NordenBladet – East or west? Tampere is divided by the 18-metre high rapids of Tammerkoski that run from north to south between lakes Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi. Many locals never actually change sides: if you were born on the east side, you might never move across the river. The same is true for the two leading ice hockey teams: if you were born into a family of Tappara supporters, you might never cheer on Ilves. In addition, there are also two slightly competing outdoor grocery markets to choose between – we will return to them a bit later.
The city centre is compact and easy to get to: hundreds of restaurants and special shops, large department stores, hotels, music venues, concert halls, theatres and cinemas are all within walking distance. More than just a commercial centre, the heart of Tampere is also home to tens of thousands of people, while several beautiful parks, restored old factory areas, the banks of the rapids and the many bridges crossing it join together to form a beautiful place. One of the biggest tourist attractions, Särkänniemi fun park with its 168-metre high Näsinneula observation tower, is also located right on the side of the city centre.
In the heart of the old town, massive red brick factory buildings rise directly from the foaming rapids on both sides of Tammerkoski. The renovated Finlayson textiles factory today houses various restaurants, cinemas, businesses and the editorial department of a local newspaper. New blocks of flats complement the area. On the eastern bank of the river, the large Tampella factory area has been converted to create a modern and extremely popular residential area with central boulevards, new blocks of flats and loft flats within renovated factory buildings.
If you like a lake or riverside view, you can choose from many of Tampere’s residential areas. The red brick blocks of flats near the Koskikeskus shopping centre provide one option and the brand-new Ratina area offers a view both to Lake Pyhäjärvi and to the backwaters of lower Tammerkoski. The Laukontori market place is right here and so are several restaurant boats that serve refreshments on the river banks on warm summer evenings. The city’s Central Square is just two blocks away from Laukontori. Most of the local traffic bus lines pass by the square which becomes the venue for a Central European style Christmas market during December.
The railway station used to mark the eastern city limits but times have changed: the emphasis is moving eastwards, partly because the east end of the main Hämeenkatu street has been converted to create a public transport lane and partly because of the increasing appeal of the Tulli commercial area to the east of the railway. Tullintori shopping centre can be found here, along with a new, 88-metre high hotel that combines locomotive halls from the 1870’s with a modern, black skyscraper. The campus of the University of Tampere and conference and concert hall Tampere-talo are right on the side of the Tulli area.
And the other marketplace? That’s called Tammelantori and it is considered by many to be the one and only: here you can still sense the old time marketplace atmosphere. Take a look at the massive red brick Aaltonen shoe factory on one side of the market square; it is a reminder of the times when Tampere was the shoemaking centre of Finland. Once you have bought all the vegetables and flowers you need, why not pull up a chair in the popular market cafe to catch up on gossip, or visit one of the many ethnic restaurants in the vicinity.
Photos: Tampere (Helena-Reet Ennet/NordenBladet) Source: Katariina Kallio/VisitTampere.fi
NordenBladet – On the 7th of November 2018 Vardar Eurus AS and minority shareholders of Nelja Energia as the sellers, and Eesti Energia AS’s fully owned subsidiary Enefit Green AS as the buyer, closed the transaction relating to the sales of 100% of the shares in Nelja Energa AS, a renewable energy producer and developer in the Baltic countries. Upon closing, Enefit Green AS, has paid the purchase consideration to the sellers and has been registered as the sole shareholder of Nelja Energia AS in the share register. The share purchase agreement relating to the transaction was signed in May 2018, and made public through a release to Oslo Stock Exchange the 29th of May 2018.
Vardar Eurus is owned 90 % by Vardar AS and 10 % by NEFCO. The sale is in line with the new owner strategy of Vardar, decided in October 2016, where the focus of Vardar is to be the development of hydropower and other energy operations in Norway.
Vardar has issued bonds listed on Oslo Stock Exchange, and has informed Nordic Trustee as an actor of the bondholders about the sale.
