Christmas spirit in

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Christmas spirit in

JUNE 2012
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CONTENTS / JUNE
Wheel into
the wild
Baltic Outlook explores Denmark’s Jutland
/ page 80
8
Editorial Staff
Chief Editor: llze Pole / e: ilze@frankshouse.lv
Editor: Ieva Nora Fīrere / e: ieva@frankshouse.lv
Translator, copyeditor and reviser:
Kārlis Roberts Freibergs
Design: Marika Štrāle
Layout: Inta Kraukle
Cover: Alamy
Baltic Outlook is published
by SIA Frank’s House
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The opinions expressed in this magazine
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Thought On truth-tellers, liars, bosses and
subordinates
City icons Rome’s most iconic gelaterias
Agenda June 2012
Promo Positive vibrations of the Positivus
festival
Five places in one day Bergen
Review Albert Camus’ solitude and Regina
Spector’s cheap seats
People Coffee champions of Oslo
Retro Tapio Wirkkala’s Paperbag – a Finnish
design icon
Design Gents’ essentials
Style Sunny walking
Your next destination Budapest
Interview Arrigo Sacchi, former
general manager of the Italian national
football team
Special 50 football facts leading up to the
Euro 2012 championship
Gourmet The Parisian bar à vins
Travel Cycling in Denmark’s rural areas and
spaghetti Westerns in Europe’s only desert
Driven: the Toyota GT86
Gadgets Bedside friends
Food & drink Downtown spots for catching
a taste of Riga
Food blog Benefiting from the Cretan diet
airBaltic news
Read Baltic Outlook on your iPad! Download free of charge from App Store.
Welcome aboard
Martin Alexander Gauss
Chief Executive Officer
Dear customer,
Aviation has a significant impact on national and
regional economies, concludes a recent study by
Oxford Economics, commissioned by the International
Air Transport Association in 60 countries around
the world.
Air links are a vital element of infrastructure for
countries and regions, and airports essentially are
modern centres of development. These are lifelines for
business and tourism in today’s economies, enabling
swift travel for passengers, and smooth logistics for
cargo. In addition, the connections created between
cities and markets represent a strategic asset that
generates benefits through foreign direct investment,
business clusters and specialization.
Oxford Economics analysts have detailed their
conclusions in the research paper, but you, our
customer, have already seen it in practice. airBaltic has
written history and opened new routes to regional
centres that never existed before. You have observed
taxi companies adding extra vehicles and drivers to
service passengers at the airport, hotels investing to
extend their facilities and staff, local restaurants printing
their menus in yet another language to better cater to
a new foreign clientele, producers of pharmaceuticals
or electronics opening up new export markets, and
your next-door neighbours sending their children
to a university abroad to bring back new skills. All of
this activity adds significant value to the economy
and creates jobs. In Latvia alone, aviation contributes
to 2% of the gross domestic product and supports
2% of all jobs available in the market, according to the
above study.
This summer, we have increased flight frequencies on
a number of routes in Western Europe, Scandinavia and
the CIS, which are important for business and tourism.
In addition to our existing destinations with multiple
daily flights, we now fly twice daily to the Benelux
region and to destinations in Germany and Austria.
For airports such as Zurich, Billund and Moscow, we
have stepped up frequencies for the convenience of
our customers.
The spirit of airBaltic to try new things extends
throughout the organisation and beyond the
fundamentals of our core business. We are passionate
about setting new trends for the benefit of our
customers, which is why airBaltic has been duly
recognised as the innovation leader and ranked among
the TOP 10 airlines globally by Airlinetrends.com – an
independent industry and consumer trends research
agency. We achieved this high ranking in the top
league for a wide array of innovative products,
including world’s first inflight car dealership for a
custom-designed Mini Cooper, roses on board, an iPad
for inflight entertainment, the world’s first bicycle rental
service by an airline (BalticBike), and many more.
We thank you for continuing to inspire us!
Yours,
Martin Alexander Gauss
BALTIC OUTLOOK / JUNE 2012 / 7
DETAILS / THOUGHT
Text by Robert Cottrell, owner of Robert’s Books | Photo by Reinis Hofmanis, f64
Are you a good listener? Do you
On truthtellers, liars,
bosses and
subordinates
that he or she will scarcely use “I” at all.
think before you speak? If you answered
A bit of thought helps to explain why.
“yes” to both questions, reflect on this.
If you are the high-ranking person in a
The English language has about
conversation, the chances are that you are
450 words that linguists call “function”
telling someone else what to do. If you
words – conjunctions, articles, prepositions
are the lower-ranking person, the chances
and so on. These are words such as “I”, “we”,
are that you are reporting on yourself, or
“behind”, “except”, “the”, “a”, “because”. If you
seeking something for yourself.
are a fluent English speaker, these function
Men use articles – “the” and “a” – much
words account for less than 0.1 per cent of
more than women. Articles are also
your vocabulary. But they also account for
disproportionately popular with older
more than half of all the words that you
people, conscientious people, and political
actually speak or write.
conservatives.
Until very recently, nobody paid much
Truth-tellers use exception-words –
attention to these seemingly humble parts
“except”, “but”, “without” – much more
of speech. They weren’t thought
often than liars do. And whereas
to contribute a great deal to
You might liars are popularly thought to
the distinctive content of what
ramble and obfuscate, according to
think that Pennebaker they actually prefer to
people heard or said. They were
powerful use short and simple sentences –
just the packaging. Whether you
people
said “table”, “the table”, or “a table”,
perhaps because it is so difficult to
would say make things up.
it was still the same table.
That neglect has been
Once you know about
“I” a lot.
punctured by a Texan
Far from it Pennebaker’s findings, can you
psychologist called James
use them to your advantage? Not
Pennebaker, who used his laptop
always. Let’s say you want to tell
computer, plus Gmail and Google Books,
a lie and get away with it. So you speak in
to measure how he and other writers used
complicated sentences, with lots of “ifs” and
pronouns down the ages.
“buts”. The problem is, to most people that
Patterns leapt out at him – often the
sounds like lying. So you get caught anyway.
reverse of what he expected to find. You
The pronoun trick is more promising. We
might think, for example, that powerful
know that powerful people use “I” less often.
and pompous people would say “I” a lot. Far
So will not using “I” make you a powerful
from it.
person?
Look at your own e-mail archive. If you
Not directly. But if Pennebaker is right,
are writing an e-mail to your boss, chances
then not using “I” should make you appear
are that you will use “I” many times. When
more powerful to other people. That, surely,
your boss writes back to you, chances are
is almost as good. Try it. I just did. BO
DETAILS / CITY ICONS
Text by Ieva Nora Firere | Photo Corbis
with children; quiet nuns from the nearby
convents; and, of course, hordes of tourists.
As becomes a legendary establishment,
there is a particular way of doing things
here. First, you have to stand in line at the
cash register, where you pay for your ice
cream in advance. Then you stand in a
second line to receive your coveted gelato.
There are dozens of flavours to choose from,
including chocolate, pistachio, hazelnuts,
cream, panna cotta and numerous fruits.
You’ll be encouraged to pick more than two
flavours, even if you’ve paid for the smallest
of the sizes. Don’t argue with the ice-cream
server and let your childhood fantasies run
wild. To add a final layer of icing onto your
cake, top off your unseemingly large mound
of ice cream with a refreshing sorbetto.
Via Uffici del Vicario 40 | Hours: daily from 07:00–01:30
www.giolitti.it
Il Gelato di San Crispino
Delicious
moments
to linger over
Two spring days were
enough to practically
sell my soul to
the best-known
Mephistophelian
tempters in Rome –
two iconic gelaterias
or ice-cream parlours
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They say that gelato has a lower butterfat
content than regular ice-cream because it’s
made of milk and egg yolks, in most cases
without dairy cream. During my days of
gelato-tasting, spent amid exhausting long
Giolitti
walks as a first-timer in Rome, a gelato diet
Theoretically, the owners of Giolitti might
managed to keep me filled (true, a hearty
have let the fame of their establishment get
hotel buffet breakfast did serve as a base of
to their heads a long time ago. For decades,
departure).
this ice-cream parlour has been teeming
Anyhow, hidden in a side street, just
with crowds of both locals and tourists. It
three minutes from the crowded Trevi
is also occasionally visited by high-placed
Fountain, lies Il Gelato di San Crispino. Unlike
dignitaries and their families. At a G8 summit many overpriced traps around such busy
in 2009 American “first children” Malia and
tourist spots in the city, San Crispino is a sure
Sasha Obama made banana and blackberry
bet. Although it has been reviewed in quite
gelato together with the current
a few prestigious publications,
More than
owner, Nazareno Giolitti. The
thus raising its profile, the quality
establishment seems to live
of the ice-cream has not suffered
100 years
well with its status as the most
later, Giolitti one single bit. Despite the heavy
famous ice-cream parlour in
tourist influx, the owners haven’t
can still
the city. Back in 1890, dairy
claim to have given up their solid belief in a
farmers Giuseppe and Bernadina
cups-only policy, claiming that
the best ice cones mess up the taste. Asking
Giolitti opened a creamery on
cream in the for a cone here would be the
Via Uffici del Vicario, where the
city
present-day parlour still stands.
same as asking for milk and sugar
Soon after, they became official
at a place that roasts its own
suppliers to the Italian royal family.
specialty coffee. It goes without saying that
More than 100 years later, Giolitti can
Rome’s best gelaterias offer homemade
still claim to have the best ice cream in the
gelato without any artificial additives or
city. Even its interior – with high ceilings,
colourings. Try out some of the more exotic
crystal chandeliers and an aura of history –
offerings, such as walnuts and dried figs,
attests that this is a place where ice cream
ginger and cinnamon, or when the season
is taken seriously. Waiting in line by the
comes – raspberries and green apples.
Via della Panetteria 42
glass display cases, one may spot members
Hours: Sun.–Thu. 12:00–00:30, Fri.–Sat. 12:00–01:30
of the Italian parliament, which lies a mere
www.ilgelatodisancrispino.it
two-minute walk away; loud Italian families
.com
DRINK WITH CARE.
STOLICHNAYA® Premium vodka. 40% Alc./Vol. 100% Grain Neutral Spirits. © 2012
Alcohol consumption cAn be hArmful to your heAlth
DETAILS / LOCAL AGENDA
Publicity photos
JUNE / 2012
All that jazz
Vilnius Picture Gallery , Vilnius / June 16, 20:00
Featuring legendary songs formerly performed by Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy
Lee, Sarah Vaughan, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra on its
programme, the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra is holding a concert
outside of its traditional venue at the Congress Concert Hall. This time, head
for the courtyard of the Vilnius Picture Gallery and immerse yourself into
the magic of the voices of Evelina Sašenko, Evelina Anusauskaite and Sasha
Song.
The orchestra will conducted by Gintaras Rinkevičus.
Tickets from 25 – 75 LTL, available at the Vilnius Congress Hall box office and at
www.bilietai.lt
Didžioji g. 4
Elīna Garanča
Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi
Dzintari Concert Hall (Dzintaru koncertzāle), Jūrmala
/ June 21, 20:00
The Riga Festival is a new annual event, taking place for only the second
time from June 2–21. However, judging by the list of superb concerts
and star performers on the program, it appears that this festival is set to
become an established tradition in the city. Among the festival highlights is
the performance by Latvian mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča at the closing
concert of the festival on June 21. Classical music lovers will once again
be treated to the magic of her voice in Jūrmala, where she will present
Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem together with soprano Michèle Crider (USA) and
tenor Yosep Kang (South Korea), in the company of the Latvian Radio Choir
and the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. The conductor will be Karel
Marc Chichon (UK), who also happens to be the husband of Garanča.
Tickets from 20 – 70 LVL at www.ticketparadise.lv
12 / AIRBALTIC.COM
Bryan Adams concert
performances
Vilnius and Riga / July 2–3
One of this summer’s concert
highlights in the Baltics is by
Canadian musician Bryan Adams
and his band, performing hits from
a career that has spanned three
decades. Following a concert on
July 2 at the Arena Riga, Adams
will move on to the Siemens Arena
in Vilnius on July 3. To date, the
artist has sold more than 55 million
albums worldwide. He has been
nominated for the Grammy
Awards 15 times and won twice.
Adams is also a composer, whose
movie soundtracks have received
several Oscar and Golden Globe
nominations.
Tickets for the Riga concert are
available at www.ticketservice.lv and
www.ticketpro.lv. For the Vilnius
showing, visit www.tiketa.lt
DETAILS / LOCAL AGENDA
Art Nouveau fashion
Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, Riga
/ From June 15
Strangely enough, Riga, which is known for its high concentration of
beautiful Art Nouveau buildings, still hasn’t had an exhibition devoted to
the fashion from this architecture and design period, also known as La
Belle Époque (1890–1914). The ideal woman from that era had a slim,
corseted waist, long, mermaid-like hair and flowing garments. Art Nouveau
aesthetics combined a love of nature with asymmetrical ornaments, as well
as medieval elements with a rococo style. This style of fashion was wellreceived in Riga, which at the time was the richest trade and industrial city in
the Russian Empire.
The exhibition features 70 exquisite items of clothing created by the
leading fashion houses of that era – Worth, Doucet, Paguin, Drecoll,
Rouff, Poiret, Babani, and Fortuny – of which many are from the personal
collection of the show’s curator, Alexandre Vassiliev. This is the second
exhibition that the Paris-based fashion historian has held in Riga. The first,
which took place last year, was devoted to 1960s fashion.
Skārņu iela 10/20
www.vassiliev.com
Jan Pieter Breughel (1628–1664). Still life with tulips, roses
and creeper in a glass vase. 17th century. Oil on canvas.
Modus Vivendi gallery (Moscow)
Kingdom of flora. 17th-century Dutch and Flemish
painting, Art Museum Riga Bourse: Exhibition Hall, Riga
/ June 8 – August 26
For most of the summer, the Riga Bourse will be filled with flowers, in
the form of Dutch and Flemish paintings on loan by the Modus Vivendi
art gallery in Moscow. The 20 canvases will feature landscapes, portraits,
household scenes and still lifes, most of them produced by members of the
famous Breughel family. The paintings will be purposefully arranged so that
each work complements the one before it, either visually or by its subject
matter, revealing each author’s style to the fullest possible extent. The
paintings of this exhibition have been studied by Russian and Western art
historians, along with specialists from the Botanical Institute of the Russian
Academy of Sciences. Their research study describes each painting in detail,
explaining its composition, and of course, denoting the nature of the flowers
depicted in each canvas.
OUTLOOK / PROMO
IN ASSOCIATON WITH POSITIVUS
Positive vibrations
at POSITIVUS!
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with airBaltic from
July 20-21
Salacgrīva, Latvia
Keane, Damien Rice,
Manic Street Preachers and
Friendly Fires are amongst
the many artists to perform at
Positivus, which is the biggest
and most eagerly awaited
annual music and arts festival in
the Baltics.
Throughout the years,
Positivus has collected an
increasing amount of festival
awards and mentions, from
being one of Filter Magazine’s
‘Top 5 Most Anticipated
(International) Summer
Festivals’ in 2011, to receiving
the ‘Best European Festival’
award from the British Festival
Guide. London’s Metro also
included Positivus in its ‘Best
Summer Festival’ selection,
characterizing the event as
“unpretentious, with a strong,
eclectic line-up that now
attracts some 20 000 revellers”.
Positivus captivates its
guests with a vibrant line-up of
exciting performers, providing
a soothing atmosphere amidst
16 / AIRBALTIC.COM
€33
sandy beaches, misty forests
and spacious meadows. The
festival also offers cinematic
entertainment, water sports
activities, morning gym and
yoga, creative music and arts
workshops, as well as stylish
festivals will be positively
delighted with the Latvian
summer entertainment jewel
that is Positivus.
