You are currently browsing the monthly archive for December 2008.
Yesterday (Saturday) was our first full day in Rovaniemi, Finland and we did a little browsing and walking around. In downtown Rovaniemi last year they started building a new shopping center a year or two ago. Last Christmas they had one half of it done and this year, they have a large piece of it that connects over the highway. We only did a quick walk through and it was totally crowded with Christmas coming up but we saw a little of the new shops and the redesigned/open Lordi Rocktaurant. I’m sure I will be able to give a more detailed account later when we go sometime during less crowded times and I can take some internal photos and video but for now, the photo below will have to suffice.
Photo: Kauppakeskus Revontuli , Rovaniemi, Finland
So we are now here, final destination, Rovaniemi, Finland up on the arctic circle! Made it out of Helsinki with no trouble and landed in Rovaniemi around 11:30am this morning. We were told that the day before a big wind came in stripping all of the snow from the trees. It’s a little warmer than usual so it’s a quite wet landscape up here…but it sure is pretty. I’m terribly jet lagged but forcing myself to stay up until at least 9:30…the first 24 hours are the hardest after night one when you’re so tired you can sleep no problem…night two is typically a 1am wakeup because my internal clock is in shock. Boy does this trip knock the wind out of me. An 8 hour time difference is hard. But, lots of sweats and good stuff. We were greeted by our usual plate of treats and pastries (see photos). And below is a video coming from the Rovaniemi, Finland airport. Another day or two getting caught up to the time difference and I’ll be able to roll out some good posts. We’re here! Let the games begin!
We have arrived in Helsinki, Finland! It was a long though rather short journey in comparison to other trips. When we reached Helsinki tonight we checked in for our flight tomorrow and now hanging out downtown Helsinki. We just headed out to the store to grab something to eat (see photo below- Finnish traditional fare- rye bread, cheese and turkey. So far so good just REALLY tired after 2 hrs. of sleep in 24 hours. Off to Rovaniemi early tomorrow morning and then vacation can start- I think I’ve earned it! Sleep, read, sleep, eat, more sleeping, more eating. I’m so excited, still hard to believe we’re actually here already after such a whirlwind semester. Look for more posts and Twitter updates as we continue our journey in the morning to Lapland Finland!
Hyvää yötä!
-Angela
Photo of the small market where we bought our food in downtown Helsinki
Downtown Helsinki..kind of, these are all apartments.
Hi Frozen-Reindeer readers. Tomorrow I have my Finnish final. Today I had to study, work and finish packing and I didn’t have time to write a good blog post (hope you understand). We are leaving or Finland tomorrow (Wednesday) and I want to show where we’re going.
* A treat for any Finnish readers or people who know a little or none at all- this post is in English (above) and Finnish (below). Also, this video has been posted previously but I didn’t want to leave this post empty. Figured something old was better than nothing!
Terve Frozen-Reindeerin lukijat. Houmenna minulla on minun Suomen kurssin päätöskoe. Tänään minun täytyi opiskella, käydä töissä ja viimeistellä pakkaukseni ja minulla ei ollut aikaa kirjoittaa hyvää blogi viestiä. Lähdemme kohti Suomea huomenna (keskiviikkona) ja minä haluan näyttää minne menemme.
Video from last winter in Rovaniemi, Finland- thanks U2 for providing the music!
The first time I went to Finland was in 2003 which was before all these great web 2.0 technological advances allowing everyone anywhere all over the world to maintain connections in every form. Before it was email and a cell phone in Finland in order to make calls to my family back in the U.S. Now, with the help of Skype, email, IM chat, Meebo, and blogging tools (and of course email) I’m just an arms length away from family, friends, and…because I’m a grown up with responsibilities, my job back in Minnesota for the university. So, as I prepare to depart from the U.S., putting 5000 miles between myself and almost everyone I know, I thought I would go through a walk through of the resources I use to stay connected.
Skype – An oldie but goodie and all around favorite for video connection. I don’t use it as much in the U.S. since I utilize IM chat and my cell phone but when communicating across continents, Skype is a must! I covered Skype In and Skype Out heavily in a previous post so you can read the post here from Frozen-Reindeer.
You can also reach me on Skype with the username: frozenreindeer (all personal contacts you have my personal skype account which you may use)
A side note- Gmail just implemented a video chat that I have yet to try but something of interest to check into.
