Inside Europe’s Most Underrated City

Here’s a Hursti donation line that people
unemployed or then
there’s being a bad luck…
They can come and have some food
every Wednesday and every Friday.
It’s a kind of solidarity line
although we have a very good welfare system
but this one is NGO type of a thing.
-[Peter] It’s quite long. Wow.
-It’s quite long.
You can see that even though
we are mentioned to be
I don’t know seven eight times
the happiest country in the world
but we have certain challenges.
-Okay so this is not something
I would expect here to be honest.
-No.
-Mostly older people
a few younger in there.
-A few younger but a lot of seniors.
Maybe they have very low pensions.
And then as you can see here
this area is kind of like a red light.
[Peter] Do you even have
really a bad part of the city?
-Not that bad but I don’t know if
I would love my kids to spend around here
’cause there’s a lot of drugs
during the nighttime
and some of the problems.
That bridge it used to be the mental
kind of like a division bridge
between the southern Helsinki
and let’s say industrial Helsinki
back in the times.
Not anymore.
The class divides
were much bigger back then?
Mm-hmm.
Okay so you had more of the aristocratic
wealthier class over here.
-Yeah.
-Working class over there.
[Risto] We have a nice Marina.
City’s called White Pearl of Baltics
because we have the port here.
We have the ferries that go to Sweden.
City has been open to the world.
Behind the sailing boats
we can see some of the icebreakers
what Mr. Trump and our President
Stubb has been negotiating.
[Peter] Okay so the Americans
are going to buy icebreakers from you guys.
Yeah and there’s a couple of them..
-Oh okay.
I think the Fins are the
best with icebreakers.
Exactly we have had a lot
of eyes in here so…
[giggles]
And this is the street actually
you know I told you
I’m a fifth generation Helsinki.
I was born in
one of the houses on this road.
-This is beautiful
[Peter] Reading a bit about the history
which is many layers deep.
So we’re just gonna touch on it today
but few of the nuggets we’ll go through.
1917 you got your independence
from the Russians pre-Soviet.
-Yeah. My grandmother’s father
actually he wrote
the Declaration of Independence.
-And you had a civil war
the Reds and the Whites.
Yeah and there was the two sides
the Republicans then ones
that wanted to have a king.
Ended up to be a republic.
[Risto] This is the most expensive area
in Helsinki I would say.
There’s a lot of embassies in here.
Actually there was a spa.
Even in 1800 rich Russians came in here
and at that time naturally
there was not these apartment buildings
but there were houses.
Italian embassy.
[Peter] Brazilian.
-That’s where my grandma used to live.
-And I lived there for a little while.
-Oh cool..
[Risto] And that used to be
the Russian school during the ’70s.
And so we were able to hear a lot of cops
were patrolling here during the day.
[Peter] Second World War
you guys were with the Nazis at the end.
Yeah. First we were alone.
We were asking help from
Britain and Sweden
and many other countries.
They didn’t want to get involved.
And there was
the Stalin-Ribbentrop agreement
where they agreed upon this country
would be given to Russian atmosphere
so to speak you know?
-Yeah.
But we disagreed.
We wanted to fight for our freedom
and Mannerheim didn’t like the terms
because he was
a colonel in the old tsar’s army
and he understood what that would mean
and I think he played well.
He didn’t cut the supply road
nor railway tracks
to St. Petersburg
when it was surrounded by the Nazis.
So even though we were tough
we fought for our freedom
but we were still thinking that
“What is the suitable way to do?”
-So as a small power…
-Yeah.
…surrounded by big powers
you have to play that delicate balance.
-Exactly.
-Enemy of your enemy is your friend.
-Yeah.
-Right?
And you have to play that game right?
We had to play that game
in order to get some of the armaments.
And that game, we’re going to get into it
today with some of the city we see.
Yeah.
But that mentality
is in the Finnish mentality today.
Exactly.
-What’s this?
That’s US Embassy.
-Okay. That’s nice.
Embassy of United States.
How would I say what style that would be.
-Colonial?
-Colonial I would say as well.
-Some sort of Colonial Finnish hybrid.
Yeah.
-Oh there it’s a huge embassy.
-It is.
And they got the best place
in the city towards the sea.
-How are we could talk about this all day
but in a nutshell how are US-Finnish
relations right now politically?
I think they’re very good.
-Very good.
-We have to thank US very much
for support to get into the NATO.
Once the war in Ukraine started
we applied immediately.
There you can see the Viapori
the fortress where is the church
and the lighthouse is.
-Beautiful.
-Klipan, it’s one of the restaurants
that is during the summertime.
-So you have to take a boat
to this little island?
-Yeah you gotta take
but it’s good food out there.
And here you have
the other side of the US embassy.
And here not too much can be seen.
-All right. That’s a good embassy job.
-And now we come
we can see the port and the Viking Line.
-Okay Risto I got a story for you.
-Yeah.
My first time in Helsinki 2002
I was on the Viking Line
from Stockholm.
Okay.
My worst hangover, this is when I drank,
was my first day in Helsinki.
And I got off that boat
’cause I had three Russian bunkmates
that had endless vodka.
It was a party boat as you know.
-Yeah.
-And I walked down out of that boat
and we’re gonna go to it today
I could probably identify it.
The park bench
where I slept for the afternoon.
Because I was completely useless
I couldn’t do anything.
I was actually staying with a man
named Sampu Smalilander.
-Smalilander?
-Smalilander.
Who worked at
the Math Institute here.
Okay.
Who was a mathematic genius.
It was called Friends Overseas
and I actually wrote to him.
This is how old I am
-Before Internet this is like early 2000s.
-Yeah.
You weren’t connecting online
with people so much.
It was a letter and he allowed me
to stay at his place.
Wow.
Okay so I had to wait until
Smalllander got out of work.
And so I ended up on a bench
Downtown Helsinki.
I was one of those people.
That’s my Viking Line story for you.
-Here’s the rivalry the Cillian Line.
-Okay.
-So they both go to Stockholm
kind of side by side.
-And they both try to how do I say…
-Compete with one another?
Compete with one another
and it’s good for the business.
Here’s a quiet money and quiet power.
-Quiet money, old money?
-Yeah, old money.
Maybe some of
the nouveau riche as well but…
[Peter] Yeah it is
a beautiful cityscape here.
-Here we can see the cathedral
So Mr. Engel designed that.
-Helsinki Cathedral
with the Green Dome right?
-Yeah exactly.
-Okay.
And then on the opposite,
here’s the West and the East is connecting.
The largest Orthodox cathedral in the West.
-Oh okay. Yeah.
You still have many Orthodox here?
No only a couple of percent.
A couple of percent?
A couple of percent and 60% of the people
are belonging to state church so Lutheran.
-Okay I like it.
We’re going 28 kilometers per hour
and nobody honking, Risto.
Yeah.
-It’s a very polite culture.
-Yeah it’s a polite culture.
-Are there many guys like you Risto?
Family’s been in the city many generations
or is that pretty rare?
-That’s pretty rare.
-Okay.
Yeah ’cause a lot of them
are so-called…
they’re brought by train.
Because I would say in the ’60s
there was a great change in society.
The farming was before,
a very essential part
but then that changed,
didn’t need that much worker anymore.
So they came to Helsinki.
And that’s why there’s many layers.
Many dreams, many success stories,
but many falls as well,
so to speak, in this city.
-We’ll go back to that area later right?
-Yeah.
Okay that’s a really cool part of the city.
Okay so you just have markets here.
-Yeah.
-Right in the square.
So yeah, it’s interesting
your guys’ success story here
because beginning of the 20th century
very poor country.
Very poor.
I mean even after World War II
wasn’t thriving obviously
because of the war but I mean it didn’t
really take off till the ’60s right?
Exactly.
So the ’60s till let’s say 2000,
only 40 years it went from
basically being an
agrarian poor country to some degree
to having Nokia phones.
Which at that time were the top phone.
Exactly yeah.
And that’s just good policy,
good governance?
I think it was good governance
and some of the innovations
and some of the risk-taking
by the people at Nokia at that time.
And maybe just good timing.
And they say that these quiet Finlanders
are good engineers, you know?
-You said quiet Finlander?
-Yeah.
-Okay tell me about that.
What does that mean?
-It means that when you meet first
some of the Finlanders
maybe they’re kind of like,
how do I say, reserved a little bit.
They don’t jump the gun immediately.
But then when you get warmed up
then you can have
a good deep friendship with Finlander.
Maybe it’s the cautious.
It’s in the DNA while being
between the East and the West.
The small nation shall not be bragging
because somebody come
and, you know, put you down.
-My theory for that
which you pretty much explained
was that the foreigner, the newcomer,
that looks different and acts different
quite often throughout history
was a threat.
-Yeah.
-Right?
So you have to be cautious of that threat.
It’s in your DNA.
Yeah.
And then once you get past that
okay that person’s not a threat
they have good intention
then there’s a warmth that comes out.
Exactly.
-It’s like Ukraine in that sense.
-Yeah.
And Ukraine historically
has been an a similar position
where its big powers
always came storming through.
And, you know,
who is that new person coming
and what do they want from me?
-There’s even…
-Is that what it is?
Yeah that’s what it is.
There’s even a saying
it’s better to look than regret.
-Oh.
It’s better to look than regret.
[Risto speaking Finnish on the phone]
All good.
[Finnish]
I love the sound of your language.
[chuckles]
It’s a bit singy-songy.
Yeah a bit. Yeah.
-Okay here’s something I’ve heard.
-Yeah.
I’m sure you guys are sick of it.
But in the US or most of the West
people say Finland’s part of Scandinavia.
“It’s a Scandinavian country.”
but it’s a Nordic country.
-It’s a Nordic country.
-[Peter] It’s also linguistically…
-[Risto] Different.
Different.
