Hockey tickets for sale

The eagerly awaited single tickets for the 2013 Ice Hockey World Championship games in Helsinki will go on sale next Monday, February 4th. Ticket prices for adults start at 10 euros. 16 joukkuetta will be playing in Stockholm and Helsinki, and all the semi-finals and medal matches take place in Stockholm. Whether there at the stadium or at home in front of a television set - let's play hockey!

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary 
aikuisille = täiskasvanutel = for adults
ensi maanantaina =järgmisel esmaspäeval = next Monday
helmikuun 4., 4. helmikuuta = 4. veebruar = February 4th 
joukkue = meeskond = team
jääkiekko,"lätkä" = jäähoki, hoki = icehockey, hockey
Kansainvälinen jääkiekkoliitto = Rahvusvaheline Jäähokiliit = International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)
kuusitoista = kuusteist = sixteen
kuusitoista joukkuetta = kuusteist meeskonda = sixteen teams
lippujen hinnat = piletihinnad = ticket prices
maailmanmestaruuskisat = maailmameistrivõistlused = world championships
mitaliottelut = pronksimäng+finaal = medal matches
myynnissä, myytävänä = müüdav = on sale, for sale
neljäs = neljas = fourth
semifinaalit = poolfinaalid = semifinals
stadionilla = staadionil = at the stadium
Tukholma = Stockholm = Stockholm
tulla myyntiin = saada müügiks = to go on sale
yksittäisliput = üksikpiletid = single tickets

IIHF World Champions 2012: Russia

Tallinn Elephants

If you ever visit Tallinn Zoo, be sure to see the elephants there! The Estonian Postimees wrote the other day about how they are doing now wintertime with the headline "Päike meelitas elevandid lumisele jalutuskäigule" - the sun tempted elephants to take a snowy stroll. The elephants there do have quite a large area to walk around. 

The article tells first about the zoo getting ready for the cold front by improving upon the old buildings, filling up slots and cracks. And on Thursday with the sun coming out, all of the zoo's three African elephants took a walk in the sunny yard!  

"Neljapäeval Tallinnas siranud päike ja parajalt mõnus kargus meelitasid aga õuejalutuskäigule kõik kolm loomaaia aafrika elevanti. Isegi Draay, kes sageli uste vahel iseloomu näitab, marssis kenasti aediku lumesillerdusse."

PS. If any of you readers have an idea what "lumesillerdusse"means here, please leave a comment.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary 
aurinko= päike = sun
eläintarha = loomaaed = zoo
halkeama, repeytymä = pragu = crack, slit, rift
hohtaa, loistaa = sirada, särada = to shine
houkutella= meelitada = to tempt
jopa = isegi = even
kaikki kolme = kõik kolm = all three
kylmäaalto = külmalaine = cold front
lumikävely = lumine jalutuskäik = snowy walk/stroll
luonne = iseloom = character, personality
melko, aika = parajalt = quite, fairly
norsu, elefantti = elevant = elephant
nätisti = kenasti = prettily
piha = õu = yard
rakentaa = ehitada = to build
rako = pilu = slot
raot ja halkeamat  = pilud ja praod = slots and cracks
riistanhoitaja = ulukihooldaja = gamekeeper 
ruskohyeena = (pruun-)vööthüään = brown hyena
torstai = neljapäev = Thursday
tukkia kiinni = kinni toppida = to tug, jam 
varasto = ladu = storage, depot
viikonloppu = nädalavahetus = weekend
vähän väliä = sageli = frequently, every now and then
yhä vielä = seni veel = still yet

Finnkino in Helsinki

Finnkino Kaisaniemi

Finnkino is a Finnish  film distributor and  the biggest  movie theater chain in Finland. It has e.g.  a 14 theater multiplex at Tennispalatsi (situated opposite Kauppakeskus Kamppi), and the biggest screen there is among the largest in Europe. Joka perjantai you have a chance to catch a  new movie. It is always a hea mõte to book tickets in advance -  remember that tickets are cheaper for daytime shows. Also worth mentioning is the fact that - except for children's films - foreign films are not dubbed, but have subtitles (in Finnish and Swedish). The popular Finnish word for movie - leffa - comes by the way from the archaic Swedish "lefvande bilder" which means living pictures. The same idea is in the Finnish elokuva which is short for elävä kuva (living picture). So, let's liven up and lähdetään leffaan!

