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Tunnels. Helsinki is built on a rocky cape and it's good digging ground. Metro, maintenance, utilities, waste management, shopping, parking and so on. Every hospital is connected with each other with underground tunnels so you can transfer patients and organs or whatever never surfacing and caring about traffic. Most of the electricity and water lines are in tunnels you can drive and walk in, makes reparations easier. Also the coal of the city coal plant is stashed underground and shipped by truck to the ground.
WOW!
Slightly off-topic: I read that Swedes have a fear of Russia, obviously dating back to when Russia invaded and waged war. I'm curious, is this an exaggeration, to say that they still fear Russia? I can't imagine. Or maybe it's more like a subconscious fear? I don't think Sweden has anything to worry about. Nor Finland.
Everyone knows All North West Russia have a good shopping there every weekend
"All NW Russia?" You mean, the few who can afford it, right? My friends from Russia can't even afford to buy in the cheapest stores in the US. I can't imagine very many people can afford to pay "Scandinavian" (N. European) prices for anything, in addition to the round-trip train fare.
Welcome, Novgorod, btw. I love the Novgorod/Pskov area! You're fortunate to live there.
"All NW Russia?" You mean, the few who can afford it, right? My friends from Russia can't even afford to buy in the cheapest stores in the US. I can't imagine very many people can afford to pay "Scandinavian" (N. European) prices for anything, in addition to the round-trip train fare.
Yes that is exactly what I thought. Unless there are some special stores that are targeted towards russian customers (low prices).
Slightly off-topic: I read that Swedes have a fear of Russia, obviously dating back to when Russia invaded and waged war. I'm curious, is this an exaggeration, to say that they still fear Russia? I can't imagine. Or maybe it's more like a subconscious fear? I don't think Sweden has anything to worry about. Nor Finland.
I haven't heard of such fears or sentiment. I think most Swedes are mostly worried of the international stage and the development in Russia.
Neither do I think that many in Finland are scared of an possible attack or fear Russia, though the tabloids sometimes do a bit of fearmongering to sell more. But I do think the Ukrainian crisis has been an eyeopener for many, and the military is definitely monitoring Russia more than ever since the Cold War.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth
"All NW Russia?" You mean, the few who can afford it, right? My friends from Russia can't even afford to buy in the cheapest stores in the US. I can't imagine very many people can afford to pay "Scandinavian" (N. European) prices for anything, in addition to the round-trip train fare.
No no, the "few who afford" go to Helsinki and hit designer shops and sleep in luxury hotels. The vast majority of poor/middle class people come by their 90's Ladas, browse supermarkets in border towns and sleep in 1 star motels or even tents in summer. Then they buy a 3 month's worth of cheese, fish, butter and canned food. Though they are pricy, most Russians say that the quality is why they come, and say Finnish tools, household goods and like garden things are vastly superior. For some reason they mention fish as being really good. Some offload a few cartons of Russian cigarettes and buy things with the profits. Lappeenranta is just 20 km from the border, so you don't even have to spend the night there if you're from Vyborg or something.
Even those who are maybe lower middle class, may do a Christmas trip to Helsinki, and that's the only time they go abroad every year. I don't know a damn what an average St. Petersburgian earns, but if you take the 6am train, it's €39 one way. I don't think that's too much once or twice a year. And if you take the train and register, you don't need a visa anymore if you stay less than 72 hours.
I don't know what a carton of American cigarettes cost in Russia, maybe €8? If you take one and your wife one, which you are legally allowed to bring, you can sell them to anyone on the street for €30. Voilà , one train fare covered.
And for young women there is always a possibility to make money here another way. Not that I think many tourists even consider this.
"All NW Russia?" You mean, the few who can afford it, right? My friends from Russia can't even afford to buy in the cheapest stores in the US. I can't imagine very many people can afford to pay "Scandinavian" (N. European) prices for anything, in addition to the round-trip train fare.
Welcome, Novgorod, btw. I love the Novgorod/Pskov area! You're fortunate to live there.
We have spacial sopping bus trips to Finland from our city. I can't say about US i just don't know pricies but lots of my friends go to Finland even for skiing!
I'm glad you've been in our city
I haven't heard of such fears or sentiment. I think most Swedes are mostly worried of the international stage and the development in Russia.
Neither do I think that many in Finland are scared of an possible attack or fear Russia, though the tabloids sometimes do a bit of fearmongering to sell more. But I do think the Ukrainian crisis has been an eyeopener for many, and the military is definitely monitoring Russia more than ever since the Cold War.
No no, the "few who afford" go to Helsinki and hit designer shops and sleep in luxury hotels. The vast majority of poor/middle class people come by their 90's Ladas, browse supermarkets in border towns and sleep in 1 star motels or even tents in summer. Then they buy a 3 month's worth of cheese, fish, butter and canned food. Though they are pricy, most Russians say that the quality is why they come, and say Finnish tools, household goods and like garden things are vastly superior. For some reason they mention fish as being really good. Some offload a few cartons of Russian cigarettes and buy things with the profits. Lappeenranta is just 20 km from the border, so you don't even have to spend the night there if you're from Vyborg or something.
Even those who are maybe lower middle class, may do a Christmas trip to Helsinki, and that's the only time they go abroad every year. I don't know a damn what an average St. Petersburgian earns, but if you take the 6am train, it's €39 one way. I don't think that's too much once or twice a year. And if you take the train and register, you don't need a visa anymore if you stay less than 72 hours.
I don't know what a carton of American cigarettes cost in Russia, maybe €8? If you take one and your wife one, which you are legally allowed to bring, you can sell them to anyone on the street for €30. Voilà , one train fare covered.
And for young women there is always a possibility to make money here another way. Not that I think many tourists even consider this.
A carton of "American" cigarettes made in Russia cost about €12.
Last edited by williams_13; 11-04-2014 at 04:13 PM..
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All North West Russia have a good shopping there every weekend