NordenBladet – I can say nothing but WOW! I am surprised myself that I undertook this “crazy” thing and carried out a tour of 12 days with children around almost all of Finland. The entire journey was even cooler than I could imagine. We witnessed and experienced so much that it is tricky to describe all of it at once. I could start a similar or even lengthier road trip this moment – and the same I can say about both my children. All the three of us are entirely superbly thrilled about the trip! It is so cool to be travelling with them, finding out new and exciting traits about their characters, listening to their ideas and plans for which the everyday schoolday, the extracurricular activities, the workday doesn’t usually leave that much space.
We started off on 20 October in the early morning. Viking XPRS departed at 07.00 from Tallinn and arrived at 09.30 in Helsinki. I bought two-way boat tickets already in August, the moment I stumbled upon the idea of travelling and also I thought that buying them early would entail a discount. I paid 157 EUR (tickets to and fro, vehicle, three passengers and a cabin), yet soon enough it turned out that the trip would be longer than initially planned and also that the tickets would be less expensive a week before the departure. So I annulled the previous tickets (I always purchase the 6 EUR insurance that enables me to cancel and/or change the tickets). I bought new tickets, this time one way tickets, so that the return wouldn’t be “an obligation”. A4 Seaside Standard cabin + car + 3 people, the sum total was 65 EUR. I always travel in a cabin since 2h30min aimlessly wandering in the boat would be very tiring for me and it seems a waste of time. The cabin gives you some privacy, is peaceful and adds the possibility to extend the morning sleep or also take a look into the subject of work.
At 09.30 we were in Helsinki in the harbor located at Katajanokanlaituri 8 and as the children wished we headed in the first place to Starbucks (Esplanadi 39, 00100 Helsinki) – when you exit the harbor and drive to Pohjoisesplanaadi Academic Bookstore (Akateeminen kirjakauppa) then it is in the same building. We ordered Grande Latte (5.10), Grande Strawberry Cream Frappuchino with whipped cream (5.50) and Grande Mango Frappuchino also with whipped cream (5.80).
Then I switched on my Garmin GPS. As I have a very old model then I prayed that it wouldn’t let us down during the travel, and we headed towards Nurmijärvi. (HERE you can read more about Klaukkala village and Nurmijärvi). We drove around in Nurmijärvi, and by the way we also visited Aleksis Kivi’s birthplace and memorial. Riipilä, Reuna, Klaukkala, Luhtajoki, Palojoki, Alhonniittu, Karhunkorpi, Raala, Jäniksenlinna, Nukari, Suomies, etc… all sweet small countryside places. The more up north, the more there are forests, the more meadows, and privacy.
Further on we drove through Hyvinkää and stopped in Riihimäki as we wished to pop into FLOW Kosmetiikka factory-store to see how the making of nature friendly soap is done in Finland. We had a box of “Elisheva & Shoshana” handmade luxury soaps in the car with us and I thought since we were already the neighbourhood then why not say hi to “colleagues” and find out more about their soap assortment. Unfortunately they were exactly on the same day away at a fair.
In Riihimäki we also decided to dine – for the great joy of the children in Hesburger. We ordered double cheese burger menu (Kerrosateria) 7.90, Megaburger 6.90, Cheese burger 2.60 and large French fries 2.70.
All full, our tiny car turned towards Hämeenlinna. We decided to visit Häme stronghold (Kustaa III:n katu 6, 13100 Hämeenlinna) on the banks of Vanajavesi lake, dating back to the Middle Ages, that is functioning now as a museum. Hämeenlinna is the oldest town is Finland’s mainland and until the 19th century among the most important towns in Finland. Hämeenlinna is the place where, provided a broader time schedule, one might spend days. The best known sightseeings in Hämeenlinna besides the Häme stronghold are the stronghold’s cannon museum, prison museum and Hämeenlinna art museum. By the way, this is also where the world renown composer Jean Sibelius was born and lived until the age of 20 – also the composer’s birthplace is open for tourists (Hallituskatu 11).