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary 
dubattu = dubleeritud = dubbed
elokuva, filmi, leffa = film, kinopilt = movie, film
elokuvateatteri = kino = movie theater, cinema
elokuvissakävijä = kinokülastaja = moviegoer, cinemagoer
elävöityä, piristyä = elustuda = to liven up, cheer up
hyvä idea = hea mõte = a good idea
joka perjantai, perjantaisin = iga reede, reedeti = every Friday, on Fridays
leffalippu = kinopilet = movie ticket
Lähdetään leffaan! = Lähme kinno! = Let's go to the movies!
päivänäytös = päeva etendus = daytime show
suurin Euroopassa = suurim Euroopas = the largest in Europe
tekstitys = subtiitrid = subtitles
ulkomaiset elokuvat = välismaised filmid = foreign films
valkokangas = ekraan = projection screen
varata liput = pileteid broneerida = to book tickets
vastapäätä = vastas = opposite

Helsinki-Tallinn by ferry

There are four ferry companies that operate the Helsinki-Tallinn line (click at the links below to check their online pages):

                     Helsingin satama  Tallinna sadam
Eckerö Line - Länsiterminaali ......... A-terminal
Linda Line   - Makasiiniterminaali - Patarei sadam
Tallink         - Länsiterminaali ......... D-terminal
Viking Line  - Katajanokka ...............A-terminal

Each have their pros and cons, and the competition between the companies can be quite intense. But competition is of course a good thing from the customer's point of view, and the several alternatives to combine trips to and from the two cities makes for a more flexible aikataulu for the individual customer. Then as a passenger you just need to remember which sadam to leave from as there are the three harbors in both Helsinki and Tallinn. Noteworthy also is that Linda Line's traffic depends heavily on weather. The distance between the two cities? 84 kilometers, i.e. 52 miles. Hyvää matkaa!

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary 
aikataulu = sõiduplaan = timetable
asiakkaan näkökulmasta = kliendi jaoks = from the customer's point of view
hyvät ja huonot puolet = argumendid poolt ja vastu = pros and cons
kilpailu = konkurents = competition
laivat liikennöivät säävarauksella = laevade väljumised sõltuvad ilmastikust = traffic depends on weather
Länsiterminaali = Lääneterminal = West Harbor
satama = sadam = harbor
säävarauksella = soodsa ilma puhul = weather permitting
useita vaihtoehtoja = mitu võimalust = several alternatives
välimatka, etäisyys = kaugus, distants = distance

Silja Europa to Helsinki-Tallinn route

Muutama viikko after the entrance of Eckerö Line's M/S Finlandia, a new ferry enters the Helsinki West Harbor as Silja Europa and Baltic Princess swap routes at Tallink Silja. With the bigger Silja Europa the Tallink cruise passengers are in for a new experience! It is bigger, but is it better? Some will definitely say so. But as you know, there is no accounting for taste. 

So what will you say - try and see for yourself! The ship sails out like always daily at 6.30 p.m. and takes you back to Helsinki at 4.30 p.m. the following day. And as always, you have a few hours to spend in Tallinn as well. Head reisi!

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary 
elämys = elamus = experience
Hyvää matkaa! = Head reisi! = Have a pleasant journey!
kuten aina = nagu alati = as always, like always
kuten tiedät = nagu sa tead = as you know
laiva = laev = ship, ferry
makuasioista ei sovi kiistellä = maitse üle ei vaielda = there is no accounting for taste
muutama viikko = mõned nädalat = a few weeks
Onko se parempi? = Kas see on rohkem? = Is it better?
päivittäin, joka päivä = iga päev = daily
reitti = marsruut = route
risteily = ristlus = cruise
risteilyalus, risteilijä = ristluslaev, ristleja = cruise ship, cruiser
risteilymatkustaja, risteilijä = ristlusreisija = cruise passenger
Se on suurempi/isompi = See on suurem =  It is bigger
vaihtaa = vahetada = to swap

Copterline

You have three major options to get from Helsinki to Tallinn and vice versa: on board one of the ferries, by plane or by - helicopter! Copterline is the only company that offers that option, not all the time though. Next available lento won't probably be before this summer. Anyway, the flight itself takes usually only 18 minutes. The company operates a brand new Agusta Westland 139. And what about the cost? The fares (2012 prices) start from 129 euros for a ühe suuna sõit, and a round trip from 258 euros. For flexible departures you need to rohkem maksma.