Previous headliners include
Stereophonics, Travis, James,
Scissor Sisters, King Charles,
Positivus Festival 2012 tickets
are already on sale and are
priced at 47 EUR for a two-day
ticket without a camping site
pass, and 52 EUR for a twoday ticket with a camping site
pass. BO
T he Positivus festival is easily
accessible from all over
Europe with airBaltic to Riga.
It is only about 100 km away
from Latvia’s capital city and
can be reached by car along
Highway E67 (the Via Baltica)
or through the Positivus
shuttle bus service from the
Riga city centre. Positivus
Festival 2012 tickets are on
sale now and priced at only
52 EUR for a two-day pass
(including camping). vintage stands. Those, who
wish to enjoy remarkable artists
without experiencing the hassle
and mass crowds of the monster
Fatboy Slim, Mark Ronson &
the Business Intl., Moby, Pete
Doherty, Muse, Hurts, OK GO
and many more.
Tickets are available online at
www.positivusfestival.com/lv/biletes-1/,
www.eufest.com and
www.positivusfestival.com/en/.
www.positivusfestival.com
In association with www.anothertravelguide.com | Publicity photos
Yoko Ono, Smile 2010
London
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London 2012 Festival
June 21 – September 9
As the venue for the 2012 Summer Olympic
Games, London is one of this year’s top
destinations. Aside from hosting the world’s
most prestigious sports contest, London is also
holding a monumental Cultural Olympiad, which
culminates with the London 2012 Festival. It
begins on June 21, exactly four weeks before
the launching of the sports Olympics. As part of
the festival’s events, the Barbican will be hosting
the largest retrospective to date of works by the
legendary German choreographer and director
Pina Bausch (June 6 – July 9), with 10 separate
dance performances that will be presented by
the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, together
with dancers from a variety of other world cities,
including Istanbul, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Rio de
Janeiro.
Under the auspices of the Cultural Olympiad,
and for the first time in its history, the World
Shakespeare Festival will feature all of the famous
dramaturge’s plays, which will be performed
in 37 different languages. On July 19, the
British Museum will unveil a major exhibition
titled Staging the World, with research and
interpretations on the 17th-century world as
18 / AIRBALTIC.COM
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2012
Designed by Herzog & de Meuron & Ai Weiwei
Shakespeare might have seen it. It also explores
the role of the playhouse – a novelty at the time –
as a window to the world outside London. The
exhibition will be open until November 25.
Meanwhile, the Serpentine Gallery will
showcase an extensive retrospective of works
by celebrated artist Yoko Ono (June 19 –
September 9), emphasising her important
influence on contemporary art and cinema. One
of the highlights will be #smilesfilm, a large-scale
three gigantic, 30-metre-wide underground
oil cisterns, which had stood empty for three
decades, will become an exhibition space for
“living art”, installations and performances.
These are only some of the events that will be
taking place during London’s Cultural Olympiad.
For further information about the city’s cultural
program for this year, check out the Olympiad’s
home page.
www.london2012.com/cultural-olympiad
© 2012, by Herzog & de Meuron and Ai Weiwei
project that features images of smiling people
from all across the planet.
London 2012 continues the established
tradition of inviting famous local artists to design
Olympic posters. Among this year’s poster
authors are Martin Creed, Tracey Emin and
Criss Ofili.
On June 1, the annual summer pavilion at the
Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens opens
its doors until October 14. This year’s pavilion
has been jointly designed by the Swiss architects’
bureau Herzog & de Meuron and the Chinese
artist and dissident Ai Weiwei. Both parties had
previously collaborated in the design of the
Beijing National Stadium, which was built to host
the previous Olympic Games in 2008.
As the twelfth summer pavilion to be erected
at the Serpentine Gallery, the new construction is
highly ambitious and unusual. For one, it has an
archaeological aspect to it, taking visitors beneath
the Serpentine’s lawn to explore the hidden
history of its previous pavilions. Eleven columns
characterising each past pavilion and a twelfth
column representing the current structure will
support a floating platform roof 1.4 metres above
the ground. The multifunctional platform will
be covered with a thin layer of water, reflecting
the sky above and serving as a venue for various
performances.
London 2012 will also pay special tribute to
Alfred Hitchcock, the godfather of British thrillers.
From August to October, 58 of his films will be
screened at various movie theatres in London,
including nine restored early silent movies at the
BFI Southbank.
On July 18 – ten days before the opening
ceremonies of the Summer Olympics – the Tate
Modern will unveil a new project named Tank.
Over the course of a 15-week-long art festival,
© Yoko Ono
DETAILS / EUROPEAN EVENTS
201 Brivibas str., Riga
DETAILS / EUROPEAN EVENTS
Brussels
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Summer of Photography / June 14 – September 16
The photography biennale at
Brussels’ Centre for Fine Arts
Paris
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Newly remodelled Palais de Tokyo
After a ten-month-long reconstruction, the
Palais de Tokyo is once again open to the
public, in time to mark the tenth anniversary
of the establishment of the Site de la création
contemporaine in its West Wing. The Palais
de Tokyo was originally built during the 1930s
and is currently Europe’s largest contemporary
art space.
In some places, the space’s industrial interior
looks as if it is still under construction, with
exposed ceilings, bare columns, partially painted
concrete surfaces and a monumental installation
hanging from the ceiling in the lobby – as if
indicating that the Palais de Tokyo lies in a
continuing process of creative change, which is
not set to cease any time soon.
13, avenue du Président-Wilson
www.palaisdetokyo.com
Vienna
(BOZAR) now seems to have become an established
tradition and is taking place for the fourth time this year.
The central event of this biennale is the Sense of Place:
European Landscape Photography exhibition, which features
160 photographs by 40 contemporary photographers from
the 27 member states of the European Union. The exhibition
is being presented thematically in three sections (Northern
Europe, Central Europe and the Mediterranean region), in
accordance with the geographical location of each snapshot –
providing an overview of European landscapes as a whole,
while highlighting the uniqueness of each country and its
people.
Centre for Fine Arts (BOZAR)
Ravensteinstraat / Rue Ravenstein 23
www.summerofphotography.be
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MQ Summer of Fashion
/ June 14 – September 16
Vienna’s Museum Quarter (MQ –
MuseumsQuartier) is gearing up for a hot
Summer of Fashion, hosting exhibitions, fashion
shows, workshops, performances and other
fashion-related activities all season long. Two
major fashion exhibitions open on June14 in two
separate museums. At the MUMOK museum
of modern art, Reflecting Fashion explores the
interplay between art and fashion from the
beginning of modernism to the present.
The Technosensual exhibition at quartier21 will
be devoted to future fashion and its relationship
with modern technologies. It features various
novelties and innovations (such as sensors and
LEDs) that may one day become regular features
in everyday clothing.
In order to promote Vienna as a swinging
metropolis and in cooperation with the
Architecture Museum, experts and insiders are
taking visitors along special architecture, fashion
and design routes, highlighting the latest trends
in these fields. One might be led to Vienna’s 6th
District, for example, where a number of small
businesses have come up with some unusual
ideas for making money.
Museumsplatz 1 |
www.mqw.at
DETAILS / REVIEW
Text by Pauls Bankovskis | Publicity photos
Albert Camus. Solitude &
Solidarity. Edited by Catherine
Camus, Edition Olms, 2012
The idea of issuing a coffee-table photo album in
honour of a world-famous writer and philosopher
would probably be dismissed by academics as
unbecoming to such a great intellectual as Albert
Camus. This latest publication, however, has
been lovingly put together by Catherine Camus,
the daughter of the renowned Nobel Prize winner, French Resistance
activist, dramaturge, journalist and theatre director. While numerous
biographies have previously been released about Albert Camus, none can
quite compare to the texts and photos in this album, which depict the
course of his brief life — starting with a poverty-stricken childhood in Algiers
and ending with a premature death in a car accident in France at the age of
46 in 1960.
Le Havre (the Criterion Collection)
Directed by Aki Kaurismäki (2011)
Regina Spektor. What We Saw from the Cheap Seats
Sire Records, 2012
American composer, pianist and singer Regina Spektor recently released
her sixth studio album in a genre that music critics have called antifolk, and
which is said to have originated in New York’s East Village. Spektor first drew
public acclaim in 2006, when she posted a video clip of herself in Youtube.
Not long after, she was singing in front of US President Barak Obama and
his wife Michelle. At the end of the performance, the First Lady stood up to
give Spektor a standing ovation and the rest, as they say, is history. Spektor’s
songs have something to say to each listener, and are sung in a voice that
seems strangely primal and familiar.
Best-known for the Match Factory Girl, Kaurismäki tells touching stories in
films that exude a reserved sense of humour. He usually relies on trusted
actors, whom he repeatedly recasts in his successive films. Last year’s
production is perhaps the most cosmopolitan and “European” of his works.
At the centre of Le Havre, whose events take place in the French port city
of the same name, is Marcel Marx (André Wilms), a quiet and modest family
man who makes a living as a shoe-shiner, and who bides his free time at
a local bar. His life changes when he meets a young boy named Idrissa
(Blondin Miguel), who has illegally entered the country from Africa and who
is being pursued by the French authorities. Suffice it to say that Kaurismäki
has once again filmed a warm-hearted story for grown-ups. By the way, did
you know that the tango is one of the most popular dances in Finland?
Text by Adam Jacot de Boinod, author of The Meaning of Tingo,
published by Penguin Books | Illustration by Inga Briede
bufferbiertje (Dutch) the beer that is standing next to the beer
that you’re drinking and that serves as a buffer or backup, in case
you finish drinking your beer before you have a chance to get the
barman’s attention and buy another drink (literally, buffer beer).
The Meaning of Tingo is a compilation of extraordinary words and expressions from
around the world that have no equivalent in English. Adam Jacot de Boinod’s passion
is scouring the planet for language oddities and every month, Baltic Outlook features
one of the many amusing terms that he has come across in his travels.
DETAILS / FIVE PLACES
Text by Ieva Nora Firere | Illustration by Inga Briede
Fly to Bergen
with airBaltic from
€89
> 1 Kaffemisjonen
While the new Norwegian tradition of lightly
roasting coffee beans is gaining ground, one
should still bear in mind that a good cup of
coffee rarely applies to the breakfast buffet at
your hotel. Start out by heading to the spot that
has too many barista awards to fit them into
its reserved, Scandinavian interior. The coffee
champions behind the bar are from various
countries, giving the place an international feel.
As a Sicilian-born fishmonger subsequently told
me at the local fish market, Bergen has such an
wide mix of residents from so many different
places, that you have to put in a special effort to
make Norwegian friends. Kaffemisjonen offers a
very special atmosphere with very special coffee.
Øvre Korskirkealmenningen 5
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 07:30-20:00, Sat.-Sun. 10:00-18:00
> 2 Bryggen
No matter how crowded, the world heritage
site of Bryggen is a charming piece of history.
It’s an amazing, though rotting and sinking
monument to the medieval era, when Bergen
was a Hanseatic trade city. Wandering along the
harbour settlement on your own can be magic
enough. However, allowing an hour for the
24 / AIRBALTIC.COM
is conveniently sized, permitting you to get a
good overview of its features in just one hour
of walking, one should not miss the bird’s-eye
perspective at Mt. Ulriken. A blue tourist doubledecker bus runs from the fish market to the
Ulriken cable car base station, while the restaurant
at the summit serves a lamb burger and other
landmarks of civilization. The pristine wilderness
up at the top leaves a pleasant Nordic aftertaste.
Many well-marked hiking trails start from up there.
Cable car runs from 09:00 – 21:00 |
www.ulriken.no
> 5 Dinner at Hanne på Høyden
> 4 Mt. Ulriken
To be short, Hanne på Høyden is a must. It’s
more than just a restaurant, relying entirely on
Norwegian produce and importing only salt, sugar
and coffee. A short walk from the historic centre
of Bergen, its chefs treat their food with love and
let Mother Nature dictate their haute cuisine rules.
The small restaurant is run by a team of five, with
the award-winning chef Hanne Frosta (Norway’s
Kitchen Chef of the Year in 2006) at the helm.
The small and dependable suppliers are local
fishermen, farmers and hunters. About 80% of the
menu here is fish, with another considerable part
consisting of edible items found in the Norwegian
wilderness. I had never eaten so many sprouts,
flowers and berries in one dinner, complementing
and decorating the fish and game to perfection.
As an additional teaser, the chefs are brewing their
own beers on site.
Like Rome, Bergen is a city surrounded by
seven mountains. And even though the city
Fosswinckelsgate 18. Booking at (+47) 55323432
Hours: Mon.–Sat. 11:30–22:00 (bar closes at 24:00)
> 3 Boat tour
Although the Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord –
Norway’s deepest and most stunning fjords
that enclose Bergen from the north and the
south – offer truly stunning scenery, they aren’t
an option if you are short of time. If you can’t visit
the fjords but still want to breathe in the fragrant
air of the North Sea and feel a maritime breeze
blowing in your hair, then take a boat tour of
the harbour, which lasts a bit less than an hour.
The boat departs daily at 14:30 from the fish
market. Tickets can be purchased at the tourist
information office or at the pier.
www.whitelady.no
Special thanks to Roger Norum, Kristin Modalsli Sand and Linn Kjos Falkenberg
Bergen
Bryggens and Hanseatic museums will answer
many, if not all the questions that might arise and
will let you appreciate how much effort it takes to
keep the 62 wooden buildings from falling apart.
Although the mighty façade of the Bryggens
Museum (Dreggsalm. 3, open daily from 10:00–
16:00) rather reflects the aesthetics of the 1970s,
inside it’s all about history that extends back to
the 11th century. Speaking of which, the Hanseatic
Museum at the other end of Bryggen will let you
almost breathe the same air that the merchants
were breathing back in 16th the century. The cold,
the darkness and their tiny beds make the past
centuries almost palpable.
DETAILS / PEOPLE
Text by ElIna Ruka | Publicity photos
Explore the world
in a cup of coffee
Baristas Tim Wendelboe (left) and Tim Varney
For the past five years, Norwegian Tim Wendelboe and Australian Tim
Varney have been running an increasingly renowned coffee business in
Grünerløkka, the creative quarter of Oslo
Besides sharing the same name, the two Tims
Fly to Oslo
with airBaltic from
€30
www.timwendelboe.no
26 / AIRBALTIC.COM
fruits and florals. Finally, to bring out the best of the
also have a consummate passion for coffee. Both are
coffee beans, the drink must be served properly. That
internationally acclaimed baristas, and it would not
means that the water must be heated to the correct
be an exaggeration to say that their espresso bar and
temperature and poured in the right amount, while the
roastery – named after the first Tim – has
coffee beans must be properly ground and
played a leading role in promoting the use of
apportioned in accordance with the chosen
coffee in Scandinavia.
Good coffee preparation method.
While Tim Wendelboe has gone off on a
starts with In order to offer the best possible coffee,
spring trip to Australia, Korea and Guatemala
multiple Norwegian and world barista
a fantastic
to find new coffee-growing partners and
champion Tim Wendelboe has travelled to
soil and
deliver seminars, his business partner Tim
every continent except for Antarctica in the
a good
Varney stays in charge at the roastery. He is
search for the best coffee beans. His travel
elevation destinations have included Brazil, Bolivia,
tasting some coffee beans that were roasted
a week earlier and trying to establish how to
Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador,
improve their flavour still further.