Your language is related to
Estonian and Hungarian.
-Which is very interesting.
-Exactly.
And then the Scandinavian countries,
Indo-European languages.
Exactly. They’re German related.
Yeah.
Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, and Icelandic.
-So this would be your middle class normal
apartment living here in Helsinki right?
-Exactly.
-So most tourists
they’re going to come to the city.
They’re going to go to
where we started near the waterfront.
-They’re not coming back here?
-No.
[Peter] So while everything
looks extremely wealthy
that’s not the tale for everywhere.
I mean this looks good
but it’s not the same as down there.
It’s nice though. I like it.
-It’s nice. I like there’s
a little bit more of a…
-There’s some charm.
-Charm and feeling.
-Yeah.
There’s a feel here.
There’s your average person
going through their daily life.
-Yeah.
Like there’s a saying,
even there the people,
they cook their potatoes with the water.
That happens here as well.
[chuckling]
Now we’ve got to find a spot.
-Yeah. That’s not easy huh?
-No.
Finding parking.
And they charge a lot.
-The city charges a lot.
-Yes they do.
That’s why you better find
there was one free spot.
Risto, you’re saying off camera
you have 10 kids?
-Yes I have.
-Wow.
Any more or are you done?
Hey come on.
I’m an old man in the slippery boots
already so don’t expect.
One marriage.
-One marriage yeah.
-Wow.
You are responsible for keeping
the population up in the country.
Exactly. The demo…
Demography has been always my big thing.
But somebody said to me
I don’t have to solve that.
We got Risto.
Yeah by myself.
[Risto whistles]
“Liikaa on Liikaa” what’s that?
Too much is too much.
Too much is too much.
Okay cool. I would never get to see
something like this…
No.
…without you Risto.
-Yeah.
-And everyone in the audience.
-Okay so inner courtyard.
-Inner courtyard.
-And then there’s a place where…
-Little relaxation zone.
…people can have a little get together.
You have a shoe scrubber.
-Yeah.
[Peter] Okay. It’s… I’m trying to place it.
-You know when you’re new in a country?
-Yeah.
Well I was here in 2002
but I hardly remember.
But when you’re new you’re trying to
like associate it to the things you know.
-Yeah.
-It’s definitely an outlier.
-It’s definitely different.
-Yeah.
Hello.
[Peter whispers]
So Jussi’s sleeping? Okay.
All right. Thank you.
-It’s your daughter? One of the ten.
-Yeah.
Okay. So your average apartment
let’s say in Helsinki
is how many bedrooms or rooms?
-Two.
-Two rooms? Okay.
Yeah two bedrooms,
kitchen, and living room.
[Peter] And then you have a porch here.
[Risto] Yeah.
Here’s the kitchen.
-Kitchen. Okay.
-Kind of an old one.
My husband is more of a cooker.
-Is he good?
-Yeah he’s good.
[Risto] I’m the chef as well.
-You’re a chef?
-Yeah.
You look like a chef.
[chuckling]
For some reason.
There’s the other living room.
Okay.
Who sleeps here?
Actually right now it’s in… Our child is…
He doesn’t sleep very well
so my husband sleeps here.
Okay.
And the artwork.
Oh I made that some years ago.
-You made this? Beautiful.
-Yeah.
Bill Bryson, you like travel writing.
Or your husband does.
Mostly we have philosophy
because we’re philosophers, both of us.
Where’s the baby?
Right there.
[whispers] We can tiptoe there.
[Peter] Right there?
Let’s see.
[Peter whispers] Okay.
And then bathroom.
-Yeah and bathroom.
[Peter] So washing machine.
So your standard Helsinki apartment.
-Yeah basic rental.
-Because it’s always interesting to see
how things are in different cultures.
If you don’t mind
you don’t have to tell me.
What’s the cost of an apartment?
Like on average something like this?
This is sort of a less costly one
since it hasn’t been renovated
in some time.
Thousand and a hundred.
-1,100 Euros.
-Yeah.
It’s gonna be $1,250.
-$1,250?
-Okay.
-Yeah.
And what are rents doing in Helsinki?
Are the living costs going up much?
Are they not so bad?
Right now the rent is going down.
-Yeah.
-There’s been too much…
-Whoa.
Too much, yeah, apartments.
-That’s a rare story
that I’ve come into lately.
Okay so in Finland…
having children you get
how much time off from work?
Well a lot more than
in the States. [laughs]
-Yeah you’re gonna
make some people jealous right now.
What is it?
Well I’ve been home
for a year and a half now.
-Good place for kids?
Yeah I’d say.
Good place to be a parent.
-Good place to be a parent?
-Yeah.
I know that globally
people would be jealous.
It’s a year and a half and I feel sad
to make him to go to daycare.
It feels bittersweet
but I’m lucky to be able to
have him with me at home for this long.
-Yeah.
-And it still feels sad.
When we visit the playground nearby
we are sort of the young couple.
-And you’re 31?
-Yeah.
-Okay.
-So usually in the 40s I think.
Or late 30s.
Around there.
Risto already had what,
five kids by that time?
-More.
-Seven?
Yeah. I think my wife was a grandma
at the age of 37.
-You serious?
-Yeah.
…21, so 22 grandkids.
-22 grandkids?
-Yeah.
So this is not the norm here at all?
No.
No? Okay. Okay.
You know being a happy taxpayer…
we can really…
I appreciate the most
having a lot of children
that the education is being free.
Because once upon a time
I was in a business course
at Northwestern University
-…and there was these…
-Northwestern in US?
-Yeah.
-Okay.
And there was these groups of people
who were thinking to attend
and I was asking what about
the tuition fee for one year?
90 grand.
$90,000.
-When was this?
-That was 2010.
-Okay.
And naturally you get some of the grants
and all that stuff
but here being I was then counting.
Wait a second. If I have 10 of them
and each of them would cost $500,000.
It’ll be $5 million. No way.
Gee I’ve got to make a lot of money
in order to do that. But here you can get…
And that’s how they pay back.
That’s why I would say paying taxes
is also part of the social rest.
You know peaceful and a trust in a society.
If you know that when you pay
somebody will receive it back.
-Yeah.
And a small country as far as population,
5.6 million people?
5.6 million. It’s easier to do it.
-These comparisons don’t work with the US.
-No.
340 million almost.
-But it looks attractive.
-Yeah it looks…
I would love to see more tangible
results from my tax dollars.
Yeah.
I see some but you feel like
you’re not seeing all of them.
I understand.
In a small country like this
it’s more visible right?
-It’s right in front of you.
-Absolutely. Yeah.
-Which is great.
-Yeah.
Like that builds trust
with your government right?
-Exactly.
-Okay.
And there’s still some trust
to some other like…
-Health care.
-Health care. Yeah.
-Okay. That’s covered too fully?
-Yeah, yeah.
That’s a sweet one.
Okay. So what are your tax rates?
It’s progressive I’m sure.
It is.
What’s the top earner pay?
Top earner pays let’s say
a little bit more than 50%.
Which I think it’s too much.
That’s like California.
Yeah. Peaks up to almost 60% if you count
some Social Security contributions in it.
But let’s say… And it’s a two-fold.
They have a community taxation
and then they have like the state tax
or the national tax.
But the state taxation
it peaks up let’s say
to the highest rank about around $120,000.
So it’s not…
It’s pretty low already.
I mean the earnings
when it gets up to the peak.
-Juho, are you okay with the camera?
-Sure.
This is the husband we’re talking about.
That was very interesting
what we were talking about off camera.
About the Swedes looked at you guys
as the little brothers.
Yes.
But you’re saying the new generation
from the Swedes you’re talking to
look at Finland as sort of cool.
Okay. We were talking about
the Nordic corporates
and how we differ in defense
with Swedes and Finns.
And when the Berlin Wall
went down in 1991 or ’89
and then there was a lot of willingness
among some of the nations
like in Netherlands
and Germany and some other
they wanted to sell the hardware,
the armament.
And we were willing to buy
tanks and artillery and all that stuff.
Because we know that maybe these
wonderful winds of freedom and democracy
may end someday.
And then we have to be prepared.
But we did it in a quiet way
that nobody noticed
that hey we still keep the,
you know, defense forces…
-Conscription.
-Yeah.
Conscription is still a thing here right?
How many years for the men?
Six months to a year.
-Six months. Women at all or no?
They can do it if they want to.
-But not mandatory?
-Yeah.
Okay.
So the men have to go to the military.
-Everyone?
-Yeah.
So after ’91 Soviet Union falls
a lot of the European countries
were like oh the story’s over.
-Yeah.
-We can sell our arms away.
Oh these crazy Finns
are just going to buy it up.
They didn’t really get the message.
The world’s peaceful now.
We’re all good to go.
Which from your history
you looked at past cycles
and you’re like all right,
“No, this is the time
to get things on the cheap
and always prepare for the future.”
-Do I have that right?
-You have it right. Yeah.
And drafting still keep going.
I mean the mandatory service.
-So your military
is quite robust right now?
Mm-hmm.
-So versus Sweden’s how would there’s…
I mean they have a much bigger population.
They got rid of their conscription
a while ago.
They have a professional army
but it’s not…
I mean they have a good Navy
and stuff like that.
They have some good equipment
but in terms of numbers, not much really.
In terms of putting guys
in the forest up in Lapland on skis
and spending the nights in igloos,
they don’t have that training right?
That’s you guys.
They get some of the training
and with us as well.
-Okay.
But definitely we got a much stronger army.
If I drop some of the numbers they have
very good airplanes and air forces.
That’s fair to say.
And also Navy.
Yeah.
But let’s say if we take
all that are in reserve
that’s going to be 800,000
and they got 50,000.
So it’s quite a difference.
-Wait you have 800,000?
-Yes.
Reserve?
Yeah.
-And they have 50,000?
-Yeah.
