Foreign Minister Soini opens Finland 100 gala concert in Berlin

By

-

November 27, 2017

NordenBladet — On Monday 27 November, Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini will visit Berlin, where he will hold a keynote speech at a gala concert in honour of the centenary of Finland’s independence, which will be held at the Berliner Philharmonie concert hall. Former President of Germany Horst Köhler will address the audience on behalf of the Government of Germany.

The gala concert will present the most wide-ranging mix of different types of Finnish music from classical folk music to jazz and modern music ever presented abroad. The composers of the music from different periods of time are all Finnish and the music will be performed by internationally renowned Finnish musicians living and working in Germany.

The concert and the reception afterwards are organised by the Embassy of Finland in Germany in collaboration with Finnish companies.

During his visit to Berlin, Minister Soini will also meet representatives of Finnish and German media.

Source: Finland.ee
Find us also on Twitter: @NordenBladet

Finland’s #checkout247 live broadcast to reveal glorious tedium of a supermarket checkout

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

November 27, 2017

NordenBladet — Far from boring, this phenomenon that makes the mundane mindful is now going global. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland is launching a slow-TV phenomenon, with a 12-hour-long livestream of unedited footage of the checkout counter of a supermarket.

The live footage of #checkout247 will be aired on ThisisFINLAND’s Facebook page starting December 5th at 2 pm GMT, on the eve of Finland’s 100th Independence Day, and ending at 2 am GMT on Independence Day itself. Thousands of shoppers are expected to pop into their local 24/7 supermarket for last-minute holiday treats.

The camera will be fixed on the conveyor belt of Prisma Kaari, the biggest supermarket in Helsinki, revealing what shoppers have put in their baskets, but not showing the shoppers themselves.

Viewers will be able to take part in the Finnish shopping experience by commenting on Finland’s official Facebook and Twitter channels (www.facebook.com/thisisfinlandFB/ and www.twitter.com/thisisFINLAND) using the hashtag #checkout247.

Slow TV has experienced a major renaissance in recent years, with films showing everything from knitting to log fires on TV or online streaming services.

“There’s something spellbinding about a conveyor belt and other people’s groceries,” says Petra Theman, Director of the Unit for Public Diplomacy at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

“On the eve of Finland’s centenary, we wanted to create a moment of togetherness, a global broadcast open to participation from all over the world. At the same time we are revealing the glorious tedium of Finnish everyday life and eating habits. We claim that the everyday life in Finland is the best in the world, and that’s what we aim to show – this time through grocery shopping. This is mindfulness at its best and funniest.”

The supermarket concern S Group streamed similar footage of Finns shopping last summer. The livestream became an instant hit, with more than a million Facebook video views, including tens of thousands of comments during the live event, in a country of 5.5 million people.

This time around, viewers of the live #checkout247 broadcast will also see a rolling feed of quirky facts about Finnish food and lifestyle, provided by, among others, the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners.

“Our customers loved the first livestream last summer, so we wanted to make our second run even bigger and better and reach a global audience,” says Anne Sassi-Leivonen, Director of Publishing at S Group.

Source: Finland.ee
Find us also on Twitter: @NordenBladet

Israeli travel blog: Masada – the famous Jewish symbol of resistance to the Roman occupation

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

November 25, 2017

NordenBladet – while getting to know the Israeli sightseeings, I recommend paying a visit to Masada – the Jewish symbol for liberty and hope. In my previous blog I cast a look at Qumran, and today I take a glimpse at Masada, which is one of the best known Jewish symbols of rebellion against the Roman authority.

Masada is located in the southwestern top of the Dead Sea and it is a settlement on a rock 400m above the sea level, with a territory of 550 times 270 square meters. The fortified settlement was founded in the first century B.C. by Jannae Alexander. It was conquered by king Herod who also founded the fortress on the mountain between the years 37 and 31 B.C.

There are two options for reaching Masada. Either it is with a guide in the early morning, climbing the hill along a turning pathway, or like we did – also with a guide, but during daytime and using a special elevator. We had the wonderful guide Lilach Arad (Galey Kineret Tours) with us, who in a fascinating manner explained the historic events, the biographies and the daily lives of people and the stories of the buildings. I certainly recommend taking with you at least 2 litres of drinking water when getting up the hill, and not to forget to take along headgear against direct sunlight – the heat is unprecedented!

