Helsinki in 1973 •L ives and works in Utsjoki and Helsinki •P ainter and creator of political installations •F ine Arts Academy of Finland Award winner 2017 outipieski.com

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THE WEIGHT OF GENERATIONS When Katja Gauriloff was 16, she was struck by a sudden sadness. She had grown up listening to her mother speaking Skolt Sámi in the village of Nellim on Lake Inari, but she never learned the dialect herself, which left her with a deep-seated sense of loss: “I always felt like an outsider.”

Sadness was a powerful creative ­catalyst, inspiring Gauriloff ’s first feature documentary, A Shout into The Wind, which tells the story of a small community struggling to keep Skolt traditions alive in the village of Sevettijärvi.

“I was very shy when we started filming, but the people instantly accepted me: ‘You belong to us’, they said. I formed lasting ties with the people in that film.”

Gauriloff ’s international breakthrough was Canned Dreams, a documentary exploring the dreams of workers in the tinned food industry. “I had to take a break from the Sámi theme because it’s so heavy. It’s also a scary

“The Sámi theme involves all my people, not just me. It’s a huge responsibility.”

34 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

topic to tackle because it’s not just about me – it involves all my people. It’s a huge responsibility.”

Gauriloff ’s most recent documentary, Kaisa’s Enchanted Forest, is the first film by a Sámi filmmaker to win a national Finnish film award. The documentary tells the story of her great grandmother, the legendary Skolt storyteller Kaisa Gauriloff, and her u ­ nusual friendship with the Swiss writer Robert Crottet.

“I always thought Kaisa was a special person. When I received a shipment of archive material from Crottet’s partner, Enrique Méndez, I knew I had the footage I needed to pay her homage.”

Gauriloff is currently shooting Baby Jane, a lesbian love story in the shadow of m ­ ental illness, based on a book by Sofi Oksanen.

The director adds that it’s “highly likely” that she will return to the Sámi theme in her next project.

“I’d like to pick up where Kaisa’s Enchanted Forest leaves off and continue telling the story of the generation that came after my great grandmother, but through fiction instead of documentary.”

Gauriloff is among the filmmakers credited as leading the “new wave” in Sámi cinema. “I prefer to think of Sámi film as a permanent feature on the cinematic landscape – not just a passing wave.”

KATJA GAURILOFF •F ilm director born in Inari in 1973 •C o-owner of the Oktober production company •A ward-wining director of Kaisa’s Enchanted Forest (2017), Canned Dreams (2011), and Shout in the Wind (2007) •C urrently transitioning to fiction film as the director of Sofi Oksanen’s Baby Jane oktober.fi

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JENNI LAITI •C ontemporary artist and activist born in Inari in 1981 •L ives in Jokkmokk in Swedish Sápmi •H olds a degree in traditional Sámi handicrafts •S pokeswoman for Suohpanterror, an art collective known for its provocative treatment of themes such as colonialism and indigenous rights suohpanterror.com

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FIGHT OR FADE AWAY Meeting Jenni Laiti confounds all expectations.

Defying the stereotype of an outraged activist, she is warm, gracious, and softly spoken – yet every word packs a carefully delivered punch.

Laiti is the spokeswoman of Suohpanterror, an artivist collective that “terrorises” iconic images to comment on the colonialism and racism suffered by the Sámi.

The group’s strategies also include culture jamming, installations, and direct performative action.

“Our art is a battle for survival. We have two choices: fight or fade away.

Land rights are a key issue for us, because without our land, there is no us,” she states soberly.

The group’s name comes from suohpan, Sámi for “reindeer lasso,” alluding to their use of art as a non-violent weapon. Among their many subversive strategies is the witty “Sámi-fication” of popular icons, such as the muscle-flexing woman in the famous U.S. “We Can Do It!” wartime propaganda poster.

“We’ve had everything taken from us: our language, our land, and our history. That poster is saying ‘it’s payback time’.”

The tone of Suohpanterror’s provocative

posters ranges from satirical to outright angry, mirroring the many different activists in the group – all of whom remain anonymous.

“We want to focus on issues, not people.

Suohpanterror is a state of mind: we like to think we could be anywhere, anytime, anyplace.”

Hailing from a long line of artisans, Laiti originally studied Sámi handicrafts and sees a direct link between her craft background and her artivism.

“To survive in ­Arctic conditions, you need creative skills. If your sled breaks in a blizzard, you have to figure out how to fix it quickly. My a­ ctivism runs in the same vein: c­ reate or die.”

Born in Inari in Finnish Lapland, Laiti is now based in Sweden’s J­ okkmokk, where she herds ­reindeer with her husband and two children.

In addition to her involvement in projects such as the Ellos Deatnu self-determination movement, she retains an active interest in crafts.

She proudly wears self-made street gákti as a colourful emblem of empowerment.

“Politically repurposed duodji (crafts) is something I would like to explore further in the future.”

“Land rights are a key issue.

Without our land, there is no us.”

WHO ARE THE SÁMI? The Sámi are among the few surviving indigenous peoples of Europe. They have lived in close contact with the land for thousands of years, yet they are treated as a minority in the territory they inhabit, which extends across northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. Finland has yet to ratify ILO Convention No. 169 granting Sámi people the right to their land and the power to decide their future.

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SÁMI CULTURE (RE)MAKERS Pauliina Feodoroff is a Skolt Sámi director and playwright working with the Rospuutto group, whose recent work includes the theatre piece CO2lonialNATION. She is also an active defender of Sámi land rights and the Sámi LGBT community.

Niillas Holmberg is a multitalented poet, musician, actor, translator, and activist from Ohcejohka who performs with various folk music and electro ensembles. His five books have been translated into over ten languages.

Hildá Länsman is a talented young musician and yoiker (yoik is a traditional Sámi song form). Her band Gájanas was chosen as band of the

year at the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival. She performs with her mother Ulla Pirttijärvi in the band Solju and is an award candidate in Finland’s first Ethnogala in 2017.

Silja Kudel is a ­Helsinki-based ­Australian writer with a special interest in issues of colonisation and contemporary indigenous cultures.

Amoc (Mikkâl Antti Morottaja) is a Sámi musician who raps in one of the world’s most endangered languages, Inari Sámi. Although his language is nearly extinct, his music has attracted attention from a global audience.

Otto Ponto is a Finnish photojournalist who lives in ­northern ­Lapland. His current project is documenting the modern life of the northern people.

Ailu Valle is a hip hop artist from the small reindeer herding community of Gámasmohkki in Utsjoki.

He raps politically outspoken rhymes in Northern Sámi and collaborates with Sámi electro group YLVA.

Elina Simonen is a Helsinki-based photographer who specialises in high-end portrait photography.

Finnairin_BlueWings_lehti_Hankintatukku_UUSI.pdf

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Star treks

1

CROSSING A COUNTRY ON FOOT The late Alfred Wainwright, England’s best-loved fell walker, once wrote that a walk without a goal is like life without ambition – aimless wandering. The 196mile Coast to Coast Walk across northern England certainly has a goal, which is to cross an island, to go as far as you can on foot, and to gaze over another ocean. The countryside is astonishingly beautiful and varied – accompanying the walker on a rollercoaster of three spectacular national parks. Traditionally, the walk is completed west to east (starting at St. Bees Head and finishing at Robin Hood’s Bay) and takes about 10–14 days.

Coast to Coast Walk, England coast2coast.co.uk

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ISTOCK / DANIEL KAY

TOP5

Grab a backpack and head off on one of these amazing treks around the world ranging from one day to a few weeks.

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ANDREW MARSHALL

2

TRAMPING WITH VOLCANOES With its collection of active volcanoes, the World Heritagelisted Tongariro National Park on New Zealand’s North Island is breathtaking, and the 19.4-km Tongariro Alpine Crossing traverses this surreal landscape dominated by three volcanoes: Mt. Ruapehu (2,797 m), Mt. Tongariro (1,968 m), and the much younger Mt. Ngauruhoe (2,291 m). This day walk (taking around 7–9 hours) includes craters, hot springs, turquoisecoloured lakes, and lava flows.

Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand tongarirocrossing.org.nz

3

HIKING WITH BUDDHAS The 70-km circular Lantau Trail, starting and finishing in Mui Wo on Lantau Island, encompasses the wild and magnificent Ngong Ping Plateau and the glorious southern coastline. The Lantau Trail is divided into 12 wellmarked stages that take about 3–5 days to complete, and each stage is also suitable for leisurely day walks. The most famous landmark is the 34-metre-high Tian Tan Buddha, one of the world’s tallest outdoor bronze seated Buddhas.

Lantau Trail, Hong Kong hiking.gov.hk/eng

4

THE ROAD TO SANTIAGO Every year, millions of “pilgrims” from around the globe take part in a famous Spanish journey. Starting in St. Jean Pied de Port in France, the 780-km Camino de Santiago (Pilgrim’s Way) weaves through the provinces of Navarra with its sweeping plains of wheat; La Rioja, a land of vineyards and wine; Castilla y Leon with its ancient castles; the verdant hills of Galicia; and finally to the finishing line at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Days merge into weeks with trekkers seeking shelter in pilgrim’s hostels (refugios) each night.

Camino de Santiago, Spain caminoadventures.com

5

CLIMBING THE SERPENT’S BACK “The bones of nature laid bare,” was how Australian artist Hans Heysen described the sawtoothed ridges of South Australia’s Flinders Ranges. A network of walking trails weave throughout the Flinders Ranges National Park, along dry creek beds lined with majestic red gums, and across old station properties. One highlight is the challenging 19-km circular hike to the summit of St. Mary Peak taking about 9 hours. Looking out over Wilpena Pound from the summit is inspiring – and arguably the best vista in South Australia.

St. Mary Peak Hike, Australia walkingsa.org.au

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EUROPEAN VOICES

BY ALEXANDER STUBB

Big data – more than you want to know

B

ig data is one of those was recommended on TripAdvisor. You buzzwords that you may can see where I’m going with this. have heard mentioned It’s a bit creepy, but big data knows over the past few years. where you are, where you have been, If you are like me, you who your friends are, what makes you will have realised that angry, who is falling in love with you, your it is important, but you may not have favourite food and so much more. As a fully understood its matter of fact, big data meaning. might just know you I have good news. better than you know BIG DATA MIGHT JUST Writer, comedian, yourself. and broadcaster Now, big data is, KNOW YOU BETTER THAN Timandra Harkness’ of course, great for YOU KNOW YOURSELF. latest book, Big Data business. It makes – Does Size Matter? it easy to collect (2016, Bloomsbury), data and figure out is a great reference for us social scientists consumer preferences and trends. It is who struggle to understand the equally great for science. By tracking complex world of data. disease patterns and analysing DNA and The simplest definition of big data gene registers, scientists will be able to can be found on Google, the biggest find cures. data collector of all. According to This is truly exciting, but like any major the almighty search engine, big data change, it has its downside – most of which is “extremely large data sets that is linked to privacy. Unless you want to may be analysed computationally isolate yourself from society, it will be very to reveal patterns, trends, and difficult to stop being a provider of big data. associations, especially relating to One of the things you can do is to human behaviour and interactions.” decide what you want to keep private and We all provide big data with from whom. almost everything we do. You are most In any case you might want to reflect probably reading this on a Finnair flight, before the next time you type in your which you booked online. Through your personal details in an online survey. mobile phone you will have revealed your Ask yourself who you are sharing the preferred seat, favourite food, mode of information with – and why. transport, and travel destination. As you Having read Harkness’ book helped leave the plane you might jump into a me to understand the meaning of big taxi, which takes you to your favourite data. I will probably not change my online hotel. All registered on the net. You will habits radically, but at least I know what probably post a picture or tell a story is happening with all the data that I on your favourite social media. All voluntarily share. l before going for a run and recording it on your health app.

And naturally, you will be listening to your favourite music Alexander Stubb is a former Prime after watching a movie online, Minister of Finland and columnist for Blue before booking a restaurant which Wings since 2005. twitter.com/alexstubb

42 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

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DESTINATION GOA

I O G

to ies ek fl r e nai e a w er Fin ic int w a t the w o G . g rin ason du m se .co air n n fi

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GOA’S CHANGING TUNE Local musicians revive a classical heritage in the west Indian state.

