Loading ...Scandinavia is known for its frigid winters, where the sun never rises for long periods, and its insomniac summers where the fiery orb merely dips on the horizon before rising again. Living in a climate with such extremes is bound to nurture certain idiosyncrasies, and Finland not only falls into this category, but it is a country that to a certain extent nurtures its obscure and particular personalities.
One of the country’s favourite pastimes, maybe not so surprisingly, is drinking, and even the most seasoned of Bacchanalian savants will be impressed with the nation’s capital, Helsinki and its bar scene. It seems the youth of Helsinki have become tired of letting the weather get them down, and have taken to giving the city a bit of a revival.
Anders Westerholm is one such lad. He and his partner have started a nightlife magazine detailing local events and operate their own restaurant and record shop cum nightclub. He says, “In the past, we (Finland) haven’t been too successful in things, but that’s changing now. During the past five years, people have been putting up many bars, restaurants and design shops — young people doing places for other young people.”
With momentum like this, other European capitals may find themselves losing patrons to their arctic neighbours to the north.