Let me also add a few words about the history of Masada. In the year 67 A.D. the Sicarii, the Jewish rebels, subdued the Masada Roman garnison and conquered the fortress. The rebels from Jerusalem joined them after the capture of the Second Temple in the year 70 A.D. in 73 A.D. the fortress was attacked by the Roman governer Lucius Flavius Silva of Judea as lead of the Legio X Fretensis. They surrounded the fortress and erected a ramp to the western wall. After the completion of the ramp and three months of struggle the Romans succeeded to break through the fortress wall on 16 April 73. It was only after the conquest that the Romans discovered that the fortress had been abandoned and all the inhabitants, 960 people – men, women and chidren, had committed suicide. Just two women and five children had survived.

The stronghold accommodated the inhabitants living rooms, dining rooms and bathing area. There was a water reservoir originating from the mountains, founded in the cave. While seated on the ruins of the Masada synagogue we contemplated on the braveness of those thousands of rebels that gave their lives in the struggle against the Roman power. The journey up the hill in the heat of 30 degrees celsius was toilsome, yet worth the effort, I had the feeling as if I had traveled in time backwards two thousand years – the ruins were preserved that well. The place is definitely worth visiting and it is a sign that life goes on – millennia later Masada is visited by local people as well as the Jews who have settled abroad, and also numerous tourists all over the world.

Text and travel photos: Helena-Reet Ennet

Helena-Reet: General information for the state of Israel + TRAVEL PHOTOS!

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

November 23, 2017

NordenBladet – Israel is a small Jewish state on Mediterranean coast, with a small window on the Red Sea. Israel’s neighbors are Egypt and the Gaza Strip in the southwest, Jordan and the West Bank in the east, and Syria and Lebanon in the north. Israel is a densely urbanized and economically developed society, and therefore it is most convenient for the passenger to distribute it by city, which also includes regions and other places. For a better understanding of Israel, I will give you a brief summary (translation from Estonian) of the Germalo tour operator’s newsletter.

General information for the state of Israel
National government: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Jerusalem
Money: New Israeli Seekel, NIS is an abbreviation, ILS is International abbreviation
Time: UTC + 2 hours, same with Estonia.
Summertime / witertime: 1 hour, starts last Friday in March, ends on Saturday between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur holidays
Language: Hebrew (Official)
Population: 6,426,679 (including 187,000 Iiraels in the West Bank and 20,000 Israeli conquered Golan uplands and up to 177,000 in East Jerusalem, as of July 2007).
Electricity: The electrical voltages are 220V and 50 Hz.
Area: 20 770 km2
Highest point: Har Meron 1208m
The lowest point: Dead Sea – 408m

History
After World War II, the British took their troops out of Palestine and the United Nations shared the region with the Arabs and Jews, which the Arabs did not embrace. Israel’s Arabs neighbours conquered areas in the hope of restoring the borders that were the Ottoman Empire. The Israelis inflicted unfinished tensions on the two sides between the Arabs in several wars. On April 25, 1982, according to the Israeli-Egyptian Peace Treaty of 1979, Israeli troops pulled back from Sinai. The territorial disputes with Jordan were resolved on 26 October 1994 with the Israel-Jordan Peace Agreement. In addition, on May 25, 2000, Israeli troops retreated from Southern Lebanon, which they had been occupying since 1982. In October 1991, a conference was held between representatives of Israel, the West Bank, Palestine and Syria in Madrid to find a definitive solution.

Economy in Israel
Israel is a technologically advanced market economy with a large share of the government. The economy depends on imports of crude oil, grain, raw materials and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the last 20 years. Israel is largely natural-economic in the production of food products, with the exception of cereals. Polished diamonds, high-tech equipment, chemicals and chemical products, machinery and transportation equipment, rubber, plastics and textiles are the most important export articles. About half of the government’s external debt belongs to the United States, which also provides major economic and military assistance. The inflow of Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union 1989-99 coinceded with the opening of new markets at the end of the Cold War, and it gave the Israeli economy a big boost – the economy grew rapidly at the beginning of the 1990s. Later on, this growth stalled, and the current situation because of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the steady decline in high technology and tourism, as well as the fiscal rigor, resulted in rising inflation.

People in israel
The Hebrew Bible, and also the Old Testament, names the people of Israel as descendants of Jacob. His gender was also called Israel. The easiest division in the Israeli society is between the Jews and not the Jews – Israeli Arabs. There are about 90% of Jewish areas in Israel and 15-40% of Israeli-controlled areas. In terms of faith, 77% of Jews, 16% of Muslims, 4% of Christians and 2% of Druuzs (an Islam branch). In theory, all religions are equal, but in practice, Arabs have many limitations, both legal and de facto (difficulties in obtaining building permits, difficulty in security and travel conditions). The division is also in the Jewish community. First of all, the differences between the Jews who lived in Europe for almost 2000 years and who are considered richer and have better political ties and those Jews who migrated from Central Asia to North Africa. However, in recent years, the differences between these groups have decreased. When these tensions have diminished, tensions have grown between secular and Orthodox Jews. Of the population, only 15% consider themselves strictly Orthodox, but they have a lot of power thanks to Israeli politics, 50% consider themselves moderately Orthodox, and 45% consider themselves secular, although they adhere to some traditions. Although secular Jews are over the whole of Israel, there are more Orthodox people in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak and Ashdod.

