Taking a Train in Finland

Taking a train in Finland is relatively easy.  (I'll take a photo and add it to this post later today showing you what is what on your ticket -if I can find one!)

Now, buying a ticket is another story.
I don't know how it works in Canada, as I've never purchased a train ticket before...
You can purchase a ticket on VR's site. (I linked it to English for you!)  Here's the catch - your online purchase must go through between the hours of 6am-1130pm.  There are usually people available to buy tickets from on site, but typically after 8am....
When I had to get a ticket to go to Helsinki for that Arnold's meeting, I was submitting my phone number and about to click "SUBMIT" and then the clock turned 11:31pm.  The ticket could not be purchased.
How frustrating!
I looked on the website and found out that I am able to buy tickets from the electronic machines on site (they are green and look like banking machines sort of), as well as at the R Kioski (corner store) located at the train station.  Whew.
The next morning, I was at the train station by 6am, as my train left shortly after and I tried using the electronic machine and had no luck.
WHY?! Because the machine is completely in Finnish or Swedish.  There isn't an English option available! And you can buy bus tickets from this electronic kiosk as well!  Holy confusing!
The worst thing, was the label on the machine..."For technical support please dial..." IN ENGLISH!

I ran to the corner store and asked if I could buy a ticket from her and she said no, but to go to the conductor and he'll sell me a ticket.  Great!

I get on the train, pick an empty seat (hoping that nobody had a ticket for that seat) and waited for the conductor to enter our cabin.  He asked for my ticket and I explained the internet store closed before I could hit submit and the machines aren't in English!  So I handed him my Visa Electron, and they don't accept Visa Electron payments. (Cash and major credit cards I think are accepted....)
What in the WORLD was I going to do?!  The conductor had a loud and deep rumble kind of voice and didn't speak a lot of English either.  Great.  So thankfully, a younger person sitting nearby translated everything for me....
When I got to Helsinki - I had to go to the train station and purchase the ticket from Jyv�skyl� to Helsinki, and my return ticket there....then it'd be okay.  PHEW!

When I told some of my Finnish friends this wild story - they said I was very lucky I didn't get kicked off at the next stop!  (Plus there's an 80� fee for being on the train without a ticket).

However, the cool thing about buying your ticket online is that you can get a text message to your phone with a bar code.  This bar code can be scanned by the conductor, so you don't have to worry about losing your paper ticket :).  How environmentally friendly!

Just make sure you have proper ID if you're a student purchasing a student ticket...you should have it on you just in case you bought a ticket online with your name on it anyway.

And just in case you're thinking, "If I don't buy the ticket like the conductor suggested, and get on the train a few hours later...what are the chances they are working the opposite route, different train...?"
Answer: VERY LIKELY.  So don't be cheeky!

Summer Life in Finland

Another wonderful warm day in Finland...and where it is much drier than Nova Scotia...it's not humid!  I love it here!
With the exception that it can get quite hot and dry, as we're on the top floor and the sun aims itself into our flat regularly....

So how does one "Survive" a Finnish summer?
Seeing as this is our second summer...let me explain what we've been doing.

First of all - there's about 20 hours of sunlight a day now...wild eh? ("eh" is a Canadian thing...just a filler but sounds like "ei" which means "no" in Finnish)
Don't believe me? Check out this video of a time lapse I found on Youtube (through Facebook) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTjyt-6hJQw&feature=youtu.be

Where it's a drier summer - I don't recommend wearing contacts.  And nose bleeds tend to be common if you're not used to this dry, hot weather (think Alberta, Canada)...to help prevent nosebleeds - use a Q-Tip and some vaseline and put some into your nostrils.
Sounds disgusting but my brother and I grew up with awful nosebleeds (think 2+ hours)...this is the only thing that helped after our parents hunted around for a remedy for us!