At around half past four we started off towards Tampere. It is 79km from Hämeenlinna to Tampere via E12 Road (around an hour driving). I drove without any stops directly to Tampere to manage to go to the Ilves SPA in the evening so that the children could go to bed at a normal time, since all of us had woken at 5 in the morning. The hotel SPA was sweet cozy and peaceful, besides us there were just two more people. After swimming and sauna Ivanka Shoshana started playing with the dearest toys taken along in her Pippi Longstocking rucksack, she told her Baby Alive doll and Penny Ling what she had seen during the day. Estella Elisheva was watching a video from Hans something in her cell phone while I briefly did some work in the computer. The hotel also did a surprise gift to us, the room service catered champagne, Karlfazer sweets, strawberries in chocolate and also beverage for the children. As I asked what all these were for, since we hadn’t ordered anything to the room, the maid announced that it was from the hotel to the VIP guests. 🙂 Nice! You don’t say – it made me feel delighted. Many thanks! Our room was high up and from the window there was a wonderful view. Starry Tampere is charming!
In the next blog post the day in Tampere and our journey to Vaasa!
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NordenBladet – Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway will be the godmother of the brand new Norwegian research ship “Crown Prince Haakon.” This was announced on Friday by the Director of the Norwegian Polar Institute, Ole Arve Misund to the Norwegian press.
The ship will be baptised by godmother Princess Ingrid Alexandra in the city of Tromsø, in northern Norway, on 17 November. During the ceremony, the Princess will be led by her father, Crown Prince Haakon, who has the ship named after him. Also, several guests from the Norwegian defence, parliament, government and prominent researches are invited.
When Princess Ingrid Alexandra baptises the ship, the traditional champagne bottle will be replaced by a big block of Norwegian polar ice. That was how Roald Amundsen baptised the ship “Maud “, which was Norway’s last special-purpose research vessel, in 1917, and named after Queen Maud. Queen Maud was Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s great-grandmother.
“This will be a joyful day for Norway as a polar nation. It is especially pleasing that the Princess will be godmother when the ship is called up after her father. The Royal Family has shown special interest in polar research for several generations”, said Misund to state TV, NRK. This will not be the first time that Princess Ingrid Alexandra baptises a ship. In 2015 she was godmother of the rescue boat “Elias”.
“Crown Prince Haakon” is Norway’s new flagship in polar research vessel; it has cost 1.4 billion NOK to build and has Tromsø as a home port. The in-depth research vessel has become one of the world’s most advanced ships, with both a helicopter hanger and remote controlled submarine as part of the standard equipment.
The ship has room for 35 researchers, which can work in twelve different laboratories throughout the year. Already, the ship has been on its first trip, in the sea between Svalbard and Greenland. The ceremony in Tromsø will be broadcast live on Norwegian TV, and Royal Central will keep you updated.
Featured image: The ship “Maud” (Anders Beer Wilse via Wikimedia Commons)
NordenBladet – The Danish Royal Court has released the programme for Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary’s official business visit to Rome, Italy from 6th November to 8th November. The tour will focus on solutions in health, climate change, water and energy, urbanisation and sustainable food production.
The headline for the Danish business promotion is “Italy – We Think Business” and will have the following sectoral traces: Healthcare, Urban & Cleantech, and Food & Beverages. The visit also aims at strengthening relations between Denmark and Italy and supporting the position of Danish companies in Italy.
For the first day of the visit, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary will be received by the Italian President Sergio Mattarella for lunch at the Palazzo del Quirinale presidential palace. Afterwards, the couple will visit the Terme Di Caracalla before attending the welcome reception with the Danish delegation.