Honduras, Guatemala, India, Australia, Kenya,
“Good coffee starts with a fantastic soil and a good
Ethiopia and Burundi. There Wendelboe and his team
elevation. Then the farmers have to look after their
source farmers who not only grow good coffee, but
plants and pick the right cherries. And then the coffee
who are also ready to improve it still further. Tim
has to be correctly processed,” says Varney. Incorrect
Wendelboe places great importance on sustainable
roasting can ruin the coffee – if it is roasted too lightly
farming practices and transparency. Varney admits that
or too darkly, the coffee won’t taste good. Most retailers
things have not always gone smoothly. One grower
around the world sell heavily roasted coffee, which
in Colombia ran off from his farm with his sister-in-law
imparts heavy, bitter, smoky and roasted flavours.
and the operation fell apart completely. On another
However, coffee beans also harbour various tastes and
occasion, a coffee shipment was stolen at a port
aromas that can be reminiscent of berries, nuts, citrus
in Kenya.
DETAILS / PEOPLE
Coffee roasting
Back at the espresso bar, which also serves as a training centre,
both Tims also work to implement an additional goal – educating
both the public and professionals about the fine art of coffeemaking. Varney says that coffee- and wine-tasting share certain
similarities. Like wine, coffee can offer a nuanced bouquet of aromas
and flavours, yet most people know their wines much better than
their coffees. They will probably find it easy to name three different
varieties of wine, but might be hard-pressed to do the same with
coffee. Also, people tend to make mistakes in preparing their coffee,
by drinking it too hot, for example, of by keeping it for too long.
Freshly ground coffee should be consumed within two weeks of its
roast date. People also tend to think that the best coffee comes from
the wrong places, such as Italy, which has fallen behind in quality.
Italians are rather good coffee roasters and blenders, and Italy still
leads the way in espresso machine technology though.
Norwegians are refined coffee drinkers, says Varney, as most of
them have a filter coffee brewer at home, they drink a lot of coffee
and they drink it black, which is how you can best appreciate it, at
least when talking of specialty coffee.
However, the staff at Tim Wendelboe won´t gasp in dismay if you
ask for milk and sugar. After all, the cappuccino is one of the three
required drinks at any barista competition. That’s why – just as with
their coffee – the two Tims are stocked with the best organic milk
they could find, from Røros, a distant town close to the Swedish
border in the middle part of Norway. BO
OUTLOOK / RETRO
Sculpted
beauty
Thirty-five years after its creation, the
porcelain Paperbag vase remains as
popular as ever
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Text by Evija PuKe-Jansone | Publicity photo
The Rosenthal Paperbag is
objects as wrinkled paper
just one of several iconic
bags, and to reveal this
interior objects by Finnish
beauty to others.
designer Tapio Wirkkala
From a distance, the
(1915-1985). Others include
vase really does look like
the leaf-like Kantarelli glass
a wrinkled paper bag,
vase (Iittala) and the Ultima
and the flowers in it seem
Thule series of glass bowls,
almost out of place, until
pitchers and drinking glasses
one realizes up close that
(also by Iittala), whose
everything is as it should
textured surface structure
be. The vase continues to
was inspired by melting
be manufactured in white
spring ice in
and various shades
Lapland.
of brown, much
Practically every
like the old paper
From a
item that Wirkkala
bags that many
distance,
designed looked
modern-day adults
the vase
like it had been
were familiar with
really does in their childhood.
sculpted by hand,
and in a sense, it
look like a It also comes in
had, for before
various sizes and
wrinkled
turning his talents
paper bag wrinkle patterns.
to design, Wirkkala
Nowadays, paper is
made his living as
once again making
a sculptor. The selfa comeback as an
taught designer remained
environmentally friendly
a sculptor at heart until
form of packaging for
the end of his life, bringing
homemade products,
widespread international
enhancing the Paperbag’s
recognition to Finland’s
timeless appeal.
post-war design school and
Wirkkala’s design pearl
garnering several dozen
has become a favoured
prestigious awards, including
collectors’ item, with some
a number of Grand Prix prizes
enthusiasts owning dozens
at the Milan Trienniale.
of Paperbags, each slightly
During his design career,
different from the other –
Wirkkala cooperated with a
just like real paper bags,
number of manufacturing
which never share the exact
enterprises, including the
same wrinkle marks. The
Italian Venini Glassworks.
most valuable items are
However, his most lengthy
the oldest models, whose
collaboration lasted for
authenticity is attested to
30 years with the German
by a Rosenthal seal and the
porcelain-maker Rosenthal.
year of manufacture on the
The Paperbag vase was
bottom of the item. The
Wirkkala’s most successful
vase can be bought through
product and remains the
various internet selling
most widely sold design
sites (such as eBay, amazon,
object by Rosenthal.
finnishdesignshop and
The Paperbag highlighted
finnstyle) at prices that range
Wirkkala’s ability to see
from about 20 to 175 USD, in
beauty in everything, even
accordance with the model’s
in such mundane everyday
size and age. BO
DETAILS / DESIGN
Gents’ essentials
The clean and minimalist lines of the
Scandinavian-born shaving kit will add timeless
elegance to any man’s grooming
Text by Ieva Nora Firere | Publicity photo
Set
Shaving kit by Lovisa
Wattman for Iris
Hantverk consists of a
soft concrete shaving
dish, shaving soap,
and a traditional maple
brush with badger hair
bristles. Born a decade
ago, the set somehow
possesses the necessary
agelessness that allows
it to be categorized as
slow design. “Perhaps
the function is a bit oldfashioned, but I hope
the shape is timeless
and lasting,” says Lovisa.
Philosophy
Iris Hantverk is part of
the Swedish Society
for Visually Impaired.
“Visually impaired
have by tradition been
working with the brush
binding craft. This has
given the possibility to
make very nicely crafted
products,” says Lovisa
emphasizing that the
production process does
not differ much from the
way it was conducted in
the 19th century. Today
the concrete part of
the set is produced in
Sweden, while soap
and brush comes from
craftsmen in Germany.
“The identity of the
company fits very well
with my ideal as a
designer and consumer.
Their things are long
lasting –materialwise, functionally and
esthetically. No new
items are added just
for the sake of a new
season. New products
are added, when Iris
Hantverk feels it will fill
a gap, function better in
production or when the
customer uses it.”
from the prestigious
University College
of Arts, Crafts and
Design in Stockholm
and the Aarhus School
of Architecture in
Denmark, and works
with glass, stoneware,
wood, stainless steel
and concrete. Aside
from her Iris Hantverk
contribution, Lovisa has
also designed products
for Höganas, Sagaform
and Ikea among others.
Design
“As a customer I would
rather choose carefully
and buy something that
I’m willing to care for
and live with for a long
time. So it’s natural for
me to think that way
when I’m working too.
I like it when things
work, and when the
understanding of how to
use it is immediate. The
lid holds the brush lying
down, this will keep the
brush better. The two
“cuts” on the brush make
a good grip, and follows
the overall shape. When
given the project of
designing a shaving kit
I also wanted to use as
few parts and details as
possible. It all adds up
to this given design.”
Lovisa has worked with
the combination of
concrete and wood in
her industrial design
before, too. She does
not find the pairing
contradictory, rather
functional. Concrete
withstands water and,
in a mold, allows easily
make the planned
design. Wood on the
other hand is pleasant
to feel and has had long
history in the craft of
brush binding. BO
Designer
Since 1999, when Lovisa
Wattman Industridesign
was launched, Lovisa
lives in Stockholm.
She’s graduated
32 / AIRBALTIC.COM
Available in Iris Hantverk
shops in Stockholm and
various design stores
all around the world,
including the online stores
of Mjolk and Funkis.
DETAILS / STYLE
Styling by Agnese NarNicka, One Wolf | Photo by Gatis Gierts, f64
Sunny walking
Bright colours and accents framed by the classical lines of
moccasins – for long and sunny strolls at the start of the summer
At Charles & Keith /
29.99 LVL
ARA at Euroskor /
63.50 LVL
At Tommy Hilfiger
in the Galerija
Centrs / 94 LVL
ARA at Euroskor /
63.50 LVL
At Tamaris in the
Galerija Centrs /
44.99 LVL
At Tamaris /
44.99 LVL
Addresses in Riga:
Charles & Keith Kr. Barona iela 44
Euroskor Tērbatas iela 16/18
Galerija Centrs Audēju iela 16
34 / AIRBALTIC.COM
YOUR NEXT DESTINATION
Text by Una Meistere, www.anothertravelguide.com
Photos CORBIS AND by Ainars Erglis
Budapest
The chameleon on
the Danube
36 / AIRBALTIC.COM
Bad luck, somebody has already
taken the Anothertravelguide
brochure about Budapest,
but don’t worry, all the
information is also available at
ANOTHERTRAVELGUIDE.COM in
cooperation with airBaltic.
The CET, a new architectural
landmark in the city
Hungarian capital had undergone
a radical change when
I returned – it has transformed
itself into what could be called
Europe’s most promising future
capital for bicyclists
There are cities to which you can return as to an old friend –
relishing the fact that deep down, nothing has changed, or at
least not changed too much. Then there are cities that resemble a
series of mysteries, in which no one novel gives you the slightest
hint of the twists and turns that will thrill you in the next. I’d last
been in Budapest only a year ago, but the Hungarian capital had
undergone a radical change when I returned – it has transformed
itself into what could be called Europe’s most promising future
capital for bicyclists. Both what you see in the streets and the
statistics bear witness to the fact that bicycles are the fastest
growing form of transportation here. The metropolis has swiftly
risen to tenth place among the most bicycle-friendly cities on
earth. A centralized bicycle rental system called BUBI is expected
to start functioning next summer. The city has a EuroVelo bike
path running 30 kilometres along both banks of the Danube.
Older bike paths have been spruced up and many new ones are
being created.
The path along Andrássy út, the elegant boulevard connecting
the City Park and the Chain Bridge, has recently been restored.
Traffic rules are also friendly to cyclists – you’re allowed to ride
against traffic on one-way streets, ride down the middle of the
roadway, and stop in front of cars at red lights. Bicycles, in short,
are all the rage in Budapest, and as with any trendy thing, there’s a
whole scene growing up around this latest fashion. Rental places,
workshops and stores have multiplied wildly, with designers
riding the wave. Among the most popular is Bagaboo, a small
company creating bags for bicyclists. Those that bear the work of
38 / AIRBALTIC.COM
The Freedom Bridge
the Kenya-born artist Marcus Goldson, long a resident of Budapest,
are considered especially stylish, featuring humorous illustrations
of urban life. Local fashion designer Zsófi Geréby is behind Urban
Legend, a local clothing brand aimed at cyclists.
Day trips outside the city limits are also heavily promoted. One
wonderful possibility is Szentendre, a postcard-perfect village
renowned for its historic architecture and cobblestone streets, only
20 kilometres from the city centre. If you plan to visit Balaton, one
of the most famous lakes in the world and the premier destination
for Budapest residents in warm weather, there’s a 220-kilometre
path winding around it. The northern route is hilly and will pose
a challenge if you’re not in shape, but if you can hack it, then
you’ll be rewarded at remarkable wineries. From June 13 to 17,
the traditional Balaton Bike Fest will take place here. Participants
can choose from routes of varying difficulty, catering to diverse
interests. Further information at www.balatonbikefest.com
The whale on the banks of the Danube
Bicycles are not the only fresh expression on Budapest’s everchanging face. Recently, in addition to the Baroque, Neoclassical,
Romantic, Eclectic, Art Nouveau, Bauhaus and Neo-Baroque
architecture that the city is justifiably famous for, contemporary
design and architecture are blossoming. One of the most notable
blossoms of late is the Capsula store on Andrássy út. It’s worth
going there, if not for the crème de la crème of mass-produced
luxury brands that you’ll find in any major city (Tom Ford, Givenchy,
D&G, YSL, etc.). The interior was designed by the local architects
Sándor Göcsei and Enikő Korompay. It’s a virtuoso attempt to
resolve the difficult question of creating a unified space for
a multitude of eclectic brands that each try to preserve their
own face. The space is dominated by luminous black-and-white
high-tech elements, the high contrast diluted by fluid lines and
flowing forms, resulting in a remarkably dynamic lightness. The
logo was also designed by the architects – an “A” in the shape of a
teardrop, which is featured on one of the exterior walls, allowing
for the display of designer shoes. The reflective surfaces and
well-designed lighting accentuate the effect, making the display
reminiscent of an art gallery rather than a typical place to acquire
the latest fashions.
View of the Hungarian Parliament
Building from the Buda Castle
The Matthias Church of the
Buda Castle district
Another new apparition is the CET, a centre for entertainment
and culture. It’s not actually open yet, and the precise date of
its unveiling is still unknown. CET is the abbreviation for “Central
European Time” – the centrality of Budapest to Europe is part
of the emphasis. In Hungarian, “cet” means “whale” – and that’s
how locals refer to it. It goes leaping with the flow, looking in the
direction of the Danube, and that makes it even more noticeable.
You can best see it from the Buda side of the river, passing the
Elisabeth Bridge in the direction of the Gellért Hotel. Alternatively,
take a boat ride on one of the many tourist boats plying the
Danube. Though the CET promises to become a new symbol
of the city, as intended, its current appearance evoked Sleeping
Beauty. The place seems finished, but is still uninhabited. It was
supposed to be opened last year. The architect, Kas Oosterhuis of
the Netherlands, commented upon the delays with unconcealed
bitterness in the architecture and design magazine Frame: “The
biggest difference between the CET project and the work we do
at home has to do with building permits. Hungarian authorities
ask for ten times more drawings and paperwork – and they want
40 copies of each document. The difference is due to Hungary’s
highly fragmented building process, which encompasses countless
departments and subdivisions.”
Built between 1874 and 1877,
the West Railway Station was
designed by August de Serres and
the Eiffel Company of Paris
It’s said that there were more
than 500 cafés in the city in
the late 19th century
A similarly haunting place – at least at the time of this writing –
is the Racz Hotel and Bath, also meant to be a fresh pearl in the
cityscape. Planned as a luxury hotel and spa built around historic
baths that date to 1572, still preserving a dome from the Turkish
period and one of the ancient pools, it also includes three pools
from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, designed by Miklos Ybl, who
was also the architect of the inimitable Opera House. The grand
vaults of the baths are visible from the exterior, thanks to the
glass envelope of the contemporary structure. The restoration
and construction were completed in 2010 – but even now, the
new hotel isn’t yet open. Theoretically, the opening will at last
take place this summer. The people of Budapest don’t necessarily
believe in that promise, though. Cynicism, pessimism, a lack of
faith and an intense scepticism are part of the dark side of the
national character, as locals will tell you. Both distant and recent
history might be to blame – disappointment is nearly the norm.
Wandering around in the lovely streets of the Hungarian capital,
40 / AIRBALTIC.COM
A part of the Great
Synagogue building
however, this is difficult to see – the ability to conjure up an
alluring, dramatic façade is the bright side. Hungarians have an
incredible talent for making anything and everything spellbinding.
The ‘ruin pubs’ phenomenon
Like Vienna, Budapest is a city of cafés. Its famed historic cafés
can still evoke a reflection of the lustre of the Austro-Hungarian
Empire’s past. It’s said that there were more than 500 cafés in the
city in the late 19th century. Under communism, the regime looked
askance at the good life and many were closed. Nowadays they’re
back with a vengeance, giving Budapest a kind of carefree air that
makes Hungary’s capital a centre of old world joie de vivre. The
current century, however, has added an entirely new phenomenon
to the café scene – romkoscma, or ‘ruin pubs’, as they are known.
In a decade, this inimitable phenomenon, with no real equal in
any other European city, has become a kind of movement – the
creation of cafés in abandoned buildings destined for demolition.
You can find ruin pubs in derelict apartment buildings, shuttered
cinemas and closed factories. These dilapidated structures get a
fresh breath of life that allows them an alternative existence. There’s
no facelift. The cobwebs might get swept out (with an emphasis
on might), but otherwise – the space is utilized as is, making do
with whatever is left of it. The tossed aside bouquet that is the site’s
unique dereliction is merely supplemented with similarly discarded
objects – the furnishings of former cinemas, cafeterias or shops,
St. Stephen’s
Basilica (Szent
István-bazilika),
Hungary’s
Notre Dame
or whatever trove might be unearthed in
a forgotten cellar or in a grandmother’s
attic. At first these places were popular
mostly among younger people, but by
now, almost everybody in Budapest has
a favourite ruin pub. Over the years, the
romkoscma have changed, too. They’re no
longer just places to have a drink, since
many of them host art exhibits, concerts,
theatrical performances and diverse
happenings.