Okay! So back to Finnish summers, because there is a tonne of sunlight- you need super dark curtains.  Or you will not get much sleep! Especially if you're sensitive to light!
Even at midnight, the sun sits on the horizon for a couple hours then comes back up by 3 or 4am!  My husband often takes the dogs out at this hour - to avoid other dogs and he also brings books with him so he can do some reading while the dogs run around.  That's how light it is outside.
One could do crafts outside at that hour...it's that light enough!

Mosquitoes aren't as bad here as NS but I suppose it depends on what part of Finland you go to.  The more Northern parts of Finland have swarms of them....like in Lapland!
Wasps and ticks are common...liquid flea/tick treatments for dogs run about 44� for 3 months and can be found at the local pharmacy "Aptekki" or at your vet.  Pet shops do not sell this medication but they do have flea collars.  Some grocery stores carry the flea collar as well...

Even though the sauna is hot - Finns love their sauna.  Remember in the winter, I mentioned that the "really crazy Finns" like to go in the sauna then come out, roll in the snow and then jump into a hole in the lake?  Well summer version is apparently just hang out in the breeze and/or jump into the lake to cool off and repeat.

Cottage! Jyv�skyl� is a University kind of town - so when it's summer time - it can be a ghost town downtown....it doesn't have the tumbling bales of hay - but it's pretty empty in comparison to the school year. That, and a lot of people go to their summer cottage for a month or two and spend time with their family and relax.

BBQ! I love barbecuing...or "grill" as Finns refer to it...I love it so much!  That's one less pot or pan I have to clean!

A friend of mine suggested to keep all the windows closed and the curtains down throughout the day so the warm air doesn't blow inside...then once it's cooled off a bit - then open up your windows and you'll get the cooler breeze....

Swim, visit family and friends...and just enjoy all the sunshine you can because when winter comes...the sun comes up by 10am...and goes down by 3 or 4pm!

When Travelling to London Heathrow Airport....

If you are not planning on staying in London and have another flight to catch  please ensure you have at least 4-5 hours between flights.


Why? Well, here's our trip home...(So much for that previous glowing review Air Canada!)

We were flying from Halifax to St. John's, Newfoundland and then to London...THEN to Helsinki.
Simple right?  We checked in our luggage and got our boarding passes and the Air Canada rep at the desk notified us that we have to pick up our luggage in London and re-check it in AND THEN go through customs and security again.
We had less than 2 hours to connect to our next flight...FYI Heathrow is a monster-huge airport...


We looked at this girl like she was nuts and she said yes we definitely have to go through customs.

Our flights were smooth and easy and for 30 minutes we hovered in the air in circles (you could see the little white plane and green line going in circles literally on the map on TV) above Heathrow.  Why? Probably because all the lanes were booked!  So we went from having almost 2 hours to having less than 1.5 hours to get on the next plane.
Thanks to this delay, we missed our flight entirely.  We had to wait 45 minutes in a SUPER huge line up (as we have Canadian passports and are listed in the "All Other Passports" line up in which there are less than 6 reps clearing customs)....The staff doing customs and security both asked us "Why are you clearing customs?!  Don't bother rushing - you aren't gonna make it."
Funny...we were thinking the same freaking thing.
 We were not impressed and went to British Airways to get our new flight.  They said we had to go to Air Canada and get them to re-book us....

1st Trip
We go to Air Canada and the young fellow books us in and says, "Well, I don't know if you're flying with British Airways or Finnair.  Go check Finnair and if not - go to British Airways. There's a flight at 1020am...you still have time to get in there."  (It was 8:15am or so....)
(Insert death look but with a happy voice).

We go to Finnair who has 0 record of us being there and march over to British Airways.
They have Tim registered and printed a boarding pass for him (flight is not at 1020am...but now at 1230pm)...
Nothing for me and our son, V�in�. (Insert not impressed look and stern voice).


2nd Trip 
I go back to that young man and give him a death stare that would make Darth Vader proud and a voice of a reprimanding teacher...and he says, "Oh I'm terribly sorry Miss.  I just got a call - there...*twenty minutes of me standing there he types* now you're booked.  Go back to British Airways and they'll print out your pass."

I go back and British Airways says, "You are here with a reference number but your son is still not listed as infant and doesn't have a reference number."
(I am threatening to choke the Air Canada rep in front of the British Airway reps and they smiled calmly and said, "We'd recommend flying through to Toronto with Air Canada next time then BA all the way to Helsinki in future...you wouldn't go through this garbage if this was us!" Thanks - good to know.)

3rd and final trip
I stand there with our Passports in hand (Tim and V�in� are patiently waiting by British Airways and I think, at this point, my husband is terrified of me) and the reference numbers for myself and my husband...
I have a look on my face that screams "I am so kicking you in the nuts if you don't get this straightened out..." and my voice is so cold I think Lord Voldemort might be proud of me...
"Listen.  This is my 3rd and FINAL trip to see you to get this straightened out.  This is what needs to be done and I am beyond fed up with having to run back and forth and hope I catch the 1230pm flight to Helsinki." (it's almost 11AM by this point!)
He explains that he doesn't understand why I need a reference number or whatever, because V�in� is an infant and would be in my lap anyway.  Fine - I get that.
THEN HE SAYS: "Here - take the ticket to them..that should make them happy.  And I hope we don't see each other again and I mean that in the kindest of ways Miss."

WHY DIDN'T HE GIVE ME THE TICKET THE FIRST OR SECOND TIME I SAW HIM?!
And it's not like he was waiting long for it - he calmly walked to the printer and it was already sitting there...because he avoided talking me and looking at me when he saw that I was in the line again for the 3rd time and decided this was his prime time to type like mad...

So...if you travel via ANY AIR LINE and they tell you - you have to stop in London and you have less than 5 hours to get to your next flight - fight it!

The reason why we're so upset is because we have 2 dogs at home with a dog sitter and obviously the airlines aren't going to pay for the extra time the dog sitter has to be with them if we kept missing flights.
As well, we're travelling with an infant who is very sensitive to time differences..he was accustomed to Canadian time and London is 2 hours different from Finland.  THEN we were late leaving by 4 hours...so jet lag was a major concern for us - seeing as Finland has 20 hours of sunlight now...

Off to New Brunswick!

Today the family and I are off to New Brunswick.
New Brunswick is the next province over (to the left) of Nova Scotia - where we are currently residing and where we were born and raised.

Why New Brunswick?  Well, Tim has another conference to attend!  Had he not had another conference - we would've been back in Finland by now I imagine.
While I do have some relatives in NB - we will not be anywhere close to visiting them unfortunately!
The weather in NB I hear, is supposed to be nice, hot and muggy (darn humidity!).  Click here for this week's weather forecast in Fredericton, New Brunswick (the capital of NB).

Our plans are to travel this morning (waiting on hubby to finish getting ready and for the baby to sleep a bit more) and arrive there by 1pm or so.
We'll be staying with good friends who live near Fredericton, whom I haven't seen in years!! And meeting up with other friends during our 3 day, 2 nights stay.

From there - we'll go back to New Glasgow (well really - it's Westville) and spend Wednesday night and Thursday -day here....then off we go Thursday night!

We're flying a much faster route from Halifax to St. John's, Newfoundland to London's Heathrow Airport....to Helsinki!
Then that dreaded train ride to Jyv�skyl�!! 3.5 hours and probably a quick 10-minute bus ride from downtown with all our junk and a kid on our back.  Wahoo!

Other than that - we've mostly been pigging out on Wendy's - Tim's favourite being the spicy chicken combo...and me with any sized burger with a tonne of pickles....unfortunately - not everybody understands how much I love pickles - so I simply stick with "____ burger combo with a ____ and extra pickles".  I usually prefer saying it about 4-5x - to really get a tonne of pickles (so I hope) - but it's never -or very rarely, the case.

Alright! Time to wake the munchkin....see you later!