Israeli culture
The Israelis often compare themselves to a sharp, fruity fruit that is harsh and sharp from the outside but sweet inside. The Israelis are straightforward in a way that may seem sudden, even rude in the world. Honesty and openness are often valued more than courtesy and goodness. The direct personal questions are normal and should not be offended. The information they collect about you here is designed to make you feel better, not to set up traps. The Israelis are accustomed to fighting for their right to exist and to remain confident in their own family, religion, military, and towards other Israelis. Fights and uprisings have been approved by society and should not be taken as signs of hostility. The Israelis are careful not to be impressed by the friar – the loser, or the weak one – that is, someone who pays too much, queues quietly when others pass by and who use to use instead of standing up for themselves. But the Israelis are very friendly and accommodating. When they get connected, they take care of their guest.

Holidays
Official holidays in Israel follow the Jewish calendar and change from year to year, although they fall more or less to the same period. Different activities stop on different holidays – for example, public transport does not work on many holidays. According to the Jewish tradition, the new day begins with three stars in the sky, which means that the Jewish holidays begin after lunch, before the official date.

The language used in Israel
In Israel, the official languages are Hebrew and Arabic. Hebrew is more common, but a large proportion of the population is Israeli Arabs speaking Arabic. It’s usually easy to speak English in Israel because it is compulsory in school. All street signs and road signs have English names besides Hebrew and Arabic. Massive immigration from NL in the 1990s led to a large Russian-speaking community, the other languages that influence the Israeli population are French, German and Polish. Some elderly and very Orthodox inhabitants speak Yiddish, Germanic Jewish.

Israeli currency and money issues
The Israeli money is Shaghel, the proper name would be New Israeli Sheqel, Hebrew shekel chadas or short shash. Seekel is divided into 100 agorots. The usual symbol for a shackle is NIS, ILS or â,ª. Agorotte has a value of 10 and 50. The tokks are 1,2,5, and 10 as coins, and the 20, 50, 100 and 200 in paper money. ATMs are available in many large cities and, if necessary, money can be easily redeemed from there. US dollars are accepted at some tourist destinations, such as Jerusalem.

Workdays
Working days in Israel are from Sunday to Friday, allowing the Sabbath to be observed from Friday’s sunrise to Saturday sunrise. On Friday, several shops will close between 14:30 and 15:00, meanwhile, allowing for a quiet time to go home. Many shops, especially supermarkets, open the doors already on Saturday night, from 19:00 in the winter and around 20:30 in the summer. The same is true for shops in tourist areas. In Arab cities, shops are generally open 7 days a week. On typical days, shops are open from 9:30 to 21:00 on the big shopping streets. Banks, post offices and some individual shops keep up with the more traditional times and open from 8:30 to 19:00, with lunch break between 13:00 and 16:00. Markets are usually open in the early hours of the morning.

Trading in Israel
Trading is common in contemporary Israel. It’s definitely harder in big stores and supermarkets, but it’s worth a try. Usually, it’s easier to make it when you buy more than one item. Trading in markets and bazaars is quite common, and in tourist places, such as Jerusalem’s Old Town, trades can lower the price by 25%.

Israeli souvenirs
Israeli wine, Kosher products, T-shirts and diamonds. And of course Israel is one of the best places to buy Jewish and Christianity-related nippers. Although purchasing antiques with authorized dealers is allowed, their exports are illegal.

Israeli national cuisine
Israeli cuisine is as varied as its ethnicity. The food here is usually very high, and immigrants from all over the world have come up with all sorts of options. Tips is expected to be 10% in regular restaurants (15% if service seems very good). Some eateries add a service charge, but in this case it is clearly indicated in both Hebrew and English. Falafel is officially a national dish. In recent years, though, it has lost popularity, but is still quite widespread. These are small fried balls, chickpea puree, usually served in pita bread with French fries and lettuce. Usually you can add salads to your choice. It is usually the cheapest available lunch, with prices from 10 to 15 NIS. Another popular choice is shawarma. Cut turkey meat, which is also served in pita or in its bigger brother Lafa, with french fries and salad. There are many other things you can put in Pita, such as Me’orav Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Mix), which contains several special sorts of meat or shnitslit, dipping the fried chicken breast. Usually more humus is added to the plate – chickpea, sesame seeds, onion, lemon and olive oil, which is eaten by hand using pitta. Another famous Iraqi food is the street – sabich – pita bread with hard boiled eggs, fried eggplant, humus and salad.