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY DANIEL ALLEN

Dawn view over the churches of Old Goa and the Mandovi River from the Chapel of our Lady of the Mount.

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Above: The Catholic church was the impetus behind classical music in the Portuguese colony; Right: Deepali Chauhan, a violin student with the Child’s Play Foundation

T

he courtyard of the Hamara School in Panjim (Panaji), capital of the pintsized west Indian state of Goa, is an unlikely place for a music class.

Beyond the low school walls, late afternoon rush hour sees tuk-tuks, mopeds, and buses jockey for position on gridlocked streets, the staccato sounds of horns and discordant cries of pheriwallas (sidewalk traders) punctuating the urban hum.

Yet nothing seems to bother the school’s young musicians. In one corner of the courtyard, 11-year-old Deepali Chauhan clasps her violin, forehead beaded with sweat, and eyes narrowed in concentration, as she practices arpeggios and scales. As a student of the Child’s Play India Foundation, a Goa-based charity set up in 2009 to teach Western classical music to Panjim’s disadvantaged children, Chauhan has been learning the violin for nearly two years. Both her parents are migrant labourers, so she spends most of her days (and nights) at school.

“I like the sound the violin makes,” she says. “When I practice, there’s nothing else but me and the music.”

The Child’s Play Foundation is the creation of Dr. Luis Dias, a fourth-generation physician who put aside his profession and returned to Goa to combine his passion for classical music with the realisation of a philanthropic calling.

46 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

“A decade ago I was practicing medicine in and around London,” says Dias, as he watches Chauhan practice. “At the same time I was deeply concerned with the social disparity in Goa, where I was born. I just didn’t know how to address it.

“After learning about and witnessing the life-saving work of other charitable music programmes, I realised classical music could really empower kids in Panjim,” continues Dias. “In some way, we want to contribute to the burgeoning musical revolution that’s happening here in Goa.” NOTES FROM THE PAST Not many people know that Goa has a Western classical music heritage that stretches back over five centuries, way before the British Raj and pre-dating even the mighty Mughal Empire. After it became a Portuguese colony in the early sixteenth century, the state gradually introduced the entire Indian subcontinent to the sounds of pipe organs and pianos, cantatas, and concertos.

It was in 1510 that Portuguese general and empire builder Alfonso de Albuquerque seized the vibrant, cosmopolitan port city which is today known as Old Goa (part of Panjim). Soon a series of magnificent churches had been built, such as the Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount, the Basilica of Bom Jesus, and Se Cathedral (the churches and convents of Old Goa are

Musicians perform at sunset at this year’s Monte Festival.

KETEVAN MUSIC FESTIVAL

This year’s Ketevan Festival took place at the Ruins of St. Augustine in the Old Goa neighbourhood of Panjim.

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KETEVAN MUSIC FESTIVAL

CLASSICAL GEMS Ketevan Music Festival 2018 February 8–18, Old Goa

ketevanmusicfestiv.wixsite.com/ketevan Monte Music Festival 2018 First weekend in February Fundação Oriente (foriente.pt/121/india.htm)

today collectively recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

“All of these religious institutions needed choirs and musicians, which had to be produced locally,” says Dias. “The main impetus for Western classical music in Goa came from the church.”

The Goa University Choir and the Ketevan Festival Orchestra perform at the Convent of St. Monica in Old Goa.

A MUSICAL REAWAKENING It is difficult to determine the exact moment when Western classical music in Goa reemerged from the shadows. Many point to the annual Monte Music ­Festival, which was first held in 2002. Taking place in early February, it is organised by the Fundação Oriente, a non-profit organisation which works to promote cultural relations between Portugal and its former Asian colonies.

The venue for the three-day festival – the Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount – could hardly be more appropriate, with the historical structure boasting fine acoustics. But what many in the audience really come to see are the selection of al fresco performances held in the chapel courtyard, set against the magnificent backdrop of Old Goa’s churches and the serpentine sweep of the Mandovi River.

The festival programme is all about opening people’s minds to different musical genres.

“This year we wanted to promote women’s voices from India,” explains Maria Ines Figueira, the

GOA UNIVERSITY CHOIR

Italian musician Paollo Pacciola plays a berimbau at the Church of St. Monica in Old Goa.

ROOTED RHYTHMS Looking out from the Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount, the white spires and cupolas of Old Goa’s glorious ecclesiastical buildings rear upwards into the Indian sky from a sweeping expanse of jungle.

The spectacular panorama seems a fitting epitaph for Goa’s former Portuguese culture, which at times appear to have been surrounded and swallowed up by more contemporary tastes and trends.

It has now been over half a century since the Portuguese ceded control of Goa. Yet the state still feels very different to the rest of India. From the distinctive cuisine and panoply of churches through to the prevalence of azulejos (ceramic tiles) and even people’s common surnames, the Portuguese influence is still evident in numerous aspects of Goan life.

And while many of Old Goa’s churches have undoubtedly seen better days, the musical rhythms of yesteryear still appear to run strong in local blood.

Perhaps it is this that has seen India’s oldest and most significant Western classical music tradition come alive once again, in the exact spot where it first developed.

48 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

“I wouldn’t say Western classical music was dead in Goa. It just needed to be woken up.”

­ undação Oriente’s Portuguese director. “We were F lucky enough to have a Sufi singer, a Goan soprano, and a renowned fadista (fado is a vocal muscial genre that can be traced back to nineteenth century Portugal).”

The real highlight of the festival was a haunting recital of contemporary and sacred chants by soprano Patricia Rozario, a London-based diva who grew up in Mumbai. Since 2009, the singer has returned regularly to Goa to give vocal music classes as part of a personal initiative called Giving Voice to India.

“A lot is happening now in Goa,” says Rozario.

“Goans have long been naturally gifted musicians with beautiful voices. When they have platforms to ­perform, which also generate interest among local Goans, there’s an added incentive to get involved.

“I wouldn’t say Western classical music was dead in Goa,” she continues. “It just needed to be woken up.”

TAMPERE

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Malaika Vaz, a classical guitar student at the Kala Academy

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Harsh Kumar Pandit is a violin student with the Child’s Play Foundation.

Based in London and Asia, awardwinning writer and photographer Daniel Allen has journeyed widely across the globe.

CHORUS OF SUPPORT Goa’s classical music scene was given a boost when the first installment of the Ketevan Music ­Festival took place in February 2016. Held in the ruins of Old Goa’s St. Augustine church, the event is the brainchild of Goa expat and concert pianist Rudi Kammermeier, and Argentinian-Italian orchestra conductor and composer S ­ antiago Lusardi Girelli, a visiting professor at Goa University.

Kammermeier and Girelli’s efforts have developed largely on the back of the Goa University Choir. Funded in 2013, this groundbreaking group of 36 singers has already developed a reputation for excellence under Girelli’s tutelage.

“Over the last four years we have hosted more than 100 professional musicians, composers, and artists on the Goa University campus,” says Girelli. “The Goa University Choir is probably one of the most exciting projects in India. Together with Ketevan, it has given momentum to Goa’s new musical spring. Audiences and student numbers are growing, and we are happy for it.”

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES The classical music revival now taking place in Goa is also reflected in flourishing attendances at places such as the Kala Academy, Goa’s preeminent institute for art and culture. The academy’s Department of Western Music offers governmentsubsidised classes in a range of instruments, as well as singing.

50 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

“More young Goans apply to the d ­ epartment every year,” says academy director Teresa ­Figueiredo. “We now have 13 teachers and over 400 ­students, so we have no choice but to turn many kids away.”

Despite its financial constraints, the Child’s Play India Foundation is also booming.

It now has 60 students, who take free and heavily subsidised classes in everything from the flute to the clarinet.

“Although we’re a grassroots organisation, we still want to encourage excellence and creativity,” says Luis Dias. “Raising standards is a great challenge here, because the classical music pedagogy in Goa isn’t in place yet. We need to gradually reduce our dependence on masterclasses from overseas musicians.”

Figueiredo agrees that Western classical music in Goa, while revitalised, has a long way to go.

“Higher standards will hopefully breed opportunities for Goan musicians to earn a living from music, in India, with more orchestras and the development of world class music venues.”

It’s a bit early to tell whether Harsh Kumar Pandit, a budding violin student with the Child’s Play Foundation, will one day wow an audience in such a venue. So far the 11-year-old has only played in one Christmas concert. Still, practice makes perfect.

“Now I have a class every day,” says Pandit.

“The violin is a little bit difficult, but I really want to do well. I like the bit when people clap at the end.” l

52 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

SLUSH

MEANS BUSINESS Augmented ­Reality and machine learning are some of the hot topics at this year’s start-up conference in Helsinki.

TEXT BY TIM BIRD PHOTOS BY JUSSI HELLSTÉN AND JUSSI RATILAINEN

T

he first snow might fall but quickly melts to slurry, matching the steelygrey sky. People huddle against the sleet and stinging rain. The perfect season, then, for a crowd of 17,500 optimists and visionaries to descend on the Finnish capital from across Finland, the Nordic region, and the rest of the world.

Bright young minds make their pitches, while academics and authors prowl across their platforms, ­gesticulating and expounding to rapt audiences.

Pounding techno music punctuates the proceedings, and dry ice, roaming spotlights, lasers, and tongues of flame greet the speakers. If start-up business is the new rock and roll, Slush is firmly established as one of its most anticipated festivals.

ALTERED REALITY AND CRYPTOCURRENCY “Ten years on and Slush is on the same mission as always, which is to help entrepreneurs,” says CEO Marianne Vikkula. “But we have reached the point where we don’t need to grow, so we are focused on

quality. We have asked speakers to give an hour of their time back to the event by participating in onehour Q&A and discussion sessions, either pre-booked or spontaneous. This will enable speakers to share their experiences and the lessons they’ve learned.”

Vikkula expects the themes of Augmented R ­ eality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) to maintain their strong presence at this year’s event, but also anticipates machine learning and cryptocurrencies to figure prominently. The role of women in tech startups along with music production and distribution are also hot topics. Vikkula mentions Dai Wei, founder and CEO of ofo, the phenomenally successful station-free bikesharing platform in China, as an especially exciting speaker from the line-up.

Slush is considered as a key contributor to the big picture, as a part of which investment in F ­ innish startups rose by 42 per cent in 2016 compared with the previous year, according to the Finnish V ­ enture ­Capital Association. The same figures show that a total of €383 million was pledged to Finnish early stage companies in 2016.

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Slush Music is two whole days of music entrepreneurship.

Energy is everywhere, even cascading down from the ceiling.

“Slush takes up just a few days of a company’s life cycle. It’s encouraging that we have heard stories of how Finnish and international entrepreneurs are ­getting funding through Slush. We’re trying to adjust what we do at Slush based on the needs.”

PLATFORM FOR ENTREPRENEURS Slush was set up as a non-profit start-up event in ­Helsinki’s Korjaamo tram shed in 2008 and fired up over the years by people such as Aalto University ­student Miki Kuusi and the co-creator of the Angry Birds game, Peter Vesterbacka. The event responded to a need to coordinate Finnish startups to revitalise the economy and provide a platform for entrepreneurship. Each year the number of visitors has increased, while sister events have been launched in Tokyo, Shanghai, and Singapore.

The Slush events in these cities adjust the Helsinki model as a tool to fit local ecosystems. “For ­example, in Shanghai, there is less need for investment; it’s more a question of building an entrepreneurial ­community and a grassroots network. Whereas in Tokyo, the entrepreneurial culture itself is not as strong as it could be. The idea in all three is to be the best event of its kind, not the biggest,” says Vikkula.

The Slush throng in 2016 included over 1,100 ­prospective investors, 2,336 startups matched up at 5,643 meetings, and 610 journalists. Now in its tenth year, the 2017 event line-up includes an impressive array of speakers, from environmentalist and Chairman of Generation Investment Management Al Gore and Nasdaq CEO and President Adena Friedman to Samsung Electronic’s President & Chief Strategy Officer Young Sohn and co-founder of the Lakestar investment company Manu Gupta. l 54 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

ALL IN TUNE Slush Music precedes the main Slush event and has become a major draw, offering a platform for entrepreneurs in an industry undergoing huge transitions.