Review of Air Canada

Now, I have never flown Air Canada before but have heard glowing reviews (occasional luggage issue but otherwise fine) and although my husband and I had "Scattered Seating" (we weren't sitting anywhere near each other) -when we arrived at the gate they quickly corrected it and we sat together in the center of the plane with the center seat free to put the baby if he wanted to.  The movies were wonderful and a wide selection (I saw "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" a bit of "Little Fockers" -but decided it was too funny for me to watch while flying and trying to pay attention to a 1.5 year old and "The Tourist" which I enjoyed a lot)....

Because we were slightly delayed (1 hour!) from leaving Frankfurt we were given extra drinks and the entertainment stuff was left on except for the occasional update.

We got lucky (due to that scattered seating bit) and had 3 seats to ourselves.  Of course, our son preferred to sit in my lap....but we were in the center of the plane and it was roomy enough!

The food wasn't too bad .... vegetarian option and a chicken option. 

Staff are billingual (it's mandatory if you want to work for this airline - friend of mine couldn't speak French and couldn't stay and work for them) and super duper friendly!

Funny thing is - when we touched down in Halifax (a couple days later) - I heard a report on the radio that a young man who was doing a stint with his Missionary was trying to board an Air Canada flight and has a severe peanut allergy.  So he brought his epipens and tonnes of medication just in case because he was en route to Fiji....apparently he was refused his seat and they took off without him because of the quantity of his medication he needed.  (I don't know the FULL story but that was all that was said on the radio).
I've heard wonderful things about Air Canada and heard the occasional lost luggage story....

But for what it's worth - it's way better than American Eagle(Airlines) or Continental....

*I forgot to mention - that when we flew from Toronto to Halifax - the seats had individual TV sets again, however no ear plugs.  You had to either bring your own or remembered to bring a pair from the previous flight!  They charged $3.00 for a pair of ear phones...I am assuming you got to keep them for all of your future AC flights....major downfall on that one Air Canada.

Germany makes Great Chocolate...but technology...???

Alright so here I am blogging from Canada!  Specifically from Nova Scotia, Canada...aka my home place!

We travelled to Helsinki via bus (about 4-4.5 hours) around 1230am Saturday morning and arrived in my parents home at about 1230am Sunday morning (Finnish time).

**This is where I pre-apologize for all those typos that are BOUND to happen because I am using a North American keyboard....**

Once arriving at the airport in Helsinki, we made our way to our check-in location and we were flying with Lufthansa (German) to Frankfurt, then with Air Canada to Toronto and then to Halifax.  That's right - no USA stops.  We've had so many issues with stopping or flying with the US - that we could not be bothered to do it again. (Remember in October they didn't offer a hotel and we were crashing at the JFK airport?!)

So Lufthansa has a system that you print your boarding pass from an electronic kiosk then check your luggage in with a representative.  Easy peasy.
Oh wait - here's where the title comes into play....Lufthansa's computer systems were down.  So they couldn't even check in baggage!  We were advised kindly it would take about 30 minutes and the reps in Germany were working hard to get it up and running.
Sure! No biggy!  It's only 30 minutes and we had plenty of time to make it to our flight.

1 hour later...still nothing happening but those with their boarding pass were in line up to check their baggage (once the system was up...).  So here we are, waiting in the front of a line (of several) to print our boarding pass....

Finally - the systems are still down but we can join the crazy line ups for checking in baggage....and the reps up front were taking things down manually.....Oh my!
We waited in line for about 30 minutes and then *cue Angels music of some sort* the computers were back up and running!  Just as were about to go to a rep!  YAY!

The flight was under 3 hours and shockingly - despite all the delays with the baggage and passes - the flight left on time and arrived with 10 minutes to spare!

So, although Lufthansa had a major blip with the technology - they handled the situation smoothly and we got there on time to connect to our Toronto flight!
Kudos Lufthansa!

Bonjour From Paris!

(I'm back from Paris and couldn't blog while on the go because the internet was weird in our hotel....a review of our hotel to come later.  More like a butchering I suppose...)