There are more than a dozen ruin
pubs in Budapest at the moment. Most
are in the 7th District, the old Jewish
Quarter. Its bohemian atmosphere gets
the area compared to Kreuzberg in Berlin.
Geographically, this is the heart of the
city – only a few minutes from the elegant
boulevards. If you wander in unawares,
however, you might get the feeling that
you’ve fallen into a time warp. Buildings
that preserve an aura of Habsburg
ostentation stand cheek by jowl with the
concrete monsters of imposed socialism.
Here and there a “for sale” sign beckons
next to a sealed window. The pulse of
life and something outside time come
together. Some of the older buildings look
like nothing has touched them since the
Second World War, or that nobody has
been inside them since. This was indeed
the site of the Jewish ghetto during the
war. Crooked, cracked façades remind one
of aristocratic faces fallen upon despair
and doom, still giving glimpses of a
forgotten glory.
Wandering through this rather surreal
landscape, you come upon a door with
no visible sign. You feel that the gateway
leads somewhere. You go in. You enter a
courtyard. The courtyard likely leads to
another courtyard. Then to yet another
courtyard. These labyrinthine wanderings
are without end – ruin pubs have no
laws, no identifiable structure and no
real association. They offer a space, and
action takes place spontaneously within.
All of them are similar in that they are
kind of chaotic and always eclectic. The
atmosphere of each, however, is wholly
unique.
The most legendary ruin pub is
doubtless Szimpla Kert (Kazinczy u. 14;
www.szimpla.hu), which means “simple
garden.” Opened in 2001, it has shifted
locations many a time. It’s been where it is
now since 2004. This is hardly an unknown
place, as it’s featured in Lonely Planet – a
café where you’re as likely to hear loudly
spoken American English as you are to
hear Hungarian. Even so, the Szimpla is
one of the most colourful ruin pubs and
the location is unforgettable – in what was
formerly an ornate building, now on the
verge of collapse. The façade is already
disappearing – only crumbling brick
remains. Potted flowers on the practically
non-existent balconies lend the place a
ghostly but vibrant ambience. Tim Burton
and Johnny Depp could have a surreal
lunch here, and this could be a stage set.
As in any ruin pub, the courtyard is centre
stage. On the margins, there are various
niches and diverse bars. A Trabant, the
classic automotive relic of East Germany,
considered one of the worst cars ever
produced, has been turned into a table.
Amid the courtyard’s chaos, it looks as
A lazy Sunday afternoon in
a city square
A view of St. Stephen’s
Basilica from the narrow
Lázár utca behind the opera
though the car has accidentally been
stranded here. Nothing, no matter how
weird, seems out of place – a telephone
handset is the knob to the door of the
women’s room, but whether this is
intentional design or whether the real knob
was simply somehow lost is unknown. As
in most ruin pubs, you can not only drink
but also eat here. There are exhibits, movie
festivals, and unpredictable, spontaneous
performances.
Once there, wander over to nearby
Akacfa utza and check out Fogas ház (at
No. 51) un Sufni G’art’N (at No. 47). The
first address has gone beyond a ruin pub
to become a real cultural centre, with
important exhibits of local contemporary
art. There’s cinema in the evenings. The
second address is fresh. The interior is an
odd work of art all by itself – one bar is
composed of old picture frames, whilst
another sports what appear to be retro
meat grinders. It’s an experience, like the
wall covered with Soviet-era TV sets and
tennis rackets. Reading materials abound.
A recently graduated conservatory student
offers piano lessons to anyone of any
ability. A little further in and you’ll come
upon a weird room decorated with Oriental
carpets, miniature hockey paraphernalia
and a gigantic fish competing with an
overturned bicycle hanging from the
ceiling. Nothing here makes any sense
at all, but you may finally realize that the
There are more than a dozen ‘ruin pubs’
in Budapest at the moment
The primary characteristic of a ruin pub is that
it is ephemeral. They’re situated in places that
can disappear, be sold, or suddenly restored
ruin pub phenomenon doesn’t have to
make sense.
One thing you must know, though –
the primary characteristic of a ruin pub
is that it is ephemeral. They’re situated
in places that can disappear, be sold, or
suddenly restored. Or it could be that
neighbours complain about their existence
and the noise they generate. They could
get shut down without notice. Then they
go underground and perhaps pop up
elsewhere. Some are only open in summer.
Some all year round. Before you try to seek
out a ruin pub, check www.ruinpubs.com
for the latest news.
Hollywood on the Danube
Getting lost in the narrow, winding streets
of Budapest, the feeling that you’ve
been transported to a beautifully written
decadent thriller never leaves you. The
architecture, the light, the shadows, and
the passing faces... it seems that everything
here is a carefully composed scenario you
stumbled into. Perhaps that’s why Budapest
is a star of the silver screen, no matter
Fogas Ház ruin pub
Sufni G’art’N ruin pub what might be needed. In Alan Parker’s
1996 Evita, for instance, Budapest serves as
Buenos Aires. In the 2011 thriller The Rite,
starring Anthony Hopkins, it’s Rome. In The
Steven Spielberg drama Munich from 2005,
a most elegant Budapest artery pretends to
be in Paris. When the Hollywood’s massive
Raleigh Studios decided to colonize the
environs of Budapest in 2010, everybody
noticed. It’s now on the leading edge of
European film studios. Among the films
produced there so far, Monte Carlo, made
last year, involved the construction of
Monaco’s Hotel de Paris in replica.
Thus, Budapest has already earned the
moniker Hollywood on the Danube. It has
battled with Prague, not so far away, and
seems to have won. But it has also beaten
out Paris, London and Sofia. Cost is a prime
factor. Making The Borgias miniseries,
starring Jeremy Irons, cost a lot less in
Budapest than it would have in Rome, and
the producers didn’t hide that fact.
The roots of Hungarian cinema go
as deeply as those of photography in
Hungary – László Moholy-Nagy, André
Kertész, Georges Brassaï, Lucien Hervé
and Robert Capa all hail from here, and
modern photography is unimaginable
without them. But film, too, has a strong
Hungarian presence, whether it’s the
founder of Paramount Pictures, Adolph
Zukor, or the director of the legendary
movie Casablanca, Michael Curtiz. It’s in
the air, and you can feel it. Budapest is not
only one of the most photogenic cities
on the planet. Budapest is a chameleon
and a labyrinth. Getting lost here is sheer
pleasure. Do it, and you may find a scenario
of your own.
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Insider’s view
A perfect
day in
Budapest
Dorka Klim
is a film producer,
as well as well as one of the co-owners
of Hip Homes Hungary – a small company
dealing in the renting out of select luxury
apartments. Born in Budapest, Klim lived
for several years in Amsterdam and Buenos
Aires – “great cities”, as she says herself –
but she always wanted to return home.
“Budapest is a very beautiful city. I live on
the side of Buda, and every time I return
from a trip, I have to cross a bridge. Most
often I use the Elisabeth Bridge – from
which the view of the city’s panorama is
simply breathtaking.”
Hip Homes Hungary came about
spontaneously – on a summer’s evening
by Lake Balaton, while drinking wine in the
company of friends. “Many of my friends
had wonderful flats, which for various
different reasons, were standing empty.
At the same time, we knew that Budapest
was short on apartments – stylish and
comfortable ones, the kinds that we
stayed in ourselves when travelling the
world over. And that’s how we came
up with the idea.” Currently, Hip Homes
Hungary has nine luxury apartments at
its disposal in various parts of the city.
They are, undeniably, among the best
accommodations that Budapest has
to offer. Each apartment has its own
signature design and story behind it,
embodying the amazing assemblage of
feelings that make you feel like a local
after having spent just a few days in
the city.
When asked how she would spend an
ideal day in Budapest, Klim laughingly
responds that this would only be possible
on the off chance that she didn’t have
any prior commitments. “I’d wake up early
and start the day with a session at a spa.
It’s best to do this right in the morning.
I’d probably go with friends. And the spa
would definitely be the Rudas Bath, one
of the most authentic and oldest thermal
spas in Budapest. I think we’d spend twoand-a-half or three hours there; then we’d
have breakfast. Somewhere on Andrassy
Boulevard, like Két Szerecsen – one of my
favourite cafés. It’s not far from the opera
and Nagymező utca, the street that is often
called the Broadway of Budapest – from
the days when it was lined with theatres,
taverns, public and private
clubs, even bordellos. There still
are five theatres there, just 50
metres apart from one another.
But it’s just as likely that I’d
breakfast right here on the
Buda side, which also has
a lot of great cafés – places
where the locals go. Like
the Tranzit Art Café (Bukarest
u. 3-9, www.trazitcafe.com),
which used to be an old bus
station. It regularly holds all
sorts of exhibitions, concerts,
and film and literary evenings.
A wonderful, relaxing
atmosphere with hammocks
put up outside.
Afterward, I’d go to an art
exhibition, for instance, at the
National Gallery; or to a newlyopened seasonal show – either
in a gallery or set-up outdoors.
Excellent art projects are also
exhibited in the city parks
during the summer months.
If it was a weekend, an
obligatory stop would be two
of Budapest’s most colourful
art and design markets –
WAMP and Gouba. The first is
held once a month (either at
Millenáris or Erzsébet Square;
upcoming dates are June 10,
July 15 and August 12;
www.wamp.hu), and it’s a great
place to introduce yourself to
everything that is new and
popular on Hungary’s fashion
and design scene. Clothes,
accessories, various interior
furnishings – WAMP is an ideal
place to find gifts, or for just an
inspirational stroll.
Gouba, on the other hand, is
Budapest’s version of Portobello
Road in London. It happens
every Sunday from April through
October (www.gouba.hu).
It’s in the 7th district – the
historic Jewish Quarter – in
the courtyard of Gozsdu Udvar,
between the streets of Király
utca and Dob utca. The market is
situated in a long, corridor-like
passageway, which is also very
interesting from an architectural
standpoint. It has a colourful
mix of items made by young
designers, as well as books, an
antique shop, cafés and eateries.
You can spend an hour or
even two here, shopping and
having coffee.
Later, on a sunny day, I’d
spend a few hours simply
lounging about in a park. I’d
just lay down in the grass and
read. In the evening, I’d go
out for a nice dinner. It’s been
ages since I’ve been to Café Kör
(Sas utca 17, www.cafekor.com).
It’s a great bistro, loved by
the locals and not far from
St. Stephen’s Basilica; always full
of people, and special in that it’s
one of the few places left in the
city that doesn’t accept credit
cards. However, there’s just as
good a chance that I’d like to
try some Asian cuisine, which is
very popular in Budapest right
now. I’d close the evening with
a visit to a bar – maybe one of
the ruin pubs. There’s a new one
opening every season, but the
good old Szimpla Kert (Kazinczy
Street 14, www.szimpla.hu),
the first to start the trend of
the ‘ruin pubs’, is still alive and
kicking. It also serves as an
informal cultural centre.” BO
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OUTLOOK / EXCLUSIVE
EXCLUSIVE
IN ASSOCIATON WITH INSIDEFUTBOL.COM
The shoe salesman
who wasn’t a horse
Arrigo Sacchi, ormer head coach of the Italian
national football team
50 / AIRBALTIC.COM
OUTLOOK / EXCLUSIVE
During the 20th century,
many Italian writers worked hard to describe their
country’s character through literary works, one of
the most influential being Il Gattopardo by Giuseppe
Tomasi di Lampedusa. The story was set in Sicily and
stereotypically presented Italians as opportunists,
individualists and unreliable. However, other writers
such as Italo Calvino took a fresh look at the bootshaped country, depicting a different type of Italy
in Il barone rampante. There, a young man decides
to live at the top of a tree against the wishes of his
family, imposing his vision of life and his personality
upon others. He uses his capacity to cajole and
convince to show the world that his is the right way
to live. In footballing terms, legendary manager
Arrigo Sacchi is more like an Italo Calvino creation
than anything dreamed up by Tomasi di Lampedusa,
with obsessiveness and intransigence permeating
every facet of his life.
Arrigo Sacchi was born 66 years ago in Fusignano,
not far from Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of
Italy. When we met him, he stressed – as usual – that
he had but a few minutes to talk. However, when
asked to comment about the game of football, his
eyes brightened and in the end, he had quite a bit to
say. Sacchi was nothing less than a revolutionary in
the sport and the consequences of his revolution still
ripple across today’s football landscape, influencing
coaches across the world. He says that he has never
believed in any other formula than hard work, passion
and a strong work ethic. “I was never a first class
player,” he stressed, “but as I have always said, in order
to be a good jockey you don’t need to have been a
horse first.
“I am a perfectionist and have always asked a
lot from my players, but I am sure that they have
appreciated my passion for the job. Sometimes
people considered me to be obsessed, but I was
simply absorbed by my work and this is probably the
only secret of my success. From the moment I had
my first experience on the coach’s bench at Bellaria
Igea Marina [ed.: not far from Sacchi’s hometown of
Fusignano] to my work with Parma and AC Milan,
I thought about football theories and tactics almost
24 hours a day.”
Hard work is more than an obsession for Sacchi,
in stark contrast to the laid-back Italian stereotype.
On a visit to AC Milan’s training camp, known as
Milanello, an employee revealed that “players
like Carlo Ancelotti were frightened by Sacchi’s
training methods, especially by an invention
known as the ‘gabbia’.” That was an infamous pitch
covered by a cage on all four sides and on top, so
that the ball would never leave the field of play.
For Sacchi, it was essential to build strength in
the legs, but for his players it was a symbol of toil.
“And when Carlo became manager at Milan, he
immediately decided to dismantle it.”
Sacchi forged his tactical vision at a very young
age, helped by frequent trips across Europe. “At
first I was involved in the shoe business because
my father owned a factory. My brother worked
as a salesman throughout Europe, but at a very
young age he died in a car accident, so my
Arrigo Sacchi
Born: 1 April 1946
Place of birth: Fusignano, Italy
Teams managed:
1985 – 1987 Parma
1987 – 1991 Milan
1991 – 1996 Italy
1996 – 1997 Milan
1998 – 1999 Atlético Madrid
2001 Parma
2004 – 2005 Real Madrid (Director of Football)
father asked me to take over the job. I was not
enthusiastic about travelling through Europe to
sell shoes, but thanks to those trips, I journeyed
across Germany, Holland, Belgium and several
other countries. Since I was really passionate
about football, I went to watch games in all these
countries. I discovered new ways of playing
football. My vision of the game was shaped.
Working as a shoe salesman was really important
for my future career in football.”
OUTLOOK / EXCLUSIVE
AC Milan on
their return from
Barcelona in
1989 after their
win against Steaua
Bucarest in the
European Cup
I asked Silvio Berlusconi
to buy players who could
advance my project. So
we signed Carlo Ancelotti
Total Football
Indeed, he was fascinated by the football he saw
during his travels and particularly by the style of
the Dutch during the 1970s. The Netherlands were
undergoing their own revolution, as the great Ajax
side of Johan Cruyff changed the rules of the game
together with the Dutch national team. The players
ran faster and worked harder than anyone else,
allowing the entire pitch to be covered. For Sacchi,
these “mavericks from Holland” ushered in one of the
most important shifts in football history.
“They changed football from an individual to a
collective game, inventing what is now known as Total
Football. The next team to have changed the course of
the game was, I must say quite immodestly, my own
AC Milan, and now we have Barcelona, coached by
my friend Pep Guardiola. He sent me a text message
after the Champions League final at Wembley in 2011
[ed.: Barcelona beat Manchester United 3-1]. ‘Only you
can understand what we have really done this evening.’