Kosher food
The Hebrew word for Kasher means legal or law, and this word is not just about food. When it is associated with food, he denotes everything food that faith allows him to eat. These laws are quite complex, but it briefly prohibits certain products, such as pork and crustaceans, and allows some others with only certain restrictions, most importantly, that meat and dairy products must not be bake or cooked with the same meal, which prohibits all Western food such as pizza and cheeseburger. In addition, firing of fire during the Sabbath is prohibited, so at that time only cold meals can be eaten. However, because Israel is already largely secular, it also finds many non-kosher restaurants. Every meal can be called kosher if it matches it, but every meal that is “Jewish food” is not necessarily kosher. For example, kreplach, cholent, kugel, latke and kishka are traditional Jewish foods, but if they are not made by the casher, they are not kosher food. According to Torah, mosquitoes that remember grass are grassy, for example. Deer, sheep and goat, while the pig and rabbit are not kosher. Animals can only be slaughtered under strict rules. Kosher in the kitchen should not interfere with the pots and pans of different foods, they should not be washed together, etc. Most Israeli hotels are Kosher, so breakfast is a dairy product for lunch, or in the evening milk is not included in the coffee, although it is a substitute for soy milk. Most large supermarkets sell only kosher goods, but more and more non-kosher stores are starting to emerge due to the large number of secular Jews who came from the former NL. The least is a kosher restaurant in Tel Aviv, on the other hand in Jerusalem they are much more common. Kosher restaurant is either a meat or dairy restaurant, the latter are great for vegetarians. One of the interesting attractions for many is kosher McDonald’s restaurants (however, one must note that not all of them are Kosher). Most Burger-King eateries are kosher, as well as Pizza Hut, so they do not offer pizza with meat, while the Domino chain is not kosher and offers similar pizza in the West.

Israeli national food
The Jews who have migrated to Israel from many different places in the world have also brought with them different dining traditions. Most of them are offered in specialty restaurants. The range includes: Ashkenazi (Eastern European Jewry), Bulgaria, Turkey, North Africa, Iraq, Iran and others. You can also enjoy Arabic cuisine, in areas where Arabs live. One of the food is known in almost the entire Jewish diaspora. It is known in Europe as Cholenty and the Middle East and North Africa as Chamini. This is a kind of stew that has been caught in for a few hours on a small fire, traditionally a Sabbath dish, has begun to ignite the fire as well as a ban on cooking during the Sabbath. The exact ingredients vary by area, but usually it contains animal or chicken, peanuts (chick peas or beans) and / or rice, eggs and vegetables – potatoes, onions and carrots. Chamini is served on some restaurants on Saturdays.
In Israel, good coffee and coffee culture are valued throughout the country. Although Starbucks is not very popular here, there are many very popular local coffee shops here. Many Israelis like to spend time drinking hafuchi (cafe latte) and telling their friends. Meanwhile, there is also a light meal – sandwiches and salads. The largest coffee card in Israel is Aroma. There are three sizes of sandwiches and can be selected from different bread varieties. Arcaffe is a bit more expensive, but their coffee is better. There is also Elite Coffe, Cafe Cafe, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Kosher Cafe Hillel. Many Israelis eagerly eat a bottle of particularly fine-grained coffee that is mixed in a cup and allowed to settle.
Krembo (hybrid from the words Cream and Bo, respectively “Cream” and “inside”) is the most common chocolate snack in Israel. It consists of a round biscuit, with a cream on it, covered with chocolate shell. They are packed in foil and are very delicate, they are not made in summer in hot weather. In Israel, it has been eaten for two generations now and there is a debate about how to eat it right – whether to cook before the cookie, holding it from the top or vice versa, eat all at once or before the top, the base, and finally the cream.

Israeli drinks
There are three kinds of beers in Israel: Goldstar – Munich-style dark beer. It is available in 0.5 and 0.3 liter bottles, KHE-tsi and sh-LISH (half and a thirdof a litre). Maccabee is a pilsner, brighter and softer than Goldstar, in both a bottle and a purse. Nesher – malt beer, in a bottle. There is also a Palestine beer – Taybeh. In addition, many foreign brands are available, among them Heineken, Carlsberg, Tuborg. The most respected liquor is Arak. This is clear, aniseed flavor, which is usually served in 0.3l glass, mixed with water and ice. Drink with grapefruit juice. Store it in ice-cold.