So we travelled via 3 different countries in 1 single day.  We took the boat from Estonia to Helsinki and then we flew from Helsinki to Paris (a little over 2.5 hours).
By the time we arrived in the airport, it was after 9pm (1 hour behind Finland) and we were exhausted.  There was the option of taking a shuttle bus at the wonderful cost of 17� per person.  Tim had the instructions for how to take the RER (subway) - so we opted for that and it turned out to be significantly cheaper (17,40� for the two of us - kids are free under age of 3 I think) and it took about 35 minutes.
We checked into our hotel, The Royal Cardinnal, and accepted a continental breakfast to be delivered to our room the next morning.  Once we squished ourselves into the elevator - we then noticed it was 6� for breakfast (but not specified if it was per person or per room)....
We quickly prepped for bed and crashed.

The next morning, we awoke early to cloudy skies and it was chilly.
The continental breakfast was our choice of hot beverage or juices (we opted for tea and coffee) and it came with hot milk (I'm used to cold milk to cool off the tea or coffee....so this was different!) and 1 baguette cut in half and 2 croissants.
The baguettes were good but not fresh.  I only say this because there was this off-taste about it and it wasn't hard as a rock or anything - but it wasn't as fresh as the ones you get from the bakeries.  My son devoured the croissants however!
After looking at the shower and figuring out that the bigger knob was the one that controlled the overhead shower head - we managed to get dressed and go explore.  We didn't have to meet our friends for a few hours so we grabbed a map and headed towards the Notre Dame.

A word of advice: go early in the morning - say around 9am or so...because by the time 10:30 rolls around - the line ups are massive for getting in.  Lots of school groups and tourist groups going in too.  There is free admission and you CAN take photos!

*You also have to remove your hat, be dressed respectfully (not necessarily your Sunday best but don't go there dressed like you're going to a club) and be quiet, especially if there is a service going on.*

Inside is breath taking....despite the dim lighting, the stained glass detailing is beautiful and all of it is amazing.

One thing I noticed while inside was the "modern style confessionals".  I've never confessed with a priest before, but typically it's inside a wooden box with a metal grate between you and the priest and your identity is a mystery.  (My husband said he saw those in there but I didn't).

What I did see were clear glass offices with a desk and 2 chairs sitting opposite of each other....and a sign outside saying it was a Confessions area!  How Modern!

While travelling on the bus - you can use a NaviGo (a purple colored electronic pad is located at all entrances for subways and air transportation - not planes but subways that go above ground and on the bus) Pass or you can purchase little tickets (10 for 12�) and insert it into a box to validate them.

One validated ticket is good for 1.5 hours and can usually be used to transfer between transportation systems but there's a trick.  (I forget if it's not used between RER and bus or what...it was complicated!)

It's easy enough to get on the bus with a stroller (you get on at the front and the aisles are wide enough for a standard single stroller) but getting to the RER has it's difficulties!  First of all, because it's a subway system underground - you have a lot of stairs to go down or around....super pain in the neck for a stroller!  Sometimes there are escalators (most times they are broken or stopped the direction that you need to go of course!)....and there's an occasional elevator...but not often!  So if you can  - back pack!

Sure lots of people have strollers with older children and the kid hops out and goes up/down the stairs by themselves while you maneuver the stroller along the stair well....but if your kid is asleep - then it can be difficult waking up a sleepy little one....

(The buses have an empty space in the middle for strollers or wheel chairs)

Oh and don't sneak onto the bus through the back door!  I saw 2 girls sneak on through the back door and the driver caught them, yelled loudly (how embarrassing!) and they exited the bus to get on through the front and pay.