IM Chat- There is no one IM Chat program I prefer over the other and there are TONS. On my Mac I utilize the software Adium so I can use all my IM chat programs in one place such as MSN, Yahoo, AIM and Jabber. I can sign into as many accounts as I want in one place so whenever anyone contacts me I can communicate in one place rather than having to learn my new chat platform.
Meebo – I’m currently trying this out in a couple different places. I had it on the left side bar for a little bit last week but it got so crowded so I’ve moved it (but it might come back so I’ll discuss it a little bit here) Through Meebo- as the viewer of the blog you don’t need to have any chat platform to message me, you can just head over to the contact page and message me if you see me online and you might get real time responses. In some areas it works well such as having online office hours or for customer service, we’ll see how this goes.
Email- oldie but goodie and never fails in both directions. On this blog you can email me anytime using frozenreindeer at gmail dot com.
Blogging Tools- what I love about blogs …what do I not love about blogs?!? Frozen-Reindeer is my third blog after using the first two as pure blogs to keep my friends and family updated on where I was and share photos and videos of my travels. The best part is they could share this with others so it wasn’t hunting around for an email address or individual emails or cards sent with photos. Rather, it is one place to hold everything and let people stop in at their leisure to read. On Frozen-Reindeer all of you readers with your great emails and feedback have helped me structure this blog to something that can be enjoyed by anyone with a connection to Finland.
Blogger, WordPress, LiveJornal, take your pick. Frozen-Reindeer is on WordPress but Blogger is very easy and a good place to get started!
How do I stay connected? Frozen-Reindeer as my blog on WordPress, Gmail as my email client as well as my personal email accounts, Adium for all of my IM Chat needs and of course, Skype (I get a Skype In and Skype Out Account making it easy for my family to find me when traveling.
As we get ready to head off to Finland I hope you’ll continue to read and watch and feel free to email me or catch me on chat if you want to connect.
As of Monday, December 15th, we are two days away from taking off to Finland!
-Angela
“Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.” ~Plato
It is no secret to most people who know me that I am a bit of a fitness geek. I’ve always been an avid athlete but over the past year and a half I’ve really established this amazing Zen experience with the gym and all things health and fitness related. Those familiar with the terrain in Minneapolis can speak to the flat lands, endless rivers and amazing scenery. This environment is optimal for outdoor training and there is such an active population of individuals up here that has been great to turn me into a really healthy, active person who’s become obsessed with lifting and running and all around health. A challenge to this fitness mindset is traveling. I’ve been lucky so far during the past year to either be traveling in the summer with miles of outdoor space to run or to be staying in a hotel with a fitness center. What I haven’t experienced since this new fitness kick set in is a winter vacation in the cold with a gym pretty far away in downtown Rovaniemi. It’s going to be a struggle for me to balance but…when you catch the bug you find the ability to strategize and be flexible so much easier. So, this is a post about my plan to continue staying active while on vacation in Rovaniemi, Finland…we’ll see how it goes.
First of all, I really want to continue running but HATE running in the cold (I stick to the treadmill here in MN in winter). I’ve also had sports induced asthma since I was 13 which has never agreed with the cold BUT, I’m determined. Today we headed over to REI and I got some gear to attempt some outdoor workouts in 20-30 degree weather (the sound of that just makes me shiver). In addition to my Under Armour tights and wind resistant shell jacket I needed some good shirts. Bought myself an Under Armour Cold Gear shirt along with a Nike fleece lined shell like top. This combo equals dryness, warmth and also all around breathability so the heat is retained but not suffocating. Next up, the head. This part is tricky. Instinct tells me to wrap my head in fleece and throw on some skii goggles to prevent myself from catching a nasty cold but with the help of some friends who do outdoor workouts in the winter and my boyfriend’s experience with the cold my headwear is going to consist of a hat low enough to cover my ears completely and potentially a head cover things that runs down to my neck. The neck and ears are crucial but I also want to see if I can’t cover my mouth a bit to ease the breathing in of cold air. Tomorrow the plan is to top off the outfit with a good pair of fleece lined pants to cover the Under Armour tights. Socks are covered- probably a dual layer of Smart Wool socks and fleece lined sport socks- dryness and warmth. Gloves are also taken care of. Shoes, that one will be trial and error. Going with a pair of trusted Nikes until I fall and hurt myself running on snow and need to run to the store in Rovaniemi to get something to run outside in.