Because they have only
let’s say 50 to 100.
We have a bigger army
than the rest of the Nordics combined.
Wow. So that’s still
when you walk and talk around…
-I mean we’re in a small group here.
-Yeah.
But say we’re to walk and talk
with people in Finland in Helsinki
this is a common mindset
like still be ready be prepared?
Be prepared, go to army, do your service,
and be proud of what you got.
You know we have had tough times
between the powerful nations.
But be humble at the same time
because you never know.
All right guys
we are officially in interesting times.
Whether in Finland or the desert of Arizona
the world is very beautiful and complex.
Very difficult to understand
in the media landscape we’re currently in.
No one journal is seeking truth.
Unfortunately everything
has a degree of bias to it.
So how do you parse through
all the information coming at you?
How do you understand the world better?
I have a solution for you.
It’s the app and website Ground News.
What I love about Ground News
is you can be as specific as you want.
If you want to go local
just click on the local tab
see what’s going on
around in your community
or you can go as far as
the international edition.
Get stories from afar.
Say for example this Finland trip.
I wanted to see more of
what’s going on in Europe.
So I went on to the European edition.
And when you dive into Ground News
this is where it gets cool
is you can see the bias
of a specific story.
So for example here the story,
“Thousands of Jobs at Risk
in Africa as US Trade Deal Expires.”
Now mostly the Left and the Center
are going to show this story.
Or here’s another story.
“Pakistan backs Trump’s Gaza plan
and considers Abraham Accords.”
Now it’s just mostly the Right
that’s going to see that story.
So what you’ll realize is that
we’re all in our information silos.
You can go to one story
see how the Right covers it.
See how the Left covers it
and see if one side’s not covering it.
It’s not always what’s being covered.
It’s what’s not being covered.
And that’s where I find
Ground News very helpful.
Also you can see
where the money comes from.
There’s ways to filter through who’s
funding different media organizations.
It’s really a fantastic way
to parse through
the modern information
ecosystem we all live in.
Ground News helps.
You can get 40% off the Vantage Plan if you
click on my link below in the description.
Again 40% off if you click on my link.
Give them a try.
It’s been very useful for me.
I think it will be very useful for you.
Now back to the story.
[Risto] These were railway service halls
back in the days.
Now there’s a different kind
of food joints and fast food.
-Let’s go in one just to check it out.
-Yeah.
Oh so this is just like new…
Okay. Subway. New grocery store.
Yeah.
-But old industrial.
-Old industrial.
And then I don’t know what all kinds of
the things will appear to here.
-Right, right.
I like to show this stuff that you’re not
going to see
on most travel videos to Helsinki.
-Yeah.
-Because it’s not the over the top, wow.
-No.
-Right?
-This is how people live for the most part.
-Exactly.
It’s kind of turned in the living room
of the local people that are living here.
-Yeah.
-You know to feel their life. Nice.
Feel the life. Yep.
You’re watching my video?
Thank you.
Yeah I watched it because me and my wife
were checking a lot of these
-Your videos in different countries.
-Oh thank you.
-Yeah.
-Thank you.
I was just looking like
is this the same guy?
Because it looks familiar.
And you were.
-What’s your name?
-My name is Juri.
-Juri.
-I do art.
Art, nice Juri.
I do painting and that’s why I’m here
because I go to this Molotov.
You know there’s this Molotov company.
I go by painting.
What’s the Molotov company.
They sell all the spray cans
and painting stuff.
So I do this kind of Christian art.
-Christian art?
-Yes.
Tell me about Helsinki, 2025.
What are your thoughts on the city?
Well Helsinki, 2025.
How are things going?
Up, down, in the middle?
A lot of new things in the city
and people are happy.
You’re feeling that?
Yeah and what I’m most happy
that people come to Christ.
Do you see a lot of that?
More young people
are coming to Lord Jesus Christ.
They’re having more faith to God
because they see what is happening
all around the world.
Risto do you agree with that?
Yeah there’s certain studies
that especially young men
have been more interested in
let’s say going to church nowadays.
But then at the same time
the younger females, girls,
have kind of like more
been divided.
So there’s at the same time
I don’t know what it is.
There’s been a lot of talk
about this woke stuff.
That its males would feel
you know kind of like how would I say?
Suppressed a little bit and maybe
that’s kind of one of the reasons.
-So that exists here in Finland too?
-Yeah.
-Interesting.
-Yeah.
If you go back like maybe four years
that was different.
But now because I believe
that it’s because people see
that how the society is getting
like, you know, wrong direction.
That’s why they put their trust in God.
Because they see that without God
we cannot do nothing.
No good choices.
Okay.
And you feel like society here
has been going in the wrong direction?
Well I can say it like this,
that in all world all world is getting…
Okay. So that’s a universal feeling.
Because I also check the American…
Myself I like a lot of American.
My wife likes a lot of American.
Like it’s in every country.
It’s getting like so sad. Like dark.
There is many good stuff in Finland
just like in other countries.
But many, you know,
wrong choices are also seen.
-So is becoming religious
helped out your life a lot?
I don’t say religious but keeping
the word of Jesus, that helps many people.
And many people are getting,
you know, healed.
And many people are getting healed
from their depression
and anxiety and distress
and all of their sickness.
So that’s something else than religion.
It’s living faith. [laughs]
And you know what?
Also this might sound boring to you but
a lot has to do I think with just
the connecting with others part of it.
Yeah.
-The community right?
-Mm-hmm.
We got so used to digital screens
that you’re getting together
with others and praying.
-Yeah.
-Exactly.
-Thanks a lot man.
-Thank you.
I hope you edit that good
because my English is not that good.
No it’s good. I love it.
-God bless you guys.
-God bless.
Thanks.
[streetcar passes]
Okay next neighborhood?
Next neighborhood is going to be
on the east side of Helsinki.
It’s called East Center.
Great percentage of the population
of that part of the city
are immigrants
and we want to see how
the things develop for them.
Okay.
It’s kind of like going to
a little different country
from the center of town.
[rock music]
[Peter] Okay Risto.
So totally different Helsinki over here.
Yeah totally different Helsinki.
This is the shopping mall.
And as you can see
there’s wonderful stores here
that are for the, you know, the Halal.
We can take a peek if you want
inside the store.
And also the restaurants are,
the barber shops, and…
Baghdad sweets.
Oh maybe they have baklava.
-Yeah.
-Oh they do.
Exactly. The baklava
and the kirkuk restaurants.
-Oh wow.
-This is totally Middle East…
-Butchery.
-Okay.
It’s like in the Middle East.
So we drove what, seven miles?
Right, right.
We’re in a different world eh?
And even the language-wise
we’re very much different.
I think Finnish language here
is a minority.
-Yeah.
Finnish, do you notice
a lot of immigrants
wherever they come from,
very few of them take on Finnish?
They try.
They have to ’cause otherwise
it’s really hard to get a job if you don’t…
-Okay.
-You know.
And here’s a lot of them
discussing is it good or bad?
It’s just a through thing that
there’s a concentration
of, you know,
immigrants and cultures.
Maybe it’s a good thing
for the community
but from the perspective of
integration into society
it might be difficult.
Okay gotcha.
So we’re in an area,
it’s a bubble obviously.
-Yeah.
-People are going to live and work here.
-Yeah.
-Stay here stay with their people.
-And not integrate in.
-Exactly. Not integrate.
-Two different worlds next to each other.
-Exactly.
-It’s a tough topic.
-It is.
Most people don’t want to go there
in these videos because they get labeled.
Well then I could care.
I’ve been called everything under the sun
so it doesn’t matter to me.
‘Cause I think it’s an important topic.
Someone comes to the new land.
Yeah.
-It’s like coming into a home right?
-Yeah.
Do you take your shoes off?
Do you bring something? Do you add?
Many of these people
I’m sure are adding.
-Right?
-Sure.
-They’re working all over the city.
-Entrepreneurs.
They’re working here but then
there are the types that come in
and the type of people the mentality
that bring in their muddy boots.
Yeah.
That don’t bring anything
and then just take.
And that’s where the friction lies right?
Exactly.
I can’t speak for everyone.
Those are just my thoughts.
-Should we go upstairs here?
-Yeah we can try.
Let’s see.
Yeah that’s not the Helsinki…
This isn’t the Helsinki I’ve seen so far.
-Exactly. This is falling apart right?
-Okay. Yeah.
So is this a big topic in the culture here?
It is for some of the people.
It’s really a big issue
and I can understand
you know then it comes to the safety
and there’s a different kinds of
as you can see it’s kind of like in…
In a square of I don’t know.
Actually I got to say in the Middle East
I haven’t been in a square
that looks this grubby.
They’re usually kept up better.
Yeah.
And whose responsibility is that?
I think right now there’s
a developer that
owns this place
and there’s been plans to, you know,
take it down and build a new one.
But then I do believe that
it’s going to change a whole bunch
’cause then if you put in
prime new buildings
the rents will go up through the roof.
Right, right.
Is this it Risto or is there anything else
to really see out here?
-No.
-That’s about it?
We’ll get some baklava.
You know a lot of the issues
don’t come from actually
where someone’s from.
I think it comes from, and you can tell me
if you think I’m wrong here…
Yeah.
It comes from cultural differences.
For example the crosswalk.
Yeah.
You know in Finnish culture
you stop at the crosswalk right?
Yes you do.
Or American culture
you stop at the crosswalk.
If someone comes from another culture
and that’s not normal where they’re from.
And they Blaze through
then it pisses the locals off.
-Exactly. That’s a minor thing.
-Right?
-It’s a cultural friction.
-Yeah.
A values friction right?
And so that’s the point where
I saw this in the United States.
A lot of Haitians
would come to smaller communities.
I don’t blame them.
I’d do the same thing.
There are these chicken factories hiring.
You get out of Haiti,
you make way more money.
