Tag: helsinki

Biking In Helsinki In March

“Biking in Helsinki” is something I do regularly, but biking in March is unheard of. I can’t remember a March ever being so warm and sunny, and with all traces of snow gone. Since my flight was not until the afternoon, Boris and I went on a bike ride.

It was a very short ride by Boris’ standards, but a very nice one. Among other things, Boris showed me a bridge he was very excited about: it is open for every mode of transportation except cars :). Way to go, Helsinki!

Helsinki Music Center

On Friday evening, we went to one more concert. Once again, it was in the Helsinki Music Center, which I first visited last time, and loved it. This time, it was Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. The concert was titled “I Want to Be Alive”, and that was the name of the piece which was performed after the intermission, and was composed by Daníel Bjarnason. OK, I know it sounds confusing, so let me say it again. Daníel Bjarnason was conducting, but the first part featured Wagner and Szymanowski, and in the second part, the orchestra performed the piece composed by Bjarnason, which was called “I Want to Be Alive.” And that’s also how the whole concert was called.

Once again, I love this venue!

Once again, sitting on the side when there is a soloist, is a bad idea. Boris said he remembered I said so, but he got the tickets on the side again, and it was a bad idea again/ The orchestra sounds great. The soloist when there is no orchestra, also sounds great. But not together. You have to face both the orchestra and the soloist to get a good sound.

And one more, completely unexpected! We saw Esa-Pekka Salonen in the foye!!! First I thought: no, it’s impossible; it’s just someone looking like him, because otherwise, there would be a big crowd around, and he is just talking with a couple of people. But later, when we passed by one more time, I realized that Finns were just being polite, because other people were turning their heads back after they passed this group :).

Below is some interesting art on display in the foye, and a sculpture in front of the Music Center.

An exhibit in the foye

… and yes, a million years ago, there was such a thing as an ice-cream after going to the movies, right?

VALO Pictures

By now, Jarco, who oversees all the technical side at Valo, is my good friend, and happily greeta me when I arrive. This time, he told me: now we have a proper app, and you can make reservations there, and you can also get your morning porrige for free. Do you like porrige?

Unfortunately, for some reason, I was unalbe to find the app in the App Store, which I reported to him later that day. Next day, when he saw me walking down for breakfast, he asked meL are you eating a proper breakfast today, or just porrige? That was, in fact, the day when I ate fruits and protein at home before heading to Valo, so I said – I was thinking just a porrige today. He said: OK, let’s go! He walked down to the cafeteria with me and told the cashier: she is booked for today, she just doesn’t have the app, can she have porrige?

That was very sweet, and although it looked like I could get the same porrige for free just showing my QR code, I was very thankful to him for taking care of me 🙂

And I can’t miss this opportunity to show VALO Works one more time. I never read the inside of the cards which are placed on the shelves in each room:

On Friday, I was in a corner room – the view from the window
Continue reading “VALO Pictures” →

Nordic PG Day

It was a good event, although I had a feeling it was too brief: not much time before or during the breaks. I was hoping to have more talks with the fellow organizers, friends, and sponsors, and I simply didn’t have enough time, especially because I only skipped one session; otherwise, I was actively listening.

My talk was very well received.

It turned out that Boris mentioned at the last Helsinki PUG that there would be an opportunity to have the Query Optimization signed by two of the three authors, and several people approached us with paper copies. 😀

I attended several incredibly interesting talks, and I am planning to follow up with some people because I want to explore more of what they are doing.

Three out of four PG DATA Org committee members presented at Nordic!

After the conference was over, those who didn’t leave to catch their flights went for drinks at the hotel bar. Boris and I wanted to take a couple of people whom we knew and who were in Helsinki for the first time, for one more round of Finnish authentic food, and we walked to the Konstan Möljä restaurant. Since my friend Zoya introduced us to this place, we’ve loved it! Our guests also liked it!

Walking Around On Tuesday Morning

Boris volunteered at Nordic, so he had to be there half an hour earlier than I did, and I used that half-hour for a short walk because I didn’t have gym that morning and expected to be inside for the whole day.