In addition to running I’ve been combing all of my Women’s Health and Oxygen magazines looking for indoor exercises and just about all of them emphasize the benefits of jump ropes (both in traveling and in the resulting workout). About 30 min. every couple of days along with a couple days each week hitting a couple miles outside and round it all out with ab routines and push ups, I think I’ll be able to maintain my level of fitness while in Finland…hopefully, again, this is the first time I’m trying not to rely on the gym and attempt outdoor exercising so it might be a short lived goal until I start hitching rides downtown to the gym.
It’s really too bad I’m not a winter sport athlete because Rovaniemi has some pretty amazing cross country skii trails. But, I’m just not good at those sports even though they are great workouts. Here is a photo of what these trails look like- look at the right and left sides of the snow- preset to step your skiis into and just go wherever you want- grocery store, downtown, Santa Claus Village and all of your friends and neighbors along the way. Yes, for all of you thinking this is crazy, I partly agree but, to these Finns (and even some Minnesotans it turns out) it is as natural as walking.
My hope is to get in a few weight workouts at my new favorite gym in Rovaniemi: Kuntokaruselli. View my review of Kuntokaruselli if you’re interested in working out in Rovaniemi. The gym is absolutely great and unless things have changed since last December and January they have great daily pass rates.
Below is a current photo grabbed from the Rovaniemi, Finland webcam overlooking downtown Rovaniemi, Finland in Lordi Square.. They just got a fresh batch of snow and it’s still falling. You can see people are out walking around (click on the photo to go to the webcam for this location). Current time in this photo is about 4:30pm Finland time. View more Rovaniemi, Finland webcams here
I currently live in Minneapolis, MN but I was born and raised in Missouri, the land of strange and inconsistent seasons including a usually tame winter of an average 20-40 degrees F and occasionally 60s when we least expect it and balmy summers in the 90s with high humidity though sometimes we get surprised by chilly days as well. I remember the first winter I started driving and I was introduced the the true Missouri winter which most often includes a lot of ice rather than snow due to the warmer day temps and sudden night freezes. I can also remember days of heat warnings advising us to stay inside and stay hydrated. But, it was balanced, Fall was beautiful, Spring was rainy but it was always bright out.
I graduated from college 5 years ago in the middle of winter in Missouri. About a week later, I hopped on a plane for Finland for the first time. I can still remember the first time I saw the landscape of Rovaniemi, Finland from the airplane window, snow covered trees and beautiful landscapes with such wide open land I had never seen. Above everything else it looked so peaceful. was so excited…then I stepped off the plane and into the air and for a moment I hesitated considering jumping back on the plane and heading back south. It was COLD! Like really cold. So cold that I didn’t feel like there would be enough clothes on the planet to keep me warm. Now, I realize there are many people who endure this climate and would call me a baby for complaining but give me a little slack, I left 40 degree weather and landed myself in sub zero temperatures! It was unnatural and my blood was too thin to not be totally shocked. New Years Eve that year the temperature hit a real low of 35 degrees BELOW zero. I think at a certain point you get so cold that you actually begin to feel warm as your brain begins to shut down…it was crazy. BUT, I battled through, learned a great deal about proper winter gear over the next few trips to Finland and my move to MN (currently in the teens which is actually going to be a happy memory in a month when it gets REALLY cold up here) but now I’m becoming a pro!
So, after that long introduction, this post is about two things- Finland weather (more specifically Rovaniemi, Finland weather) and some tips for clothing to manage the cold. For starters, the cold is in response to Rovaniemi, Finland’s location. The city rests right on the Arctic Circle so cold should be expected. Currently though, it doesn’t appear to be bad. You can view the current temp above courtesy of Weather Underground, which is actually warmer than Minneapolis currently. I’ve also added a weather update to the left side bar so you can stay updated on current temps.
Beyond the cold though, it’s typically really dark in northern Finland in winter and you never really see the sun. Below is a photo taken at about 1pm in the afternoon from Rovaniemi and you’ll see what I mean by not really seeing the sun. You know it’s there but you don’t actually see the shape- kind of off on the horizon.
This is typically what the end of December is like before things start to turn around in January. So, not only are you on the Arctic Circle, in the middle of winter, you don’t have the sun to warm things up. This was why I was so cold (for me at least but I’m a total wimp in the cold). But, thanks to global warming I believe, last year was strange. Not much snow and it wasn’t that cold so this year everything might be different, I’ll find out I’m sure.