-But there was no integration process.
-Exactly.
Therefore the local community
all of a sudden these different values
were imposed upon them quickly.
And that doesn’t go well with anyone.
I don’t even think it’s a racial thing.
I think it’s a values thing.
Yeah. But what is the silver bullet
that could solve the issues?
Some kind of a camps
or working through the integration
where they would be
able to learn the values
and also obey them
and have a little respect.
And also us guys towards them.
So we could co-exist you know.
And I think that has been possible
in let’s say like in the States.
If you look at New York
but there’s the pockets.
Yeah. New York is just
everyone’s there in masses.
And that feels very normal.
Yeah.
But if in Finnish or Helsinki culture
you don’t throw trash on the ground.
-No.
-It’s a no-no.
And then someone moves in
and starts throwing trash.
-It’s going to piss everyone off.
-It’s just common sense right?
-It is.
So it’s the immigrant’s responsibility
to understand the culture
they’re moving into
and respect it.
And I think one of the friction
that is created like I said before was the…
You know when you move in the city
you get the rights
residential rights that are pretty wide.
-Like what?
Like child allowance.
Like all the free health care.
Even if you can’t make ends meet
you will get support from the state.
And if somebody, let’s say
I don’t want to blame anybody
but we see that it comes…
No magic comes without cost.
You have to have your responsibility
also in that integration.
And I think that’s
very important also in here
that we could be able to connect
and deliver the values
that the changed behavior
that it doesn’t create the friction.
‘Cause that can cause
some even political issues
and on a personal level.
-Okay. Is there a lot of friction right now
in local culture would you say?
No not that it would create a
let’s say a
uh…
maybe that’s the area
where it’s kind of a little…
-People don’t talk about it?
-Yeah.
Nobody likes to talk about it
’cause nobody wants to be called a racist.
Exactly. Then I would say…
-I would say…
-I hunt down this guy.
I’d say these conversations need to be had.
And so on the flip side
there are people that immigrate
that want to be there.
-They love the country. They speak Finnish.
-Yeah.
They participate.
-Wonderfully.
-They respect the culture.
And I’d say I can speak for the United
States at least, people love those people.
-Exactly.
-Right. They love them.
And there’s and especially once they get
citizenship
they’re just as American as I am.
-Exactly.
-Right?
-And that’s a beautiful thing.
-That’s a beautiful thing.
But it’s when it’s the opposite
then it pisses people off.
And I do believe that
there’s a possible…
Like I told you before in our history
there was a lot of foreigners that created…
-…some of the Finnish structure.
-Right.
A lot of the entrepreneurs
and even industries.
And I think there shall be
some kind of a route to be chosen.
We need hope in the future.
Yeah.
And that’s going to be something that…
If we could…
If somebody can…
If I can find that solution how to do that
man I’d be a happy one.
[Peter] All right. Let’s get some baklava.
-Yeah.
[Peter] Oh wow.
This looks good.
-Yeah. What should we take eh?
[Risto and clerk speaking Finnish]
[Peter] Oh that’s cool.
So no English, Finnish.
Yeah.
-[Finnish]
-Okay.
[Finnish]
We’ll speak some of the Finnish.
-Okay. What baklava should we take?
-I don’t know
This looks like the traditional
like Turkish style huh?
[Finnish]
Arabian and Turkish. It’s mixed.
-Okay.
Two this one?
-Two, yeah.
-Yeah.
Diwan Baghdad.
Diwan Bagdad Sweets.
Are you from Baghdad?
-Yeah.
-Okay.
Should we taste one of the breads?
Yeah yeah. One of the bread.
Okay.
[Finnish]
So how many years
has he been here from Iraq?
[Finnish]
2008 came in here.
Oh that’s when the war was at its worst.
I think 2007, 2008.
[Finnish]
All the Arabian countries are kinda
mixed up or screwed up.
-Because of the war.
-Because of the war.
-Still it’s kind of…
-Yeah I’m sorry.
No problem.
No it’s… I never wanted that war.
Yeah. I never wanted that war.
[Finnish]
Oh yeah it made it warm for us?
Yeah.
That’s cool.
-This is naan.
-Naan bread, yeah.
Yeah naan bread.
I want to have a piece of it hey?
Yeah.
[Finnish]
[crunching]
-Mmm, nice.
-[Finnish]
His daughter knows you.
He’s got a younger daughter
who for sure knows you.
Watches the content?
Oh that’s cool. Thank you.
-Yeah the content of your…
-Tell her thank you.
-You’re welcome.
[Finnish]
-Okay.
-Okay.
[Finnish]
[Risto] It’s on the house.
[Peter] No Habibi, come on.
-It’s on the house.
-[Finnish]
[Finnish]
[Arabic]
-Wow.
-That’s cool.
Baghdad’s sweet.
-Yeah.
-I mean you can’t forget that sign.
People need to come here
when they’re in Helsinki.
Let’s give it a go.
Let’s give it a try Risto, right now.
‘Cause good baklava is an art.
Yeah it is.
Mmm.
-I needed this.
-Oh yeah.
Some energy.
Did I wear you down a little?
No but I mean it’s already
quite long since…
-No I hear you. What time is it?
-It is two o’clock.
Oh, okay.
This is fantastic.
Fantastic.
Yeah, super.
Worth coming out here for this.
Exactly. For sure.
-Right?
-Yeah.
Nice people.
-Great guy.
-Yeah nice people.
And that’s why Risto it’s…
-We can walk over here. Is that all right?
-Yeah.
-It’s so tough about this.
-It is.
Because that guy left in 2008.
Yeah.
I think 2007 and 2008
were some of the worst times in Iraq.
Yeah.
I met a lot of Iraqi refugees in Syria
in 2008 when I went there.
And so that guy left
because of instability most likely, right?
Yeah.
He left because the war got so bad…
You start going into some of these stories
a lot of them are horrific right?
They’re terrible.
And I blame the foreign policy
of my government
for creating that situation, right?
And I never think of
people are their politics right?
I didn’t want that war from the get-go
but I’m associated with it
because I’m American, right?
Yeah.
And I don’t want anyone
ever to judge me for that.
-Because I didn’t make the decision. Right?
-No no no. I understand.
But that is part of the
complicated tale of immigration.
It is.
A lot of people’s lands
got really messed up from bad policy
and they gotta flee.
-A guy like that speaks Finnish.
-Mm-hmm.
Really nice guy.
Adding to society.
He doesn’t look like
he’s taking benefits right?
No.
I’m sure he brings up good kids.
Yeah.
And that’s what you want, right?
If people are going to immigrate
that’s the story you want.
Yeah. But these kind of people
would like to have more, right?
They start their company.
-They provide to the society.
-Mm-hmm.
You know that’s all about it.
That’s a kind of chain of generations
that what we do.
We raise the family
we provide to the society
and then we live happily together, right?
The problem with politics though
I can speak for the US here.
The Right is gonna show
all the immigrants are taking things.
Every single one of them, right?
They’re not gonna show that story.
The Left is going to show
they’re only a net benefit to society
and they’re taking nothing.
So depending on what you’re tuning into
you’re going to see one side of it.
Nobody’s really trying to
dig into it deeper.
Yeah.
And the truth is somewhere in between.
Yeah.
Co-exist, respect the values,
try to integrate,
and do the thing that would reflect
the life of your own society.
I think that’s the way to go.
[Peter] You got all the birch trees here.
This is beautiful.
-Very crisp fresh air.
-Yeah.
[Risto] That’s what the Helsinki has.
Pretty good.
[Peter] Surrounded by water. That helps.
[Peter] And these are older homes, right?
But much bigger homes?
[Risto] Much bigger homes.
Some of the wealthy people decided
to move into this area, Kulosaari.
That’s why there’s a couple of
foreign-owned like embassy stuff.
-That’s Iran?
-But then there’s the regular homes.
-Okay.
So what does one of these
nice homes go for do you think?
-If you get closer to the sea
it might be a few mil.
The wealthy corporate people
maybe some that have inherited money.
Their parents made a fortune
and then they’re living here.
-Do you have much corruption
in your politics here?
As in can someone get into
the equivalent of the Congress
like US Congress, be a Senate member,
and then leave their term with
many millions of dollars
through the right investments
because they have certain knowledge
that the rest of us don’t?
Does that exist?
-Or there’s not much corruption here.
-Not much corruption.
There might be things like
let’s put it this way
that during the career as a politician
then when you get, you know,
older in that politics
and then maybe they show you a job.
Okay, yeah.
And that’s kind of like a little
could be corrupted as you understand.
-Yeah.
-But not like monetary bribes.
Giving the money.
-You don’t have
a lobbying system like the US?
-We have some lobbies yeah.
Employer and employees lobbying.
I think it’s normal
that if there’s a tendency…
what they want to change the legislation
then there’s a bunch of
group lobbies that want to prevent…
-Right.
-…that to happen.
[Peter] Oh this is a special neighborhood.
-Yeah
-It’s beautiful.
-[Risto] That’s…
-[Peter] That’s the Moroccan ambassador.
-Yeah.
-Is it? I guessed it?
-That’s Iraq.
-Iraq.
Yeah I wouldn’t think Iraq
would need such an embassy here.
No but that was during the Saddam time.
I don’t know how much money
they did spend there
but I’ll bet you it was a lot.
[Peter] That’s a wild shot.
That’s a Helsinki shot right there.
The big boat with the Orthodox Church.
So we’re going downtown?
-Yep.
-Okay.
So we sort of
skirted around the city a bit.
Yes we did.
And then we’re going to the nugget
which most people know of.
Or if you’re going to watch
a video on Helsinki.
Exactly.
They will show you this.
-They’ll show us that.
-This southern part pretty much.
The Risto tour is unorthodox.
Exactly.
We have Orthodox and unorthodox.