Consumption and distribution of music, monetising opportunities, music and wellbeing, investment and legal issues are on the agenda, and there is a pitching competition, Slush Music 20, for industry startups.

The event, taking place November 28–29, will also host an impressive roster of speakers including Andrew Apanov, Founder of Doitted Music and WeSpin; Andie Simon, Music Supervisor at Beat Fever; and Nico Stadi, Music Producer at Pulse Recordings. Workshops will facilitate discussions with presenters. music.slush.org

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BY MARJA MAKAROW

The greatest innovation

R

adical innovations have profound and infants as well as provide fitness classes, impacts on our lives. Take psychological counselling, and nutritional the internet, for example: it advice to pregnant women. The clinics also are started with what we call the responsible for vaccinations, which is why over digital revolution. The internet 95 per cent of Finland’s pre-school children has changed everything, from the way we are protected against the most dangerous communicate, learn, and teach, to the way infectious diseases. we work and do business. Almost 20 per cent Another example is the North Karelia of the world economy is reliant on wireless Project, which has lowered the mortality connectivity. rate from heart disease among working-age Innovations are men by 80 per cent simply often perceived as by changing their dietary technical inventions: a and smoking habits. The DEMOCRACY IS THE new technology such as project was launched in the the use of fire by early VERY CORNERSTONE OF 1970s to reduce risk factors humans for warmth, associated with unhealthy SOCIAL PROGRESS. light, and cooking, or a diet among the inhabitants useful new object like of the Province of North the wheel, discovered Karelia. Through educational thousands of years ago. But, technology efforts, the people of North Karelia exchanged aside, social innovations are equally animal fats for olive oil, reduced their salt important. They are concepts, intake, and increased the amount of vegetables strategies, processes, or practical on their plates. The health boom caught on solutions that benefit society and rapidly, increasing the life expectancy of Finns promote wellbeing. by no less than ten years.

For me, the greatest Returning to the topic of the internet, is it innovation of all time is a social fundamentally a technical or social innovation? one – democracy. Invented I would say both, because it enables the spread in Athens around 500 BC, it of information, exactly like the printing press granted equal rights to all free invented by Johan Gutenberg some 550 years men. Some 2,400 years later, ago. Eliminating the need for hand-written Finland became the first singular manuscripts, Gutenberg’s innovation nation to grant inclusive enabled books to be multiplied and spread democracy to all its citizens. everywhere. And just like the internet, the The impact of democracy printing press was a catalyst for new businesses, cannot be quantified, for it is the printing workshops, and publishers, which very cornerstone of social progress. emerged as countless “startups” all over Europe.

But there are social innovations that The printing press and its 21st century have had a measurable impact on the progeny, the internet, attest to the fact that wellbeing of our nation. One example the greatest world-changing innovations are is the founding of maternity clinics arguably those with a lasting impact on society one hundred years ago. Since that as enablers of human communication. l time, infant mortality has dropped in Finland from 15 per cent to below 0.6 Professor MARJA MAKAROW is director of per cent, and maternal deaths from Biocenter Finland, chair of Technology Academy 1 per 170 deliveries to less than 1 per 6,000 deliveries. Today public maternity Finland, and a governing board member of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology EIT. clinics monitor the health of mothers

56 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

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DESTINATION SICILY

SICILIAN

HOT SPOTS Adventurous travellers can get close-up views of awe-inspiring natural phenomena by exploring Sicily’s three active volcanoes.

TEXT BY FRAN WEAVER PHOTOS BY TIM BIRD

58 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

CT A

Fin n ­Ca air fl tan ies i ­du a wee to­ k sum ring the ly me r se finn air ason .co . m

The small island of Stromboli, just north of Sicily, is one of the best places in the world to safely witness spectacular volcanic eruptions up close.

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Mount Etna dominates the skyline behind the Sicilian port city of Catania, rising to 3,329 metres above sea level.

E

urope’s largest volcano, Mount Etna, looms ominously on the horizon north of Catania, Sicily. Back in 1669, much of the city was destroyed by lava flows.

Etna is still highly active, with eruptions every few years. But during normal periods, when no warnings are in force, visitors can safely explore its dark slopes and experience extraordinary scenes.

The morning bus from Catania takes us to Rifugio Sapienza, the starting point for hikers heading up the mighty volcano. A short walk away we find dramatic volcanic cones, rugged craters, and crusty lava flows from recent eruptions.

A cable car then hoists us to an altitude of 2,500 metres, from where we trudge on upwards through otherworldly landscapes strewn with ash, cinders, pumice, and lava bombs. It’s easy to see why space exploration agencies come here to test robots destined for the Moon and Mars. Up near the summit, a thick mist descends while we are warily walking around the rim of a smouldering crater, but we still find a clear trail back down to the cable car station.

The small train trundles through picturesque pistachio plantations, citrus orchards, and olive groves, halting at towns and villages whose residents live in the shadow of this famously explosive mountain.

“We respect the volcano of course, but we don’t live in fear,” explains Toni Sparta, who runs a small natural history museum in Randazzo, just 15 kilometres from Etna’s summit. “Our town is built on old lava flows, and its buildings are made of dark volcanic stone. The volcano has also provided our region with products including sulphur for the matchstick industry, pumice for washing, and obsidian used to make school blackboards.”

Sparta nevertheless remembers worrying times in 1981, when lava flows from a powerful eruption only narrowly missed the town, and many of his neighbours fled temporarily.

“Thankfully the warning systems are very reliable, since major eruptions are typically ­preceded by many small earth tremors,” he adds.

“We respect the volcano of course, but we don’t live in fear.”

LIVING WITH THE VOLCANO The hop-on-hop-off Ferrovia Circumetnea railway offers a leisurely way to explore Etna’s fertile foothills.

60 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

STUNNING STROMBOLI For guaranteed hot volcanic action, we next head by hydrofoil to the Aeolian Islands, just north of S ­ icily, where the legendary volcanic island of Stromboli has been erupting more or less continuously for many centuries.

“It sounds paradoxical, but the more a volcano

Intrepid trekkers can explorethe scenery of Mount Etna, except when volcanic activity warnings are in force.

VOLCANIC WONDERS

Cable car trips up Mount Etna funiviaetna.com Railway trips round the ­foothills of Mount Etna circumetnea.it Guided treks up Stromboli to view eruptions close up magmatrek.it Updated info on active volcanoes in Italy (and elsewhere) volcanodiscovery.com

erupts, the safer it is, since eruptions release pressure, and the volcano has less time to build up energy for more dangerous eruptions,” explains volcanologist Alessandro Gattuso, who runs Stromboli’s information centre.

“Stromboli is geologically young, at just 85,000 years old. The unique frequency of its eruptions makes it the best destination in Europe for anyone keen to witness volcanic activity in safety. We have 84 monitoring stations around the island, so we get clear indications when activity intensifies. This enables us to limit access to the volcano when necessary,” he adds.

The summit was last off limits for a few weeks in 2014 when broad red rivers of molten lava were spewed out by the volcano. Access is otherwise routinely permitted for guided groups. Conditions during our stay were typical, with three active craters erupting repeatedly – but safely – at intervals averaging 20-30 minutes.

EXPLOSIVE EXPERIENCES Eruptions look most spectacular in darkness when fountains of ejected red-hot magma are more visible through the smoke and ash. A great place to view evening eruptions is the garden of the ­pizzeria L’Osservatorio, built in a converted vulcanological observatory 2 kilometres from Stromboli village.

But for unforgettable close-up views of eruptions, thrill-seekers can join a guided trek to the top.

By ­sunset, a couple of hours after leaving the village,

LOCAL FLAVOURS

Sicily’s location between the toe of mainland Italy and Africa’s north coast gives the island’s cuisine distinctive zest. “With the sea all around us, fish and seafood naturally dominate our cuisine,” explains Salvatore Scavo, manager of Ristorante Granduca in the historic resort town of Taormina.

“Our dishes are also influenced by Arab cuisine.

We use capers, olives, raisins, pistachios, pine nuts, and almonds – and we eat a lot of aubergines and couscous,” he adds.

Scavo recommends local specialities including pasta norma with aubergines, tomatoes, and ricotta or Sicilian sardines stuffed with breadcrumbs, herbs, raisins, and pine nuts. For afters he suggests cannoli, which are tubes of fried pastry filled with ricotta.

Scavo also praises local wines such as fortified marsala and sweet, aromatic malvasia as well as the full-bodied, dark red nero d’Avola and refreshing white carricante from the slopes of Mount Etna.

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Vulcano’s warm mud baths with their reputed healing powers await walkers descending from the nearby volcanic crater.

A path leading along the rim of the main crater on the island of Vulcano offers panoramic views of the Aeolian Archipelago.

FASCINATING CITIES AND VALLEYS TAORMINA gets crowded during the summer, but its historic buildings and superb setting make this old clifftop town a must see. Highlights include an Ancient Greek theatre with great views of Etna and the Ionian Sea. SYRACUSE rivalled Athens in importance back when the Ancient Greeks dominated the Mediterranean. Explore the city’s splendid squares, seaside promenades, and archaeological relics including the tomb of Archimedes.

THE ALCANTARA VALLEY has rustic riverside walks and curiously geometrical geological features where the river has carved a precipitous gorge through old lava flows.

CATANIA is a good starting point for touring Etna and eastern Sicily. Don’t miss the bustling fish market and lively Piazza del Duomo, overlooked by the city’s symbol: an elephant carved from lava stone.

62 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

v­ olcano-watching groups reach viewpoints on the main crater rim, overlooking the most active volcanic vents just a few hundred metres away. “This is the only place in the world where you can safely come and see volcanic eruptions as close as this!” says mountain guide Poldo Aghemo of Magma Trek.

Though this trek is not for the unfit or the fainthearted, Aghemo has taken visitors ranging from a 4-year-old boy to a Japanese lady aged 82 right up to the top. “Safety is always our first concern, and we make sure everyone is well-equipped for the experience,” he adds.

VOLCANIC MUD BATHS AND JACUZZIS A two-hour island-hop by hydrofoil takes us from Stromboli to the Aeolian island nearest to S ­ icily – Vulcano, which is also volcanically active, as its name suggests. A short but steep path leads up to a crater rim offering fabulous views of the entire archipelago, Sicily, and mainland Italy. The trail around the crater rim passes thick deposits of bright yellow sulphur and dozens of fumaroles – small mysterious holes, which emit steam and smelly sulphurous gases.

Vulcano last erupted explosively in 1898, but experts are keeping a close eye on the mountain, measuring temperatures, earth movements, and the make-up of its gaseous emissions to ensure they can warn residents and visitors in good time if activity intensifies.

Back down in Vulcano village we find the ideal place to recover from our volcano-climbing exertions. The island’s mud baths are said to have health-enhancing properties, and after w ­ allowing in the warm, yellowish-grey volcanic mud, you can blissfully soak in a beautiful blue sea bay fed by numerous bubbling hot springs, making it a kind of giant natural jacuzzi. l

Fran Weaver is a Helsinki-based journalist who loves assignments that involve exploring wild places and experiencing spectacular natural phenomena.

A regular contributor to Blue Wings, Tim Bird has visited volcanoes on three ­continents, but got his bucket list eruption photos on this Sicily assignment.

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DESTINATION The industrial past is still SHANGHAI visible in the West Bund riverfront.

G V P

s to flie ily. r i da na Fin ghai m n o a Sh nair.c n fi

The industrial past is still evident along the West Bund riverfront.

66 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

SHANGHAI

ART CRAWL Emerging from the shadow of Beijing, Shanghai’s burgeoning art scene is turning the city into a must-visit destination for contemporary culture.

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY AMANDA SOILA

WEST BUND ART WALK While Beijing long held the position of China’s cultural capital, Shanghai has recently risen as a strong contender for the top spot. At the heart of the change is West Bund, a riverfront art hub in the Xuhui District hosting an array of galleries and museums dedicated to contemporary art and culture by local and international talents.