On 7th November, the Crown Prince Couple will take part in an event marking the official beginning of the business visit. Crown Prince Frederik will make a speech. The Crown Prince Couple will then spend the morning apart. Crown Prince Frederik will open the seminar “Shaping the Future of Healthcare and Strategic Investments”, and he will also attend the seminars “Water: Efficiency and Revenue Streams” and “Catch up – the market is moving”. Crown Princess Mary will also attend three seminars: “Keynote: The Business of Denmark’s Green Transition”, “Ready for tomorrow’s consumers” and “The Transformation of Healthcare and Business Models of the Future”.
The couple will then meet again to attend a business launch with Danish companies. Afterwards, they will visit the panel debate “Outlook on the EU and the global industry agenda” and also participate in a cooking show with Danish and Italian chefs. They will have the opportunity to meet Danish companies in the food industry. The day will conclude with an official dinner.
On their last day in Rome, on 8th November, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary will be received in an audience by His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican. Crown Prince Frederik will then visit the Trevi Fountain and the aqueduct Acqua Vergine to focus on Urban & Cleantech. This official visit will conclude by a visit by the couple to the Hospital Bambino Gesu to meet some of the patients.
NordenBladet – On November 13th, Princess Marie will be the guest of honour at a dinner hosted by the Stop Wasting Food Movement. The international Stop Wasting Food Dinner will be hosted by Selina Juul and the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Denmark Henk Swarttouw and will focus on the fight against food waste. In addition to Princess Marie, guests will include the Danish Minister for Environment and Food Jakob Ellemann-Jensen and high-level leaders from organisations and businesses.
The hope is to make this dinner an annual tradition with a different embassy hosting each year, and the dinner’s primary focus is to give the inspiration to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 which is to halve the global food waste by 2030. The dinner will be a menu made out of surplus food and prepared by Dutch chef Lucas Jeffries – who works at the InStock restaurant which fights against food waste- and Danish chef Martin Jacobsen – who works at the Kadeau and the Nabo restaurants. The guests will have the opportunity to take the leftovers home in biodegradable boxes.
About hosting the dinner, Henk Swarttouw said: “During the last 10 years, the Danish consumers are starting to become aware of the gigantic food waste in Denmark, which annually reaches 700.000 tonnes. It’s also important to get all the decision makers onboard the agenda – and that is why we are hosting this dinner; to activate and inspire Denmark’s leading key stakeholders, who can anchor the agenda in their respective organisations and projects.“
Princess Marie has been focusing on the fight against food waste a lot in the past few years. This year alone, she helped launched new material focusing on food waste in schools, opened the first Too Good To Go store in Denmark, attended the World Food Summit of which she is the patron, visited the Danish Food Bank and hosted ten school children in her home to teach them about food waste.
About Princess Marie attending the dinner, Selina Juul – the founder of the Stop Wasting Food Movement and a member of the coalition fighting to achieve the UN goal – said: “We are very thankful that H.R.H. Princess Marie will participate in our dinner against food waste – and we are very delighted for the Princess’ enthusiasm in the fight against food waste. Earlier this year in Stop Wasting Food, we had honor and pleasure to prepare a lunch with focusing on food waste at the Princess’ own home together with the Princess, the Princess’ children, and ten school children.”
Featured image: Princess Marie (Screenshot DR1/ Fair Use)
NordenBladet – On Tuesday, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway attended the funeral of one of Norway’s greatest war heroes from the Second World War, Joachim Rønneberg. The funeral was held in clear, sunny weather in Aalesund in the western part of Norway where Rønneberg came from. Joachim was 99-years-old and died of old age at his local retirement home on 21 October. He leaves behind a nation’s gratitude, several children and grandchildren. His wife died in 2015.
His Royal Highness attended the funeral in his Navy uniform and was greeted on arrival by the priest who performed the funeral. Following a quick introduction to the Rønneberg family, the funeral began in the full church with the song “You Raise Me Up”.
Norway’s current Defence Chief, Håkon Bruun-Hanssen said: “He was a patriot, a true officer and a friend of the Norwegian defence”.