Exactly. That’s what we got.
You gotta see
the both sides of the flip, eh?
Heads and tails, eh?
[Risto] Let’s see now
we can walk a little bit.
[people chattering]
[Risto] There’s a couple of guys
just laying low, eh?
-Oh that’s nice!
-Seapool which is getting cold.
-Okay.
So you swim in there in the winter?
-Yeah I take a dip
but it gets really cold.
It gets like three, four centigrade.
-These guys are going in now.
-Exactly.
How cold?
Now it might be
something like a 12 centigrade.
-Okay.
-In the high 40s, low 50s.
Is there a sauna?
These are three saunas.
One mixed, one male, one female.
And then there’s a couple of saunas
downstairs underneath this.
-Where we are now.
-What a cool zone, huh?
Yeah.
And in behind there’s
a city park called Katajanokka.
Where you can see
the red brick buildings.
-And there’s the Viking Line
I told you about.
I remember getting off there
and walking down here
all the way into town
where we’re going to go.
Yeah.
This is fantastic.
You can see that it’s open to the world.
Sea unites us to the rest of the world
and there’s been always,
you know, the mentality.
We want to be open to the world.
But there’s a fortress of Viapori
guarding us.
But this is I think remarkable
that there’s so
crazy people that give allowance to build
a pool before the presidential palace.
-That’s the palace right there?
-The yellowish building.
And when there’s visitors like Mr. Trump
and Putin was a few years ago here.
So they closed all the pools.
They reserved the pool area
that there wouldn’t be…
There was only media
and that stuff in here
because otherwise it would be
good place for the snipers eh?
Right.
So how does it make you feel Risto after
a full life in the city, five generations?
Ah it feels like a home eh?
-Yeah.
But it’s gone through a lot
and it’s also it’s a city story.
It’s your own story.
It’s your own life.
It changes all the time
during course of the time
because different phenomenon,
they come and go.
But maybe the core remains
that you have to know what you do.
And there’s that silent will
that will take you where
you want to go.
And I think in the city
there’s a lot of that will.
But there’s a lot of secrets as well
as we saw in the food line, eh?
[Peter] Salmon quiche.
This isn’t really Finnish is it?
Well it’s kind of,
it is Sandwich with cheese.
But salmon is pretty much, you know,
it’s one of the fish we eat a lot.
We eat also pike perch. It’s very good.
I kind of think that’s the one.
-Pike perch?
-Yeah.
It’s white fish.
Kind of not too much of a taste
but when you make it fine
you fry it in the butter
and not too much spicy and potatoes
It’s marvelous.
-Risto how often
are you out here in the winter?
-Typically I’m three to four times a week.
If possible in the morningside.
And no matter what weather.
It can be, you know, snowy
and it feels nice when
the snowflakes drop on your back.
You feel kind of little pinch.
And even a little hail sometimes.
But it’s so different.
When the water’s warm
and you can do your swimming
because as you know I’m a swimmer.
-And then you go in the sauna.
But this is important in your culture.
Oh yeah the saunas. There’s more
than three million saunas in this country.
Three million. You’re a deep thinker Risto.
What do you think
the lesson of the sauna is?
What is the deep thought of that?
I think they’re…
‘Cause in a very typical sauna,
we’re equal.
People don’t have their…
any, you know, who’s CEO,
who’s the janitor or whatever.
-Oh.
You lose everything
but you’re only yourself.
I think that’s the core thing.
So that’s just wild
that the president’s in right now.
And you can just walk
right by it and park.
Well there’s a car there.
I don’t know if it’s stationary.
-But you can just walk right by it.
-Yeah.
That’s amazing.
That was kind of amazing story
when Putin and Trump, they visit,
they were here a few years ago. Okay?
And after… that was Niinisto
was our president at that time.
After those guys left there’s a little
terrace behind near the Uspenski Cathedral.
and he went there with
couple of his bodyguard, “I need a beer.”
and he walked there with no guards.
Maybe one bodyguard with him.
So that tells about the
trust and the security of the country.
You know after how would I say
a stressful day he wanted to relax
in a local bar.
-Okay I was just asking you
about salary off camera.
You said a good sort of
average salary here is $50,000.
Yeah.
Would be $50,000 but then you said
something I couldn’t believe.
What was that again?
That is the taxman releases
the report, the information in late October
that everybody’s income is known
whether capital gains or salary
or whatever he has sold his company.
Everything is public.
-Every year?
-Every year.
-So everyone knows how much you made
if they want to know that?
Exactly.
There’s even kind of like a
what do you call, a site.
You put your name and it shows
I’ve earned this much,
I paid this much taxes.
Blah, blah, blah.
Some people like it, some people don’t.
What’s the president making?
I think he’s got pretty low
A couple hundred plus.
-A couple hundred thousand plus?
-Yeah.
How do you feel about that system
where everyone can see what you make?
I don’t know. I’m kind of mixed.
-Like what’s the point of it?
I don’t know.
Sometimes I feel like it’s kind of like a…
It’s not a beauty parade
but it’s kind of like an envy parade.
Right.
I don’t like it too much.
Yeah and it’s also a criminal parade
if they’re smart they’ll be like
here’s the guy that’s
got all the resources.
-Exactly.
-But you don’t have much criminality.
But there’s been cases.
There’s a CEO of one big listed company
the family, they got the information
that there’s going to be a criminal group
that is going to kidnap their family.
And that’s not a good thing.
But they were foreigners
that were planning the kidnap.
But then the internal police
or the secret police
got the information and they stopped it.
But good for them.
As a Yankee I interpret that all as an
infringement on my freedom and my privacy.
I could understand that easily.
But that’s why I love making these videos
’cause every country has
all these little details and nuances
that you would never know about
just traveling here
until you have a long enough
conversation where it comes up.
Like what you just said.
And you’re like wow
I would have never thought of that.
-Exactly.
-Yeah.
[accordion music plays]
[Peter] So this is the heart of it all.
From here where we’re going
into those trees, right?
-Yeah.
That’s the north and south Etelaesplanadi.
[accordion continues]
[Peter] Do you know the band Hanoi Rocks?
Yeah I’ve heard. Yeah.
I met these guys,
Michael Monroe, Andy McCoy, 2002.
Coming off the boat,
this was about 1:00 in the morning.
I was walking back to my hostel
after a night of drinking.
Okay.
And these guys were like swamp creatures
coming out of the water.
And it’s sort of a
for those that don’t know
sort of an ’80s glam band.
-Finnish style.
-Yeah.
And I said to the guy I was trying to
figure out what type of music
because I didn’t know.
I said it’s sort of like
Guns N’ Roses or Motley Crue.
And then they…
They stopped.
I said the forbidden, Motley Crue.
Because Vince Neil
the singer for Motley Crue
killed their drummer Razzle
in a car accident.
He overshot a corner in the Hollywood Hills
and killed their drummer.
And I had no clue
Motley Crue had anything to do with them
but I hit the nerve right off the bat.
But they were cool.
And we hung out here for like two hours.
-Wow.
-And Michael Monroe
had these bugged out eyes.
Yeah.
And a pin that said “F off I’m precious.”
But Finland, I’m sure you know this
but I just read coming in this trip
has the most amount of
metal bands per capita in the world.
You guys got metal.
-You have hockey.
-Yeah hockey is good.
You have rally car racing.
That’s true. F1 racers.
Which are all pretty badass things.
Without the Finnish presence
on the Florida Panthers
we wouldn’t have won
the last two Stanley Cups.
Yeah, go Panthers go.
Barkov, Lundell.
-Yeah.
-Nikola.
Yeah. I checked out the final games
and it was very interesting to see
because of the Canadian.
What’s his name?
-McDavid. Conor McDavid.
-Yeah.
He was so keen on getting that NHL.
Well my favorite Swede
Forsling shut him down.
It was a beautiful thing.
Okay so this would be the ground zero.
The center point of Finland, right?
If you were to pick one point
would it be here?
Yeah I would say ’cause the market square
is the place where…
And back in the old days
there was a lot of boats
selling potatoes and fish and things.
And here now it’s more for the…
You can see still some of
the veggies and fruits there.
But now it’s more for
the tourist attraction, things change.
And here we come to the park of Esplanade.
They call that restaurant a chapel,
Kappeli.
Through the generations
people known in Helsinki
have visited this restaurant chapel.
-Let’s go.
-What’s going on here?
-What are you guys doing?
-We’re having a photo shoot.
Oh okay. All right.
[Risto] And here there’s going to be
a band soon playing.
-Oh nice. Free music?
-Yeah free music for the people.
[Peter] When you get Helsinki
on a day like today it’s magical.
-It is.
-Nice breeze.
-Nice breeze.
-Not too cold.
-Not too cold.
[Risto] It’s just about perfect right now.
I’m so pleased that Helsinki gets exposure.
-There is not that much online.
-I was surprised.
-No.
What I got in English at least.
I mean there’s a lot of like
top five, ten, things to do type videos.
Oh sure.
But as far as like understanding the city
at a deeper level.
No.
I couldn’t find anything.
I think you’re the first.
And just one video only does so much.
-Yeah.
[Risto] This guy, Eino Leino,
he did all the national poets
before the independence.
He was a genius and standing tall.
-How would you say… Okay standing tall.
Here’s a question
you can’t have the exact answer for
but the national psyche
right now of Finland.
Like how is the country doing
would you say overall?
I think it was united
before the joining of the NATO.
Because we felt that kind of threat.
And even as our president said
now the masks have been taken away
from the Eastern side.
He said that to our people.
And we felt it that maybe that unifies.
I think in those questions
we’re very unified.
But then in some other political issues
like how should we, you know,
the social welfare
and what is enough, what is not enough.
There’s some differences in policies
and also in opinions which is fine.
Now there’s a more right
coalition on force.
Okay.