He wasn’t talking about the result, which was obviously
fantastic, but more about how they achieved it and
how they played in that final. Guardiola believes in
playing a similar type of football to mine.”
The year 1987 was key for Sacchi and fundamentally
changed his career. He had been the coach of Parma,
then a second division club, since 1985 and was
working hard to make his team play a brand of Total
Football. His players were now able to cover the
pitch completely, in an attractive and attacking 4-4-2
formation. In September 1986, Parma visited AC Milan
in an Italian Cup group stage match and, much to
the establishment’s astonishment, won 1-0. Later in
the competition the two teams met again and as
before, Sacchi’s men triumphed by the same scoreline
at Milan’s San Siro Stadium. Then they stopped the
Serie A team with a goalless draw in Parma. That was
enough for AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi, in his
first season as the club’s owner, to sack Nils Liedholm
and, against all expectations, appoint the “little man
OUTLOOK / EXCLUSIVE
Some years ago,
Mark Hughes said
to me: ‘How did
you convince Italian
players to run
forwards instead of
backwards?’
from Fusignano”. And so it was that in 1987,
a successful period for both Milan and
Sacchi began.
“I’ve been lucky in football because I
have always had good presidents who
played the same tune as me. For example,
in my first spell at AC Milan, I asked Silvio
Berlusconi to buy players who could
advance my project. So we signed Carlo
Ancelotti, who was the perfect midfielder
for our team, and we bought Ruud Gullit
and Marco van Basten, who introduced a
new mentality into the side. At Milan, that
mix between Italian and Dutch players
was fantastic.”
Sacchi is clear that without the faith
and time afforded to him by Berlusconi,
his revolution might have been nipped
in the bud early on. “At Milan I had reason
to thank the board because they always
supported me from the very beginning.
For example, in the first season, after losing
at home against Fiorentina, Marco van
Basten criticised me in the dressing room in
front of all the other players. But the board
trusted me and asked me to continue
following my path. In the following match,
at Cesena, I left Van Basten on the bench
and when he asked me to explain why, I
told him: ‘Well, Marco, I think you are very
good tactically. So if you sit next to me on
the bench, then you can help me avoid
making mistakes in the match.’ That was
only possible because Silvio Berlusconi and
all the board trusted me.”
After a difficult start, AC Milan won the
Italian league, beating Diego Maradona’s
Napoli in a crucial match in Naples. The
victory was achieved in such an impressive
manner that at the end of the game, the
home crowd paid tribute to what they
had just witnessed with a long period of
applause for Sacchi and his team. It was a
triumph perhaps even on a par with lifting
the league trophy itself.
“Some years ago, Mark Hughes [ed.: former
Manchester City manager and Manchester
United player] said to me: ‘How did you
convince Italian players to run forwards
instead of backwards? I was used to seeing
Italian teams playing defensively, using the
counter attack, but your teams played a
different type of football.’ I still feel proud
of what he said. We tried to change the
mentality of Italian football and start a
revolution, but we did not succeed because
very few teams changed and played like us:
using offensive football for the good of the
game, not just to win. Although we were
fiercely criticised in Italy, a lot of people
abroad really appreciated our style of play.”
No coincidence
Many of those who played under Sacchi –
household names like Carlo Ancelotti,
Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard, Ruud
Gullit and Roberto Donadoni – went on
to become managers and took charge of
some of the biggest teams in Europe. That
OUTLOOK / EXCLUSIVE
The Spanish have always had an
advantage over the Italians in football.
They have always seen it as fun
must surely be no coincidence. Sacchi, however, is
modest. “I don’t know if any of these coaches learned
something from me, but I remember that all of them
were good tactically when on the pitch. While they all
have different mentalities regarding football, they also
understood the importance of hard work, a positive
mentality and a wonderful approach to the game. That
has helped some of them to win championships and
European Cups. I also managed Roberto Di Matteo in
the Italian national team, and now he is the manager
of a top team like Chelsea. He has yet another type of
footballing mentality, but still believes in hard work and
has a positive approach to his job, like the others.”
Sacchi stayed at AC Milan for four seasons, winning
one Italian league title, one Italian Super Cup, two
European Cups, two European Super Cups and two
Club World Cups. Then he moved to coach the Italian
national team. In a land where every performance
of the team is dissected, analysed and regurgitated
for weeks after each game, he was heavily criticized.
Despite an avalanche of comments, the tactician led
Italy to the final of the 1994 World Cup in the USA, only
losing on penalties against a Brazil team containing
such legendary stars as Dunga, Romário and Bebeto.
But five years at the helm of the Azzurri never saw Italy
hit the heights that his Milan side had achieved, either
measured by trophies or style of play.
“After the World Cup final defeat to Brazil in
1994, I said during a FIFA conference that AC Milan
[ed.: Sacchi’s old club won Serie A and the Champions
League in the 1993/94 season] was stronger than the
Italian national team and that maybe even Rimini, one
of the first teams I coached, was stronger than Italy.
International teams have been overtaken by clubs.
Training players every day is different than seeing them
only once in a while.”
Following a brief and unsuccessful return to Milan,
Sacchi moved to Spain in 1998 to manage Atlético
Madrid, but chose to leave after just seven months.
However, that period sparked a fascination with
Spanish football that has endured.
OUTLOOK / EXCLUSIVE
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This summer Sacchi
will be cheering for
Italy – even if he
appreciates any team
that plays the game
in what for him is ‘the
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“The Spanish have always had an
advantage over the Italians in football,” he
admitted. “They have always seen it as fun.
They have always played to score goals,
but in the past they played the game
individually. They had great individual
players, but had difficulties when it came
to mixing individuals together to produce
great teams. I remember when we at
AC Milan played Real Madrid at the end of
the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s.
They had some wonderful players like
Emilio Butragueño, Hugo Sánchez, Míchel
and Manuel Sánchez, but we always beat
them – and we were sure we would beat
them because we played as a team and
they played as great individuals. Now,
thanks to Barcelona and Spain’s national
team, the Spanish have started to play
collectively and they can magnify the
talent of their wonderful individuals.”
For this reason, he sees Spain as the
favourite for winning this summer’s
Euro 2012, even if he thinks Vicente del
Bosque’s world champions might face a
problem also encountered by his friend
Guardiola at Barcelona this year. “I think
Spain is the best, but these players have
recently won the European Championship
and the World Cup, so we have to see if
they have the same hunger for winning
now. Obviously there are other great teams
like Germany, Holland and Italy. However,
the Spanish national team remains
the best not only in Europe, but in the
entire world.”
There is little doubt about which team
Sacchi will be cheering for this summer:
Italy – even if he appreciates any team
that plays the game in what for him is
‘the right way’. So far, the Italians are on
right track. “I think Cesare Prandelli is
doing an exceptional job with the Azzurri.
He is changing the mentality, trying to
encourage positive football and I think
that for the first time, the Azzurri have the
possibility to spearhead the game in the
country. They can do very well at Euro 2012,
despite the fact that they are in a tough
group with Spain, Ireland and Croatia.”
Sacchi may not be in the coach’s chair at
present, but football still permeates into
his very soul. He currently works with the
Italian Football Federation on projects
involving the country’s youth teams. He is
also a pundit for Mediaset TV, a company
owned by his mentor, the former Italian
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, and
writes a weekly column for La Gazzetta
dello Sport, the easily recognisable pink
sports newspaper that shapes debate
on Italy’s national game. As for Euro 2012,
he excitedly assures us that he will be
there. “I am not sure for which or how
many matches, but I will most certainly
be in Gdańsk on June 10 to see Italy play
against Spain. I can’t miss that match by
any means.” BO
OUTLOOK / SPECIAL
association with INSIDE FUTBOL,
In
England’s leading online football magazine
PUBLICITY AND CORBIS PHOTOs
Euro2012:
50 facts on the European Championship
From June 8 to July 1, Europe’s best football teams vie for the continent’s coveted
championship cup, which is awarded once every four years
Gdansk, Poland
S
Greek wunderkind:
It is a heavy burden to carry when
you are compared to the world’s
best player, Lionel Messi. However,
attacking midfielder Sotiris
Ninis seems to be unaffected.
Dubbed the “Greek Messi”, he
has impressed with his dribbling,
shooting skills and vision. No
wonder he became the youngest
ever scorer for Greece at 18 years
and 46 days, after netting on his
debut against Cyprus on 19th May
2008. Last September, he scored
a second. Can Ninis shine at
Euro 2012?
hifting Sands:
Two of the Polish cities which
will host matches at Euro 2012 did not actually belong to
the country before the Second World War. Wrocław lay
within pre-war Germany and was known as Breslau, while
Gdańsk, a ‘free city’ with a mixed German and Polish population, was more
recognisable by its German name of Danzig. This is also where the first
shots of the Second World War were fired. Across the border, one of the
Ukrainian host cities, Lviv, belonged to pre-war Poland, and was called Lwów
(pronounced L-voov).
Teutonic dominance: The Germans dominated the
European Championships in the 1970s, winning in 1972 and 1980
and losing on penalties in the 1976 final – establishing themselves as
European powerhouses in the process. As further evidence of their
strength, they also boasted the top scorer in all three tournaments.
In 1972, Gerd Müller netted five goals, Dieter Müller then struck four
in 1976 and Klaus Allofs scored three in the 1980 finals. This success
paved the way for triumphs at the 1990 World Cup and Euro 96.
60 / AIRBALTIC.COM
G
oing the
distance: Five
finals have
gone to
extra time.
In 1960, the USSR beat Yugoslavia
2-1 and in 1968, the latter lost 2-0
to Italy in a replay after the original
match ended 1-1. In 1996, Germany
beat the Czech Republic 2-1, whilst
France saw off Italy by the same
scoreline four years later. The
only showpiece to go to penalties
was between Czechoslovakia and
West Germany in 1976. And would
you believe it, the masters of the
shootout, Germany, lost. The
Teutonic warriors haven’t suffered a
defeat that way since.
A
nimal love:
Czech international
defender Tomá
Hübschman of Shakhtar Donetsk
has a passion for animals. Two
years ago, the 30-year-old adopted
a polar bear from the Prague Zoo.
Now, Hübschman’s family consists
of his wife Jana, their daughter
Michaela, some gorillas and bears,
and two Yorkshire terriers: Wendy
and Vicki. However, Hübschman
must leave them all behind this
summer for Euro 2012, where the
Czechs are hoping to roar through
the group stage and into the
knockout rounds.
Revolutionary
verve:
Lviv was the city in
which the first official Ukrainian
opposition to the Soviet regime
took place. From the mid-to-end
1980s until the early 1990s, Lviv
became the centre of Rukh, a civilpolitical movement advocating
Ukrainian independence from
the USSR, at a time when no
other parties except for the
Communist Party were allowed
in the Soviet Union. An incredible
demonstration took place in
1990 as a chain of volunteers
(approximately 4.5 million)
stretched roughly 550 km, all the
way from Lviv to Kyiv.
OUTLOOK / SPECIAL
Klaas-Jan
Huntelaar
European stars:
According to the UEFA club rankings, Ukraine
was the best performing nation in the European competitions in the 2008/09
season. That year, Shakhtar Donetsk won the UEFA Cup after beating its archrival Dynamo Kyiv in the semi-final, having already beaten another Ukrainian
club, Metalist Kharkiv, in the Round of 16. These performances weren’t a flash
in the pan: Shakhtar reached the Champions League quarter-final in 2010/11,
and one year later Metalist Kharkiv did the same in the Europa League.
Blowing the trumpet: If you
thought the vuvuzela was annoying at the 2010
World Cup, you may want to duck for cover
when the zozulicas come out this summer.
With 7000 years of history, the cuckoo-shaped
whistles have united a number of Slavic Eastern
European countries. They are easy to use, and
at less than 5 USD, are sure to be a feature at
Euro 2012 – whether you like it or not. The
whistles will provide a constant background noise
that fans all around the world will hear, adding to
what is sure to be an electric atmosphere.
D
utch efficiency:
Striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is not
known for his exquisite technique
and his goals are rarely spectacular. However,
the Dutchman’s ruthlessness makes him one of
the most potent players in the penalty box. In
February against England, Huntelaar became the
second most efficient Dutch striker ever, with
an average minute-per-goal ratio of 96.20, due
to 30 goals in 2886 minutes played. Only the
legendary Bep Bakhuys, who played for Holland
in the 1930s, is better, thanks to an outstanding
average of 73.93 (28 goals in 2070 minutes).
Lviv, Ukraine
C
Extra motivation:
Erik Hamrén
Good things come in
threes: Alongside Dick Advocaat and
Giovanni Trapattoni, Sweden’s boss Erik Hamrén
will be the only coach at Euro 2012 to have won
a trophy in at least three different countries.
Hamrén started his trophy-gathering ways at
AIK, winning the Swedish Cup twice. Then the
coach picked up his third national cup with
Örgryte before heading for Denmark, where he
guided Aalborg to the championship in 2008.
Trophies kept flowing for Hamrén when he won
the Norwegian league in 2009 and 2010 with
Rosenborg. It is easy to see why he is nicknamed
the “King of Scandinavia”.
Odd one out:
laims to fame:
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second biggest
city (after Kyiv), is the cultural,
scientific, educational and economic heart of the
country. The city is widely known for its immense
Freedom Square, currently the 12th largest city
square in the world, with an area of 119,000 m².
But Kharkiv also has other claims to fame: It is
here that, in 1932, USSR scientists first split the
atom. Kharkiv is also the biggest city located on
the 50th parallel – commemorated by a metal
stripe in its centre.
England is the only major European
football nation never to have
won this tournament. The
latest UEFA rankings show the rest of the top
six have lifted the trophy: Spain (1964 & 2008),
the Netherlands (1988), Germany (1972, 1980 &
1996), Italy (1968) and Russia (1960). England’s
best performances have been a third-place finish
in 1968 and a run to the semi-finals in 1996.
However, England’s record of seven appearances
in the tournament is bettered only by Germany
(ten), Russia (nine), Netherlands and Spain
(eight each).
During the first
European Championships in 1960, Spain’s right
wing dictator Francisco Franco refused to allow
his national team to travel to the Soviet Union
for a playoff game and thus handed the USSR
a free victory. The two nations had not shared
diplomatic relations since the Spanish Civil War in
the 1930s. Nikita Khrushchev, the Soviet leader,
chided Spain for its decision to withdraw from the
tournament, but he should have been sending
Franco some vodka as a thank you, for the
Soviets bounced back to win the tournament.
Second time lucky?
Euro 2012 will be the Republic of Ireland’s
second trip to the finals. Its previous
appearance was in 1988 in West Germany,
where it failed to go further than the initial
group stage. However, the Irish did have
the satisfaction of beating England and
also finishing above their neighbours in
the group table. Their record in the World
Cup has been more impressive with three
tournament appearances – in Italy in 1990,
the USA in 1994 (where they earned
a famous win over Italy) and Japan &
South Korea in 2002.
Euro 2012 diary: June 13
should be a date for your diary. Not only is the
Netherlands’ clash with Germany arguably the
standout tie of the tournament group stage,
bringing together two fierce rivals who contested
the 1974 World Cup final, but these two teams
were the top scorers during qualifying, netting
71 goals between them in 20 games. They
also boast the two most lethal forwards in
qualification; Klass-Jan Huntelaar and Miroslav
Klose, who between them scored a remarkable
21 goals in 14 games.
OUTLOOK / SPECIAL
Gerd Müller
Success story: Of the 16 teams at
Portugal
Euro 2012,
is the only one to
have always survived the competition’s group
stage. The Selecção das Quinas has qualified
for the tournament five times, twice falling in
the quarter-finals (in 1996 and 2008) and twice
bowing out in the semi-finals (in 1984 and 2000).