Minister of Finance, Siv Jensen also spoke in the funeral. She said: “When we say goodbye to Joachim Rønneberg today, we also take goodbye to a person completely out of the ordinary. Even though he would not be called a hero, it was exactly what he was; a hero who put others in front of himself all his life”.
Joachim Rønneberg, photo taken in earlier this year. Photo: Handout by Norwegian TV NRK on the occasion of the announcing of Rønneberg’s death.
Labour Party leader, Jonas Gahr Støre and Defence Minister, Frank Bakke-Jensen were also among those who praised the deceased resistance fighter.
Joachim Rønneberg (99), who was a member of Kompani Linge from 1941 to 1945, is best known for leading the famous heavy water operation at Vemork in February 1943. Operation Gunnerside resulted in Rønneberg and his soldiers placing explosive charges on the massive water electrolysis chambers of the Vemork plant. A Thompson submachine gun was purposely left behind to indicate that this was the work of British forces and not of the local resistance, to try to avoid reprisals.
The raid was considered successful. The entire inventory of heavy water produced during the German occupation, over 500 kg was destroyed along with equipment critical to the operation of the electrolysis chambers. Although 3,000 German soldiers were dispatched to search the area for the commandos, all of them escaped; five of them skied 400 kilometres to Sweden, two proceeded to Oslo where they assisted Milorg, and four remained in the region for further work with the resistance.
Rønneberg received several Norwegian and foreign awards, including the War Cross with Sword and the royal St. Olav Medal. The funeral was held at the expense of the state, as an honorary gift usually given to leading political leaders, politicians and soldiers.
Featured image: Joachim Rønneberg´s funeral (Press Office of the Norwegian office of war veterans from World War II)
NordenBladet – Crown Prince Haakon has spoken out for the first time since it was announced that his wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit is suffering from chronic pulmonary fibrosis. The Norwegian Crown Prince said that the couple has received a lot of support from the people and that it will help them in the future.
On Thursday, Crown Prince Haakon stepped out for the first time since the announcement of Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s disease, to visit a school and meet with the police at Søndre Nordstrand, Oslo. The Crown Prince was warmly welcomed with applause as he visited the school and learned more about the local community. Crown Princess Mette-Marit was also scheduled to attend, but her presence was cancelled the day before right after the announcement.
The day before, the Norwegian Royal Court announced that Crown Princess Mette-Marit had been diagnosed with chronic pulmonary fibrosis, “a lung disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred. This thickened, stiff tissue makes it more difficult for your lungs to work properly. As pulmonary fibrosis worsens, you become progressively more short of breath,” according to the Mayo Clinic. This disease will eventually limit the life of the Crown Princess. The illness has, however, been discovered in its early stages, and therefore, the Royal Court is “optimistic” about the prognosis.
During the visit on Thursday, Crown Prince Haakon made some remarks on his wife’s disease as he met up with the press after his visit. His Royal Highness said: “I find that there is a lot of support out there. It is very nice and good to take with us on the way forward. We have known about this for quite some time, so this is a situation that continues, as we have lived with it for some years already, but now we finally know a little more about the cause.
“I think it was right to tell about this at the current time, as the Crown Princess’ programme needs to be adjusted here and there once in a while, but I think we can manage.”
In the evening, the Crown Princess did join the others of the Norwegian Royal Family at a parliamentary dinner at the Royal Palace of Oslo.
NordenBladet – This year marks 200 years since Karl Johan became King of Norway and Sweden. This has been celebrated with significant events in both nations, now separated from each other, each having its own royal house. Although, both King Harald of Norway and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden descended from King Karl Johan. One of the very last events in celebrating Karl Johan is now taking place in November in Norway.
The Norwegian Royal Family has decided to end the Karl Johan anniversary with four lectures on the life of King Karl Johan. The lectures will be on Tuesdays in November at the Royal Palace in Oslo.
There will be a total of four lectures, and they are:
– Historian and Senior Europe Correspondent for Royal Central, Oskar Aanmoen will, on 6 November, talk about his last book, Karl Johan’s Coronation Journey in 1818.
