All About: Television

In Canada, you typically have to sign up for your cable channels through a variety of cable companies.  Or perhaps you'll get a satellite so you can watch a wider variety of channels from around the world - which is particularly handy if your first language is not English and you want to see some Chinese channels or French ones etc.
Then there's Youtube and other sites online - where everything online is free in snippets but then you have to watch things in segments and risk not seeing everything - because the producing company of the show will request those clips be removed.
And then of course, there's the option of waiting until your favourite show comes out on DVD at the end of the season and you purchase it....

Now that you know your options - let's talk about the option in Finland.

In order to get channels in Finland - you just need to buy a "digibox".  You just plug it in and  POOF! You have channels!
Now, if you go that route, you're "supposed" to pay your TV fees.

You perhaps have received a letter from "Viestint�virasto TV-maksut" - and it was probably in Finnish the first few times.  I know my husband has gotten one every 4-6 months since we've moved to Finland....and finally! It was my turn to get one.
Oh but this time - they wrote it in English.

Here's the short form of the letter:

"According to law (yes there's an Act on the State Television and Radio Fund (745/1998) - the television fees must always be paid when you are able to receive and watch tv transmissions...  You have to submit a notification regardless of the channels you watch or how much you watch them - or which distribution network (analog, digital, satellite etc.)....PS If you cannot receive television transmissions or a television notification has already been made for your address, please ignore this letter.  You need not notify us of this."

Then included in this little package is a form for me to fill out with all of my information etc.
Oh and because you're probably curious - here's the fees (you can pay it in 1 fee or in several monthly installments as follows:

" 1 month: 21,15�    3 months: 62,35�   6 months: 123,25�  12 months: 244,90�"

Considering the costs Canadians (and Americans too I'm sure) pay per month for internet - average speed being about 80$/month plus free local calls (we get the average speed for free in our building!) - I'm sure this is a very good deal, and I don't want to know what North Americans are paying for television cable!  (Even if you convert the currencies).

Anyway, so we do have a television - but no digibox.  We haven't watched TV in about 5 years (since my husband and I were first dating...he didn't need it and I didn't want to be dependent on it all the time like many people I know) - so why start now?  We're more into movies if anything.

So we don't have a digibox - but apparently if your computer has a "tv chip" - you're still expected to pay.  I have no idea how to use this "chip" and don't want to know.  Our computer is mostly Finnish anyway - so we have no idea how to do a lot with this computer - except for the basics and use of the internet.  I don't even know if we have that chip!

Well, what happens if you don't respond to the letters?  Occasionally, you may have a "TV Inspector" come to visit you.  They'll ring your door bell (so instruct your friends and regular visitors to knock instead :P ) and introduce themselves.  They'll ask permission to come inside and look for your digibox.
YOU HAVE EVERY LEGAL RIGHT TO SAY NO AND POLITELY SHUT THE DOOR.  The only people you MUST let into your home are the Police.
And they're sneaky about it too - they'll listen to your door (they're kind of thin I suppose) to see if they can hear any "tv-like sounds".
This is getting increasingly harder because of the internet, DVDs and VCRs (yes some people still have those here) - and heck! Even radios!
My friend had recently moved into a different flat and she received a letter within a week - stating that she needs to register her digibox/television if she has one.  And before that?  She just ignored the letters, and once had an inspector come in and they look around in the bedroom, kitchen and living room...typical places for a TV.  The inspector was suspicious because he could hear sounds from her flat - and it was only the radio...she doesn't even have a TV!!

I wonder if they have a little jingle tune like "Inspector Gadget"...?

Bonjour From Paris!

(I'm back from Paris and couldn't blog while on the go because the internet was weird in our hotel....a review of our hotel to come later.  More like a butchering I suppose...)