In 2004, Portugal was the host nation and,
featuring a young Cristiano Ronaldo, produced its
best performance ever, reaching the final. Despite
playing at home, however, it was beaten 1-0 by
underdog Greece.
H
ard labour: Since the
fall of communism, Poland
has concentrated its national
re-modernising programme
on industry, at the expense of sport. When
Poland was awarded Euro 2012 with Ukraine
five years ago, the
country found itself
without a single
stadium fit for the tournament.
Ultimately, this turned out to be unnecessary
and the results of the rebuilding programme
will be seen in the magnificent stadiums at
Warsaw, Wrocław, Gdańsk and Poznań.
F
amily matters: The
most famous footballing family in
Denmark is the Laudrups, who gave
their country three generations of professional
players. However, they are not the only ones, as
midfielder Lasse Schøne is the latest in his own
family’s line. The 25-year-old Ajax player is the
son of Lars Schøne (who played in the 1980s for
B 1903 and KB) and the grandson of Willy Schøne
(who was capped five times in the 1950s for the
Denmark B team). Euro 2012 will be the first
major international tournament for Lasse, who
missed the 2010 World Cup due to injury.
Making dreams (almost)
come true: Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimović
has always been a man in demand, despite
being one of the more polarising players of the
past decade. The craziest bid for him, however,
was made in 2005 by an unemployed 36-yearold Swede. The man, a die-hard supporter of
Swedish fourth-tier outfit Visby IF Gute, won 122
million Swedish krona (about
14 million EUR
) in the lottery, and
offered the whole sum to his beloved club to buy
his idol Ibrahimović, who at the time was playing
in Italy for Juventus. The player, of course, did
not move.
Straight into the net: Though
Antonín Panenka scored arguably the most
famous penalty in the history of the game to
win the shootout between Czechoslovakia and
Germany in the 1976 European Championships
final, less well known is the fact that the
Czech players headed
straight to the dressing
room at the end of
extra-time, unaware
that penalties would
follow to decide the
winners. Perhaps that is the secret
to shootout success? For the Germans, now
renowned for their spot-kick expertise, it was a
rare shootout defeat.
Never too old:
Russia could be
taking one of the oldest squads to this summer’s
European Championships. Though 21-year-old
Alan Dzagoev
is one of the rising
stars of European football, such is the dearth of
talent that last year, the Russian Union of Players
and Coaches released a statement which claimed
that just two other players aside from Dzagoev,
Russian and born between 1990 and 1992, were
competing for the country’s top teams. This does
not bode well for the 2018 World Cup, which
Russia is due to host.
Turning back the clock:
Surprisingly, Poland has only qualified for one
previous European Championship: Euro 2008
held in Austria and Switzerland. Euro 2012
marks the country’s second appearance,
qualifying automatically as co-host. Poland’s
record is far more impressive at World Cups,
for which it has qualified seven times.
Some catching up to do:
As the inventors of football, English teams
dominated the game’s early years but
considered international tournaments to be of
minor importance. The national team did not
take part in the first three World Cups (1930,
1934 & 1938) and was knocked out in the
first qualifying round for the 1960 European
Championships. When it did enter the World
Cup, England fared badly, with an embarrassing
loss to the USA in 1950. It has taken these
tournaments more seriously since then.
False alarm: Last year, British
newspaper The Independent shocked the
whole of Portugal by breaking the news
that the country had sold Cristiano Ronaldo
160 million EUR
to Spain for
to ease its debt-fuelled financial collapse.
It was also reported that the player had
already accepted the bid to “act like a
patriot”. Luckily for the Portuguese the story
was a fake, reported by the newspaper for
April Fools’ Day.
Alexei and Vasily Berezutsky
Like brother like…
brother: Defenders Alexei and Vasily
Berezutsky are the only twins to have ever
represented the Soviet Union or Russia; Vasily
is older than Alexei by a mere 20 minutes.
At school, the twins sometimes used their
similarity to deceive teachers when responding
to questions. Even now, very few people can
distinguish between the two, although Alexei
thinks it is easy – he is slightly taller and heavier
than Vasily. Both play their club football for
CSKA Moscow and will be important members
of the Russian squad this summer.
O
minous date: Spain may be
pleased that it will not be playing on
June 22, regardless of how it does in the group
It has lost three
penalty shootouts, all on
that day – to Belgium in the 1986 World
stage this year.
Cup, England in Euro 1996 and to South Korea
at the 2002 World Cup. On a more positive note,
Spain beat Italy on penalties in Euro 2008 on
June 22. With talents like Xavi, Andrés Iniesta and
Cesc Fàbregas, there will be no excuse for the
Spaniards failing in a shootout at Euro 2012.
OUTLOOK / SPECIAL
2010 FIFA World
Cup South
Africa – Group E –
Netherlands vs.
Denmark
T
he wrong way round:
Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen is one of the
few players to have made his debut in an Under-21 team after already representing his
country’s senior team. When the Ajax youngster was called up for the Danish squad for
the 2011 Under-21 European Championships, he had already played five games for the senior team –
including two at the 2010 World Cup, where he was the youngest player at the tournament.
G’day, mate: In
Croatia Josip Šimunić is
highly regarded for his great
technique. Elsewhere, though,
the Australian-born defender
is remembered for an incident
that happened at the 2006
World Cup against the country of his birth. Šimunić was
sent off by English referee
Graham Poll only after having
picked up his third yellow
card. “It was because of
Šimunić’s Australian accent,”
Poll later said in his biography.
“I recorded the second booking as Australia no. 3 instead
of Croatia no. 3.”
Football rocks: “But
deep down inside,
I got a rock ‘n’
roll heart” – that’s
what Lou Reed sang in 1976.
More than 30 years later, this
could be a song the Croatian
coach Slaven Bilić sings, too.
Bilić is not only the youngest
manager Croatia has ever
had – he was appointed as
head coach in 2006 when he
was 37 – but he is also a big
fan of rock music. Bilić plays
the rhythm guitar with Croatian
rock group Rawbau, which
in 2008 recorded a song for
the country’s performance at
Euro 2008.
Ireland’s most
impressive catch:
Ireland’s most successful
coach ever was former
England World Cup winner
Jack Charlton, who led the
team to its first ever major
tournament finals, the 1988
European Championships,
and then two World Cups.
There is a life-sized statue of
“Big Jack”
at Cork
Airport indulging in his other
favourite sport during his stays
in Ireland – fishing. He is shown
holding an impressive catch.
M
up to:
uch
to live
Since the Czech
Republic separated from
Slovakia and became an
independent state, its
national team has never
missed a European
Championships tournament.
The team has participated
in all four of the final stages
(1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008)
and is now ready for a fifth
appearance. However, the
majority of people in the
country believe that the
current squad is the weakest
in recent memory.
Seeing the sights:
Visitors to Kyiv during the
tournament can enjoy a ride
through the world’s deepest
underground railway station –
the Arsenalna, which sits
105.5 metres
under the river
Dnieper and has two tracks.
Opened in 1960, the station
takes its name from the nearby
Kyiv Arsenal factory. It is
owned by the Kyiv Metro, and
structurally has many similarities
to stations on the London
Underground. This is just one of
many worthwhile tourist spots
in the Ukrainian capital.
When will it end?!
The most penalties scored in a
European Championships shootout came in 1980 in the thirdplace match between Italy and
Czechoslovakia. The game fin-
it
took a staggering
18 penalties to
decide the winner. Reigning champion
ished 1-1 after extra time, and
Czechoslovakia scored all nine
of its penalties, and clinched a
third-place finish when Italian
defender Fulvio Collovati saw
his penalty saved by goalkeeper
Jaroslav Netolička.
OUTLOOK / SPECIAL
Michel Platini from France during a
first round match of the European
Championship (Euro 1984) against
Denmark. France won 1-0
Pocket rocket: One of the most bizarre
nicknames at Euro 2012 will surely be Sebastian
“Formica Atomica”
Giovinco’s
(Atom Ant), a name given to the Italian striker for his
blend of short stature (he stands at a mere 5 feet 4
inches) and exquisite technical skills. However, size
has never been an issue for Giovinco, who, alongside
Manchester City’s Mario Balotelli, is currently the
brightest star of Italian football. The pocket-sized
wizard is expected to make the Azzurri forget the
disappointing 2010 World Cup.
Won’t let your dad down:
S
tealing the show:
UEFA president and former
French international Michel
Platini still holds the record for the most career
goals in the European Championships – nine.
Remarkably, all these came in the same
competition – the 1984 tournament, hosted
and won by France. He scored two hat-tricks
against Belgium and Yugoslavia, each featuring
a goal with his left foot, right foot and head.
Platini then netted a last-minute winner in the
semi-final and was also on the scoresheet in
the final against Spain.
Playing for Holland has become a family affair
for Mark van Bommel since his father-in-law
Bert van Marwijk was appointed as Oranje
head coach in July 2008. The AC Milan
midfielder came back to play for the national
team and Van Marwijk, after he stated he
would never wear the Dutch jersey again
while former coach Marco van Basten was
in charge. It is not the first time that Van
Bommel and the father of his wife Andra have
worked together – they also teamed up at
Fortuna Sittard between 1997 and 1999.
Pick a name! The impressive
Olimpiysky National Sports Complex
of Kyiv is the stadium that will host the
Euro 2012 final on July 1.
Opened on August 12, 1923 to stage
the Second All-Ukrainian Spartakiad, the
stadium has so far changed its name
eight times. The current capacity of the
Olimpiysky is 70 050.
Euro 2000 –
French team
returns to Paris,
Nicolas Anelka
with trophy
R
are feat: Only eight players have reached the lofty heights of winning the European
Cup/Champions League and the European Championships in the same year. The
first was Luis Suárez in 1964 with Internazionale and Spain. Then in 1988, Hans van
Breukelen, Ronald Koeman, Berry van Aerle, Wim Kieft and Gerald Vanenburg achieved the double with
PSV Eindhoven and Holland. Most recently, Nicolas Anelka and Christian Karembeu joined this elite
group in 2000, becoming champions of Europe with Real Madrid and France.
OUTLOOK / SPECIAL
Words of wisdom: Legendary
goalkeeper Lev Yashin was known
affectionately as
the “Black Spider”
because he
wore an all-black kit for Russia and pulled off
extraordinary saves. He was also something of
a philosopher, once remarking: “What kind of
a goalkeeper is not tormented by the goal that
he has conceded? He must be tormented!
And if he is calm, that means it is the end.
No matter what he did in the past, he has no
future.” This philosophy has clearly worked.
Yashin is estimated to have made about
150 penalty saves in his career.
N
Andrey Arshavin
UEFA EURO 2008 – Austria vs. Poland
o crowd-pleaser: Howard Webb, one of the referees who will officiate at
Euro 2012, may well receive a cool reception in Poland. The Englishman has never
been forgiven by Poles for the crucial penalty he awarded against them in their pivotal clash with Austria
at Euro 2008. Discussing the penalty decision, Poland’s coach at the time, Leo Beenhakker, said: “Of the
wrestling that was going on, I didn’t see anything that has been punished before.” Poland was eliminated
in the tournament’s group stage.
Lethal weapon:
Miroslav Klose is a goal-scoring
machine at the international
level, and the only player
who has scored four goals
or more in three different
tournaments: the 2002, 2006
and 2010 World Cups. He is
also the second top scorer
in Germany’s history, with 63
goals, five behind Gerd Müller.
Intriguingly though, for all his
quality in front of the net, he
has been less successful at
European Championships,
getting just two goals in the
tournament to date.
B
ecause I’m
worth it: Olivier
Giroud has enjoyed
a superb season with
Montpellier in Ligue
1 and will be aiming to make his
presence felt in France coach
Laurent Blanc’s squad. “The
Beautiful Kid”, as he is known,
admits spending considerable
time before matches making
sure that his hair looks its best.
His manager, René Girard, has
told that “he should not worry
about messing up his hair” and
should find the net more often
with his head.
Keeping it clean:
Donetsk, which will host France
vs England and Ukraine’s games
against these two teams in
the group stage, is in the heart
of the country’s coal-mining
region. But it is also the world’s
cleanest industrial city, according
to UNESCO, and the world’s
shallowest sea, the Azov, is
an hour away. The city has
had plenty to celebrate on the
football pitch, too: Local club
side Shakhtar Donetsk won the
Ukrainian title in 2010 and 2011,
as well as the UEFA Cup in 2009.
Fan liaison:
Andrey Arshavin
has been derided by Arsenal fans over
the years for an apparent lack of effort,
but the winger, who has been on loan at
Zenit St. Petersburg, certainly works hard
off the pitch to engage with the public.
On his official website, Arshavin answers
a range of questions in his ‘Ask Andrey’
section, through which he has spoken of
his fondness for bears, the importance of
child safety and the crucial role of water
chemical composition in choosing the right
hair-styling product.
OUTLOOK / SPECIAL
T
Antonio Cassano
Comeback kid:
The talented but hard-to-handle
Italian striker Antonio Cassano has often hit the headlines for his temper,
which led to the coining of the neologism Cassanata – which means
unprofessional behaviour on and/or off the pitch. But recently. The
AC Milan man was in the spotlight for different reasons, with a goal
against Siena that came almost six months after he suffered brain damage
and heart problems last November. Cassano has now fully recovered,
which is good news for Italian coach Cesare Prandelli – and the press.
Fly to Warsaw with
Flights from Riga starting from EUR 69
From more than 50 airBaltic network cities via Riga starting from
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Best Western
eam of nations: Golden touch: Co-host
Germany will be the
most “international” team
at Euro 2012. Counting
coach Joachim Löw’s
recent call-ups, there
are at least ten players born, or with
roots, abroad: Miroslav Klose, Lukas
Podolski (both born in Poland),
Cacau (Brazil), Mario Gómez (Spanish
roots), Sami Khedira (Tunisian roots),
Mesut Özil, İlkay Gündoğan, Serdar
Tasci (all Turkish roots), Dennis Aogo
(Nigerian roots) and Jérôme Boateng
(Ghanaian roots). Interestingly the
latter’s brother, Kevin-Prince Boateng,
plays for Ghana.
Finally made it: New
England manager Roy Hodgson
may have managed Switzerland and
Finland at international level, but
he has never enjoyed a European
Championships from the dugout,
despite qualifying the former. Indeed,
Hodgson steered Switzerland to Euro
96, in his home country. However,
he then left to join Italian side Inter
before the tournament. This time
around, it is Hodgson who is taking
over another coach’s work, with
Fabio Capello having guided England
through qualification.
Poland’s hopes of progress at
Euro 2012 mainly lie at Robert
Lewandowski’s feet. The 23-yearold striker has so far enjoyed the
best season of his career, winning
a second Bundesliga title in a row
with Borussia Dortmund, and
finishing third in the season’s goalscoring charts. But Lewandowski
has already been a league top
scorer three times: in 2007 and
2008 with Znicz Pruszków and
2010 with Lech Poznań in Poland’s
Ekstraklasa.
M
otoring
to glory:
Observers of
Holland and
Manchester
City midfielder
Nigel de Jong could be
forgiven for concluding that the
nickname he coined for himself,
Barracuda
, is all to do with
having real bite in the tackle and
closing in on his prey with stealthy
speed. Instead though, it is down to
De Jong’s love of the classic car the
Plymouth Barracuda, one of which
he owns. Will he drive Holland to
Euro 2012 glory?
OUTLOOK / SPECIAL
cooperation with www.anothertravelguide.com
In
Photos corbis and by Ainars erglis, una meistEre
The bar à vins –
a Paris institution
72 / AIRBALTIC.COM
OUTLOOK / SPECIAL
There is
an old adage that if you
want to know what’s going on in the city,
then go visit the local bar. That remains
true to this day, and Paris’ timeless bars à
vins, or wine bars, are testimony to this fact.