– Historian Bård Frydelund, on 13 November, is to speak about Karl Johan as a strategist.
– Professor Emeritus Thomas Thiis-Evensen, will on Tuesday 20 November, talk about King Karl Johan and the heritage from Rome.
– Cultural historian Nina Høye, will, on Tuesday, 27 November, discuss the House of Bernadotte’s plans for royal homes in Christiania.
Those who visited the Royal Palace in Oslo this summer saw a brand new exhibition on King Karl Johan in the main rooms of the palace. The original uniform Karl Johan wore during the coronation in 1818 was exhibited together with Karl Johan’s bed as he used during his visits to Oslo during his reign and some of his personal belongings.
King Karl Johan (1763-1818-1844), originally Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, was born in the south of France and became a soldier 17-years-old. In 1810 there was a political and constitutional crisis in Sweden. The Riksdag chose Jean Baptiste Bernadotte to be King Carl XIII’s successor. It happened in Örebro in August 1810.
Karl Johan had to go to war in Norway in 1814 to get Norway to accept the union. After a short military campaign, the convention in Moss was signed, and on 4 November 1814 Carl Johan’s adoptive father, Carl XIII, was elected Norwegian King as King Carl II. Carl II died in 1818, and his adoptive son became King of Norway and Sweden.
On August, His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf and Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden attended a seminar at Ørebro Castle in Sweden in connection with the 200th anniversary of King Karl Johan’s ascension to the throne. The workshop “The Coronation year of 1818” was held in the main hall at Ørebro Castle in Sweden. The guests where mainly historians and politicians from the Nordic countries as well as Russia, France and Great Britain.
Royal Central’s Senior Europe Correspondent, Oskar Aanmoen has published his book this autumn about King Karl Johan’s journey in Norway in 1818. He had the honour to hand over a copy of the book to Their Majesties the King and Queen when they left the castle. Aanmoen describes the royals as “very nice and warm people who showed great interest in the book”.
Featured image: King Karl Johan (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)
NordenBladet – It was during the annual solemn parliament dinner, held at the Royal Palace yesterday, that King Harald of Norway spoke about both gender equality and the #MeToo movement.
His Majesty spoke about the historical high gender equality in Norway, and said:
“This year’s dinner is actually historic: Never before have we had women cover the positions of Parliament President, Supreme Court Justice and Prime Minister. Times are changing. For the better, many will rightly claim. I feel that I am in the right place. In addition, when I am surrounded by both the Queen and the Crown Princess, I find myself in the middle of the gold.”
His Majesty also addressed the #MeToo campaign. The King said:
“The year that has passed since we met last time, has, in various ways, been characterised by change. Stories and special women’s revealing stories – not only in Norway but over much of the world – have been told, and we have listened. That some people have the courage to show their most vulnerable experiences, creates room for reflection. I am touched by all of the stories.
“Stories of abuse of power and lack of respect awaken all of us. To go into ourselves. To learn. To be better people.”
It is Their Majesties the King and Queen who, once every year, receive the parliament representatives for a dinner at the Royal Palace. This is a tradition dating back over 100 years. The dinner was established as a permanent tradition by King Haakon in 1906. The dinner has been held every year – except for the years during World War II and when major maintenance work at the palace made it impossible.
The Palace’s own gardeners and flower decorators are responsible for the table decorations. Photo: Kjartan Hauglid, The Royal Court.
During the dinner this year the menu consisted of the following:
Starter: Halibut with roe, artichoke, cucumber and hazelnut milk.
First main course: Crayfish Taco with pickled vegetables and marinated tomatoes.
Second main course: Moose from Sikkilsdalen, served with onion, thyme, rutabaga, grilled pear with a sauce of cranberries
Dessert: Warm apple pie with room and rosins.
Featured image: The large dining room is used during the parliamentary dinner. Photo: Kjartan Hauglid, Det kongelige hoff / The Royal Court