There are also a lot of local large and small vineyards in Israel, many of them very high quality. Most of the common soda-livers and many of their local “sister-brooms”, which are not very tasty, are available in soft drinks. Local beverages include: Tropit – inexpensive fruit flavors – usually grapefruit – a drink. It is sold packed with straw. Coconut Milk – Different brands are available and Prigat – Fruit juice.

Travel photos: OHMYGOSSIP/Helena-Reet Ennet
Source: NordenBladet

Samuelsen New Neighbourhood Programme

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

November 19, 2017

NordenBladet — The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Anders Samuelsen, has approved a new five year Neighbourhood Programme for Ukraine and Georgia. The Neighbourhood Programme supports Denmark’s foreign policy priority of a peaceful and stable Europe. The programme will focus on key areas of the countries’ reform processes, including in particular democracy, human rights and sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

Ukraine and Georgia are facing serious challenges, including from the territorial threat from Russia. Both countries are committed to increased European integration and are undergoing ambitious and difficult reform processes.

Anders Samuelsen says:”It is in the interest of Denmark and Europe that Ukraine and Georgia continue the European course that they have chosen. It is essentially about stability and security in Europe. The countries’ comprehensive reform programs are a precondition for the development of modern and well-functioning societies. They represent the best possible answer to the aggression from Russia – and are essential for the wish to continue on the path of European integration. For this reason, it is important that we continue to support their reform agendas. The Danish assistance will facilitate important steps in the right direction. This is why I have approved a new Neighbourhood programme amounting to DKK 860 million.”

The new Neighbourhood Programme builds on experiences and results from previous engagements in the region and contains a number of areas with specific Danish strengths and capabilities. This includes for instance the energy sector, where the Danish Energy Agency will engage in a government-to-government cooperation with Ukraine. It also includes the fight against corruption where Denmark will work to strengthen the capacity in Ukrainian institutions to prevent and combat corruption.

Ukraine and Georgia have entered into deep and comprehensive free trade agreements with the EU that hold substantial potential for the countries’ private sectors but also necessitate difficult transitions. The Danish programme offers technical assistance and support to small and medium sized companies to enable them to live up to applied requirements and thus fully benefit from the trade agreements with the EU.

The Neighbourhood programme also includes support to both Ukrainian and Georgian civil society organisations, which play an essential role in keeping the governments on the reform track and in securing transparency and accountability.

Source: um.dk
Find us also on Twitter: @NordenBladet

Helena-Reet: Israeli travel Blog – Kumran (Qumran) Caverns and Dead Sea + TRAVEL PICS!

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

November 17, 2017

NordenBladet – Israel is the intersection of many cultures, religions and people. Israel is a holy land where every stone has its own story … In my travel blog today, I invite you to the roots of cultural history. I write about the Kumran (Qumran) caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found – being the oldest known Bible texts and also I write about the famous Dead Sea.

Qumran is situated half a mile from the northwestern end of the Dead Sea, and this settlement was created between 134 and 104 b.c.e. during the reign of John Hyrcanus. It is believed that caves were used to hide in the event of danger. During the 1947-1950 archeological excavations, there were discovered 900 Dead Sea Scrolls that reflect the secrets of life and beliefs of religious sect as well as an overview of the Jewish society in Israel during the Second Temple period. Dead Sea Scrolls are the oldest known Bible texts.

It was interesting to see that already two thousand years ago, the caves were dug into the rocks, there was a dwelling, a common dining room and washrooms with a bathtub cascade – the possibility of the mikvah (i.e., women’s ritual cleansing bath). Historians think this place was home to Jewish religious sect – the essenides. In the east of the settlement, a cemetery was discovered, where the remains of the males were mainly found. The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in eleven caves believed to have been in libraries, since traces of shelving systems were found there. The Scrolls were most likely to be hidden in the caves during the first Jewish-Roman war (66-73 BC). Shrouds and historic coins have also been found in settlements. When possible, I would definitely recommend visiting Qumran during your stay in Israel to get an idea of how people lived in the mountains 2000 years ago – the excitement is guaranteed!

The ride from Jerusalem to Qumran runs along the Dead Sea pier – on the left is a salty lake 50 kilometers long. On the right is the hills and oaks of Judea. The Dead Sea is about 408 m below sea level. The lake’s salt content is 25% (the world’s highest salt content water body). Ancient people called it the Sea of Salt. Local people call it that up to this day.