Over the generations, they have remained
a fixture of the Parisian landscape, serving
as a meeting place for members of all
social classes – aristocrats and proletarians,
students and white collar workers. Every
district of the city has its share of bars
à vins, each with its own history and
atmosphere.
True, the wine bars of today do differ
a bit from their predecessors. Yes, it is still
possible to sit at a metal-clad counter,
munch on a tasty snack and sip on a glass
of red wine poured out from a wooden
barrel – most likely from a small but
first-rate producer selected by the owner.
Yet lately, many of Paris’ wine bars have
started placing more emphasis on the
gastronomic experience, transforming
themselves into a cross between a bar and
a restaurant. Some have become acclaimed
lunch and dinner spots. That means
that the appetizers and the wine can be
followed by an excellent three-course
meal. The wine bars are frequently staffed
by young chefs who like to experiment,
often using locally grown and seasonal
foods in attractive menus that are not
overly extensive.
Thus, Paris’ wine bars are serving as
experimental laboratories, with the
sommeliers and the chefs working
together to find the best combinations
of wine and food. The newer bars tend to
offer organic and natural wines (without
sulphites), as well as ecologically grown
food. But of course, the main asset of any
wine bar is its atmosphere – open, friendly
and laid back. Following a dinner at a
classical Paris restaurant, you will also be
pleasantly surprised by the bill, which in
most cases should be quite reasonable.
Below are five inspiring and colourful bars à
vins, each with its own character, story and
atmosphere.
Legrand Filles et Fils
One of the oldest and most
distinctive wine bars in Paris, which
is located in a no less distinctive
place – the Galerie Vivienne.
Designed by legendary architect
Francois Jean Delannoy and
completed in 1826, the shopping
arcade is a destination in itself.
Lined with small shops and cafés,
the arcade is one of the most
beautiful and romantic in Paris, with
a relaxed, slow-paced and slightly
hedonistic atmosphere. Here, one
is drawn to unhurriedly gaze into
the shop windows and immerse
oneself in one detail or another, and
perhaps to have lunch or a snack
under the glass cupola ceiling.
The history of Legrand Filles et
Fils goes back to the end of the
19th century and is like that of a finely
matured wine. Initially, the space
that the wine bar now occupies
served as a warehouse for spices,
coffee, tea and chocolate. Later, it
became a store. Pierre Legrand took
it over immediately after the end
of the First World War, continuing
to sell delicacies, along with wine
that he bought in barrels from
warehouses and filled into bottles
at his shop. When his son Lucien –
an avid wine lover – took over the
enterprise, he scoured the country’s
wine-producing regions for the best
possible wines, bringing them back
to Paris and offering them to the
establishment’s patrons. Lucien’s
daughter Francine, for her part,
began a successful collaboration
with renowned and prestigious
wine experts, bringing international
acclaim to her enterprise. Although
the company changed ownership
in 2000 and no longer belongs to
the Legrand family, it remains as
authentic as ever, uniting a bar, a
shop and lunch spot under one roof.
The relatively congenial bar
section has the refinement of a
well-aged wine, with an elegant
wooden floor and shelves lined with
wine bottles. One can sit either at
the bar counter or in high wicker
chairs placed by old wooden tables.
The degustation menu, which
offers five white and five red wines,
changes once a week. However,
you may also opt for a special
wine from the Legrand Filles et
Fils cellars – which house a wide
variety of outstanding wines from
all over the world and particularly
from France – and drink it right
there by the bar counter for a
15-EUR corkage fee.
A few steps away, the company
store offers a great selection of
bottled wines, as well as books,
glasses, decanters and other items
devoted to wine and wine-serving,
not to mention various delicacies,
such as truffles and foie gras.
1, rue de la Banque
www.caves-legrand.com
OUTLOOK / SPECIAL
Le Baron Rouge
Le Baron Rouge is simultaneously a legendary
establishment and a unique degustation spot.
The wines are stored in wooden barrels obtained
from small and independent producers in the
Bordeaux, Loire and Rhône regions of France.
A glass should cost you between 1.50 and
3.20 EUR. The bar space itself is relatively small
and much of the activity takes place outside on
the sidewalk, where on warm summer afternoons,
men with worn shoes and clothing can be seen
sipping on glasses of wine, side-by-side with wellto-do ladies carrying expensive Chanel handbags
and leashed lapdogs. One will be hard-pressed to
find such a varied mix of patrons anywhere else
in Paris, which in itself is a good reason to visit
this establishment. Those who wish to have more
than just a light snack can also order oysters or
sausages on the side. If you get an impulsive urge
to continue enjoying the evening at your hotel
room or at a friend’s place, then for a mere 4 EUR,
they will fill up a take-away glass bottle of wine for
you, straight from the barrel.
Not far away is one the most lively and
colourful markets in Paris, the Marché d’Aligre,
which also incorporates the famous Marché
Beauvau. The latter is known as the second
oldest covered market pavilion in the city and
dates from the year 1777.
1 rue Th. Roussel
Au Sauvignon
The embodiment of French chic in the form of a bar à
vins. The interior feels as small as a broom closet, but is
complemented by a sidewalk terrace and large windows,
from which the lively activity on Paris’ left bank can be freely
observed. Here one will see Bon Marché luxury department
store customers, university students (after all, the Sorbonne is
one of the main features of the old Latin Quarter on left bank
of the Seine), art gallery visitors and antique store shoppers.
Although the passage of time has left its mark, traces of the
erstwhile intellectual and artistic bohemian aura can still be
felt here from the days when Jean-Paul Sartre would stop by
for a glass of wine at the Café de Flore. Later, in 1966, French
fashion guru Yves Saint Laurent
opened his iconic YSL Rive Gauche
brand, which gave rise to a veritable
revolution in European fashion.
Something from this past glory
can still be felt at Au Sauvignon,
with its small marble tables placed
close beside each other and walls
that look like a wine history book –
complete with historical posters,
maps of wine routes and pictures
of colourful personalities. And
since the presentation of the wine
is no less important than the wine
itself, don’t be surprised if a wine
which you believe to know well
tastes completely different at Au
Sauvignon. The bar is particularly
well-known for its Beaujolais wines
and is one of the Parisians’ favourite
spots for marking the beginning of
the Beaujolais Nouveau season. No
less legendary are the Au Sauvignon
sandwiches – prepared with bread
from the nearby Poilane bakery and
served with homemade pâtés or
cheese. Conveniently, the bakery
is operated by the same family that
owns Au Sauvignon.
80 rue des Saints-Pères
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OUTLOOK / SPECIAL
Le Verre Volé
Le Verre Volé can be found in the formerly
industrial-come-fashionable and slightly
alternative Canal St Martin district, where –
a fair distance away from the usual tourist
spots – Paris pulsates in a completely different
rhythm. On sunny days, the edges of the
canal are full of picnickers. Nearby is the
wonderful fashion and design bookstore
Artazart, which also serves as a club of sorts,
and the appropriately named quality film store
Potemkine. Le Verre Volé or “stolen glass” is a
very small establishment with a glass façade
that reminds one of hundreds of flattened wine
bottle fragments. The bar is scarcely larger
than a living room, with only a couple of tables
for the patrons. The walls are stacked with
wine bottles and covered with concert, theatre
and other cultural event posters, all of which
serve to make you feel relaxed and help your
conversation flow freely.
Le Verre Volé is also like a cosy living room in the
sense that its young and laid-back owners are
outstandingly hospitable. The menu is written
out in chalk on a blackboard and changes with
the seasons. No bold culinary experiments here;
yet everything tastes fantastic and is creatively
presented on your plate, and at very reasonable
prices. The wine menu is extensive, encompassing
all of the main wine-producing regions of France, as
well as small wineries. Le Verre Volé places special
emphasis on organic wines and was one of the
first wine bars in Paris to offer them to the public.
You can taste truly exquisite wines here, where
quality and price are evenly balanced. The unusual
combination of disarming simplicity and outstanding
quality is another reason why this small bar à vins is
definitely worth visiting, and why you will want to
return there again to spend pleasant moments with
your friends over a glass of good wine.
67, rue de Lancry
www.leverrevole.fr
OUTLOOK / SPECIAL
Le Rubis
Le Rubis is a place that you would probably not find if you didn’t specifically
look for it, and that you would probably not think of visiting unless somebody
told you about it. The bar is located on a small side street, less than fifty
paces from the renowned Colette fashion store and from the snobby, touristfilled Rue du Faubourg St Honoré shopping street. However, sometimes
a few sidesteps are enough to bring you into a completely different
environment. Almost right next to Le Rubis stands an oyster restaurant that is
popular with the locals and reasonably priced, providing a great spot to pause
and regain one’s senses during your Parisian shopping frenzy.
With its doors and windows painted the colour of red wine and barrels
outside by the entrance covered with red chequered tablecloths, as well
as a metal-topped bar counter staffed by the owner himself, Le Rubis is a
bit like a trip back in time. Here, on this small “wine island”, life still goes on
as if globalization was a vague term of futurist literature, and as if the big
luxury corporations, which have since swallowed up just about all of the
small haute couture fashion houses like tasty bite-sized morsels, had not yet
begun their nightmarish expansion.
The drinks at this bar come in small glasses that are served full to the
brim. Le Rubis specializes in wines from the Beaujolais, Loire, Alsace,
Bordeaux and Burgundy regions of France.
10, Rue du Marché Saint-Honoré
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OUTLOOK / TRAVEL
Text by Simon Cooper
Photos Corbis, Alamy and publicity photos
Wheel into the wild
While Copenhagen frequently takes most of the plaudits for Denmark’s
cycling chic and culture, there are a number of more rural areas where
exploring the great outdoors is no less a case of ‘four wheels bad, two
wheels good’. Baltic Outlook heads out on a journey of discovery in Jutland
80 / AIRBALTIC.COM
OUTLOOK / TRAVEL
Ask anyone in Denmark about the town of
Billund and they’ll mention Legoland; ask anyone else about
Legoland and they’ll probably associate it with Billund.
Either way, more than one million guests flock to the resort
complex and theme park each year. However, away from
the torrent of visitors at Legoland, Billund has another asset:
the seemingly accidental building blocks put together by
Mother Nature, as opposed to those first put deliberately
together by a local carpenter, later the founder of Lego, Ole
Kirk Christiansen.
Out on the west side of the country’s ancient North Sea
peninsula, Billund stands out as something of a new town.
Its existence has been fed and watered by the success of
the Lego Group. With 6000 residents, Billund has come a
long way since the founding of the company (which, like
its generous cousin the Carlsberg Group in Copenhagen,
has financed and facilitated the construction of several
public buildings, such as a the airport in 1964 and a library
and church in 1970). It’s now home to upcoming local
businesses, and is carving a role as the area’s primary
tourism hub – even ahead of the regional capital Vejle.
Since Ole Kirk Christiansen first began manufacturing
wooden construction bricks for children in 1932, Billund
has become almost synonymous with Lego. It’s the spiritual
home of a functional and attractive worldwide export that
appeals to people of all ages – typically Danish.
However, native Billunders and Danes in general are
also fond of hitting the Great Outdoors. Cycling, hiking and
fishing are amongst those activities that many places, of
which Billund is a prime example, offer to holidaying young
families, couples and nature enthusiasts.
Beaten hiking trails weave through lime-green shrubbery
and a flat landscape, along disbanded railway lines and
pond-like lakes that brim with reeds. The countryside here
bears a strangely childlike charm. That is why small kids,
big kids and those stuck somewhere in between can all
easy tackle picturesque but undemanding bike and walking
routes, while the addition of a car will enable visitors to
take a leisurely drive to numerous other towns and villages
scattered around the region.
OUTLOOK / TRAVEL
ROUTES
Hop onto your bike (see
www.billundbike.dk for the
best deals) or explore the
countryside trails that start in
Billund on foot. Some of the
trails go full circle, while others
lead to nearby villages and
towns. The most well-known
of these is Den Skæve Bane –
‘the crooked path’ in English –
which was created out of an
old railway line. It runs between
Grindsted to the west of Billund
and Silkeborg to the north. The
route is relaxed, allowing one
to take in the flat landscape and
sprawling forest plantations.
There’s plenty to keep the
kids happy along these paths,
depending on which route you
take. The Engelsholm cycling
track (otherwise known as Re-
gional Route 34), for example,
streams out of Billund and east
towards the beautiful Vejle
Fjord, running within touching
distance of Lake Fårup. During
the summer, a full replica Viking
ship bobs on the water, while
ancient rune stones (Viking Age
rocky tablets used to transcribe
early writings) can be seen
there all year round.
IMPORTANT STOPS
The Wave (Bølgen), a residential building near Vejle
Vejle
Vejle, the capital and namesake
of an administrative area to
the west of Billund, has more
than 50 000 inhabitants,
making it the ninth largest city
in the country. It stands by the
stunning Vejle Fjord, which
has historically served as a
channel of trade. A number
of cycling and walking routes
link the city with others around
it. Vejle is worth a visit if you
crave more city-like activities,
such as shopping and dining
out, with a number of brilliant,
if slightly pricey restaurants.
The shopping street is one of
the most famous in western
Denmark, and the city’s art
museum – which contains
Danish works and a sizeable
Rembrandt collection, is well
worth a look.
OUTLOOK / TRAVEL
Legoland
It would be wrong to avoid Legoland
altogether. This children’s fantasy world is
themed after the legendary Lego building kit
and provides enchantment to many an adult
as well. Opened in 1968, the park’s attractions
range from live shows and 4D cinema to
roller coasters and the symbolic ‘Miniland’.
It took over 50 million of the blocks to fully
complete the park. The original and oldest
Legoland, which has had worthy imitations spring
up in England, Germany and California amongst
others, remains the area’s major player.
Billund town centre
Billund, which means ‘grove of the bees’ in
Danish (‘bi’ = bee and ‘lund’ = grove), is mostly
a young town, as the bulk of its buildings are
less than 100 years old. From the air, you can
clearly see the purposeful precision behind the
town planning, originally geared towards Lego
workers and their families – the streets are laid
out in a practical, grid-like formation. The main
street has a couple of good restaurants and a
delightful local bakery (www.billundbageri.dk),
along with the original workshop – now a small
museum and information centre – that Ole Kirk
Christiansen used to craft his first Lego bricks
back in 1932. Everything is within easy walking
distance here.
OUTLOOK / TRAVEL
accommodation
Billund FDM Camping
Just outside of the town lies the stunning campsite Billund FDM Camping.
Perfectly placed by the water, it has fully furnished cabins and a wealth of
onsite facilities, including a playground; a lake; a zoo complete with horses,
goats and rabbits; and crazy golf, not to mention a supermarket. You don’t
have to take a cabin, as the site also offers spaces for personal caravans.
Zleep hotel
Although it is located a couple of kilometres from the town centre, the
affordable rooms and cycle hire make Zleep a top choice. And although it is
also quite close to the airport, by the time your oxygen-dizzy head hits the
pillow after a day’s worth of outdoor excursion, you won’t mind. Actually,
due to the small size of the plane terminal and the nightly curfew on flights,
you’re more likely to see the Northern Lights dance about on your bedroom
windowsill than you are to hear a jet engine take off.
Zleep has a flexible, tasty and well-priced breakfast, but most importantly,
a fleet of bikes available for hire. A trip into the town takes you through
grassland and offers a pretty approach to the built up area. The bikes are an
ode to durability and not fashion, meaning that they are suitable for both
paved surfaces and off-road terrain.
www.zleephotel.com/hotel/zleep-hotel-billund
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Zleep hotel
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OUTLOOK / TRAVEL
Text by Urban Nilmander
Photos Corbis and by Carin Tegner
Showdown
in Spanish Hollywood
It’s a hot day in Europe’s only desert and we are exploring
the birthplace of numerous spaghetti Westerns
Mini-Hollywood, a Western village built for the
movie Once Upon a Time in the West, has now
been converted into the Far West Amusement
Park. It is located in the Tabernas Desert near
Almería in Andalusia
88 / AIRBALTIC.COM
OUTLOOK / TRAVEL
Shady characters
who
resemble Blondie, Tuco and Angel Eyes are
sitting at a rickety table, playing poker.