Anyways, so, when it’s cold, what do we do about this? All about the layers and most importantly the right layers. And one VERY important word you should memorize: GORE-TEX. All my time in Finland I have fallen in love with four big brands: Haglöfs, Peak (awesome website video intro), Halti and Millet with Haglöfs being my favorite by far. Not just because the logo is cool and the name is fun to say (pronounced in English kind of like Hoglufs) but it is so perfect, totally warm and so many offerings. My favorite item of clothing in winter is one of my two Haglöfs micro fleece. They are awesome. Looks like there are new models out too so I think I know my souvenir for this trip. While we’re in the Haglöfs department I also must mention the down coat that lacks words to describe the level of warmth! Bought it last winter and go nowhere without it in Minneapolis currently! I forgot, I also must mention my snow shoes that stay in Finland- brought so much stuff back with me the first time that they couldn’t fit in my suitcase so they now live in Finland. My North Face boots. Gore-Tex, waterproof, windproof, nothing getting through these things. Great to have in Finland for sledding and playing in the snow- because when I’m there I’m on vacation and when on vacation, you just gotta play! 
So, the best of the rest. Peak is awesome in the fleece and hat department. Halti, I currently use their long underwear which is awesome and kind of an always on accessory. And Millet is my sort of early winter/before it gets REALLY cold out. You’ll find depending on your level of ideal warmth and reaction to cold to dictate what’s best for you but all of these brands are heavily used within Finland and you’ll find recommendations for all from just about anyone. Looking at each of the websites you can also see the professional athletes that utilize which ones which could be helpful to you winter sport people who want to use what the pros use. So…try out what you might like (and what you can find based on where you are) and stay warm! The graphics below are setup to go to each company website as an FYI.
What am I taking this trip in the cold gear department? My Haglöfs down coat, my favorite baby blue Haglöfs microfleece jacket, my North Face Gore-tex jacket (because it packs well and is light in case the weather is warmer than expected), Halti long underwear, My Under Armour cold gear tights and shirt for outdoor fun and my Merrel boots. Hats and gloves are a given!
*Please note, you’ll find more known U.S. brands such as North Face and Columbia to work out really well, I’m just sharing some of my favorites I’ve picked up from Finland to spread a wide variety of good clothing options out there.
During my time in Finland I always take a few relaxation essentials- books, tv shows I couldn’t watch, and the most essential: music. Being a graduate student I don’t often get much time to just sit back, relax and not think about research, classes or work related things so when I get time off I use it wisely and indulge. This break I have many entertainment sources:
Books (reviews coming later)
In addition to the Minnesota State Drivers license guide to study for our written drivers exams when we return. Below are a few books I plan on taking with me to Finland for leisurely reading.
Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s by John Elder Robison
The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
TV Shows
Chuck- If you have yet to start watching this START NOW. Get the Season 1 DVD and then start watching Season 2 on Hulu. It’s awesome and a romantic comedy, they just adverised it really wrong. Don’t be fooled, it’s great!
Private Practice- I started it, it isn’t that great, but, I might as well try to finish it before it is canceled (sorry show producers, it just isn’t that good, but, I invested, gotta ride it out.
The Starter Wife- I have heard too many great things to not get started with this. I watched the first part of the intro miniseries and loved it, gonna try it out if I have time.
Music
Too many to list but tons of new albums out I’m going to finally take time to listen to on the plane ride over. Gotta love iPods!
On top of that I’ll be watching some movies from Finland (whatever happens to be in theaters- need to be BIG releases to make it to Rovaniemi, Finland). The only thing currently on our list is the Tom Cruise Valkyrie movie. Not sure what else might make it there but we think that one is all we’ll get.
Just came across this listing of Christmas and holiday events going on in Rovaniemi currently and over the next few weeks through Christmas.
http://www.visitrovaniemi.fi/VisitRovaniemi/In_English/Sights/Events
Couple of my favorites:
29.11.-14.1. Christmas Market at Lordi’s Square
Sat 29.11. at 12 Opening of the market.
Open: Mon-Sat 10 am – 1 pm and 3 pm – 7 pm, Sun 11 am – 1 pm, 3 pm – 7 pm.
Exceptions: 24.12 and 31.12. at 10 am – 1 pm.
6.12., 25.12.,26.12. and 1.1.2009 closed.
Tue 23.12. at 19 Santa is on his way… Santa Claus Village, Arctic Circle.
Santa starts his long journey to deliver gifts to all children of the world.
- IF you’re in Rovaniemi DO NOT MISS THIS- it’s a surreal experience- just awesome to watch Santa Claus fly out from Finland!
I attended last year, here are the videos:
View full post of all videos from Santa Claus leaving the Arctic Circle on December 23rd!