There is practically no rainfall there: the rainfall is 50 mm per year, and there is really hot- the temperature is 32 °and 39° C throughout the year. We walked along the Dead Sea shore and touched the water. Water leaves an oily touch, because it is so salty (34g of salt per liter of water). Therefore, it is not possible to swim in the Dead Sea; one can only hover in the water.

The Dead Sea is one of the most widely advertised health settlements in the world, with its medicinal properties known already for two thousand years. This is one of the first health resorts in the world, a place mentioned even in the Holy Scriptures. The saltiness of ordinary seawater is about 3%, while in the Dead Sea it is about 27%. Magnesium, potassium, calcium chloride and various bromides rejuvenate the skin, improve the functioning of the nervous system, accelerate blood circulation, strengthen bones and nails, and relax the muscles, while giving strength to the body and improving the immune system.

A number of kibbutzim are located in some oases of the Dead Sea. These are cooperatives in which people engage in agricultural production and live on the sale of these products. According to data from 2010, 270 kibbutzim made up 40% of Israeli agricultural output. Historically, kibbutzim have also been involved in national defense tasks.

Helena-Reet: 5 SIGHTSEEINGS in Marrakech Morocco that I definitely recommend to visit + Travel photos!

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

November 16, 2017

NordenBladet – The Northeners love to select as their travel destination the places where you can find palm trees, swimming pools, market places crammed with goods, restaurants catering delicious local dishes, and warm weather.

Therefore Morocco is exactly the place where people wish to go on holiday and on mission. The sun is guaranteed and the temperatures are delightful. It is wortwhile visiting Marrakech Morocco around the year, although spring and autumn are the town’s best seasons. Midsummer might turn out a little too hot (around 38 degrees Celsius), and often during Ramadan in August the stores and restaurants will be closed.

Marrakech charms with its exotic and versatile atmosphere, defined by the peaceful coexistence of various cultures and eras. In Marrakech the cultures of the Orient and the Occident, the Middle Ages and the Digital Era meet. NordenBladet points out 5 sightseeings that are worth visiting while in Marrakech.

1. Jemaa El Fna (Jemaa el-Fnaa, Djema el-Fna, Djemaa el-Fnaa), also known as Storytellers Square
This is probably the best known locations in Marrakech old town (medina). It is an extensive market ground and the center of the town’s various enterprises. On the crowded square of Jemaa El Fna one can meet both professional and amateur musicians, acrobats, blackmagicians, storytellers, fortune-tellers, animal tamers and others kinds of entertainers. The place is also known as the Square of the Dead or the Square of the Hanged, since as late as 1912 the criminals were still publicly punished there. Marrakech old town is listed as UNESCO world heritage. Due to the town’s historic significance it is possible to observe plenty of fascinating historic architecture there. The town wall that was mainly built in the 12th century, is 19 km long. The wall is up to 5.8 m high and incorporates 20 gates and around 200 spires.

2. Marrakech Berber market (souk)
A separate sightseeing and why not also a place for beneficial purchase is Marrakech Berber market (souk) – the largest amongst its kind in Morocco. From this large market consisting of various smaller markets one can find vary varies products from Berber handicraft to modern electronics.

3. Bahia palace ( address: Medina Avenue Imam el Ghazali, Marrakech 40000, Morocco)
Bahia grand palace was built as home to the vizier Ba Ahmed Ben Moussa and his four wives in the beginning of the 20th century. It is a signpost to the greatness and wealth of Marrakech rulers. A visit to Bahia palace takes the guest back to the times of the vizier and his harem. The abundance of inner courtyards, gardens, the spaciousness and the numerous fountains make it possible for a large number of guest to visit the place simultaneously and the entire atmosphere is really worthwhile paying a visit.

4. Jardin Majorelle (address: Rue Yves Saint Laurent، Marrakesh 40090, Morocco)
The Botanical Gardens of Majorelle have a versatile collection of plants from five different continents and ot is open for tourists from 1947. The gardens are famous for the cacti collection, fountains and the more than ten endemic species of birds. The Majorelle Gardens, designed by the French artist Jacques Majorelle, are open to all interested visitors – the beautiful private property was the fruit of 40 years of the frenchman’s work. 18 years after his death the possessions were bought by Yves Saint Laurent ja Pierre Berge who restored the place. The ashes of the artist who passed away on 1 June 2008 have been cast there.

5. Koutoubia mosque (address: Medina Jamaa El Fenna, Marrakech 40000, Morocco)
Situated 200 meters from Jemaa El Fnaa, the Koutobia mosque is among the town’s most historic buildings (built back in the second half of the 12th century) and the 77m high minaret next to it is towering the town. The mosque is also known by the names Kutubiyya Mosque, Jami’ al-Kutubiyah, Kotoubia Mosque, Kutubiya Mosque and Kutubiyyin Mosque.