And they’ve had to do some
of the cuts
’cause we took a lot of loans
as a country during the pandemia.
Because pandemia was kind of crazy time
for a lot of the countries.
Yeah.
To spend money too much.
And now we’re trying to kinda
squeeze it up back to the normal.
How is the job market right now?
Unemployment rates?
Unemployment rate has been pretty bad.
-Pretty bad?
-Yeah. It’s about a nine percentage.
Unemployment rate is nine percent?
-Yes it’s the second highest in Europe.
-That’s high. Geez.
We took a lot of hit because of the war.
We had to change. There was a
lot of companies that did export.
When you say the war just for the audience
the most recent Ukrainian war.
-‘Cause you’ve had a million wars here.
-Exactly.
And then import of oil and energy.
That was one of the issues that we faced.
We had to switch that.
Now we’re independent from that.
But you know it takes a toll on country
when you have to do some of the changes.
And the world market
has been kind of not sluggish
but one of the biggest countries
we export a lot has been Germany.
-And Germany’s economy has been down.
-Okay. Right.
But the overseas between US and Finland,
that has grown rapidly.
-That’s grown rapidly?
-Yeah.
We’re buying the F-35s from you
and then there’s talks about
the icebreakers and all the big things.
And I hope that is going to develop
towards a very good…
So it’s interesting to see.
I mean you can’t have all the answers.
-It’s one man’s opinion obviously.
-Exactly.
But what about young people finding
work right after university?
I mean you know
through some of your kids obviously.
I know.
Let’s put it this way that
I have a little sample only.
But I’ve found… they all have found.
Okay, good.
And they’ve gone to university
and then they’ve gone into workforce.
I could be easily biased
and explain that if you try hard
there might be situations
where there’s a barrier
or tumbling blocks where you hit your foot.
But in general I think
if you’re trying and you’re talented
you will make it.
[Peter] I think countries can
always learn from other countries.
-What to do and what not to do, right?
-Yeah that’s true.
And Finland even though it’s not an
apples-to-apples comparison
I do like the thought of a
at least a base level healthcare system.
-Yeah.
-For everyone.
You’re not going to get
an MRI tonight if you want it.
-No.
-Right.
So I just feel like a
base level of healthcare.
I just went to the ER room in the US.
Yeah.
My deductible on my healthcare
insurance is $12,000.
Yeah.
The bill was $10,000.
So I have to pay. Even though
I have insurance I have to pay $10,000.
Now my taxation is much lower than yours.
Yeah.
So you are paying for healthcare.
-Your taxes, right?
-Exactly.
So it’s not as easy as free healthcare.
Nothing’s free.
Nothing’s free. Yeah you’re right.
But I think it is good to have
a basic level of healthcare in society.
In the US what a lot of people
don’t understand
anyone’s gonna get healthcare
who wants it.
They show up to the ER room.
If they have some acute issue
it’s taken care of.
No matter if they’re legal, illegal,
any background is gonna get taken care of.
It’s not like people
are out on the streets.
A lot of people don’t understand that
from outside the US.
But somebody’s got to pay for that.
Yeah.
And it’s people like me who have to pay
the bill when I go in there.
Because the rates are so high.
-Got it.
-They’re crazy.
The system is fundamentally
not working well.
Now if I want brain surgery
I’m happy to be where I’m at.
Yeah.
There are a lot of good specialists
for that sort of thing.
But I do have to say I think it does take
maybe a little buzz of anxiety
out of the society when you know that
you’re not gonna get stuck
with a $10,000 bill.
I agree. I agree.
But then if you want to have
a certain level of let’s say benefits
you either pay through the taxes
or you pay a private HMO or…
-Yeah.
-…or healthcare.
So maybe it ends up
to being quite a bit the same.
Only thing how we could
be able to compare the situation
is what percentage of GDP
you guys pay totally your healthcare.
-Oh way more.
-Way more.
-We’re paying the most in the world.
-Yeah.
It’s crazy.
Here we have kind of like
a dual system as well
in a sense that we have
this universal healthcare
but at the same time
we can have a private scheme.
So on top of it.
Kind of like a topping up.
-I like that idea.
-Yeah.
And then if you don’t want to
let’s say queue for six months
for a certain operation you have the…
You know, extra top healthcare scheme
and then you go direct.
Yeah.
You can say maybe this is a luxury thing.
Maybe it is but it’s… it’s there.
-Yep.
[Peter] This is beautiful.
-Yeah.
-Wow.
And those guys holding the lamps,
the railway station.
That’s kind of like our central station.
And maybe we can walk through.
I know there’s a lot of construction
going on right now but…
Just to finish up on the healthcare
a bit of a boring topic
but I think interesting comparing systems.
Peoplethat have most jobs,
most professions in the US,
healthcare is provided with the work.
Yeah with the work.
-Which I don’t like that you lose
the job you lose your healthcare.
-I understand that.
Here we have
a little bit of a similar system
that the employer provides
the healthcare for the workers
but then you don’t have to use
the public healthcare, the universal.
Okay.
-So typically they’re private.
-Look at this Risto.
-What a beauty.
-Yeah.
This is what you want.
It’s busy as in any
little city so to speak.
[Peter] So Helsinki,
roughly almost 700,000 people now.
-But in 1910 it was a hundred thousand.
-Yeah.
That is crazy growth.
And actually if you take Espoo and Vantaa
surrounding it’s about a 1.5.
-Okay. In Metro area.
-Yeah. Metro area.
Okay.
-Just so many architectural nuggets.
-Yeah. I like it.
The one that is the National Theater.
One of my relatives was one
in establishing the institution.
I think that stories
with everything here Risto.
-One of your relatives…
-Yeah.
X Y Z.
And there was actually
a play called Cranes.
-You know the birds.
-Yeah.
Last year that was telling
this story of our family history.
Of the three writers, authors, ladies,
that are Helmi Kroon,
Aino Callas, and Aune Kroon.
And it was a play of all that history.
We had a big laughs.
There’s a National Art Museum Ateneum.
And if you can see they state
“Concordia res parve crescunt”.
In Latin it means that
concordia, con is with, heart
is cordia, res parve, little things grow.
And if you can read
unanimous understanding in small things
then they grow.
And I do believe that now
especially thinking the war in Ukraine
it would be very good statement.
Concordia res parve crescunt.
I think it’s magic, that sentence.
And the Ukrainian flag’s right
behind you as you said.
Exactly.
I’m getting it here
being so close to Russia and your history.
You just have a lot of sympathy.
You have a lot of understanding.
-Yes.
-You’ve been down the road before.
Yeah we’ve been there.
You’ve been there but Ukraine could
probably learn a lot from you guys, right?
Hopefully. So I don’t know.
The warfare has changed a lot
but I think the mentality is
so that we can survive
and maybe kind of like
they’re with the like,
concordia resparve crescum.
And if we can agree on the little things
maybe we can agree on bigger things
and maybe that’s our wish, eh?
[Peter] Yeah it’s interesting
what forms national identity obviously
is not just the nation-state boundaries.
Language is so important.
-Education.
-Culture.
-Even theater has a play in it.
-Even theater.
-And even the arts.
-And education.
Yeah, and the game was always
if you can get rid of the language
you control the people to some degree.
There you go.
Take away the language
because language is identity.
And you guys have Swedish
as a national language also.
Yeah.
But there are only like 5%
speakers here in Helsinki.
Yeah. Plus then there’s naturally
those who learn like me at the school.
And maybe like me who lived in Sweden
and picked up the language.
My mother used to study here.
Let’s see.
[Peter] “A question of time.”
[Risto] A lot of these National
Art Gallery works are from the time
prior our independence.
Like this one is from 1882.
And somehow the artists have strengthened
the feeling of our nationality.
And I think this art museum,
Ateneum National Art Museum
well presents those emotions still.
And it says it was a golden era
of the artists who did this.
[Peter] Ah this is great.
[Risto] ’50s, ’30s.
-You’ve got some great artists.
-That is cool.
That is cool.
This picture it tells about Toolo.
Which is a nice part of the city
that used to be rock.
And now I know my parents
like my mother in her childhood lived
in that area and remembers the rocks.
Here we can see some of the pieces of art
how they were building it.
But I still recall that
maybe for the memory of
how the city has shaped
the art is important.
Because a lot of people when they stroll
along the streets of Toolo for example
they don’t have a clue what it was before.
And it’s good to have something
that reminds me
that there’s been a lot of work
done for this city.
A lot of people sacrificed.
I look at the States the same.
A lot of people sacrificed
to make it the way it is
so I can live a nice life.
-Exactly.
-Right.
And it’s our generation’s responsibility
to keep that up for the next.
-The memories.
-Right.
-And not take it for granted.
-Exactly.
That’s what it is. Yeah.
So when you look at
infrastructure like that,
I look at like
the highway system in America.
Like the Eisenhower
highway system was built.
-Interstate system.
-Interstate system. Yeah.
-Like very quickly.
-Yeah.
And now I just get to drive down.
Yeah. All over the place.
All right guys.
We’re gonna leave here soon.
But this is very interesting.
Risto I was just saying
I like how you decided to bring us in here
to show how art
was very influential in identity.
I think that’s a great point
and overlooked often.
-Art, music, cinema, right?
-Yeah.
You have some great artists here.
-Yeah.
-I got to come back to this place.
Look at this.
[Peter] Guys, today we’re trying to
show you as much as possible.
Just show you different parts of the city,
different identities,
different realities people live in.
But overall I gotta say
this is one spectacular city.
Quite possibly one of my favorite
because it’s got architecture going for it.
Safe. Clean.
There’s a feeling here.
I’m not going to get through the camera
but there is a feeling that is different
than anywhere else that I’ve been.
That is nice. I’m still trying
to figure out what that is.
And there are guys like Risto here.
He’s just gracious enough
to bring us into his world.