So we travelled via 3 different countries in 1 single day.  We took the boat from Estonia to Helsinki and then we flew from Helsinki to Paris (a little over 2.5 hours).
By the time we arrived in the airport, it was after 9pm (1 hour behind Finland) and we were exhausted.  There was the option of taking a shuttle bus at the wonderful cost of 17� per person.  Tim had the instructions for how to take the RER (subway) - so we opted for that and it turned out to be significantly cheaper (17,40� for the two of us - kids are free under age of 3 I think) and it took about 35 minutes.
We checked into our hotel, The Royal Cardinnal, and accepted a continental breakfast to be delivered to our room the next morning.  Once we squished ourselves into the elevator - we then noticed it was 6� for breakfast (but not specified if it was per person or per room)....
We quickly prepped for bed and crashed.

The next morning, we awoke early to cloudy skies and it was chilly.
The continental breakfast was our choice of hot beverage or juices (we opted for tea and coffee) and it came with hot milk (I'm used to cold milk to cool off the tea or coffee....so this was different!) and 1 baguette cut in half and 2 croissants.
The baguettes were good but not fresh.  I only say this because there was this off-taste about it and it wasn't hard as a rock or anything - but it wasn't as fresh as the ones you get from the bakeries.  My son devoured the croissants however!
After looking at the shower and figuring out that the bigger knob was the one that controlled the overhead shower head - we managed to get dressed and go explore.  We didn't have to meet our friends for a few hours so we grabbed a map and headed towards the Notre Dame.

A word of advice: go early in the morning - say around 9am or so...because by the time 10:30 rolls around - the line ups are massive for getting in.  Lots of school groups and tourist groups going in too.  There is free admission and you CAN take photos!

*You also have to remove your hat, be dressed respectfully (not necessarily your Sunday best but don't go there dressed like you're going to a club) and be quiet, especially if there is a service going on.*

Inside is breath taking....despite the dim lighting, the stained glass detailing is beautiful and all of it is amazing.

One thing I noticed while inside was the "modern style confessionals".  I've never confessed with a priest before, but typically it's inside a wooden box with a metal grate between you and the priest and your identity is a mystery.  (My husband said he saw those in there but I didn't).

What I did see were clear glass offices with a desk and 2 chairs sitting opposite of each other....and a sign outside saying it was a Confessions area!  How Modern!

While travelling on the bus - you can use a NaviGo (a purple colored electronic pad is located at all entrances for subways and air transportation - not planes but subways that go above ground and on the bus) Pass or you can purchase little tickets (10 for 12�) and insert it into a box to validate them.

One validated ticket is good for 1.5 hours and can usually be used to transfer between transportation systems but there's a trick.  (I forget if it's not used between RER and bus or what...it was complicated!)

It's easy enough to get on the bus with a stroller (you get on at the front and the aisles are wide enough for a standard single stroller) but getting to the RER has it's difficulties!  First of all, because it's a subway system underground - you have a lot of stairs to go down or around....super pain in the neck for a stroller!  Sometimes there are escalators (most times they are broken or stopped the direction that you need to go of course!)....and there's an occasional elevator...but not often!  So if you can  - back pack!

Sure lots of people have strollers with older children and the kid hops out and goes up/down the stairs by themselves while you maneuver the stroller along the stair well....but if your kid is asleep - then it can be difficult waking up a sleepy little one....

(The buses have an empty space in the middle for strollers or wheel chairs)

Oh and don't sneak onto the bus through the back door!  I saw 2 girls sneak on through the back door and the driver caught them, yelled loudly (how embarrassing!) and they exited the bus to get on through the front and pay.

