On both sides of the main entrance of Helsinki Central Station stand two statues, each with a spherical lamp lit at night. The railway station is not only a landmark of the city, where the train from the airport leaves when you drive into the city; it is also the starting point of the world’s longest railway, the 9,200 km long Trans-Siberian Railway, currently out of action due to the war in Ukraine, which runs a 21-day journey from Helsinki across Russia to Irkutsk in Siberia.

“Don’t be mistaken,” says our Finnish guide as we stand with him in front of the station. “Look at the expressions of the four statues in front of you. One is happy, one is sad, the third is worried and the fourth is excited. Because everyone says that we Finns only have one expression to express every emotion, these poker-faced statues cover them all!

In addition to being the maker of bad jokes, our guide is also a single-minded woman. “See the building opposite the train station… the one with the round balcony on the second floor like a sausage around it?” He asks. “We call it the ugliest building in Helsinki!”

According to our information, Helsinki Central Station was built in 1904, and its design was selected based on a competition. Of the 21 proposals received, the winner belonged to the architect Eliel Saarinen (whose son Eero continued to design the TWA airport center in the 1960s, which is still talked about today as a building comparable to Zaha Hadid’s modern building! ).

Eliel’s station design abandoned romanticism and nationalism for a practical, rational approach, which is significant because it paved the way for the Scandinavian design aesthetic as we know it today.

Four Oscar Award-like statues wear soccer jerseys on important game days and masks during Covid, showing my guide my point: Finns are funny, not the cold, expressionless people they’re made out to be.

Unfortunately, the only ones who do not agree with me are the Finns themselves!

In the air

On the Finnair flight to Helsinki, I ran into a larger than usual number of Indian crew on the plane. Generally, foreign airlines employ two to three local crew per flight: one in First and Business Class, and the other two scattered in Economy. These people are supposed to help with announcements in Hindi or passengers who only speak Indian language, etc.

I’ve flown Finnair half a dozen times before, mostly from LAX to DEL trying to fly east and save 12 hours of travel time, but never before had I encountered an Indian crew. What had changed?

“You are right, we are all Indians,” my cabin crew told me. “The only Finnish crew are the pilots in the cockpit.”

Does this save you money? Perhaps the local Indian crew have lower wages than their European counterparts? And how does an Indian crew member repeat the Finnish experience that separates Finnair from Vistara or Air India?

I learned that Finnair introduced this in 2019 after successfully trying this experiment on “culturally sensitive routes” to Japan and Singapore. And on the flight, I saw the Indian staff handling the desi guests with ease: one gentleman wanted to video call his family to show off the light-hued, minimalist business class cabin and asked the flight attendant to say hello… “My daughter says you’re very beautiful,” he said to the crew member after hanging up, innocently , which only an Indian would understand.(I wonder how a European crew member would take it – certainly not with the humor I’m talking about.)

The Finnair employee I spoke with later had a completely different opinion: “We Finns are not as service-oriented as in other jobs. And we know that Indian customers expect high standards…”

Strike two! I still don’t agree.

Hey, good looking!

One walk through Helsinki’s design district can convince you that Nordic and Scandinavian design is simple, but wonderful.

You will be directed more than once to the Finnish designer Markmeko, whose circles and other geometric shapes have the power to eliminate excess forever. And among the local design shops, you’ll find the most future-oriented idea of ​​them all: flea market stores.

The center of Helsinki is full (no pun intended) of shops selling everything you loved before, from clothes to shoes, books, accessories and cutlery. These are not only a good deal, but a great deed in the name of sustainable living.

In Helsinki, many people overlook a visit to the botanical garden, which is also known as the city’s “central park”. Foraging in public spaces like these gardens is open to all and is the most underrated activity ever.

The most overrated thing is going to the sauna. Now, Finns longing for sunlight love sweating in saunas, which can be found around every corner. It is a social activity that is established and encouraged. We tried hot yoga in the sauna, and considering we’re from India, the whole workout wasn’t impressive. However, what was impressive was the social interaction provided by the sauna; hanging out with your clothes off is another mental barrier that is easily broken.

One thing that is only for the brave hearts in the sauna is diving into the freezing sea water. If cold water can stimulate the skin and the brain, seven dips later, I must be the smartest guy in the world!

A thing for defense

It is interesting to note that Helsinki is only two and a half hours behind India, in the same time zone as Istanbul and some Persian Gulf countries. While Finnair’s flight from Helsinki to Delhi used to take just six hours – one of the shortest to India from Europe – it now takes more than nine, as all aircraft must fly south below Ukraine and avoid Russia entirely.

When I was on my way back to India, I was tagging my checked luggage myself, I saw my Finnish guide helping another family nearby. The plane didn’t accept a 24kg bag, so our opinionated, expressionless Finnish friend repacked the Indian’s suitcase!

The next time I hear someone tell me that Finns are cold and not very expressive, I’ll think about this experience and know: these guys don’t know what they’re talking about!

**

Wander Boy says, “In the past when I was traveling abroad, I was often asked, ‘Which part of India are you from?'” Now I am asked, “Are you an Indian from India or elsewhere..?””

A business class seat that does not recline

Finnair debuted the long-awaited, first luxury aircraft in business class with its Airbus A350 aircraft just a few months ago.

Before launch, #AvGeeks were curious: how does a business class seat that doesn’t recline work? Was Scandinavian minimalist turning to Scandinavian thrift?

Turns out they haven’t had to sort. Because the new seat was a hit from the start. In light Nordic colors, the capsule seat may not have a recline, but it does have a rear leg support that bridges the gap between the seat and the footrest. For the backrest, the airline offers pillows that you can raise to sit and eat, curl up on the side while watching a movie, or slide down and put under your head for a good night’s sleep.

Most reviewers have said it’s almost like fitting yourself into a sofa, calling it a simple solution that no airline seat designer could have foreseen.

Unfortunately, Finnair doesn’t fly these planes to Mumbai or Delhi yet, but if you’re connected to the US, you have a good chance of getting one.

Follow @JamalShaikh on Instagram and Twitter

From HT Brunch 19.11.2022

Follow us at twitter.com/HTBrunch

Connect with us at facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch