UK agrees mutual security deals with Finland and Sweden

[Roman Alymov]

42 minutes ago, Yama said:

Part about shops or restaurants not being open late is over 20 years obsolete. Unless your visit takes place in Midsummer weekend, then almost everything is closed.

You mean, they are closed at the peak of holiday season?

[Yama]

18 minutes ago, Roman Alymov said:

You mean, they are closed at the peak of holiday season?

Yes. Because...it's a holiday. Everyone gets an off day, that's what it means.

Might be changing a bit now with desire to maintain services for increased tourism, but still, most Finnish cities in Midsummer Weekend are likely to be dead & deserted.

[Roman Alymov]

4 minutes ago, Yama said:

Yes. Because...it's a holiday. Everyone gets an off day, that's what it means.

Might be changing a bit now with desire to maintain services for increased tourism, but still, most Finnish cities in Midsummer Weekend are likely to be dead & deserted.

Well, nice to see there are still places where people are not focused on money. On Russian resorts, everything is working almost 24/7 at peak season.

[Yama]

Finnish Christmas has changed into that - up until ca. 2000, whole country was closed for three days as everybody went to spend Christmas with their families. But nowadays it is increasingly just a regular commercial holiday, especially with the need to serve enormous amount of Christmas tourists, particularly in Lapland. Midsummer and to lesser extent, Easter, are still seen as 'family holidays'.

Halloween is the one perhaps most depressingly changed. It used to be about visiting graveyards and lighting candles for the deceased, but in 2000s, retail began to promote American style Halloween (complete with pumpkins), and now it's about buying cheap horror themed crap and candy for your children.

[bojan]

2 hours ago, Roman Alymov said:

Well, nice to see there are still places where people are not focused on money. On Russian resorts, everything is working almost 24/7 at peak season.

One of major complaints heard from Russians and Ukrainians in Serbia is "nothing works on holydays and most stores don't work on Sunday". Well, yes, it is a holyday and Sunday for everyone, including store owners and workers. Alas, as in Finland, it is getting ruined by commercialization.

[ink]

On 9/19/2023 at 3:21 AM, bojan said:

One of major complaints heard from Russians and Ukrainians in Serbia is "nothing works on holydays and most stores don't work on Sunday". Well, yes, it is a holyday and Sunday for everyone, including store owners and workers. Alas, as in Finland, it is getting ruined by commercialization.

I actually think it's quite bad in Serbia at the moment and always feel sorry for workers (mostly in shopping malls) who are still working at 10pm on a Sunday. But still, nice to know we're not too bad yet. The public holidays here are good though, there's no denying that... and the whole country goes into a kind of semi-hibernation between the 19th of December and the 25th of January... and a kind of extended siesta between the 21st of July and the 31st of August.

In short, you northern Europeans don't know what you're missing!

[Sardaukar]

1 hour ago, ink said:

I actually think it's quite bad in Serbia at the moment and always feel sorry for workers (mostly in shopping malls) who are still working at 10pm on a Sunday. But still, nice to know we're not too bad yet. The public holidays here are good though, there's no denying that... and the whole country goes into a kind of semi-hibernation between the 19th of December and the 25th of January... and a kind of extended siesta between the 21st of July and the 31st of August.

In short, you northern Europeans don't know what you're missing!

Lots of 24/7 shops here in Finland. Usually more in bigger towns where there are ample customer base.

Also there are service stations 24/7 for gas and they are nowadays more like 24/7 grocery stores/gas stations/cafes. These usually serve people working at nights with cars, cops, truckers, security guys. It was not unusual to see most of the town cops in those at 3am. 

To add:

And I have not seen any supermarkets etc. that are not open on Sundays. Most of grocery stores too. 

To add more:

Most of people would be happy to work on Sundays, since it's usually double-pay, Saturdays are usually 1 1/2 pay. Thus, those without families are pretty happy to work on weekends. Plus evening and night bonuses. Especially young people love to work those shifts.

Back in old days when I was in security, basic "unofficial" deal was that we single people did Xmas (triple pay) and then family people did New Year so we could go to party. Good deal. 

Edited September 20, 2023 by Sardaukar

[Sardaukar]

https://ilmavoimat.fi/en/-/air-force-exercise-baana-23-in-tervo

 

The Air Force road base exercise Baana 23 is organised in Tervo, North-Savo, on 18-22 September 2023. Aircraft from allied nations will also take part in the exercise.

Baana is an annual road base exercise of the Finnish Air Force. The lead responsibility of the exercise rotates every year among the Air Force units and now it is the Karelia Air Command’s turn. The Air Force trains regularly operations from other than a home base to be capable of a quick dispersal across the country, when necessary. Operation at road bases is part of the training of all Air Force pilots.

.....

Apart from the Finnish Air Force fleet, aircraft from allied countries will be involved in the exercise. For the first time, the Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35s and Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons will participate in the exercise. The Eurofighters will operate out of Rissala Air Base.

[Sardaukar]

On lighter note (you others seriously need to step up!):

 

[Rick]

6 hours ago, Sardaukar said:

On lighter note (you others seriously need to step up!):

 

Surprised South Korea is as high as it is. Would be interesting to see where the above get their coffee from.

[Sardaukar]

11 hours ago, Rick said:

Surprised South Korea is as high as it is. Would be interesting to see where the above get their coffee from.

We get our coffee mainly from Brazil and Colombia. 

[ink]

19 hours ago, Sardaukar said:

On lighter note (you others seriously need to step up!):

 

You guys know other hangover cures are available, right? 😜

[Sardaukar]

46 minutes ago, ink said:

You guys know other hangover cures are available, right? 😜

Don't get me started with that horrible Serbian "hangover soup"...

https://thefoodhog.com/shkembe-chorba-recipe-tripe-soup/ 

[bojan]

That is for weak, real man use rasol (sauerkraut juice), watered down for women and children, straight from a barrel of sauerkraut for real men...

 

Edited September 22, 2023 by bojan

[ink]

2 hours ago, Sardaukar said:

Don't get me started with that horrible Serbian "hangover soup"...

https://thefoodhog.com/shkembe-chorba-recipe-tripe-soup/ 

I like Serbian fish soup as a hangover remedy, myself. But do you guys have a traditional cure that'll put hairs on yer chest? Or is it just all that coffee?

 

[Roman Alymov]

17 minutes ago, ink said:

I like Serbian fish soup as a hangover remedy, myself. But do you guys have a traditional cure that'll put hairs on yer chest? Or is it just all that coffee?

In Russian tradition, fish soup is also considered best hangover remedy, no miracles - just regular fish soup. 

[Sardaukar]

4 hours ago, ink said:

I like Serbian fish soup as a hangover remedy, myself. But do you guys have a traditional cure that'll put hairs on yer chest? Or is it just all that coffee?

 

Usually it's day old pizza

[Yama]

On 9/22/2023 at 6:25 PM, ink said:

I like Serbian fish soup as a hangover remedy, myself. But do you guys have a traditional cure that'll put hairs on yer chest? Or is it just all that coffee?

'Makkaraherkku', aka. fries/sausage -hash is a classic:

Kebab, too. Most practical way is to buy them on your way home, take a bite, then pass out while eating and finish the meal following day.

[ink]

1 hour ago, Yama said:

'Makkaraherkku', aka. fries/sausage -hash is a classic:

 

Now that's what I'm talking about!

[ink]

1 hour ago, Yama said:

Kebab, too. Most practical way is to buy them on your way home, take a bite, then pass out while eating and finish the meal following day.

You can pull that trick anywhere in Europe but this Makkaraherkku business is where it's at.

[DB]

6 hours ago, Yama said:

'Makkaraherkku', aka. fries/sausage -hash is a classic:

Kebab, too. Most practical way is to buy them on your way home, take a bite, then pass out while eating and finish the meal following day.

This latter option sounds vaguely familiar to me, but my memory is rarely good the morning after, so I can never be sure if the kebab is mine.

[Sardaukar]

In Hamina there was place called Autogrilli where they sold similar in 4 size, small, medium, large and trucker-size.

AFAIK, nobody could eat the "trucker-size" portion on one sitting....

[Sardaukar]

In addition to recent Baana 23 road-base exercise, this is the main event.

 

https://ilmavoimat.fi/en/-/ruska-23-is-the-finnish-air-force-s-main-military-exercise

 

Ruska 23 live air exercise will take place 25–30 September 2023. The Ruska 23 exercise will involve some 60 aircraft and some 4,500 personnel.

The exercise will train cadre and reservists mainly of Lapland and Satakunta Air Commands. The exercise will involve some 2,600 reservists. All Finnish Air Force units will participate in the exercise. In addition, aircraft and personnel from Finland’s partner countries and allies will participate in the exercise

Ruska 23 will train the whole body of the Finnish Air Force. The exercise will make use of complex targets and situations, and the detachments will train both air warfare and base operations. According to the Finnish Air Force’s dispersed and mobile operational concept, the exercise utilises several bases around Finland. The main bases of the exercise Rissala, Pirkkala and Rovaniemi. The exercise also utilises Tervo and Vieremä road bases. Air activities also spread out to Tikkakoski, Oulu, Kokkola, Vaasa, Jämijärvi, Pori, Varkaus and Joroinen areas. The Finnish aircraft will also operate out of Kallax Air Base in Sweden.

– The Finnish Air Force has competent personnel, high readiness and modern capabilities – and Ruska 23 will develop them even further. The exercise maintains and enhances the Air Force’s ability to protect Finland with our partners and allies, sums Exercise Director, Chief of Air Force Operations, Colonel Karri Heikinheimo.

[Sardaukar]

Video of Ruska 23:

 

[ink]

Does "Ruska" mean what it sounds like it means?