In Helsinki

This year, Nordic PG Day was in Helsinki, which is why I submitted the talk, and I would actually go even if my talk won’t be accepted:). However, it is still a very busy time because all the other days are working days.

I arrived on Sunday, and Boris and I went to the Baroque concert in the Old Church. They performed a Resurrection Story by Heinrich Schütz. It was very interesting, definitely something I had never heard before, so I count it as a positive experience, even though it was difficult to stay awake after the long flight 🙂

On Monday morning, I went to VALO co-working, and as always, it was very welcoming, and the way their environment is set up really helps to focus on work.

In the evening, we went to the speakers’ dinner at Zetor. I passed this place dozens of time, and never knew that it is considered a big touris attraction. I didn’t have time to take pictures of the interior, because I was talking to people all the time, so the pictures are from the restaurant website:)

I think we were sitting in this section

I took some pictures of the food we were served. The salmon soup was not the one I was expecting, so this was an experience rather than a success:

The raindeer meat was awesome, as well as the dessert.

Boris and I went back home at the first opportunity, and I do not know how people who went to the bar afterwards, could participate in the conference the next day – this remains a mystery!

On My Way To Helsinki

Actually, I already arrived and bought the most important thing:

Helsinki Appendix

Firstly, I added more details about the Finnish presidents (and one more picture), so if you are curious, you can revisit this post.

And secondly, I wanted to show the interior of a new Helsonki tram. These trams can go back and forth without turning (like trains); they have doors on both sides (like trains), and they have charges 🙂

All Presidents Of Finland

Helsinki has memorials for several Presidents of Finland (possibly for all of them, and I just don’t know), but unless you know that they are president’s memorials, you would never recognize them. On Sunday, Boris suggested we visit all the presidents he knew, and since it still felt not as cold as in Vienna, I agreed (and barely made it, because it was actually pretty cold!)

Relander, second president of Finland, called “Upwards, Outwards.” Symbolises stability and growth
Risto Ryti, the fifh president of Fonland, served in 1940-1944. His personal history is really tragic, and the memorial symbolises it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risto_Ryti
The is not a president’s memorial, but the only building which survived after the old sugar factory was demplished to give place to the new Ppera building.
A memorial to Finnish sugar industry 🙂
A memorial tp Urho Kekkonen, the eight and the longest-serving Finnish President (from 1956 to 1982)
A closer view
100 years of Finnish democracy monument, The sculpture was initiated by a women’s organization to honor the first 19 women elected to the Finnish Parliament in 1907; first ever elected women in the world
Mauno Koivisto, nineth Finnish President, memorial, dubbed as “Mediator,” reflects the role of Koivisto “between East and West”
Juho Kusti Paasikivi, the seventh President of Finland, served from 1946 to 1956, right before Kekkonen. The memorial is dubbed “East and West”, because he had to balance between the demands of the neighboring Soviet Union, but he still tried (successfully) pull Finland towards integration with the West. The inscription reads: The start of all wisdom is acknowledging the facts.

In short, all post-WWII Finnish Presidents had to balance between being the USSR neighbor and trying to do the best for the people of Finland

Music in Helsinki

Wednesday was my first working day in Helsinki, but after work, we went to a proper concert. Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra performed Elgar’s Violin Concerto (“the longest violin concerto”:)), and the Beethoven Fifth (and the whole concert was called “The Sound of Fate”. The soloist was Christian Tetzlaff, whom I heard a number of times at the CSO, and who is absolutely brilliant. He canceled his CSO appearance in October due to visa issues/in protest. Not sure which one is true, I heard both versions, but in any case, I was delighted to hear him again.

Also, that was the first time I attended a concert in the Helsinki House of Music, and I had an opportunity to experience this outstanding venue!

The coolest organ I’ve seen in my life!

Beautiful sound and great view from any seat, easy entrance and exit, fast service at the cafe and at the coat check – everything about this venue is perfect 🙂