So if you really want to treat yourself and others to something special, kenties Copterline is something to think about. At least one way. The Helsinki heliport  is  at Hernesaari (bus 14 from Kamppi), and in Tallinn the choppers land and take off at Linnahall heliport.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary 
ainakin = vähemalt = at least
ainoa yritys = ainuke ettevõte = the only company
ennen kesää = enne suve = before the summer
helikopteri = helikopter, kopter = helicopter, chopper
joustava = järeleandlik = flexible
kenties = võib-olla = perhaps
lento = lend = flight
lentokone = lennuk = plane, airplane
luultavasti, todennäköisesti = arvatavasti, tõenäoliselt = probably
lähtö = väljumine = departure
maksaa enemmän = rohkem maksta (maksma=another form) = to pay more
menopaluumatka, edestakainen matka = edasi-tagasi sõit = a round trip
päinvastoin = ümberpöördult, vastupidi = vice versa
vaihtoehto = valik, optsioon = option
yhdensuuntainen matka = ühe suuna sõit = a one way trip

Two tea to 32

Not in Finland, nor in Estonia...

Let's go berserk here for a while - languagewise! There are quite a few words in Finnish and Estonian that are similar, but mean entirely different things. Home in English is a sweet thing, but pretty bad in Finnish. You do not want to have home in your home, neither do you want to have hallitus - though from the democratic point of view it might be a good thing. It is also good to have koristaja, especially Xstmas time - either cleaning up the house, or decorating the tree! What you don't want to have is a home in the middle of a  tee, or tees too near your home, but instead a nice cup of tee before going to töö. That brings to mind that you may want to pronounce "two tea to 32" a little better than this. Hope you derived some huvi out of this all - or had some in it... 

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary  
hallitus = valitsus = government
home = hallitus = mould
huvi = lõbustus, meelelahutus = amusement, enjoyment
koristaja = dekoraator = decorator
koti = kodu = home
mennä hulluksi = hulluks minna = to go berserk
mielenkiinto = huvi = interest (in something)
siivooja = koristaja = cleaner
tee = tee = tea
tie = tee = road
tii = tii = tee
työ = töö = work

Eckerö Line's new ferry

The Finnish based Eckerö Line is one among the few ferry companies arranging transportation between Helsinki and Tallinn, in this case between Länsiterminaali in Helsinki and the A-terminal in Tallinn. The company has recently acquired a new ferry on the route, M/S Finlandia which makes the trip in two and a half hours (instead of the earlier 3.5h). If you think it resembles  Tallink's Superstar, sul on täiesti õigus: the two ships are sister ships - Superstar built in Italy in 2007 and Finlandia in South Korea in 2001 (overhauled in Sweden last year). To confuse you even more, the earlier ferry called M/S Finlandia is the now St. Peter Line owned M/S Princess Maria, which used to sail under the name Finlandia between  Helsinki and Stockholm before Silja Serenade and Silja Symphony took over in the early 90's. To clear any confusion about ship names, ownerships and history, we have the IMO-ship identification system. Anyway, this new ferry is a welcome addition to the busy route between the two cities. So however you get there - enjoy your trip!

PS. Next ferry you can read about in this blog will be M/S Silja Europa, which will be cruising between Helsinki and Tallinn under the name Tallink Europa - jo tässä kuussa!

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary 
entisestään = veelgi = even more
hämmennys, sekaannus = hämmeldus, segadus = confusion

jo tässä kuussa = juba sel kuul = already this month
joka tapauksessa = igal juhul = anyway, in any case
laiva = laev = ship, ferry
laivayhtiö = laevandusettevõte= ferry company
olet aivan oikeassa = sul on täiesti õigus = you are quite right
omistajuus = omandus = ownership
näiden kahden kaupungin välillä = nende kahe linna vahel = between the two cities
peruskorjattu = kapitaalremonditud = overhauled, completely renovated
reitti = marsruut = route
sisaralus = sõsarlaev = sister ship
tervetullut lisä = teretulnud täiendus = a welcome addition
tässä tapauksessa = sel juhul = in this case
vilkas reitti = a busy route
vilkasliikenteinen = elava liiklusega = with busy traffic

Free rides, for real!

As of January 1st, anyone with a registered Tallinn address can purchase a personalized fare card called "ühiskaart" that will allow them free use of the city's buses, trams, and trolleys. According to Tallinna linnapea Edgar Savisaar this will make the Estonian pealinn the flagship of the green movement in Europe as many car drivers are now tempted to switch to ühiskondlik transport.

Tallinn is however not the esimene linn to have free public transportation. Hasselt in Belgium has it since 1996 - even for tourists! Which Üllar Luup in Postimees was quick to point out last year. Alas, as a tourist in Tallinn you still have to pay the appropriate fare - unless you want to risk paying the trahv. For non-residents, a day pass costs 3 euros and a 3-day pass 5. Well, at least those passes are pretty cheap... You can purchase them at any R-kiosk or through the internet. And Tallinners: Congratulations!