Covering 11.4 kilometres of shoreline, the former industrial site has been transformed since 2011 into a lush outdoor area with jogging and biking tracks, outdoor climbing walls, and green spaces for picnics, followed by a cluster of museums and galleries. The area’s industrial past is still visible in some of the main attractions of this “cultural corridor.” A former aircraft factory has been converted into the light and airy West Bund Art Center exhibition space, while the bold and arresting concrete colossus of Long Museum West Bund (pictured) was once a coal-loading point.

The riverside art hub will host the annual West Bund Art & Design fair on November 10-12 with more than 70 galleries participating from around the world.

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67

2 x GALLERY-HOPPING

Known for its hip boutiques and leafy streets, the quirky former French Concession hosts a number of independent galleries. One of them is Capsule Gallery set in a 1930s garden house and specialising in exhibiting international and Chinese contemporary artists.

ART LABOR GALLERY

CAPSULE GALLERY

CULTURED FRENCH CONCESSION

UP-AND-COMING JING’AN The trendy Jing’an district is emerging as one of Shanghai’s most exciting contemporary art hubs.

One of of the neighbourhood’s hotbeds for up-and-coming art is ART Labor Gallery with its unusual modifiable gallery space and exhibitions by both emerging and established artists.

POP CULTURE VS. POLITICS

What’s shaping Shanghai’s emerging arts scene today? Misha Maruma, founder of the art & design platform CNCREATE, shares his insights.

1. “Shanghai has a reputation as a city for eating and drinking, and when you go out, you go clubbing. Now that seems to be changing with more people doing sports or viewing art.”

2. “The contemporary art scene here is still very young but it has grown a lot during the two years I have been involved with CNCREATE. Today there are also more opportunities for people from different nationalities to come together.”

3. “Today’s young generation of artists seem to be more influenced by popular culture than politics.

When people have grown up in this kind of political vacuum, it means that they are influenced by other things, for example social media, Korea, or cartoons.”

STAY IN THE LOOP

These sites are worth following for recent news, insights, and tips into Shanghai’s art scene.

YOUNG TALENTS OF M50 While West Bund boasts the high-end of Shanghai’s contemporary art, a grittier and more organic alternative can be found at M50 (short for Moganshan Road 50). This buzzing artistic neighbourhood located in the labyrinthine space of former textile warehouses and factory buildings hosts galleries and studios by up-and-coming Chinese artists. With free galleries, regularly changing exhibitions, and Shanghai’s famous graffiti wall, M50 mostly attracts a younger crowd but makes an exciting and vibrant visit for anybody looking for a convenient gallery crawl or a great spot to see or buy contemporary art by emerging talents.

68 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

CNCREATE Insider insights into Shanghai’s contemporary art scene cncreate.org THE CULTURE TRIP Extensive list of cultural tips for visitors theculturetrip.com TIMEOUT Listings, news, and blogs on Shanghai’s art selection timeoutshanghai.com

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to provide safe and effective protection against allergies THE NUMBER OF ALLERGY SUFFERERS HAS GROWN SEVENFOLD OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS AND THE PREVALENCE OF ALLERGIC DISEASES HAS REACHED EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS. A FINNISH COMPANY IS AIMING TO TACKLE THIS PROBLEM WITH SOME PUSH FROM CROWD FUNDING.

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esearch groups in Finland have worked for more than 10 years to develop a novel immunotherapeutic treatment for allergies – a so-called allergy vaccine. A joint research by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the University of Eastern Finland led to a breakthrough discovery in 2007: a detailed 3D structure revealed that allergens and IgE antibodies bind together differently than what had previously been imagined.

This revolutionised the understanding of the mechanism of allergic reactions.

The findings caught the attention of Pekka Mattila, an experienced biotech executive on the lookout for new ventures. Together with a team of professionals, he co-founded Desentum to develop allergen immunotherapy.

“Today, one billion people worldwide are affected by allergies. This figure is predicted to

rise to four billion in the next 50 years.”

Allergic symptoms can be relieved by medical intervention and desensitisation.

However, antihistamines tend to cause drowsiness, steroids are not recommended for long-term use and desensitisation requires commitment to years of regular treatment.

“Allergen immunotherapy is aimed at providing long-term protection, for a period of several years at least,” Mattila says.

The vaccines are based on structurally altered allergens known as hypoallergens. The difference to traditional treatment methods is that the hypoallergens can be administered safely in larger quantities.

“Currently, desensitisation patients receive monthly shots for 3–5 years, whereas our results indicate that Desentum’s vaccine would only be administered 3–6 times PRODUCED BY CALCUS.COM

within a period of 3–6 months. If supported by upcoming clinical trials, this would be a major improvement over current allergen immunotherapy treatments.”

The vaccine against birch pollen allergy is the furthest along in its development, with first-in-man clinical trials being planned for 2018. Preparations are already underway with the HUS Skin and Allergy Hospital in Helsinki.

According to Mattila, successful clinical trials would provide access to a multi-billion euro market. To support the early clinical trials, Desentum is now running a crowd funding campaign in Finland with a local investment service company, Kansalaisrahoitus.

“Pharmaceutical development is a longterm effort. A realistic time frame for obtaining marketing authorization for the birch pollen vaccine would be around 2020–2021. ●

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B E S T

F I N N I S H

B R A N D S

The truth of my CHILDHOOD FAIRY TALE

I WAS BORN IN THE SAME YEAR THAT GENELEC WAS FOUNDED AND WE HAVE GROWN TOGETHER FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS. THE WORLD LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD, ALMOST AS IF IT IS A FAIRY TALE.

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drowsy atmosphere fills the upstairs bedroom. The darkening evening has begun to set in. I can hear sounds from downstairs and soon the house is filled with noise and activity. Once, twice, three times – monitors are tested with white noise. Over the years the sound of white noise will become as familiar and safe to me as the classical music that is listened to in the living room on other evenings.

At regular intervals an empty suitcase appears on the living room floor. Before it is packed with white dress shirts, socks, packs of Sisu and books, a black cat has already made its bed in a snug corner. As many times as father leaves, he returns. Special 300g Fazer Blue chocolate bars, bought from aeroplanes, are given to us kids, and the cat is once again

free to make its bed in the suitcase.

Active monitors, their elements and different parts are familiar. Circuit boards look like small cities viewed from the sky, and the soft middle section of the bass is just asking to be pushed in. Shelves at home are one thing, but the scale of the factory is something else. A speaker factory – what an exciting and inspiring place to play! And there are cookies in the downstairs cafeteria.

Over the years that both I, the factory and the company grow, my perspective changes.

The fairy tale is actually reality. The world that so fascinates the child – the mysterious sounds, the vanishing suitcase that brings father home again, the tantalising objects – is actually a workplace for many. The best possible tools are designed and manufactured to inspire those who work faraway, and fulfil their own dreams of perfect sound. As I grow, I learn – belief, enthusiasm and persistence are the cornerstones of all our dreams. ●

www.genelec.com

The founder of Genelec Oy, Ilpo Martikainen (1947-2017), in his living room in the 1980s.

ABOUT GENELEC Since 1978, Genelec has dedicated itself to helping customers fulfil their dreams by offering them the most truthful sound reproduction possible. Since then the company has developed the highest quality studio monitors and active loudspeaker systems, becoming recognised as the global leader in the innovation and development of technologies for highly demanding professional audio monitoring. Genelec’s ongoing philosophy is not just to be the best but to always seek to become even better. Accordingly, the Genelec R&D team’s technical ambition has led to countless innovations and revolutionary designs, setting benchmarks and helping to define the path of our industry.

The author, Maria Martikainen, Ilpo Martikainen´s daughter, is a member of the board and the operational management team of Genelec Oy. maria.martikainen@genelec.com PRODUCED BY CALCUS.COM

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B E S T

F I N N I S H

B R A N D S

Set no limits on your

SMARTPHONE USAGE IN FINLAND DO YOU WANT TO USE YOUR MOBILE DEVICE IN FINLAND AS SMOOTHLY AND SEAMLESSLY AS IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY, AND WITHOUT ANY UNEXPECTED CHARGES? IN THATCASE, CHOOSE A DNA RAJATON PREPAID SIM CARD.

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hether you’re in Finland on business or pleasure, DNA’s unlimited connection will help you get more from your stay.

DNA is one of the world’s pioneering mobile operators. The company’s subscriptions provide the most data per customer worldwide, largely because 99 percent of Finns live within the area of DNA’s high speed 4G-network.

“When it comes to mobile data, we know what we’re doing,” says DNA’s Cedric Kamtsan.

“People are used to using a phone or tablet data connection all the time, and abroad you can find yourself surprisingly helpless if you can’t get network coverage whenever you want.

That’s why we want to offer our customers seamless use of smart devices in Finland with our unlimited connection.”

With DNA’s Rajaton Prepaid subscription, you can talk and send text messages as much

as you want in EU and EEA countries, and enjoy high-speed unlimited 4G data in Finland, for a fixed daily charge of EUR 0.89 (excluding premium-rate numbers and services).

“

That’s why we want to offer our customers seamless use of smart devices in Finland with our unlimited connection.

“You can easily track your subscription balance at m.prepaid.dna.fi or by downloading DNA Prepaid App to your mobile device. This application launched by DNA and Comptel won a Global Telecoms Innovation Award in London last year,” Kamtsan concludes. ● PRODUCED BY CALCUS.COM

DNA Rajaton Prepaid – fixed daily price of EUR 0.89 includes both unlimited calls and SMS messages in EU and EEA as well as unlimited data, available only in Finland.

DNA SIM cards are sold in R-kioski shops throughout the country. There are two R-kiosks at Helsinki Airport.

If you top up the subscription immediately upon purchase, R-kioski will give you a first-time top-up bonus of EUR 5.00.

In Finland, it is possible to buy a prepaid subscription without having to show proof of identity.

DNA Rajaton Prepaid is available for all devices.

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F I N N I S H

I N N O V A T I O N

An elevator pitch can also be made on a ski lift, when the companies at the Tahko Ski Lift Pitch event present their business ideas to investors.

Jukka Pitkänen, Director, Business Development.

KUOPIO

Kirsi Soininen, Marketing Director.

– business and culture surrounded by nature KUOPIO COMBINES A GREAT BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT, A WIDE RANGE OF EDUCATION AND RESEARCH EXPERTISE, CULTURAL SERVICES AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE AMONG NATURE. STRONG INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS, SUCH AS WITH SHANGHAI-PUDONG, PROVIDE POSSIBILITIES FOR COMPANIES IN HEALTH TECHNOLOGY AND THE BIOTECH, MEDICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SECTORS, AS WELL AS FOR COOPERATION IN TRAVEL, EDUCATION AND CULTURE.

K

uopio is one of the most dynamic cities in Finland in terms of residential construction, attractiveness, job opportunities and population growth. Kuopio has around 120,000 inhabitants, while nearly one million people live in the city’s area of influence. The city is home to over 5,400 companies, providing around 50,000 workplaces. More than 200 of the companies are export companies, says Jukka Pitkänen, Director of Business Development for the City of Kuopio.

“A new city district of 35 000 people, focusing on research, studies, business and living, is currently being built in Savilahti near the city centre, and the city is investing a total of one billion euros in the development. There are

also significant plans to invest in the forest industry in the area,” Pitkänen explains.

Development of the health technology, biotech, medical and environmental sectors, as well as ICT expertise, have led to the creation of numerous startup and growth companies in the city, providing excellent opportunities for investors.

Different elements in harmony Kuopio is also known for its many international events, such as the Kuopio Dance Festival and ANTI – Contemporary Art Festival. In addition to the events, Kuopio also offers a wide variety of museums, exhibitions and theatre performances year-round.

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Kirsi Soininen, Marketing Director at the City of Kuopio, points out that all elements are in place in Kuopio, including health and wellbeing services as well as culture, recreation and living. The Saaristokaupunki district, surrounded by nature, is one example of ideal Finnish living.

“The Kuopio-Tahko area is one of the country’s largest year-round tourism centres.

One unique event is the Tahko Ski Lift Pitch, where startup and so-called startagain companies pitch their ideas to investors in a ski lift,” Kirsi Soininen explains.

“A beautiful, natural environment near workplaces, the city centre and a wide range of services make Kuopio an attractive place to live - the city that provides true quality of life.” ●

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L U X U R Y

T R A V E L

Experience the Northern Lights in the unique ARCTIC SNOWHOTEL & GLASS IGLOOS

“

Many guests combine the once-in-a-lifetime experience of the snow hotel with a luxurious stay in a glass-roofed igloo.

