Winter in Helsinki

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to do some work in Helsinki in 2013 and was there for 3 weeks at the end of their winter. As an Australian that had only seen snow once before this trip, the prospect of arriving in a snow laden city with temperatures below 0 excited me. This was also my first trip abroad as a solo traveler and alone in a country where I didn’t know the language.

Coming from a country (and city) where the temperature during the winter days never dip below 14 degrees C, the -7 degree (still not a true Finnish winter I know) greeted me like what I imagine pneumonia greets you after being trapped in ice. I discovered a whole new world of numb thighs, thick insulated windows and double socking.

This was also the first time I discovered all about black ice, which is a thin piece of transparent ice on a surface. You don’t actually see it but you definitely know you’ve stepped on it when you go flying the friction is gone from below you and all of a sudden you’ve entered into an impromptu ice skating session in public.

Getting caught in a sudden snow storm (quite light). Check.
Slipping every morning going to the bus stop. Check.
Slipping en route to the university building every morning. Check.
Slipping every evening walking back home. Check.
Loving it every time it snowed. Check.

It has just ticked over to winter here but doesn’t even feel like it yet.

-S.

Pictures (top to bottom): the beautiful view out from the apartment kitchen balcony, the light snow storm I got caught in when I went exploring around town & walking through this carpark everyday to get to the bus stop from the apartment.