Without you Risto
we wouldn’t see any of this.
-I would see the buildings.
-Yeah.
But I wouldn’t have
the good commentary from you.
And I do very little internationally
these days with content.
The channel started all internationally.
Now it’s like hardly at all.
Yeah.
Video or two a year.
You see here people playing chess.
-Yeah.
That’s Helsinki National Library
and there’s a movie theater, restaurant.
-You have a movie theater here.
-Yeah.
-In the library.
-In the library.
[Risto] Workstations,
urban workshop, reading room,
workplaces, kitchen learning space.
It’s a full experience here.
It’s a full a la carte.
Yeah.
Dropping computers. You can go online
and you can do some of the printing.
I’ve never seen that in a library
this sort of setup.
It’s the first time for you?
-Yeah but the people don’t have the
machines and then they come in here, right?
-It’s nice. No I like it.
-3D printer. Can you use this?
-Yeah.
You can try. It says here.
You see.
I want to try 3D printing.
-Okay. Put your USB stick
into the printer’s USB port.
Okay. And then you can print something.
-Yeah.
-That is cool.
-Yeah.
-Take away souvenir.
Yeah.
This is something for all people.
When Helsinki turned
I don’t remember how many years old it was.
But the city government asked the people
what do you want to have in Helsinki?
So the people said we want to have
a multi-functional library.
Okay.
So here we are.
-This is cool.
-They listened.
Nice architecture and as you see…
A lot of people.
-We’re making a video today on Helsinki
showing all aspects of the city.
Okay.
-So we wanted to show this off.
-Oh yeah. This is the…
Let’s say,
one of those most visited
places at the moment.
-So as a resident
you’re proud to see this here, right?
Yeah.
We people, we like this.
It’s like a living room.
-Also with the tourists and everyone.
-Yeah.
And then all these activities here
because they have…
Now this immigration is a big issue
everywhere in the world.
So they have sessions here and so on.
And little by little they’re learning
our society, and Finland, and so on.
And this is also a place for them.
-Okay. So like integration sessions?
-Yeah.
Oh that’s cool. We talked about that today.
We went to what neighborhood?
-Where we got the baklava?
-Itakeskus.
Itakeskus, yeah.
It’s another… society.
-It is.
-It’s multicultural.
But put it that way.
Are you happy with the direction
Finland is going right now?
Are you happy with the country?
Um… let’s say…
Uh…
Unemployment it is a big issue.
-Unemployment is here?
-Unemployment.
It is a big issue and I think
we need to solve it somehow.
-Are the youth leaving the country
or what’s the deal with unemployment?
No. They’re staying.
But the social security is such good.
They get… Unemployed people
get support from the government.
So some right-wing people say
it’s free money for them.
Okay they are just milking the society.
But as there are no opportunities to work
and now there’s a…
People are talking
there’s big change
in our economical system.
AI and other things so we don’t know.
We are changing what to do.
-Right it’s a time of change.
-Yeah time of change.
-Yeah.
The world everywhere
has that energy right now I would say.
It’s a universal thing.
Yeah it’s universal
but we need to solve those problems.
-Okay.
And of course somehow we need to
keep control of the immigrants.
Or immigration.
So that it is not too easy.
So if you want to live in Finland
so you need to
learn something about the society.
Yeah.
Not just isolate in your own villages
somewhere in the Itakeskus or somewhere.
-Yeah.
If you are in Finland you need to learn
Finnish language or Swedish language.
You need to be able to communicate.
That’s important.
-So this is a big topic. We touched on it
today but it’s a big topic in the country.
But also at school
think about the school teachers.
There are so many people
from so many cultures.
-So they need to be multi…
-Versatile.
Versatile multi-talented people.
-Right.
And different cultures
how to behave with the different cultures
and things like that.
Risto, coolest library
I’ve ever been to in my life.
The energy there.
People really want to be there.
Yeah it seems to me. And it was
kind of nice how the setting was done.
Like the city asked what the people wanted
and they wanted to have
a wonderful library.
The old one was from the tsar’s time.
I think that’s one of the big benefits
of living in a smaller country.
-Yeah.
-You have more voice right?
Yeah with the smaller group.
Small group. A couple hundred thousand
in the city say we want this.
Yeah.
The politician sort of has to deliver.
Yeah.
Otherwise they won’t be elected, right?
Where I feel in our country
especially at a national level
your voice definitely isn’t heard as much.
[Risto] One of the things I’d like to say
because we got out of the autonomy
that we were under the tsar, right?
But then during the late years
there was a guy
he was a governor in Finland
called Bobrikov.
He started to push Russian language
that we should switch the language
forget the Swedish
and start to do the things.
So people started to…
There was a hatred.
And there was a man who assassinated him
on the stairs of that Senate building.
And there’s still the label that
here the Bobrikov was assassinated
’cause he was the one that
wanted bad things to this country.
But then he died.
-I would have thought you would have
taken Alexander II’s statue down here.
No I think he was the one
that made it possible
to invest to build
a lot of the Helsinki as it is today.
And I think we in that sense
during the tsar time he loved this country.
And he invested a lot
visited sometimes in here
and kind of for some reason
did like it a lot.
-So there’s no animosity towards…
No. No.
-That’s interesting. Okay.
-I wouldn’t say.
-It’s complicated like most things in life.
It is complicated ’cause then the wars,
there’s the fight for the independence
and the civil war
it would have led ’cause there was
50,000 troops in here, the Russian troops.
And if the Reds would have won then we
would have been part of the Soviet Union.
And that future would have been
very different than being independent
and rule our own little country.
That was just about to start to blossom
after recognizing the language
and let’s say education stronger
and all the things a little better.
So I think this is really
the monumental plaza
for all the Finns to understand.
[Risto] This part of town has been always
kind of the heart of strolling easy life.
And there’s been institutions
like school and then also art galleries.
And here’s maybe
the oldest cafeteria, this Ekberg.
-Oh Ekberg okay.
And that was established 1852
and still the same family runs it.
-Is that a Swedish name, Ekberg?
-Yeah it’s a Swedish actually.
-So this is more like
bohemian type neighborhood?
-Yeah exactly.
And there’s secondhand
stores for the vintage stores
and kind of little special boutiques.
And then here we have
the Alexander Theater
that used to be our opera.
But then it’s that building.
-It’s also now classical style.
-Yeah.
This used to be the brewery.
The Sinebrychoffs,
they came in here 1817 if I recall right.
That is the oldest industrial building
in Helsinki. Dates back to 1834.
And it used to be a distillery.
And later on it was a brewery.
They took a lot of ice from the sea
and they put it in haystacks, the ice.
So it stayed cool
even during the summertime.
-Okay.
-And that was their storage for the beer.
And it was for the Sinebrychoffs
that later on I think Carlsberg bought it.
-You know what’s interesting?
Helsinki, I mean people
have lived here forever.
-Yeah.
-But the city didn’t really build up
until 19th century.
Yeah.
And in a way New York City is just as old.
-I mean, right? In that sense?
-Exactly.
Natives lived in New York City forever.
Then it was New Amsterdam.
Yeah, New Amsterdam.
That’s 1600s.
So looking for that super old world
European city that’s not here.
No. We’re a young nation.
Very young actually.
Because we’re more than
100 years old, right?
-Okay Risto
so you’re giving the complete tour here.
-Obviously we can’t see all the city.
-No.
-For the Helsinki purists…
-Yeah.
They might have a problem because
we’re getting out of Helsinki, right?
Exactly.
To neighboring
what’s the name of the town?
Espoo but it’s a part of
the metropolitan Helsinki region.
Okay.
And that’s why I wanted to show
’cause we’re surrounded by waters.
Espoo, the fastest growing city in Finland.
And it has its university
where there’s a tech,
there’s an art, business,
and administration school.
Okay.
A lot of businesses like that dynamics.
That’s why they move into Espoo.
But more than 50%
of the OMX stock exchange companies
are located in Espoo.
So it means a lot of wealth
for the, let’s say, in metropolitan area.
-Okay.
So all of a sudden
it feels more modern over here.
-Yeah.
-Wide highway.
Here you can see
the modern skyline of Espoo.
All right yeah.
There’s a Microsoft.
There’s a Konig Corporation.
There’s a lot of
the high tech stuff in here.
-Wow. They keep the speed limits very low.
-Yeah.
There are speed cameras
everywhere on the highway, right?
There are a lot and not too much in this.
I could easily speed
a little bit more here if I want.
But I got to drive
four and a half hours north tomorrow.
-Yeah, you better…
-But on the highway I stay close…
-Stay close.
-To the speed limit.
You can surpass
maybe 5%, max 10% of it.
But there’s a camera.
There’s going to be cameras.
-That takes the fun out of it doesn’t it?
-It does.
I don’t like it too much.
When did that start?
That started already a few years ago.
And then how they built up the fine system
is according to your income.
No.
If you speed just a little bit
you may get a couple of thousand dollars.
Boom. Fine.
If you make good income
it’s a couple of thousand dollars?
-For speeding?
-Exactly.
And there’s been stories
when a guy is like a…
It was once upon a time.
One of the hockey player
has in states, real income.
-I mean like…
-Like Barkov or Lundell?
Yeah.
And if he would speed he would get
like a hundred thousand ticket.
-Are you serious?
-Yeah.
A hundred thousand dollars?
-Yeah.
-No.
Which is ridiculous
because it’s according to the income.
The more you make
the more the fine you get.
Oh my God.
Which is…
So you have speed cameras
all over the place.
They just send you a ticket.
They know your income
because it’s public record.
Exactly.
Because there’s a public record.
-Ugh, that’s rough.
-That’s really rough.
Are people happy about this or not really?
They don’t like it
but what are you gonna do when it’s a law?
And we’re a law-obeying nation.
What are you gonna do?