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary 
autoilija = autojuht = car driver
ensimmäinen kaupunki = esimene linn = first city
ilmainen = tasuta = free (of charge)
julkinen liikenne = ühiskondlik transport = public transportation
kaupunginjohtaja, pormestari = meer, linnapea = mayor
lippulaiva = lipulaev = flagship
matkakortti = ühiskaart = fare card
paikkakuntalainen = elanik = resident
pääkaupunki = pealinn = capital 
sakko = trahv = fine 
taksa = sõiduraha = fare
vihreä liike = roheline liikumine = green movement
voimassa yhden tunnin = kehtiv ühe tunni jooksul = valid for one hour
yhden vuorokauden lippu = ühe päeva kaart = a  day pass

The Trams of Tallinn

Ever take a tram ride in Tallinn? Trams are not nearly as predominant there as in Helsinki city traffic, but there are actually four trammiliinid in Tallinn. Purchase your sõidupilet in advance (e.g. at R-kiosk) and then stamp it in the ticket machine aboard - or get a Tallinn Card. Here below are the routes with some additional information, but before all that, why not take a virtual ride on tram #2!

1 Kopli-Balti jaam-Kadriorg
2 Kopli-Balti jaam-Tallinna bussijaam-Sikupilli-Ülemiste
3 Tondi-Vabaduse väljak-Kadriorg
4 Tondi-Vabaduse väljak-Tallinna bussijaam-Sikupilli-Ülemiste

Lines 1 and 2 go between east and west, and 3 and 4 from north to south, more or less. They all traverse through the city center near Viru keskus. Anything to see in Kopli or Tondi? Well, there is now an interesting place called Lennusadam (not to be confused with Lennujaam) at Kopli - the Seaplane Harbour well worth your time and money! Or you could just take any of these trams for the scenery, and maybe some off center grocery shopping, especially summertime. And then of course near the lines 1 and 3 end station Kadriorg you have the beautiful Kadriorg Palace!
Also, if you are heading for Pärnu or some other city in Estonia, and need to find the (recently renewed) Tallinna bussijaam, tram 2 or 4 will take you there. Tram 1 and 2 towards Kopli will take you to the main railway station in Tallinn, Balti jaam. 

The Tallinna trams are pretty old, but there will be brand new wagons on line 4 in a couple of years (ca  2014). And the older ones do carry a certain charm.

If you know enough  Finnish, here is some more reading on Tallinn trams: Matkalla Maailmalla-sivuston juttu Ratikkaretkellä Tallinnassa,  and here an excellent article by Helsingin Sanomat (Nov 2012).

PS. This blog will be publishing articles on Tallinn bus, trolleybus and train services as well. Finally, here is the link for Tallinna sõiduplaanid.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary 
hiljattain uudistettu = hiljuti uuenenud = recently renewed
idästä länteen = idast lääne suunas = from east to west
kaupunkiliikenne = linnaliiklus = city traffic
lento-asema = lennujaam = airport
linja-autoasema = bussijaam = bus station
maisema = maasikupilt, maastikuline ilme = scenery
matkalippu = sõidupilet = ticket
matkalla = teel = heading for, on your way to
ostaa ennakkoon = ette osta = to buy in advance
pohjoisesta etelään = põhjast lõuna suunas = from north to south
raitiovaunu, ratikka, spora = tramm = tram
ratikalla = trammiga = by tram
ratikkalinja = trammiliin = tramway
ruokaostokset = toiduostude tegemine = grocery shopping
Tallinnan reittiopas = Tallinna sõiduplaanid = Tallinna route planner 

Updated 2.2.2013

Friday Phrase 10

The German composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883) once said: Joy is not in things; it is in us. In the Finnish translation of it "Ilo ei asu tavaroissa, se on meissä", the verb asua emphasizes the source of joy not being in tangible things but the intangibleness, i.e. the spirit of human beings. Rõõm pole asjades, vaid meis endis.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
aineeton = puudutamatu = intangible
asia = asi = thing
asua, olla = olla = to be, reside
ei ole = pole = is not
ilo = rõõm = joy
Ilo ei asu tavaroissa, se on meissä = Rõõm pole asjades, vaid meis end= Joy is not in things; it is in us
kouraantuntuva = käegakatsutav, konkreetne = tangible
käännös = tõlge = translation
lähde = allikas = source
meissä itsessämme = meis endis = in us, within us
säveltäjä = helilooja, komponist = composer
tavara, esine = asi, ese = thing