Play chicken in Helsinki traffic

by Tom Johansmeyer on

I was pretty impressed by Helsinki‘s public transportation, which was more than ample with trolleys, subways and buses. There were few SUVs, and the bike lane was rarely empty. While the Finns got the ingredients right, the mixing was … well … suboptimal.

The least menacing of the interesting transportation overlaps involves the bike lanes and sidewalk. Neither is clearly defined, and I almost got clipped by a cyclist my first day on the ground. And, that wasn’t the only Finn to take a shot at me. Of course, this is tame compared to the streets, in which cars, buses and trolleys jockey for position.

I actually saw a trolley, bus and car jammed in traffic, while a pedestrian walked straight into a guy wearing headphones while riding a purple woman’s bike. From my spot on the small patio in front of the Klaus K Hotel, I was able to enjoy the misfortune of others. But, I almost lost my arm at the hands of an errant cyclist while taking the few steps back to the front door.With Satan traveling the roads, what chance does any pedestrian have?

I snapped this shot with my Blackberry. This was the taxi in which I rode while in Helsinki over the summer. Needless to say, I did pause for a moment before getting in.

NYT Celebrates Finnish Food Revival

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Finland is famous for it’s substandard cuisine, having been ridiculed by leaders from across Europe. And, let’s face it, it’s not all that hard to poke fun at an upscale restaurant named “Grotesk.” The country is trying to repair its culinary image, though, which is no easy task for the land of herring and reindeer. Of course, the Times pitches restaurants like Juuri and Loft, not exactly bargain destinations. Don’t worry, I’m here to fix that.

If you’re going to drop a little extra cash anywhere, make it your hotel. I stayed at Klaus K Hotel and don’t regret it for a second. Sure, it was a cool spot, and as expected, the Finns there made design and style a priority. I was impressed that they spent three hours helping me try to find a wireless internet connection when I had a minor meltdown at the front desk (thanks again, guys!). Blitzen makes a wonderful breakfast. Reindeer meat is included in Klaus K’s free spread, which is both tasty and filling. A few doors down was an excellent Indian restaurant (can’t remember the name … seven months ago, sorry). It’s definitely worth a stop, especially if you want a break from seafood.

But, if you want the best dining experience in Helsinki, you have to head down to the harbor. Snellman’s doughnuts will make you forget all about Dunkins. Neither circular nor with a hole in the middle, the delights at Snellman’s are rectangular and contain an apple pie-type filling. I mean, seriously, who wants to spend 250 Euros on a dinner that includes goat cheese ice cream at Nokka when you can down almost pure sugar for a couple of bucks?

The World’s Sexiest Cities (That Are Still Secret … Shhh)

by Willy Volk on

I’m going to try to sneak this post in right here, real nonchalant-like. Why? Because the details are still secret.

MSN recently put together a list of the sexiest “secret” cities around. Apparently, they compiled the list so that you could “get a head start on your fellow travellers.” Cool, huh? And thoughtful? By the way, by “sexy” they mean bursting with culture — not filled with strip clubs. Anyway, the cities are:

Yeah, I know: Scottsdale. Whatever. The other seven sound pretty sexy, though.

Feel free to share this tip with your friends — but only the sexy ones. We’re trying to keep this a secret for as long as we can. We don’t want these sexy treasures filling up with the non-sexy. Eww.

Other sexiness: