Top tip: learn to ski

Well at least their wipers aren't frozen to the windscreen today: Around Helsinki Winter 08/09

As I write this I can see out my triple-glazed window various snowploughs, diggers, mini-tractors, bobcats and quadbikes with mr.plough attachments that are beavering away clearing snow from roads, paths bus stops and apartment building car parks. Somewhere (I imagine) someone is digging their car out, as the snow plough pushes a metre high wall of snow between the road and the drive. The postlady cycles past on her bike. Mothers pull toddlers along on pulkkat (sledges) on their way to nursery, bundled up in near identical romper suits. Life goes on.

Fake snow artists need not apply: From Around Helsinki Winter 08/09

Yesterday morning Hiiri and Konna could tell by the trackless snow that they were the first to leave the house.  The paths had not yet been cleared by the little machines so they had to trek through the 20-25cm snow to the Metro in the snowbright morning darkness- which was running as normal of course. I decided to go for a walk instead of blogging about yesterday's myrsky - who knows how long this will last or when the next lot will be, and good practice for Lappi in the new year.

Over-equipped as usual: From Around Helsinki Winter 08/09

As we live right on the eastern edge of Helsinki, in a couple of minutes I was out next to open fields and drifts half a metre deep.  Luckily I had dressed for the weather (in fact probably over dressed as the wind had completely gone), and had my nordic walking sticks and a flask of hot soup in my pack.  I keep having to stop to take photos, which is a procedure involving: take off stick straps from wrists, prop sticks in snow, remove right ski glove (try not to drop in snow), put on thin glove instead (drop ski glove in snow), take off backpack waist and chest strops, (knock over sticks) find camera, fumble in gloves, take pictures; then reverse process before walking another 10m and wanting to take another picture.  Eventually I work out my camera will fit in my coat pocket, considerably simplyfing this process.

Across the fields: From Around Helsinki Winter 08/09

Back into the woods and immediately see my first skier of the day - and I feel an inadequate ulkomalainen  trying to wade through the snow instead of having skis (although all the falling over would be more embarrassing of course).  The trees are coated in snow, just like those unfeasibly foam coated ones from bad tv snow scenes, and I have a few comedy moments as I brush under low branches sagging with snow which slides off on to me.  I decide it is probably bad manners to trample the fresh ski tracks (as these are easier for following skiers) and plow my own furrow alongside. Looking through the trees I can see foamy, pearly snow grottoes.  It starts to snow again. 

Snow foam and grottoes: From Around Helsinki Winter 08/09

I come across a strange concrete structure - maybe part of the wartime city defences - snow clinging to the grain of the boardmarked concrete.  I am now at the foot of the roskismäkki, the hill of the old rubbish dump (now environmentally beautified) which overlooks the new Vuosaari harbour complexe, but it is time to turn back. I stop for now cold soup and hard bread before I trudge back towards civilization, and as I hit the main, lit track a tractor goes past flattening and compressing the snow and creating two narrow grooves, ready-made ski tracks; and is soon followed by several afternoon skiers. Back home and it is already 3:30 and getting dark - just time for hot shower, hot food and off to the Metro to get to school - level four starts tonight... 

On concrete: From Around Helsinki Winter 08/09