Do you feel like there are
too many rules here?
Or because there are so many rules
it’s why it’s nice?
Well it’s kind of both sides.
In a certain way
it is that people would obey the rules.
But then there’s also…
Maybe we’re too much of a…
Uh…
Obeying the rules.
Even in the European Union when they say
that these things got to be like this.
And then the Italians do what they want.
So that’s…
-The Italians are not good with rules.
-No.
The Southerners at least.
No they’re not good.
They’re not good at all.
Risto, something tells me
you’re an organized man here.
-With this contraption.
-[chuckles]
You just dropped the roof rock down.
Exactly.
I like your style.
Well that’s cool. I didn’t know
we were going to your house today.
-Okay.
-This is awesome.
On the top of the little hill.
Here’s my wife Maria.
-How are you?
-[Finnish]
Peter.
-Hey.
-Nice to meet you.
Youngest child Brianna.
Hello. Brianna.
-They’re okay with being on camera?
-Yeah.
It’s okay?
-Peter.
-Hello Brianna.
-Nice to meet you.
-Nice to meet you too.
This is great out here.
Yeah.
-[Finnish]
-Nice weather she said.
Great weather.
-Yeah.
-It’ll be nice for the filming.
It’s perfect. It’s really nice.
-Are you living at home still?
-Yeah.
Okay. How many at home…
For one month.
-[Brianna laughs]
-[Peter] One more month?
[Finnish]
Then we’re going to stay together.
And any tips for raising 10 kids?
[Finnish]
[Finnish]
I could say we’ve been talking about this
and before we had no kids
we thought there was different ways
to raise kids, right?
But then when you had
the fourth kid you said
hey there’s no any philosophy
to raise kids.
You just let it go wild?
-Let it go wild.
-Yeah. Let it go.
When you have that many kids…
[Finnish]
And then the kids start to grow,
teach us, and teach others.
Okay.
The older siblings can teach
the discipline for the younger ones.
Right. Right.
Teach your parents how to behave.
Yeah exactly. There you go.
[Finnish]
Yeah.
[Finnish]
We wouldn’t have had no need
to have a big place without…
-Need.
-Okay.
So when you have…
Did you have 10 kids in this house?
-Yeah.
-Okay.
Nine actually.
-Nine here?
-Yeah.
Shared rooms, right?
-Yeah. Shared rooms.
-Okay.
There were one, two, three,
four…
Four bedrooms.
-Did you keep it this clean
when you had the kids around?
She’s wonderful in doing that.
Me, I’m helping too.
I’m the chef, and I want to do,
and I want to work as much as I can.
But now I can
when I’m more free so it’s good.
-Okay.
-Yeah.
That’s the whole line.
But they were a little younger.
Oh that’s so great.
This guy might be
following your path Risto.
He might be going bald.
Yeah might be. I don’t know.
You’ll see him. He’s coming.
Oh he’s coming. Okay cool.
He’s coming.
-Did you guys build this house?
-Yeah we did.
-Oh that’s great. I love the stairs.
-In 2000.
Canadian red oak.
-Canadian red oak?
-Yeah.
-How about that?
-You imported?
[Maria speaking Finnish]
Here’s the one that’s empty right now.
-A lot of times the kids come and visit.
-Two in a room.
[Peter] Yep.
[Risto] And here’s another one.
There she lives now
but she’s about to move.
-Okay.
[Risto] And she still works
with the sewing things
with the old singer from ’39 or so.
-Oh, that’s cool.
-Think about that.
-With the pedal down low.
-Yeah.
-Yep.
[Brianna] Pride and joy. [giggles]
[Risto] And then from here we can see…
[Peter] What are you sewing?
[Brianna] Clothes.
I usually try to make my own.
-You make your own clothes?
-Yeah.
That’s at least the goal.
If not, then second hand.
[Peter] So you got a nice lawn here.
-That’s one of the hardest to keep it.
-Oh yeah.
You know the lawn.
That’s a tricky business. [chuckles]
-This is great. I always love
when I’m in different countries
seeing how people live.
I think it’s just very interesting.
-Yeah.
-And it’s a nice home you have.
-Thank you.
You did a great job
when the light comes in here
very brightly at this time.
We like kind of country style,
a lot of oak.
-The floors.
-Yeah. It lightens it up.
It lightens. Yeah.
And it’s not too sterile.
-Yeah.
-We’ve been 25 years in here.
-Okay.
And you’re gonna stay?
-At least for now.
Maybe we’ll try to…
if the price will go up and then we’ll see.
But…
Well this is great.
Thanks for showing this.
Yeah. You’re welcome. That’s gonna…
And you got another lawn over here?
Yeah.
[Peter] So when you had all 10 kids
or 9 here in the home
you’d always do dinners every night?
Yeah we’d do dinners.
-Okay.
-Yeah.
That’s the important thing
in order to communicate with the kids.
You know what’s going on at school
and how the day went.
So your wife is an athlete also?
She stays in great shape?
-Yeah. She swims as well like me.
-Okay.
That’s our both great love.
That’s the string that keeps us together.
[Finnish]
-Got the hot tub Risto?
-Yeah.
All right, ‘nother one of your children?
Where are you at these days Daniel?
I live in Espoo as well.
-Oh okay.
I work in Helsinki
but we’ve always lived here.
It’s good to have a young guy in the mix.
-Yeah.
-No offense, Risto.
We’re the old guys.
We’re the older guys.
But for the younger guys
your dad was saying
hey if you got the skills right now
you’re going to get a job here no problem.
There’s plenty of opportunity.
But unemployment is around 9%.
Yes. It’s like record highs.
-Record highs.
-Everybody’s depression times.
I guess yes there are differences like
between different industries like…
Yeah.
There are probably like
vacancies for workforce.
And if you’ve got the right
perhaps education, the right skills,
obviously there are jobs available.
But at the same time
the high unemployment numbers
they must tell something.
-That it’s not so easy.
-Yeah, right.
And it’s also I think right now
with the high unemployment rates
it’s also the people with higher education
that are also like being unemployed.
I do believe that it’s getting better soon.
Okay.
Would you say in your generation
there’s a lot of Finnish pride?
You’re in your what mid-20s?
Oh I’m turning 34.
Oh geez. All right.
You guys age well. It’s in the genes.
[laughter]
-70, come on.
-Yeah.
Okay but with your generation
is there a patriotism?
Is there a strong love for Finland?
Do you notice that or not
or how do you see it?
We do obviously love our country
and sort of appreciate
and embrace the history
that we’ve had
and we’ve come this far.
And yes we do have the pride
but you mentioned like patriotism or…
Yeah.
How do you say that?
I don’t think that’s very often
like part of the identity
of the younger generations.
In such that we’d be going around
with the Finnish flags or something.
But of course like…
Only in sports.
In sports sure.
But that’s perhaps slightly like
different kind of a patriotism.
Risto what do you have here?
I have here because being afraid
that I’m not a storyteller.
You’re a great storyteller.
I asked the AI a little bit
that on the content when we had a plan.
Yeah.
That how it would look like
from artificial intelligence point
and make a little rhyme.
Okay.
-And here it goes.
-Okay.
“Helsinki is a city of silent seas
that speak.
It stands between sea and the forest
where gulls cry over granite harbors
and pines whispers against the wind.
In winter
it falls itself in the quiet trams
sliding through snow
windows glowing softly against the dark.
In summer it bursts open
people basking on the rock
laughter carried across the water.
The city alive with the life
as if making up for all that was hidden.
In streets carry two heartbeats.
The simplicity of the North
and the echoes of the East.
Wooden houses lean in the modern steel.
Lutheran restraints
rest beside golden domes.
Nothing boasts yet everything endures.
The soul of Helsinki
is contradiction turned into Harmony.
A reserve that hides warmth.
A silence that holds strength.
A modest city that keeps its secret
like a treasure in the pocket of the sea.
It does not shout its power.
It hums it quietly.
Like the heat of a sauna after cold water.
Like a light return after long darkness.
[Peter chuckles]
That’s pretty amazing.
It’s crazy. Chat’s coming up with that.
-Exactly.
-Wow.
But I wanted to do the contradictions.
-Yeah.
-You know?
-I think we did that today.
-Yeah.
I asked for that,
give me juxtaposition Risto.
I don’t want the North Korean tour only.
-Which means only the nice stuff.
-No.
But we got into some of the deeper issues
and showed the nice stuff and showed…
Showed a little not that nice stuff.
Right. The food line
which is unexpected from the outside.
And even the kind of tumbling down
shopping mall in eastern side.
Right.
Well I love this place.
So that was wonderful.
That’s awesome.
What is a good spot?
[Daniel] Help with the camera,
I can assist.
You want to help with the camera?
Yeah. No you can take it.
-Take.
-Here we go.
-Yeah?
-Yeah.
Then I can give Risto a right-hand shake.
Risto that was awesome.
-It was.
-Thank you.
-You’re welcome.
-You’re a fun guy.
Thank you.
Knowledgeable guy. Interesting guy.
And I really enjoyed that today.
You were doing the right questions.
And I was amazed how you can get
let’s say down deep to the Finnish soul
and we were able to
analyze it a little bit.
And I hope that the memories
of today will last long.
-Yeah they will.
-And will be good.
No. It’s a country and a culture I respect.
I know very little about it
but I’m highly interested.
So thank you audience
for watching Risto and I today.
This is a part of a
two-part Finnish series.
-Yeah.
-Tomorrow I go north.
-Yeah.
-Into the countryside.
which is a different world up there.
I bet you it is.
And some different characters.
And I also shot a couple of videos
in northern Michigan.
One had a Finnish theme to it.
So I’ve been on the Finland program lately.
-Wonderful.
-Risto, all right. Thanks so much for that.
Guys thanks for coming on that journey.
Until the next one.
Bye.
[folk music]