Travel photos by: Helena-Reet Ennet

This article is also available in Estonian, in Finnish and in Swedish.

Moroccan rarity – Argan oil! A visit to „Khmissa Argan” representational store in Essaouira + PHOTOS!

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

November 16, 2017

NordenBladet – The Moroccans are particularly proud for their Argan oil that is produced from the seeds of a naturally growing tree Argania spinosa in Northern Africa in the South Eastern part of Morocco. This expensive oil is often called the liquid gold of Morocco. When going to Morocco as a tourist, the argan oil is the first on the list of goods to be brought back home from Morocco. Yet one cannot get the 100% pure and good quality argan oil from everywhere.

I visited the Khmissa Argan represetational store in Essaouira (Centre Mejji, Taftachte) with a couple of OHMYGOSSIP and NordenBladet colleagues and we were introduced to the preparation process of argan oil. There are argan oil products from nice brand names (i.e. Rosa Huile and Aitma Sens) for sale – soap, oils, lotions, etc – at the local shops.

What does the argan tree fruit look like?
The argan fruit resembles an olive but it is somewhat larger and more round. Inside the fleshy fruit there is a very tough shelled nut with 2-3 almond-like kernels.

Where does the argan tree grow?
The argan tree grows on a narrow area and the crop is rather limited (from a 60-year-old tree of the maximum fruitfulness you get 8 kg seeds in a year).

How is it harvested and produced?
Perhaps many of you have seen an exotic view – goats eating on top of trees as birds. The animals that have climbed up are gulping the fleshy fruit of argan, yet their organisms do not digest the seeds inside the shell. Thus women are gathering the nuts from their stool, which is then followed by careful treatment. Traditionally the oil is pressed manually (ca 36 kg will result in 1 litre pure oil), maiing it very unique.

What does it contain?
Argan oil contains plenty of bioflavonoids, omega 6 fatty acids, other beneficial ingredients, also vitamin E twice as much as does olive oil.

What is argan oil used for?
Argan oil is very much valued in the preparation of cosmetics products and also in medicine. It is a universal „magic item”, well suited for practically everything. Historically it has firts and foremost belonged to the local kitchen.

Argan oil is good for nourishing dry hair and making them shine. Just a few drops of oil added to the shampoo or regularly applied to hair roots will decrease splitting of hair ends and loss of hair. Also, it balances skin metabolism and fosters rejuvenation of skin cells. It is suitable for sensitive skin and occurrance of acne.

When there is a tendency of splitting in nails and the cuticles are dry, it is possible to cure the situation, holding fingertips in a mixture of oil and lemon juice (1:1) once a week for 15 minutes at a time.

Photos and videos from Morocco and the visit to Khmissa Argan can be found from Instagram accounts of Helena-Reet Ennet (@helenareetennet) and Estella Elisheva (@estellaelisheva)

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bjtoc1NgcxU/?taken-by=estella.elisheva

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bjtnl8_g-Qg/?taken-by=estella.elisheva

Text and Morocco travel photos: Helena-Reet Ennet

Helena-Reet: My dreams & wishes – workable, unobtainable and completely unrealistic (Vol 2)

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

November 16, 2017

NordenBladet – In my first blog post reflecting my dreams and wishes (My dreams and wishes – workable, unobtainable and completely unrealistic -Vol 1) I revealed one of my biggest dreams that is actually already coming true – to be one fine day as powerful as has been Arianna Huffington in the world media.

Today 67-year-old Arianna Huffington was in 2009 according to Forbes magazine the 12th in the list of most influential women in the media. In 2014 she was according to Forbes the 52nd most influential woman in the world. In 2011 the media corporation AOL took up Huffington Post for 315 million dollars, originally belonging to Arianna.

Having developed the OHMYGOSSIP brand for nearly 10 years (the websites known worldwide are today publishing in Estonian, Finnish, Swedish, English and Russian, in social media also in Norwegian and Portuguese and have 150 000+ unique readers daily and 5+ million followers on social media) I can now say that in a way I have today already outdistanced Huffington, since I have grasped hold of a wider international public – OHMYGOSSIP is delivered in seven languages.

In 2016 OHMYGOSSIP was integrated under the largest and most popular Scandinavian media trust NordenBladet. Just like after the successful bargain Arianna Huffington became the president and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post Media Group, similarly I became the member of board and editor-in-chief of NordeBladet. After uniting OHMYGOSSIP with NordeBladet the brand’s expansion has augmented and already in 2018 it is estimated that there will be nearly 400 000 unique readers daily merely from Scandinavia. However, I have conemplated on this dream in my PREVIOUS blog post.

