snigel50plus

As a part of something called Helsinki Welcome Weeks,  organized for all new residents of Helsinki,  I participated in something called the Hidden City Race yesterday. I was assigned a team and a map with instructions. We had six hours to do tasks handed to us and visit check points spread out over the city.  The theme was to discover the the history of Helsinki and design the future.

 

I had a great time and made tree new friends. For two of the check points I got use of one of my former favorite interests - Geography. First when we were supposed to pair phrases, flags and pictures together for all Nordic countries, including Greenland, Sami, Åland and Faroe Islands. The second time when they handed us a map of Europe cut into pieces and we were supposed to puzzle it back together. Other check points included charades, handing in a design suggestion for a statue, act out the whole history of the fortress Suomenlinna/Sveaborg, put on fireman gear (something I have always wanted to but to be honest it was not much fun, the gear was sweaty, smelled like smoke and was super heavy - after this I respect firemen even more than before) and rescue a doll etc. Between the check points we were supposed to collect business cards and find out the mood of the people we met.

A guy from Hanken, Svenska Handelshögskolan, eating a Hessburger - The Finnish equivalence to McDonalds.

This lady did not have a business card but when we started talking to her it turned out that she was a part of the group who organized the race last year. Notice her pretty Jopo bicycle and the Moomin diapers.