Eating out in Paris

• Taxes and tips are included in the price
• There was a great little grilli place beside the hotel we stayed at - it was cheap, tasty and very friendly people working there (don't go at lunch time - you'll be yelling a lot to get your order!)
• There's a "Great Canadian Pub" with very expensive prices
• Pop can be expensive (at least 3� for a glass)
• Crepes are wonderful, cheap and can be hearty if you order the savoury ones!
• We went to a crepperie with our friend and it did not accept card payments...only cash
• Their savoury crepes were made with buckwheat
• We ate at the Mosque for lunch on our last day there and if you are a woman - be warned!  Not all waiters enjoy serving women and many don't.  So if you are a mixed group - then often the men will be served nicely and the women will have their plates tossed onto the table.
• The inside is beautiful and the food is tasty!!!!
• They also serve a mint tea and pour it from great heights (our waiter didn't...) and they have a platter of sweets and charge you based on how many you eat...it was so tasty!

Some lamb with prunes and almonds...no couscous or rice though.

Pouring the mint tea (the other waiters were pouring it from a much taller height...he probably doesn't like women).

We had some extra guests join us...

The delicious platter of pastries!

My choice...dates with walnuts

School System in Paris

• Kids start at the age of 3....as in they're sitting in a desk and learning - not running around and playing like most pre-schools at that age.  They start to prepare for regular school from the ages of 3-6.
• Kids go to school (regular school) from 8:30am-4:30pm
• They go to school 4x a week and have Wednesdays and weekends off, then they have 2 WEEKS OFF.  This cycle repeats itself throughout the year.
• Summer break is for nearly a full 2 months (July and August) and they resume school the first week of September.
• Christmas break is typically 2-2.5 weeks depending on when the holidays fall (similar to Canada)
• For lunch - they get a 3-course meal everyday
• They don't have school books...the teachers photocopy the school books and put them in a duotang of sorts.  (Why I don't know).
• Parents pick up their kids from school (or a friend does and there's a mutual meeting place) and then they get a baguette...EVERYDAY.  I found this interesting because I personally would think a baguette everyday would be very boring - but  I guess it's not for the kids.

Random Bits and Pieces

• You don't buy stamps at the Post Office...I know what an odd idea!  You buy them at the tobacco shops.
• The French are very proud of their postal system - to the point if you're trying to drop off a form - they ask that you put it in the mail box. (A friend experienced this).
• Don't drive here - it's not worth all the gas (and money) you'll burn.  It's cheaper and much easier to go by foot, bus or RER.  
• It took our friends about 4 hours to drive back from the airport after dropping a friend off (it takes 35 minutes by subway/RER)
• Most public bathrooms are free and they automatically disinfect themselves (how I don't know - I never needed the bathroom when we went by one).
• There's a lot of terrible parking here...and terrible driving - you can tell by the cars parking along the curve of the corner between 2 cross walks...Oh and by the scratches, scrapes and dents in the vehicles.
• If your kid throws a tantrum - don't be surprised if a random stranger will lecture them VERY LOUDLY (and in French)....this simply doesn't happen in Finland and often not in Canada either.  You typically mind your own business and let the parent do their thing.
• PICK POCKETING DOES HAPPEN!  If you are approached by people (typically of Roma culture or something similar) who are using sign language to you and shoving a clip board in your face with some pages on it (like a petition for you to sign) - DON'T SIGN IT.  Why? Because while you're reading what it's about - someone is pick pocketing you at the same time from behind.
• Just don't sign anything....it's far too risky.
• Cell phones are dirt cheap here  - but majority of the companies require you sign up for a contract of a minimum of 2 years.
• Disney Paris has a train that can go there frequently...oh and the entrance fee is 51� per child, 57� per adult (although...there IS a sale right now that adults can get in for a child fee...).  Needless to say - we didn't go.
• We did go to the Eiffel Tower (tour de Eiffel) via RER and it was huge.  There's a lengthy line up to go up the ET...get there by 9am if you don't want to wait too long.
• Same with the Louvre - we saw the outside of it but didn't have time to go inside...maybe next time!
• We were warned about an excessive amount of dog poop on the ground and that approximately 600 people get hospitalized from sliding in it and hurting themselves. (Hence why we didn't bring a stroller).
• However, if you stick to tourist locations - you rarely see any...there was more in Finland than in Paris.