The Glass Igloos open on 20 November and the SnowHotel on 20 December 2017. The season ends at the end of this coming March.

LOCATED CLOSE TO ROVANIEMI BUT AWAY FROM THE BUSTLE AND LIGHTS OF THE CITY, THE UNIQUE ARCTIC SNOWHOTEL & GLASS IGLOOS OFFERS THE CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS AND SLEEP UNDER THE STARS. THE UPCOMING SEASON IS ALREADY THE TENTH FOR THE HOTEL.

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s its name suggests, the hotel is built out of snow and ice. In addition to accommodation, the hotel features an ice bar, party rooms and an ice chapel for weddings. One of the most unique experiences is visiting the hotel’s warm sauna surrounded by snow. The temperature inside the hotel is

close to zero degrees Celsius, regardless of how cold it gets outside.

“Each year, the hotel is a unique creation. It melts away and a new one is built the next year.

Many people can’t believe their eyes when they see it for the first time,” says Ville Haavikko, the owner and CEO of the holiday resort.

Aurora Alarm searches the skies on your behalf Those seeking warmer accommodations can choose to spend the night in one of the destination’s 39 glass-roofed igloos, available for either two or four guests.

“In a glass-roofed igloo, you can sleep beneath the starry skies and the Northern Lights. The igloos are high-quality accommodations. Each has its own bathroom and offers a private

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atmosphere. Many guests combine the once-ina-lifetime experience of the snow hotel with a luxurious stay in a glass-roofed igloo.”

The Aurora Alarm ensures a perfect Lapland experience, taking care that no guest misses out on this natural wonder. When the Northern Lights take over the sky, the northern light watcher gives hotel guests a wake up call so that they can get up to admire them. The logs show that the Northern Lights are visible every second night on average.

“As far as we know, we are the only place in the world with a live aurora alarm. We cannot guarantee that the Northern Lights will be visible, but we do everything we can so guests can see them. Here our guests can enjoy pristine nature and air, away from the noise and lights of the city,” Haavikko sums up. ●

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I N N O V A T I O N

3 6 0 °

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS revolutionizing the market of infectious disease diagnostics

MOBIDIAG IS BRINGING ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE ROUTINE DIAGNOSTICS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES BY MAKING RAPID AND COST-EFFECTIVE DNA-BASED TECHNOLOGY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL SIZES OF CLINICAL LABORATORIES.

P

CR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) was developed in the 1980s and is a wellestablished DNA-based technology.

Targeted DNA is amplified quickly and precisely up to a billion times allowing detection of specific pathogens, even in very small amounts. As a result, this method has been recognized to be a key technology for diagnostics but the cost and difficulty of use have posed challenges. “Besides PCR, the traditional culture method is still very commonly used. It is an affordable but slow and not very precise method for infectious disease detection. We wanted to address these limitations and offer an alternative solution with the Novodiag product line” explains Tuomas Tenkanen, CEO of Mobidiag.

Based on PCR technology, the upcoming Novodiag® system developed by Mobidiag automatically analyses a patient sample placed in a disposable cartridge and delivers ready to use results. From the user’s perspective, the system can be used effortlessly, with very limited hands-on-time, without much technical expertise and in a cost-efficient manner thanks to competitive pricing of the Novodiag® complete solution.

“One of our cartridges can identify dozens of targets, including the majority of bacteria that cause diarrhea, for instance. The tests can also be used to identify the bacteria’s sensitivity to antibiotics. With quick and reliable results, our fully-automated system can support early decision making prior to any treatment delivery and also improve patient care by reducing for example the unnecessary use of antibiotics,” explains Tenkanen.

Overuse of antibiotics has been one reason for the development of so-called

Tuomas Tenkanen, CEO of Mobidiag, with the fully-automated Novodiag® solution.

“

Novodiag brings the power of molecular diagnostics into routine use for on-demand targeted and syndromic testing, a combination unachieved by other providers. superbugs, which, according to WHO, poses a serious threat to all of humanity. In that sense Mobidiag will participate to the fight against antibiotic resistances with a dedicated Novodiag® test for the detection of most relevant superbugs.

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Tens of millions of euros have been invested in Mobidiag’s unique product development and proprietary technologies. In addition to private investors, the broad financier base includes the European Investment Bank (EIB), as well as state-owned investors Tekes and Finnvera in Finland and BPI in France. The company has also successfully raised capital through crowdfunding.

Novodiag® is set to be released on the market in the upcoming months. Sales channels are already opened in Finland, Sweden, France and Great Britain and Mobidiag is now actively developing its business towards other European countries and the US. ●

FINNAIR NEWS

FINNAIR GUEST SERVICES Finnair offers Meet and Greet and Transfer Guidance services at Helsinki Airport from October to December.

Contact Finnair Customer Service or fill in the web form on finnair.com.

COMPILED BY SHELLY NYQVIST AND AINO VÄHÄLÄ FINNAIR

Sunny highlights Annina Metsola, Communications Specialist at tour operator Aurinkomatkat, picks her top 3 winter destinations.

AURINKOMATKAT

Isku Health furniture is located in the work space of the lounge.

HEALTHY AIRPORT

World’s first at Finnair lounge

Anne Laitinen, director of Isku Health, notes that airport lounges are ideal locations for the healthy furniture.

“Our furniture is a safe choice because we do not use chemicals. Finnair offers a healthier advantage by furnishing their lounge with our chairs thus minimising the likelihood of passengers getting sick during their holiday.”

The Finnair lounge in the Schengen area of Helsinki Airport is located between gates 22–23 and is open daily from 5:30 am to midnight.

CULINARY ADVENTURE

EAST MEETS WEST above the clouds with Finnair’s chef Steven Liu, whose three signature menu items bring to the plate a palate of Asian flavours, garnished with a Nordic twist. These delicious dishes are available on selected flights from China to Finland. As sound plays a prominent role in the way one appreciates tastes, Liu went on a tour around the Nordic countries to record sounds that top off his savoury vision. As a result, Finnair and Liu have created a unique soundscape for each of the portions to further enrich the culinary experience.

To see the video and listen to the soundscape: finnair.com/cn/gb/stevenliu/en

76 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

Fuerteventura, Canary Islands

There’s more to this island than surfing with every activity under the sun on both land and sea. By day explore the sand dunes and by night enjoy the local cuisine in Old Town Corralejo.

AURINKOMATKAT

Hear the taste

Finnair and Aurinkomatkat destination is all about mariachi music, delicious food, colourful architecture, palm trees and mountains, and a real Mexican beach resort vibe.

AURINKOMATKAT

WHAT IF you could avoid germs before a trip? The right furniture can make a difference, especially in public spaces such as the Finnair lounge in the Schengen area of Helsinki Airport. Now, Finnair customers can enjoy a healthier lounge experience thanks to Isku Health antimicrobial furniture.

Isku Health is the first company to manufacture furniture that wards off microbes on surfaces. The permanent antimicrobial feature works like a roundthe-clock cleaner, significantly reducing the spread of germs. All furniture is made at Isku’s factory in Finland.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico This new

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Modern urban culture meets exotic Middle East. The sun always shines and the shopping possibilities from souks to department stores are endless. A luxurious holiday is only a short flight away.

LOMATEEMANA

HYVÄ OLO Hyvään oloon -lomateemamme hemmottelee joogan tuomalla zenmielentilalla, Crossnature-tuntien adrenaliiniryöpyillä sekä upeilla maisemilla golf-viheriöillä ja patikointipoluilla.

HYVÄÄN OLOON

Löydä sinulle sopivin loma uusista Lomateemoistamme Aurinkomatkat.fi

FINNAIR NEWS

DISCOVER FINLAND If you are interested in booking a flight and tour simultaneously, go to finnair.com/stopover. Finnair allows stopovers of up to five days.

COMPILED BY SHELLY NYQVIST AND AINO VÄHÄLÄ

Finnair crew tips Cabin crew member Mika Saarelainen shares his go-to spots for a great dance performance experience.

Dance life

1

MOSCOW, BOLSHOI THEATRE BALLET. The best place to enjoy traditional classical ballet in a historical setting.

Swan Lake premiered at the Bolshoi in 1877 and the most-loved parts of the original choreography are still beautifully performed here.

BON APPÉTIT

Nordic Bistro – worth pre-ordering THIS MONTH, Finnair introduces its Nordic Bistro concept, which includes new meals to pre-order before your flights. On selected European routes, passengers can pre-order a Seat and Meal package that includes a fullcourse meal, drink, seat in the front of the Economy Class cabin, and boarding among the first passengers. On shorter European flights, you can pre-order

FEELFINNAIR ON INSTAGRAM

a salad or baguette and on flights to European leisure destinations, children can now enjoy a kids’ meal. Economy Class customers on selected long-haul flights can also enjoy an upgraded meal – fish, meat, vegetarian, or a burger. You can pre-order a meal at the same time you make your booking or later under the Manage my Booking tab. finnair.com

TWEET OF THIS MONTH

#feelfinnair#regram jujeeh Today marks the 2nd anniversary of the delivery of the 1st A350 to our fleet.

Share your image of Marimekko’s Kivet pattern for a chance to win a goodie bag!

instagram.com/feelfinnair

twitter.com/Finnair

78 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

FINNAIR ON FACEBOOK

Have you seen our new videos on board? The Nordic visuals guide you through your flight with us. facebook.com/finnair

2

T EL AVIV, BATSHEVA DANCE COMPANY. An amazing, small group of dancers led by Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin. His magnetic, powerful choreographies are not always beautiful, but they always transport one to a different world.

3

HELSINKI, FINNISH NATIONAL BALLET. Finland’s centenary is celebrated with a special choreography of Kalevalanmaa (Land of Kalevala) by Danish choreographer and artistic director Kenneth Greve. It promises to be “a thank-you to, a celebration of, and a wake-up call for the Finnish nation” in a mix of various art forms.

FLY FINNAIR

Your complete guide to travelling with us

WELCOME ABOARD We want you to enjoy your flight. This guide contains all the information you need for stress-free travelling. We have even included tips for inflight wellbeing and entertainment.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy your travel experience.

In this guide 80 81 82 83 84 86 88 92 94 98

TIPS FOR TAKEOFF INFLIGHT WELLBEING ENTERTAINMENT SHOPPING SUSTAINABILITY HELSINKI AIRPORT

MAPS FLEET AND MY FINNAIR FINNAIR PLUS

FINLAND IN FIGURES

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FLY FINNAIR TIPS FOR TAKEOFF

FINNAIR in a nutshell

Established in 1923, Finnair is one of the world’s oldest airlines.

Finnair’s route network includes 17 destinations in Asia, 4 in North America, and some 74 in Europe.

In 2016 Finnair carried more than 10.8 million passengers.

More than 1.6 million passengers fly between Asia and Helsinki each year.

TRAVEL TIPS TAINA KUNELIUS Head of Global Contact Centres “It’s a good idea to prepare for the unexpected. Finnair has ­several ticket types, so my advice is to choose a fare that allows for ­changes. In the case there is a schedule change, our customer ­service is happy to sort out a solution when you have a flexible ticket.

If you are looking to make your flight special, Finnair offers several options to pick and choose from: you can pre-order a meal for your flight or surprise someone on board with champagne and chocolate.

My pro tip is to make sure that your contact information is ­up-to-date so that we can reach you if there is a change in your flight status. Happy flying!”

SAFETY

YOUR FAVOURITE TRAVEL APP DOWNLOAD FINNAIR’S app on your mobile and enjoy an even smoother travel experience. Check in, get flight alerts, and store your boarding passes all in one place. As a Finnair Plus member, you can view your profile and points balance, and even purchase services such as extra bags or an Economy Comfort seat.

You can access the app with your Finnair Plus member ID or by using your booking reference number and surname. Learn more at finnair.com.

80 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

FLIGHT MODE: CABIN SAFETY SAFETY INFORMATION is presented by the cabin crew at the start of each flight.

This information is also listed on the safety instruction card in your seat pocket.

Safety belts must remain fastened when the “Fasten safety belt” sign is on.