My dreams are outrageous, my word to that! Believe me, it a kind of craft to dream this big! It is not without a reason that members of the ruling family of the United Arab Emirates and US millionaires have repeatedly quested my opinion and thoughts on the elaboration of various exorbitant ideas. Yes, you have heard me correctly! I have shared my opinion and practical advice and changed ideas with the wealthiest folks of this world. To be more thorough, I would like to add that hereby we are discussing the accomplishment od dreams without financial boundaries. For a complete understanding of the situation, I would like to ask you the following question: What would you do if funds were none of a problem? What would you do if the most insane of all your dreams could come true – would you build a floating town above another town, a cinema in outer space, would you publish newspapers with moving images? Would you build world peace, commit to the manufacture of cancer medication? Develop gene technology? Spy after fellow humans? Make your contribution in science? – the options are limitless. In today’s blog post I will not yet focus on describing these „completely unrealistic” dreams. However, in the posts to come I will elaborate on those – beginning from what I would do or buy had I got 100 million euros, 500 million euros, a billion euros (etc) and also on the idea which special skills I would wish to have.

Dreams have no limits! I intend to open to you the realm of my dreams – even that side of it which might seem ridiculous to articulate. I gather dreams and dreaming is cool and I would say even dreams that are unrealistic and the dreaming that is outrageous is cool. Those impossible to attain – not even for the money of the entire world – this is the place where we enter the universe of fairytales! My favouraite place! Fairytales for me are like water and air. I just cannot go on without fairytales! If I hadn’t dreamt myself into one fairytale or other every once in a while, then I would have gone absolutely bonkers by today (this, nevertheless, is possible already now, hehe).

I need childlike fantasies and a world of fantasy. This could be the reason why I tend to get along very well with children and find a common language. I am fond of fairytales, I like to make up fairytales and I really wish to put a tale on paper and between covers – this is my dream that might be considered quite a realistic one. I want to be an author of fairytales!

Currently there is in my head a story for grownups „Sepher Strong and the Azure Palace“, where women are ruling the world and the harem males are hassling to become the favourite male. The 50-year-old governess finds spouses for her sons and names daughters the rulers for different regions. Men are unable to read and write and they cannot be found on any governing positions. Only the males with special training can write – the Hunters. There is also a young gentle woman in the play – Shoshana or Shana, and she decides to turn the entire truth of the moment upside down. There are loads of text in my head, it could make book, it could just as well make an entire trilogy. The novel is ready in my mind, I need to do the writing – there is the synopsis and the full narrative.

This is the very dream that I need time for to come true! Time is the most precious of all wealth for me right now, it is precisely time that is already planned long ahead! Here I am not speaking about lets say an hour or two every day, this could be saved if needed – I need 3 weeks nonstop just for me – complete commitment, writing myself into the events, no disturbances, none at all. Then the book would be ready and at least as successful as J.K Rowling’s creation of Harry Potter adventures or Stephenie Meyer’s series of Twilight. This would of course happen in the circumstances that I be able to find a capable marketing specialist for my book as well as a PR support manager. There are piles of great books in the world and there are also piles of crappy (pardon!), non-existent marketing scores.

Actually what is currently nested in my head is genuine genius, the book would be awsome, above today’s hits. It is a billion dollar project! And I intend to accomplish it one fine day, since the book already exists in my mind – the entire volume, chapter after chapter, all there nice and smooth! The book sprouted in my head thanks to this photograph and my life with my darling autistic baby child Ivanka Shoshana – the world’s sweetest, most tender, beautiful and smart little girl! Everything is possible, you just need to have faith in yourself!

Marrakech, Morocco: The famous Majorelle garden and Yves Saint Laurent + TRAVEL PHOTOS!

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

November 16, 2017

NordenBladet – the Majorelle Botanical Gardens, accommodating a versatile plant collection from five continents, are open to visitors since 1947. the gardens are famous for tye collection of cacti, the fountains as well as the birds from ten endemic species.

The gardens that are now open to all interested visitors have been founded by the French artist Jacques Majorelle – this picturesque private property was the fruit of 40 years of his commitment. 18 years after the artist passed away the property was purchased by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge. They restored the estate as a private property.

The French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent (1 August 1936 – 1 June 2008) truely loved Morocco and Marrakech. He was actually so fond of Marrakech that he wished the Jardin Majorelle, where he lived and worked together with his spouse Pierre Berge, to be his last resting place.

In October 2017 the Yves Saint Laurent Museum was open on Yves Saint Laurent Street in Marrakech.