Eating out in Paris

• Taxes and tips are included in the price
• There was a great little grilli place beside the hotel we stayed at - it was cheap, tasty and very friendly people working there (don't go at lunch time - you'll be yelling a lot to get your order!)
• There's a "Great Canadian Pub" with very expensive prices
• Pop can be expensive (at least 3� for a glass)
• Crepes are wonderful, cheap and can be hearty if you order the savoury ones!
• We went to a crepperie with our friend and it did not accept card payments...only cash
• Their savoury crepes were made with buckwheat
• We ate at the Mosque for lunch on our last day there and if you are a woman - be warned!  Not all waiters enjoy serving women and many don't.  So if you are a mixed group - then often the men will be served nicely and the women will have their plates tossed onto the table.
• The inside is beautiful and the food is tasty!!!!
• They also serve a mint tea and pour it from great heights (our waiter didn't...) and they have a platter of sweets and charge you based on how many you eat...it was so tasty!

Some lamb with prunes and almonds...no couscous or rice though.

Pouring the mint tea (the other waiters were pouring it from a much taller height...he probably doesn't like women).

We had some extra guests join us...

The delicious platter of pastries!

My choice...dates with walnuts

School System in Paris

• Kids start at the age of 3....as in they're sitting in a desk and learning - not running around and playing like most pre-schools at that age.  They start to prepare for regular school from the ages of 3-6.
• Kids go to school (regular school) from 8:30am-4:30pm
• They go to school 4x a week and have Wednesdays and weekends off, then they have 2 WEEKS OFF.  This cycle repeats itself throughout the year.
• Summer break is for nearly a full 2 months (July and August) and they resume school the first week of September.
• Christmas break is typically 2-2.5 weeks depending on when the holidays fall (similar to Canada)
• For lunch - they get a 3-course meal everyday
• They don't have school books...the teachers photocopy the school books and put them in a duotang of sorts.  (Why I don't know).
• Parents pick up their kids from school (or a friend does and there's a mutual meeting place) and then they get a baguette...EVERYDAY.  I found this interesting because I personally would think a baguette everyday would be very boring - but  I guess it's not for the kids.

Random Bits and Pieces

• You don't buy stamps at the Post Office...I know what an odd idea!  You buy them at the tobacco shops.
• The French are very proud of their postal system - to the point if you're trying to drop off a form - they ask that you put it in the mail box. (A friend experienced this).
• Don't drive here - it's not worth all the gas (and money) you'll burn.  It's cheaper and much easier to go by foot, bus or RER.  
• It took our friends about 4 hours to drive back from the airport after dropping a friend off (it takes 35 minutes by subway/RER)
• Most public bathrooms are free and they automatically disinfect themselves (how I don't know - I never needed the bathroom when we went by one).
• There's a lot of terrible parking here...and terrible driving - you can tell by the cars parking along the curve of the corner between 2 cross walks...Oh and by the scratches, scrapes and dents in the vehicles.
• If your kid throws a tantrum - don't be surprised if a random stranger will lecture them VERY LOUDLY (and in French)....this simply doesn't happen in Finland and often not in Canada either.  You typically mind your own business and let the parent do their thing.
• PICK POCKETING DOES HAPPEN!  If you are approached by people (typically of Roma culture or something similar) who are using sign language to you and shoving a clip board in your face with some pages on it (like a petition for you to sign) - DON'T SIGN IT.  Why? Because while you're reading what it's about - someone is pick pocketing you at the same time from behind.
• Just don't sign anything....it's far too risky.
• Cell phones are dirt cheap here  - but majority of the companies require you sign up for a contract of a minimum of 2 years.
• Disney Paris has a train that can go there frequently...oh and the entrance fee is 51� per child, 57� per adult (although...there IS a sale right now that adults can get in for a child fee...).  Needless to say - we didn't go.
• We did go to the Eiffel Tower (tour de Eiffel) via RER and it was huge.  There's a lengthy line up to go up the ET...get there by 9am if you don't want to wait too long.
• Same with the Louvre - we saw the outside of it but didn't have time to go inside...maybe next time!
• We were warned about an excessive amount of dog poop on the ground and that approximately 600 people get hospitalized from sliding in it and hurting themselves. (Hence why we didn't bring a stroller).
• However, if you stick to tourist locations - you rarely see any...there was more in Finland than in Paris.