For safety reasons we recommend keeping them fastened even when the sign has been switched off.

Handheld devices can be used throughout the flight (including takeoff and landing) in airplane mode. Laptops and larger devices must be stowed away during takeoff and landing, but can be used when the “Fasten safety belt” sign has been switched off.

FLY FINNAIR INFLIGHT WELLBEING

FOOD AND DRINK

EAT WELL

Business class passengers on ­ long-haul flights can enjoy Signature Menus prepared by chefs from top restaurants.

The menus offer passengers a taste of Nordic flavours.

Foods to fuel on European flights FANCY A SNACK ON BOARD? Then take a look at the Sky Bistro menu card in your seat pocket. For a small fee, you can choose from a tasty ­selection of food and ­beverage options combining the best of Europe and Asia. Coffee, tea, water, and Finnair’s ­signature blueberry juice are always served free of charge on all Finnair flights.

WELLBEING

MINDFULNESS

INFLIGHT EXERCISES

Sit back and relax

These moves keep you fit while flying. Hold each movement for a few seconds and repeat five times per side.

Mindfulness instructor Aleksi Litovaara's exercises will help you feel calm and rested during your flight.

1

BE AWARE: The basic idea of mindfulness is that you have arrived. The aircraft is already taking you where you need to be so just sit back and relax. Watch, listen, and feel your present environment.

CIRCLES

LIFT

RAISE

LOWER

Lift one foot and draw circles with your toes.

Reverse direction.

Lift one knee up and then lower your foot back down to the floor.

Keep heels on the floor and lift your toes upwards, then release.

Keep toes on the floor and lift your heels upwards, then release.

2

TACKLE ANXIETY: If you experience nervousness or restlessness, try holding an object in your hand. It will help bring your attention to that simple physical sensation instead of getting caught up in your own thoughts.

3 SHRUG

NOD

ROTATE

TURN

Lift your shoulders up towards your ears and release.

Lower your chin slowly towards your chest and lift back up again.

Gently rotate your head from side to side. Keep your shoulders relaxed.

Slowly lower your left ear to your left shoulder and then back up again.

THINK POSITIVE: This is a good ­moment to choose nice words towards yourself and other passengers — if only in your mind. You can also ask yourself: what do I need right now? It may well be reading a book or getting some rest instead of working on your computer. aleksilitovaara.com

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FLY FINNAIR ENTERTAINMENT

BE ENTERTAINED AND CONNECTED Experience the Nordic Sky entertainment system and the Nordic Sky Wi-Fi portal on board Finnair A350 XWB aircraft.

THE NORDIC SKY inflight ­entertainment system is available on board Finnair A350 flights. Not only will you stay entertained with a wide range of movies and TV series, you can stay up to date on what’s happening during your flight, from when dinner is served to updated arrival information and the local weather.

With the Nordic Sky Wi-Fi portal, you can enjoy a host of fantastic services via your own mobile device. You can access finnair.com and Finnair services such as destination information, preorder shopping, and customer care chat.

Passengers can purchase Wi-Fi access for one hour (€7.95), three hours (€11.95), and full-flight 12 hours (€19.95). Business Class passengers and Finnair Plus Gold members get one-hour complimentary internet access and Finnair Plus Platinum members get full-flight complimentary access.

Here’s how to get started: Follow your 1. Turn your device flight with to flight mode and ­enable Wi-Fi real-time views 2. Join the Wi-Fi from the flight ­network Nordic cameras via Sky 3. Open the browser Nordic Sky. of your choice 4. Start exploring at nordic-sky.finnair.com

PICK OF THE MONTH Action

TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT. Autobots and Decepticons are at war and the key to saving our future lies buried in the secrets of the past.

82 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

WHAT’S PLAYING

ON SCREEN Latest films and TV series MOVIE THE BIG SICK. Kumail’s ex contracts a serious illness and Kumail must navigate the crisis as best he can.

MOVIE RIGSBY BEAR. After being freed from the kidnappers he thought were his parents, James sets out to make a movie.

MOVIE THE DARK TOWER. The Gunslinger’s eternal battle with Walter O’Dim leads him into a face off over the fate of a young boy.

TV SERIES BOB’S BURGERS. Bob Belcher, along with his wife and three children, run the family restaurant, Bob’s Burgers.

TV SERIES 2 BROKE GIRLS. Two young women waitressing at a diner strike up an unlikely friendship in the hopes of ­launching a successful business together.

CONNECT Wi-Fi is available on A350 and A330 aircraft. It takes about 30 seconds to connect to the internet during your flight. It’s that easy!

PLUG IN!

All Airbus A330 aircraft are equipped with electrical sockets, which you will find under your seat.

On the Airbus A350 aircraft, you will find a USB port located in the seatback monitor in Economy Class and directly from the seat in ­Business Class.

FLY FINNAIR INFLIGHT SHOPPING

JAMES MCCABE Gents Watch Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €245

LANCÔME Trio Définicils, Mascara Set 3 x 6.5 ml Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €67

NOVEMBER DEAL TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR! This month receive 25% off any on-board selection during Black Friday week (November 20-26). This also applies to all Finnair Shop pre-order purchases during the same time period.

P.S.: Don’t forget Father’s Day on November 12.

The Finnair Shop carries a wide selection of gifts. finnairshop.com

PAY WITH POINTS NOW YOU CAN USE your Finnair Plus points to pay for your pre-order products and on-board purchases. Finnair carries a wide selection of products including cosmetics, fragrances, gift items, confectionary, and jewellery. On most Intercontinental flights and flights to and from destinations outside the EU, wine and spirits are available for purchase. You also earn Finnair Plus points with every purchase.

DOM PERIGNON Champagne, Brut, White 0.75 l Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €139

BALMUIR Salmon card case, dark blue Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €129

REMY MARTIN Coupe Shanghai 0.7L Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €399

PRE-ORDER

via the Nordic Sky portal!

THOMAS SABO Karma Bead bracelet ”Pure Elegance” Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €139

Ordering in advance is always a good idea.

And now you can shop via the Nordic Sky Wi-Fi portal. The pre-order webshop is always open on Wi-Fi connected Finnair flights. There’s no minimum order and your ­purchase will be waiting in your seat on your next flight!

NOVEMBER 2017

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FLY FINNAIR SUSTAINABILITY

TOMAS WHITEHOUSE

Tomas Whitehouse

BETTER PLANET Finnair’s sustainability strategy is built on three principles: CLEANNESS Finnair has reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by more than 19 per cent per tonne-kilometre and is also working to systematically lower aircraft noise at airports and in the air.

One key way to reduce carbon emissions and noise is to fly with modern aircraft: the average age of Finnair’s fleet is less than 10 years. The airline has received 11 of 19 forthcoming Airbus A350 aircraft, which cut fuel consumption and emissions by 25 per cent over the previous generation of planes.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martti Ahtisaari

CELEBRATING PEACE FINNAIR advocates for the United Nations’ work through several initiatives, including participation in Finland’s roadmap to carry out the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The airline’s frequent flyers can also donate Finnair Plus points to UN Women in support of gender equality or to UNICEF to help advance children’s education in developing countries.

Starting this month, travellers can view UNTV’s English-language programmes on Finnair flights. The channel covers the work and projects of both the United ­Nations and its international agencies.

Finnair also takes part in ­celebrating the seventh annual Ahtisaari Day on ­November 15. The special day was created in honour of Nobel Peace Prize ­laureate Martti Ahtisaari, President of Finland from 1994 to 2000. On the day, discussions around the importance of mediation and dialogue are held in schools around Finland. Finnair Plus members can donate points to Ahtisaari’s organisation, CMI, which works to prevent and curb conflicts around the world. kestavakehitys.fi/en cmi.fi

BEST PRACTICES FINNAIR is signatory to the UN Global Compact, an initiative aiming to make ­human rights, fair labour standards, environmental responsibility, and anti-­ corruption core parts of the participating companies’ operations.

THE AIRLINE has been given “Prime” status with a score of B- by responsible investment rating agency OEKOM. Finnair has also consistently been the highestrated airline in CDP’s (Carbon Disclosure Project) review. In 2016, Finnair’s score was A-.

FINNAIR is a member of the Climate Leadership Council, an initiative bringing together leading Finnish businesses to combat climate change and foster business eco-technologies.

84 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

Finnair was one of the first airlines to receive an IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) certification; this environmental management system is a set of processes and practices that help airlines reduce their environmental impacts and increase operating efficiency.

Finnair invests in the development of alternative fuels (it operated its first commercial biofuel flight in 2011). It also supports the International Air Transport ­Association’s (IATA) goal of carbon-neutral growth from 2020, and cutting airline emissions in half by 2050.

CARE Wellbeing and inclusivity are promoted at the workplace through training opportunities, an annual survey, and other programmes.

Finnair is part of the Commitment to Sustainable Development, an initiative supporting the UN’s Agenda 2030. It invites Finnish organisations to make pledges towards a carbon-neutral society, sustainable work and lifestyle, and more. Finnair’s focus is on promoting equality, nondiscrimination, and diversity at the workplace and with stakeholders.

COLLABORATION Engaging in an open dialogue with industry stakeholders, environmental organisations, and other partners is key to Finnair’s corporate responsibility plan.

Finnair Plus members can make point donations via the Finnair Shop 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, and UN Women.

FLY FINNAIR HELSINKI AIRPORT

HAPPY LANDINGS

Arriving and departing at Helsinki Airport Helsinki Airport

HELSINKI AIRPORT has 35 automatPASSENGERS at Helsinki Airport ed border for travellers can usecontrol the 30 gates automated border flying to/from destinations control gates.

Fifteen of outside these of theare Schengen of these locatedarea. in theFifteen departure arehall. located the departure hall. In Thein Finnish Border Guard’s addition, 15 automated borderhelps conautomated border control trolserve gatesgrowing are located in the upstairs passenger volumes arrival hall while another five are at Helsinki Airport. available the Japanese, downstairsand arrival EU,inEEA, Swiss hallnationals (for EU/EEA/CH citizens passonly). with biometric Passengers from the EU, EEA, CH, ports can take advantage of the Japan, and South Korea with biometautomated border control gates. ric passports can nationals, take advantage of Other foreign who are theexempt automated control gates fromborder the visa requirement upon arrival departure.

Austraand hold aand biometric passport, lian,may Canadian, ealand, and also useNew the ­Zautomated U.S.border citizens with biometric passports control upon departure. mayThis alsoservice use theis automated border available for control upon departure All Australian, Canadian,only.

Japanese, other nationalities are obliged use New Zealand, South Korean,toand theU.S. manual (manned) border control citizens.

The automated booths located in the departureby and border control is monitored arrival halls.guard Registration in secure advance a border ensuring is not required. border crossings.

Please notenote thatthat passengers travPlease passengers elling with infants, baggage travelling with an infant, trolleys, baggage or wheelchairs must use must the manual trolley or wheelchair use the border control lane.control lane. manual border

AUTOMATED BORDER CONTROL Place your passport with the info page face down on the reader. Please wait while your passport is being read for biographical and biometric data. When the scan is complete, the gate will open. ヘルシンキ・ヴァンター空港シェンゲンエリアで は、入出国審査の際に自動化ゲートをご利用頂けま す。対象となるのはICパスポートをお持ちのお客様 です。

대한민국 전자여권을 소지한 승객께서는 유럽에서 한국으로 입국 시, 헬싱키 공항에서 자동출국심사 서비스를 이용 하실 수 있습니다.

① パスポートの顔写真ページを読み取ります。該当 ページを読み取り機の上に置いて下さい。個人情報 と生体認証データを読み取ります。

우선, 전자여권의 사진 페이지를 인식장치에 올려주시기를 바랍니다. 이 과정에서 여권정보가 시스템에 자동 인식됩니다.

② ゲートが開いたら中に入り、右を向いて下さい。 パスポートの顔写真と照合します。バックパック・ 帽子・眼鏡などは外して下さい。足跡マークの上に 立って画面を正面からまっすぐに見て下さい。 ③ 二番目のゲートが開いたら、入国審査官のカウン ターにお進み下さい。パスポートを確認した後、入 国または出国スタンプを押印致します。シェンゲン エリア居住許可証をお持ちの方は、入国審査官にご 提示下さい。

finnair.com/jp

첫 번째 게이트가 열리면 안으로 들어가 오른쪽에 위치한 카메라로 안면인증을 거치게 됩니다. 이후 마지막 게이트에서 출입국관리 직원의 출국확인도장을 받으시면 됩니다. 보다 간편하고 빠른 본 자동시스템의 많은 이용 바랍니다. 대한민국 전자여권은?

2008년 8월 25일 이후 발급된 여권으로 표지 하단부에 전자칩과 안테나가 내장 되어 있는 여권입니다.

finnair.com/kr

Enter through the gate and turn right. Please remove your backpack if you’re wearing one and stand on the footprints on the floor. Remove your your glasses andStand hat. Stand stilllook and directly look directly glasses and hat. still and at at screen, keeping your visible. thethe screen keeping your faceface visible.

TheThe camera camera will compare your facialwith image the will compare your facial image thewith biometbiometric scanned from your passport. ric featurefeature scanned from your passport.

Wait Wait the second opens. until until the second gate gate opens.

The border check for EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals is completed when the gate opens. Other foreign nationals must move towards the border guard, who will check your entry stamp and mark your passport with an exit stamp.

2017 NOVEMBER 2016

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85

FLY FINNAIR HELSINKI AIRPORT

WELCOME TO HELSINKI AIRPORT 34 HOW TO TRANSFER 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 desk.

Most passengers transferring from non-EU countries to EU countries must go through security and passport control. Please note that liquids are restricted in carry-on baggage.

If your baggage has not been checked through to your final destination, collect it from the baggage claim area, and go to check in and security control.

SHOP

BUS CONNECTION The Finnair City Bus to the Helsinki Railway Station leaves from Terminal 2 every 20 minutes, stopping also at Terminal 1.

Travel time is about 30 minutes.

Price: €6.30

86 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

31a-e 30

31x 31

Security control

SHOP

Border control

SHOP

SHOP

Bo con

2ND FLOOR

FINNAIR LOUNGE FINNAIR PREMIUM LOUNGE

BUS GATES 50 A–M

BUS GATES 51 A–D

52

NONSCHENGEN AREA

FLIGHT DISRUPTIONS In case a flight is delayed or cancelled, Finnair will make every effort to keep you updated. Please make sure that you have provided Finnair with your email address and phone number.

2ND FLOOR 53 GROUND FLOOR

SHOP

54

SOUTH PIER GATES 54–55

SERVICES AND FACILITIES SHOP SHOPPING Receive special offers for airport services when you show your Finnair Plus card. You will recognise our partners by the Finnair Plus symbol. Helsinki Airport features more than 30 shops and boutiques and various restaurants and cafés.

WIRELESS INTERNET Helsinki Airport offers free Wi-Fi throughout the airport.

TRAIN CONNECTION The Ring Rail Line connects Helsinki Airport to downtown Helsinki. There is direct access from the corridor b ­ etween T1 and T2 terminals to the train station by two lifts and three escalators.

CHECKING IN Checking in to your Finnair flight is easy. You can save time by checking in at a self-service kiosk at the airport, online 36 hours before departure, or by text message. For flights to the U.S., online check in opens 24 hours before departure.

32a

TRANSFER SERVICE 3

AUTOMATED BORDER CHECKS are available to passengers with biometric passports. The service is available for ­Australian, Canadian, EEA, EU, Japanese, ­New ­Zealand, South Korean, Swiss, and U.S. citizens. See more ­information on page 85.

FINNAIR TRANSFER SERVICE desks in Helsinki Airport T2 ­terminal are ready to help you with any inquiries related to your connection flights.

32

NON-SCHENGEN AREA

Border control

TRANSFER SERVICE

33

CHILDREN Children’s playrooms offer videos, microwave ovens, and baby care facilities.

55

NON-SMOKING Smoking at Helsinki Airport is prohibited outside of designated smoking rooms.

SHOP

FLY FINNAIR HELSINKI AIRPORT WALKING TIME GATE 24–30: 7 MIN

T2 29

28

LOST AND FOUND Restaurant & Deli Fly Inn

27

26 SHOP

SCHENGEN AREA

SHOP

SHOP

GATE AREA

Security check

24

25 TRANSFER SERVICE 2

SHOP

23 SHOP

FINNAIR LOUNGE

Security

order ntrol

CHECK-IN 240–270

P

SHOP

SHOP

FINNAIR check CHECK IN/ SERVICE DESKS 201–229

22

GROCERY

21

INQUIRIES Lentäjäntie 1 (next to T2, street level) Open Mon–Fri 9 am–5 pm and Sat 9 am–3 pm. Tel 0600 41006 (€1.97/min + local network charge)

3RD FLOOR

PHARMACY TOURIST INFO

SH

OP

20

1ST FLOOR

SHOP

19 18 17 16

TRANSFER SERVICE 1

15

CHECK IN 101–114

GROUND FLOOR

T1

14

Security check

BAGGAGE STORAGE

13

SHOP IN-LOUNGE Looking for that something special from Finland? The Finnair lounge near gate 50 in the non-Schengen area stocks a select variety of gifts for purchase. The product selection ranges from Marimekko Lokki mugs and Iittala Ultima Thule glasses to Fazer chocolates. The Finnair lounge is open daily from 6 am to midnight.

GATE AREA

2ND FLOOR

12

11

SHOP

1ST FLOOR NOVEMBER 2017

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87

FLY FINNAIR FLIGHTS WITHIN EUROPE KARTAT Great Circle Estimated FROM HELSINKI AMSTERDAM ALANYA/GAZIPASA ALICANTE ARRECIFE ATHENS BARCELONA BERGEN BERLIN BIARRITZ BILLUND BRUSSELS BUDAPEST CATANIA CHANIA COPENHAGEN CORFU DALAMAN DUBLIN DUBROVNIK DÜSSELDORF EDINBURGH EILAT EKATERINBURG FRANKFURT FUERTEVENTURA FUNCHAL GDANSK GENEVA GOTHENBURG HAMBURG HERAKLION IBIZA INNSBRUCK KAZAN KOS KRAKOW LAS PALMAS LISBON LJUBLJANA LONDON MADRID MALAGA MALTA MANCHESTER MENORCA MILAN MINSK MOSCOW MUNICH MYTILENE NAPLES NICE OSLO PALMA DE MALLORCA PAPHOS PARIS PISA PRAGUE

Distances km

1525 02:35 2722 03:45 3034 04:25 4518 05:55 2490 03:40 2632 03:55 1112 03:30 1123 02:00 2581 03:45 1060 01:50 1651 02:40 1481 02:20 2636 03:45 2756 03:50 895 01:40 2329 03:25 2639 03:40 2030 03:10 2027 03:00 1512 02:25 1717 02:40 3457 04:45 2098 03:05 1543 02:35 4578 06:05 4310 05:45 768 02:00 1994 03:00 785 01:25 1172 02:00 2777 03:55 2897 04:00 1701 02:35 1521 02:30 2620 03:45 1186 02:00 4700 06:10 3369 04:50 1713 02:40 1863 03:10 2950 04:25 3357 04:35 2822 04:15 1817 03:00 2688 04:05 1953 03:05 740 01:25 876 01:40 1577 02:30 1471 03:35 2283 03:25 2202 03:25 766 01:30 2777 04:00 2898 04:00 1900 03:05 2093 03:20 1322 02:10

TÄHÄN KARTTA

WINTER 2017: FINNAIR ADDS FLIGHTS TO POPULAR WINTER DESTINATIONS IN LAPLAND, INCLUDING NEW NON-STOP FLIGHTS FROM LONDON, PARIS, AND ZÜRICH LONDON GATWICK – IVALO LONDON GATWICK – KITTILÄ PARIS – KITTILÄ ZÜRICH – KITTILÄ

Great Circle Estimated Distances Flight km Times

Flight Times

2 WEEKLY FLIGHTS 1 WEEKLY FLIGHT 1 WEEKLY FLIGHT 1 WEEKLY FLIGHT

8 88BLUE BLUEWINGS WINGS DECEMBER NOVEMBER 2014 2017

PREVEZA PULA REYKJAVIK RHODES RIGA RIMINI ROME SALZBURG SAMARA SANTORINI SKIATHOS SPLIT STOCKHOLM ST. PETERSBURG STUTTGART TALLINN TARTU TEL AVIV TENERIFE NORTE TENERIFE SUR VARNA VENICE VERONA VIENNA VILNIUS VISBY WARSAW ZAKYNTHOS ZÜRICH

2397 03:25 1865 02:55 2429 3:50 2668 03:45 382 00:55 1993 03:00 2235 03:25 1592 02:30 1698 02:35 2660 03:40 2353 03:30 1956 02:55 400 01:00 301 01:00 1637 02:45 101 00:30 245 00:50 3230 04:25 4691 06:10 4745 06:10 1911 02:55 1847 02:55 1903 02:55 1462 02:30 633 01:15 481 01:25 940 01:40 2526 03:55 1781 02:45

SCHEDULED DESTINATIONS LEISURE DESTINATIONS PARTNER-OPERATED CODE-SHARE OR MARKETING DESTINATIONS SEASONAL ROUTE EW SCHEDULED N SEASONAL ROUTE

NEW SCHEDULED DESTINATION IN 2017

Atl Oc antic ean

DOMESTIC FLIGHTS

New

quay

FROM HELSINKI IVALO JOENSUU JYVÄSKYLÄ KAJAANI MARIEHAMN KEMI/TORNIO KITTILÄ KOKKOLA/PIETARSAARI KUOPIO KUUSAMO OULU ROVANIEMI TAMPERE TURKU VAASA

931 01:35 360 01:00 235 00:50 464 01:20 282 00:55 609 01:35 823 01:25 391 01:10 335 01:00 667 01:15 514 01:05 697 01:20 143 00:35 150 00:35 348 00:55

Bay of B isca ya

Arct ic

Ocea n

FLY FINNAIR IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Nor weg ian S ea

Nort

h Sea

Heraklion

Medit erranea n Sea NOVEMBER 2017

on

on-D

tov-

Ros

BLUE WINGS 89

rctic

Arctic Ocean

FLY FINNAIR FLIGHTS INTERCONTINENTAL Circle Estimated KARTAT Great Distances Flight FROM HELSINKI

km

GREENLAND

Times

BANGKOK 7912 09:45 BEIJING 6325 07:55 CHICAGO 7139 09:15 CHONGQING 6736 08:40 DELHI 5229 06:50 DUBAI 4537 05:55 FUKUOKA 8060 09:30 GOA 6328 8:50 GUANGZHOU 7693 09:30 HAVANA 8703 11:15 HÔ CHI MINH CITY (Saigon) 8510 10:50 HONG KONG 7821 09:35 KRABI 8350 10:20 MIAMI 8342 11:10 NAGOYA 7780 09:40 NANJING 7165 09:35 NEW YORK 6626 08:45 OSAKA 7751 09:30 PHUKET 8312 10:05

PUERTO VALLARTA 9960 12:30 PUERTO PLATA 8410 11:15 SAN FRANCISCO 8724 10:45 SEOUL 7050 08:40 SHANGHAI 7410 09:05 SINGAPORE 9272 11:30 TOKYO 7849 09:45 XIAN 6421 07:50

Atlantic Ocean

Havana Puerto Vallarta

FINNAIR PLUS members earn Plus points from travelling on any ­scheduled flight with a oneworld airline.

The oneworld alliance flies to more than 1,000 destinations.

Pacific Ocean

Ocea n Atlantic Ocean

South Sandwich Is

8 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2014

Arctic Ocean

FLY FINNAIR IMPORTANT INFORMATION

an

Agadir

Taiwan

Pacific Ocean

Indian Ocean

Good Hope

n

ch Is

DECEMBER 2014 BLUE WINGS 8

FLY FINNAIR FLEET

AIRBUS A350-900 Number 11 + 8 on order Seating capacity 297 Length 66.8 m Wingspan 64.75 m Cruising speed 903 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 13,000 m

AIRBUS A330-300 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

AIRBUS A321 (ER) Number 15 Seating capacity 196–209 Length 44.5 m Wingspan 34.1 m Cruising speed 840 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 11,900 m

AIRBUS A320 Number 10 Seating capacity 165 Length 37.6 m Wingspan 34.1 m Cruising speed 840 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 11,900 m

AIRBUS A319 Number 8 Seating capacity 138 Length 33.8 m Wingspan 34.1 m Cruising speed 840 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 11,900 m

EMBRAER 190 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

92 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

FLY FINNAIR MY FINNAIR

MY FINNAIR EVERY SEAT HAS A STORY It’s the customers who make Finnair and that’s why we’ve dedicated this page to your travel stories.

#FEELFINNAIR Share your Finnair moments on I­nstagram using @feelfinnair.

And if you want to be featured use #feelfinnair.

MEET THE FREQUENT FLYER What is your all-time favourite ­destination? I have so many, but Melbourne, Tokyo, New York, and London have all stolen my heart!

Which Finnair Plus benefits do you use most? I use points for extra baggage and to upgrade my travel class.

apron_bus #hongyadong #chongqing #china #chinatravel #travel #finnair #feelfinnair #oneworld #bluewings

What item could you never travel without? I should really invest in a travel pillow.

What is your go-to airplane snack?

Carrots and dark chocolate.

Sara Gyldén has been a Finnair Plus ­member for 6 years.

Finnair Plus tier: Gold Avg. flights per year: 6 round-trips Next destination: Seoul

What is the most impressive ­airport you have visited? S­ ingapore Changi Airport. The staff are suited-up and wear gloves – these details make me feel important!

APP & AWAY

QUESTIONS? Twitter: @FinnairHelps Facebook: facebook.com/finnair Finnair chat: Live chat is available on weekdays from 7 am to 10 pm, on Saturdays from 9 am to 6 pm, and on Sundays from 10 am to 10 pm (Finnish time).

osm_aviation Awesome shot by the talented @photoaleksi #osmaviation #feelfinnair #Airbus #airbuslovers #aviationgeek

Find Finnair on WeChat! Scan and follow Finnair’s official WeChat account.

Finnair’s mobile app is now available to everyone who has a Finnair booking.

Log in with either your Finnair Plus member ID or your booking reference number and surname.

Go to finnair.com to learn more.

lurkhard1I As I stood there, I had no choice but to put my camera down and admire every single detail in this cathedral. #HelsinkiSecret #feelfinnair

NOVEMBER 2017

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93

FINNAIR PLUS FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM

JOIN NOW

A world of benefits for ­frequent flyers

THE FINNAIR PLUS PROGRAM allows you to earn both tier points and award points when travelling with Finnair or a ­oneworld airline and from ­services provided by Finnair Plus partners.

As a Finnair Plus member you get instant access to valuable benefits including:

· A head start on special flight sales · Exclusive member prices on offers · Earn and use points on Finnair, oneworld, and partner airline flights · Earn and use points on numerous worldwide partner services

RENEWED FINNAIR PLUS With our latest changes, it’s easier to reach tier ­membership. You can also enjoy simpler ways of ­earning and using points for Finnair flights.

Read more about the changes: finnair.com/plus

DID YOU KNOW? JOIN FOR FREE by filling in the Finnair Plus form attached to this magazine or online at finnair.com/plus

NEW WAYS TO USE POINTS AS A FINNAIR PLUS MEMBER you can

use your Finnair Plus award points for additional ­Finnair services such as seat selection, meals, and extra baggage payments online.

The number of points you pay depends on your flight and the chosen service.

You can pay for additional services at the time you book your reservation, or later through the ­Manage Booking tab. finnair.com/plus

94 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

FINNAIR PLUS FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM

FINNAIR PLUS MEMBERSHIP

FINNAIR PLUS TIERS AND BENEFITS JUNIOR Children aged 2–17 can join the Finnair Plus Junior program. The points earned can be spent on award flights as well as for fun reward items.

BASIC · F lights awards · Additional

baggage charges with points · Extra

services for flights with points · Partner

service purchases with points · Waiting

list priority based on tier SILVER · One

extra bag (max. 23 kg) free of charge · F innair lounge access* · P riority Lane · 1 0% points bonus · 10%

discount on ­Finnair tax-free purchases outside of the EU * Chargeable

All tier benefits are valid on Finnair flights (AY operated and AY marketed)

GOLD · Special

baggage free of charge · T ravel class upgrades · F innair and oneworld Business Class and Frequent Flyer lounge access + 1 guest · P riority Lane · 1 5% points bonus · 10%

discount on Finnair tax-free purchases outside of the EU PLATINUM · G old card giveaway · Special

baggage free of charge · T ravel class upgrades · Travel

upgrades for family members · F innair and oneworld Business and First Class and Frequent Flyer lounge access + 1 guest · P riority Lane · Points

do not expire during tracking period · 2 5% points bonus · 10%

discount on Finnair tax-free purchases outside of the EU

Remember to keep your Finnair Plus card with you at all times to make sure you don’t miss out on opportunities to earn points!

EQUIVALENT ONEWORLD TIERS Finnair Plus oneworld Basic --Silver Ruby Gold Sapphire Platinum Emerald

NOVEMBER 2017

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95

FINNAIR PLUS NEWS THIS MONTH

TIPS FROM FINNAIR’S CUSTOMER LOYALTY TEAM

SHOP AND PAY WITH POINTS What’s new with Finnair Plus? Now you can use your Finnair Plus points to pay for your pre-order products and on-board purchases! Make the most of your Finnair Plus points and use them on board

for Sky Bistro meals or Tax Free products. It’s never been easier to shop. Just remember to include your Finnair Plus number with your order!

Go to finnairshop.com for more information.

PARTNER BENEFITS

YOUR TICKET TO AN EXPERIENCE

GET REWARDED WITH IHG

A THEATRE, a concert, or a sporting event – whatever experience you are looking for you can find it from the lippu.fi webshop. As a Finnair Plus member, you can pay for a gift voucher with points, money, or a combination of both. All gift vouchers are valid for one year from date of purchase.

EARN AND use Finnair Plus points as an IHG Rewards Club member. You can earn Finnair Plus award points at over 4,500 hotel and resort properties worldwide. You can also exchange your points for IHG Rewards Club points and use them on any Rewards Club award.

lippu.fi

finnairshop.com

96 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

Pasi Hakala Manager, Partnerships 1. USE POINTS for an award voucher at Mamma Rosa, one of our restaurant partners in Helsinki. You can also use points for a sushi course at Tokyo 55’s Sushi Academy.

2. USE POINTS for an award voucher at Decanter, where you can purchase wine ­accessories or kitchenware at their stores in Helsinki or Espoo, or from their online store.

3. EARN AND USE points for shopping at ­Stockmann ­department stores in ­Finland. Remember to activate your Stockmann loyal customer card with your Finnair Plus number. finnairshop.com

FINNAIR PLUS TOP PICKS THIS MONTH

USE YOUR POINTS WISELY FOR THIS SEASON’S BEST! NOW YOU CAN FIND Finnair gift cards, partner services, and award vouchers as well as Finnair Shop brands all under the same roof.

Simply log in using your frequent flyer number, place your order, and pay with Finnair Plus points, money, or a combination of both.

Shop for the always affordable 1,000 Point Special Offers and your Plus points can be worth hundreds of euros! finnairshop.com

TOP 5 PARTNER SERVICES THIS MONTH 1. FINNISH MUSEUM CARD: from €57 + 3,000p 2. LOTTE mobile voucher: from 2,500p 3. SILJA LINE award voucher: from €95 + 9,000p 4. NESTE award voucher: from €39 + 4,000p 5. FINNJÄVEL MENU FOR TWO award voucher: from €167 + 1,000p Gift vouchers can be redeemed with points or a combination of money and points.

1 ,000 POINTS SPECIAL OFFERS BEAUTYBLENDER® BLENDERS FOR ALL SEASONS SET €64.90 Member offer €49.90 + 1,000p

DELONGHI ECAM21.117.W MAGNIFICA S, AUTOMATIC COFFEE MACHINE €529 Member offer €399 + 1,000p

LIMITED EDITION

IITTALA NAPPULA CANDLE HOLDER SET 107 MM AND 183 MM, STEEL €94.90 Member offer €75 + 1,000p

Three colour options NEW BALANCE BOOKER BACKPACK 2 19L €44.90 Member offer €29 + 1,000p

NOVEMBER 2017

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97

FINLAND IN FIGURES

ECONOMY According to Statistics Finland, industrial output grew by 4.5 per cent year-on-year in August.

FINLAND

ECONOMIC STRUCTURE

IN FIGURES

Employed persons by industry, 2nd quarter 2017 (per cent of total)

AREA • 390,908 sq. kil­o­me­tres, of ­which 9% is fresh water; land area is 303,912 ­sq. kil­o­me­tres. There are 188,000 lakes. 7% of the l­and is ­utilised agricultural area. Forests (mainly pine, spruce, and birch) and other wooded land (e.g. alpine birch f­ orest) cover 76% of the land area.

GOVERNMENT • Sove­reign par­lia­men­tary re­pub­lic ­since 1917.

• The pres­i­dent is elect­ed eve­r y six years. The current president of Finland, Sauli Niinistö took office in March 2012. The 200 mem­bers of Par­lia­ment are elect­ed for fouryear terms.

• Finland has been a member of the European Union since January 1995.

ECONOMY • GDP 2016*: 216 billion euros, the annual change in volume 1.9% (*preliminary) •A nnual inflation rate as of July 2017: 0.5% •C urrency: Euro

Construction and energy 9%

Miscellaneous services

13%

34%

Manufacturing

15% 4% Agriculture

10%

15%

Financial and business services

Trade and hotel

Transport and communications

GDP

48%

Other manufactured goods

24%

Forest products

15%

Food prod. and textiles

13%

Nominal

Adjusted for Purchasing Power Standard

64,000 48,400 46,600 39,200 38,000 36,100 33,300* 29,000

43,400 36,400 35,900 31,700 35,700 31,200 30,300* 29,000

Foreign trade 2016 exports by products by activity: 51,780 MEUR (per cent of total) Forest industry products

21.9%

Chemical industry products

19.7%

Other industries

18.4%

Metals and metal products

14.4%

Machinery and equipment

13.4%

Electric and electronics industry products

12.2%

*preliminary

MONTHLY TEMPERATURES IN HELSINKI 2016

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Mean˚C -8.8 0.3 0.9 4.8 13.8 15.3 17.8 16.4 13.3 5.6 0.0 0.2 Max˚C 4.7 4.1 9.7 12.6 22.8 25.4 25.4 22.6 21.6 15.1 7.6 7.0 Min˚C -23.9 -8.9 -7.0 -1.1 4.5 6.2 11.3 8.9 5.6 -1.2 -10.4 -11.0

More information: finland.fi, goodnewsfromfinland.com, findicator.fi

98 BLUE WINGS NOVEMBER 2017

Metal and engineering products

EXPORTS BY PRODUCTS

Gross domestic product per capita 2016 (EUR)

Norway Denmark Sweden Finland Germany UK France EU28

Manufacturing

Source: Statistics Finland

POPULATION • 5.5 mil­lion • Life ex­pec­tan­c y: men 78.5 and women 84.1 years • Av­er­age house­hold ­size: 2.0 persons • L anguages: 88% ­speak Finn­ish; 5.3% Swedish; 1.4% Russian • Religion: 72% Lu­ther­an; 1% Orthodox; 25% unaffiliated or unknown • 83% of the pop­u­la­tion aged 25 to 64 ­have com­plet­ed upper secondary or tertiary ed­u­ca­tion and 39% ­have uni­ver­sity or other tertiary qualifications.

FEEL THE CHARM OF MÁLAGA T H E N O R D I C WAY

FINNAIR FLIES FROM HELSINKI TO THE CAPITAL CITY OF COSTA DEL SOL SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK.

In the heart of the Andalusia region in southern Spain lies the beautiful city of Málaga. This sunny city mixes culture and historical attractions with sandy beaches and a friendly atmosphere. Visit the harbour to take in the stylish ships passing by, grab a bite to eat at one of the many cosy tapas bars and enjoy the vibrant nightlife with traditional flamenco shows. Book your flights at finnair.com

Elegance is an attitude Mikaela Shiffrin

Conquest V.H.P.