A suspicious sheriff walks in and demands to
know what the three gunmen are doing there.
A hot-tempered dialogue abruptly ends with:
“Photos? You can take photos if you want.”
It’s a scorching hot afternoon and a
strangely quiet one, despite the fact that
we are only a stone’s throw away from the
highway between Almería and Granada in
Spain’s southernmost region of Andalusia.
Dust and tumbleweeds blow down the street.
Iconic signs such as Wells Fargo, Doc Holliday,
Last Chance Saloon and Arizona Hotel fill up
the view. We are standing at a place where
Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, Charles Bronson,
Henry Fonda and hundreds of other famous
and not so famous screen stars recorded more
than 200 films during the 1960s, 70s and 80s.
OUTLOOK / TRAVEL
Between 200 and 300
films were made in Spain’s
Tabernas area from 1950
until the 1980s
Swiss actress Ursula Andress
on the set of Soleil Rouge (Red
Sun), directed by Terence Young
(Great Britain)
90 / AIRBALTIC.COM
The mock-up town was built to shoot
films that were labelled spaghetti Westerns
(because most of them were directed and
produced by Italians) and was abandoned
after the movie industry found cheaper
filming locations. Nevertheless, this spot
in the mountains north of Almería still
attracts film buffs from all over the world,
as well as young families that enjoy the
illusion of being in a cowboys-and-Indians
environment, without having to cross the
Atlantic Ocean.
Three theme parks have been built
around the remaining Wild West towns
in Tabernas, on the road to Granada. One
of them, called Mini Hollywood, has been
restored to the smallest detail. It has proper
Western shows with stunts on horses and
gun duels on the main street nearly every
day. The neighbouring Fort Bravo Texas
Hollywood hasn’t seen any considerable
financial investments for ages. Everything
here is heavily worn down in a charming
way that makes it all the more appealing.
The entrance is through a dusty, bumpy
dirt road. Among the gray and dilapidated
buildings are saloons, bars and gun shops.
OUTLOOK / TRAVEL
Tunisian-born Italian actress Claudia
Cardinale and Brigitte Bardot on the set of
Les Pétroleuses
OUTLOOK / TRAVEL
The rugged and remotely populated terrain in Europe’s only
desert was a perfect substitute for the real Wild West
Dust and tumbleweeds blow down
the street, with classic signs such
as Wells Fargo, Doc Holliday, Last
Chance Saloon and Arizona Hotel
filling up the view
92 / AIRBALTIC.COM
There is also a disused scaffold for public
hangings in a square.
Close by are the remains of a small Indian
village with tipis and fireplaces. Standing
here, with the snowy mountains of the Sierra
Nevada visible at the horizon, it’s easy to
understand the excitement of the location
managers who worked for Italian director
Sergio Leone, when they found this desert
area in the beginning of the 1960s. Leone
was known for his slow-moving, landscapedominated frames. The budget at the time
was another advantage — labour in Franco’s
Spain was cheap and many “Mexicans” were
locals from the area. The majority of films
made in Tabernas were Westerns, but parts
of Lawrence of Arabia, Indiana Jones, Conan
the Conqueror, Doctor Zhivago and Patton
were also filmed here. Nowadays, only
commercials are shot in the area.
During my visit, eight tourists watch four
Spanish actors performing a short Western skit
in a saloon. All of them are smiling. The only
dramatic event is when a child in the audience
starts to cry after one of the bad guys is shot
down. The actors take a pause so that the “bad
guy” can comfort the crying spectator.
Outside of the saloon, the blazing sun
makes us squint like Clint Eastwood. You can
almost hear one of his immortal one-liners:
“You see, in this world there are two kinds of
people, my friend: those with loaded guns
and those who dig. You dig.” BO
OUTLOOK / TRAVEL
A wagon with a white horse is
parked outside a saloon. From
inside, a hoarse Mexican voice sings
La Cucaracha
OUTLOOK / TRAVEL
SPANISH HOLLYWOOD
Getting there
About 50 km north
of Almería in
southeastern Spain.
Málaga is about
two hours away
by car. The area
is also accessible
from Granada, north
of the Tabernas
Desert.
Four Spanish actors perform a short
Western skit for us
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Hours
Fort Bravo Texas
Hollywood: daily
09:30–19:00 from
April to September.
Open on weekends
during the rest of
the year.
Mini Hollywood:
daily 10:00–19:00
for the summer
season. Closed on
Mondays during
the winter season
(October to March).
Western Leone:
open Saturdays
and Sundays from
9:30 – 19:00.
Entrance fee
14 EUR for adults;
7 EUR for kids under
the age of 12
Detour
A visit to the
lovely and almost
untouched Cabo
de Gata-Nijar
National Park on the
Andalusian coast is
an absolute must if
you’re in the area.
CARS
In association with Whatcar.LV
Driven: the Toyota GT86
says...
Toyota’s back to
basics approach has
created an affordable
coupe that provides
pure driving pleasure
You could
argue that the GT86 is Toyota’s most
important new model for years. Important not in terms of
numbers sold, but because of what the car means for the brand.
Toyota has always made its money from its hatchbacks and
saloons, but in years gone by, it also offered one or two sporty
models. These added sparkle to its range and enhanced the firm’s
image as a serious engineering force.
The last cars to play this role – the Celica coupe and MR2
roadster – were discontinued in 2006 and 2007, respectively.
Toyota’s product portfolio has looked a little lacklustre ever since.
The sexy new GT86 coupe should definitely help to change that.
It’s a four-seat coupe that’s focused on providing pure driving
pleasure. To do this, it combines low weight with the classic
sports car layout – engine at the front and driven wheels at
the rear.
Power is provided by a naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre petrol engine
(no turbochargers here) and transferred to the road through
a limited-slip differential.
What’s it like to drive?
Take a look at the GT86’s muscle car-like lines, and you might
expect rip-snorting performance. However, while it’s quick if you
drive it in the right way, it doesn’t offer the sort of acceleration
that’ll take your breath away.
The 200 hp engine peaks at a lofty 7000 rpm, and its modest
205 Nm of torque is also delivered at very high revs. The result
CARS
is that the engine really only comes alive
when you reach around 4500 rpm. Dip
below that at any point, and you’ll wonder
what happened to all the go.
On the other hand, if you manage to keep
the engine on the boil (despite the notchy,
ground as possible, too, which keeps the
centre of gravity low.
The result is a car that changes direction
with impressive balance. It’s helped by
fast throttle responses and quick, meatily
weighted (if not overly communicative)
imprecise gearshift) the GT86 will definitely
have enough pace to keep you entertained.
The 0-100 km/h sprint takes 7.7 seconds and
top speed is 225 km/h.
The thing is, though, the GT86 was never
designed for straight-line speed; it was
designed for handling prowess. That’s where
the engineers from Toyota and Subaru (who
developed this car in collaboration with
Toyota, and will offer its own version, called
the BRZ) have played a blinder.
Central to the GT86’s design brief was for
the car’s weight to be distributed evenly
front-to-back. The heavy bits (namely the
driver and engine) are set as close to the
steering, which make the car feel even more
alert. Granted, there’s a little bit of slop in
the suspension when you turn in initially,
but the body is solidly controlled thereafter.
Put the GT86 on a track and the rear-wheeldrive layout lets you have a huge amount
of fun in this environment. Give the GT86
a bootful of throttle in tight corners and
you can get the back end sliding in proper
hooligan style.
As for the ride, it seemed firm but fair
on the smooth Spanish surfaces we were
travelling, but we can’t be sure until we’ve
driven the car on the bumpier Baltic roads.
What we can say now is that refinement is
CARS
totally acceptable; there’s some wind noise at
the national limit, but the engine isn’t overly
loud and road noise is impressively isolated.
You can also drop the rear-seat backrests
to boost volume, and it leaves a flat floor,
although the one-piece nature of the
backrest limits versatility.
What’s it like inside?
As for the interior design, you’ll either love
There’s plenty of space up front and lots of
it or hate it. The toggle switches, orange
adjustment for the steering wheel
digital clock and carbon-fibreand driver’s seat, but the high
The Toyota effect plastic dash inserts look
shoulder line of the car, combined GT86 is a car like they belong in a car from
with the (albeit pleasant) lowfor drivers, the 1980s.
slung driving position, means that
The touch-screen system that
not fashion controls the stereo, phone (and,
you feel a little hemmed in.
victims
The back seats are next to
if specified, satellite-navigation)
useless; rear seat passengers
lends a modern twist, but it’s
much over five feet nine inches tall will
not easy to use because of confusing
find their head is pressed against the rear
menus and small on-screen icons.
window, while leg room is even tighter.
Thankfully, the rest of the switchgear
Most adults won’t have a prayer of fitting in.
is simple.
Still, the boot is a decent size at 243 litres,
The interior quality isn’t bad, either.
and the load space is long and wide, if a
Some panels feel a little cheap, but most
little shallow.
are reasonably smart and tactile. The
assembly also feels incredibly solid – you’ll
start creaking before the car does.
Should I buy one?
The GT86 has an average official economy
of 7.7 liters/100 km, which isn’t too bad. It is
slightly more expensive than the entry-level
Audi TT coupe, but Toyota gives you plenty
of standard equipment, too, including
alloys, climate control, keyless entry,
cruise control, Bluetooth and touch screen
multimedia system.
If you are in the market for a coupe and love
driving, get your name down now, for it
seems likely that – at least in the early days –
demand for the GT86 will far outstrip supply.
There is no doubt that the GT86 will
send a huge blast of fresh air through this
class. The last time an affordable Japanese
sports car felt this right, Mazda called it
the MX-5. BO
CARS
OUTLOOK / GADGETS
Text by Roger Norum | Publicity photos
Bedside friends
Baltic Outlook tries out
the best new gadgets for
your nightstand
MadeByZen Opus
Wake me up before you go-go
Magicbox Beam
Your own personal DJ
What if waking up was less stressful, more
enjoyable and easier? This
aroma-diffusing alarm clock really does the
trick. It innovatively fuses aromatherapy with
technology to mimic a natural wake-up process,
incorporating natural sounds, a simulated ‘sunrise’
and various fragrances (“coffee” is one available
flavour) to awaken you from your slumber. Also
acts as a mini humidifier and air ioniser.
This elegant DAB/FM radio doubles as an
iPod/iPhone docking station and is perfect
for the bedside or kitchen. Features two
high-powered 10-watt speakers that pump
out some great audio, as well as a digital
alarm clock with sleep and snooze, along
with a touch-sensitive colour screen with an
in-display menu that displays your actions on
the (intuitive) remote. Swivel stand.
i www.madebyzen.com | 96 EUR
i www.magicboxproducts.com | 199 EUR
LightSleeper
Automated sheep counter
An ingenious gadget, this small projector beams soothing light onto your
ceiling, circling above you and relaxing you – almost hypnotically. Your
eyes follow the projection, which helps you gradually drift off to sleep. Can
be turned on with a simple tap and automatically switches off after half an
hour of use. Small enough to bring with you while you travel. Adjustable
brightness control.
i www.lightsleeper.co.uk | 151 EUR
Amplicomms TCL210
Vibrating travel alarm
Finally, an alarm clock for the jet
laggers of the world. This digital
display clock has a powerful
vibrating alert, which is sure to
wake even the groggiest and
deepest of sleepers. You can also
place it right under your pillow.
There are three audio settings
for a piercing alarm volume – up
to 65 dB – as well as a room
temperature display and bright
torchlight. Uses three AA batteries.
i www.bootshearingcare.com | 40 EUR
Magicbox Torque DECT
Pretty phone
home
This gorgeous,
sophisticated
little cordless
telephone may
well make you think
twice about getting rid
of that landline. The sleek,
contoured and hi-gloss design
features a touchscreen and base
that glows blue. In-phone answering
machine, 20 last number redial, SMS
capability and 50 m indoor (300 m outdoor) range.
About 10.5 hours of talk time on one charge.
i www.magicboxproducts.com | 79 EUR
OUTLOOK / PROMO
photo by girts rozners
A sound like no other
at Audio Bottega
In the quiet
Marijas iela 13 / IV, Riga
Phone: +371 2832 2555
www.audiobottega.lv
104 / AIRBALTIC.COM
alleyways
of the Berga Bazārs in downtown
Riga, one can escape from the
noise of the big city by stepping
into a world of unparalleled sound
and quality music to feed the soul.
That is because Audio Bottega is
far more than a retailer of highend audio equipment. It is also
a purveyor of positive emotions
and unforgettable impressions.
Audio Bottega offers its visitors the
opportunity to listen to premium
CD, vinyl and reel-to-reel tape
recordings on its world-class
VIVA Audio sound systems. Specially
equipped listening rooms and
top-of-the-line technology, along
with a competent and friendly staff,
make Audio Bottega stand out as a
special destination for music lovers
in the city. Here you will be treated
to more than just great music
recordings. You will experience an
incomparable level of sound, which
can be classed as among the best in
the world.
VIVA Audio’s superb horn acoustic
systems are all carefully made by
handcrafted. Their finely finished
wood surfaces can be varnished
in a variety of shades and tones to
match the colour scheme of almost
any home interior. Soon, additional
new materials such as leather and
metal will be added for an even
more exotic finishing.
Accomplished musicians take note –
Audio Bottega is planning to convert
one of its listening rooms into an
analogue live recording studio. That
means no computers and no digital
processing of sound signals. No
mixing and mastering, just a pure,
live recording. Such studios usually
employ only a few high-quality
microphones, tube pre-amplifiers
and a master audio reel-to-reel
tape recorder.
The first step in this direction has
already been taken. Audio Bottega
is now the proud owner of a unique
Studer A-820 reel-to-reel recorder,
which could be compared to
a Rolls Royce in its class of audio
equipment.
Live and artificially unaltered
music recorded on this type of
equipment is in high demand
among music enthusiasts the
world over. Anyone who hears
such a recording is guaranteed to
feel as if they are listening to a live
music recording session right there
in the same room. That is not all,
however, as Audio Bottega hopes
to go one step further. Once it
has begun to produce top quality
analogue tape recordings, the salon
plans on making vinyl records of
these recordings. It thus appears
that sooner or later, Audio Bottega
is bound to become a coveted
place to visit not only for audio
enthusiasts and music collectors,
but also for serious, professional
musicians. BO
OUTLOOK / PROMO
Steak at stake
S teiku Haoss is a chain of
three steak restaurants
with a total capacity of
500 diners (50 at Tērbatas
iela, 150 at Audēju iela and
300 at Meistaru iela)
106 / AIRBALTIC.COM
Photos by JAnis SaliNS, f64
Steiku Haoss’
terrace on Līvu
laukums in the
heart of Old Riga
OUTLOOK / PROMO
When it comes to the juiciest and tastiest steak (in other words,
the best steak in town), it’s best to leave things to the experts –
i.e. to those with an established history and an impeccable
reputation. In that regard, Steiku Haoss easily serves as the
ultimate destination for the hungry traveller
One of the first things that
STEIKU HAOSS
Meistaru iela 23, Riga
(+371) 67222419
Tērbatas iela 41/45, Riga
(+371) 67272707
Audēju iela 2, Riga
(+371) 67225699
www.steikuhaoss.lv
twitter.com/SteikuHaoss
one notices while browsing through the new menu of
Steiku Haoss (or Steak Chaos, in English) is its seasonality.
Of course, the classical steakhouse fare around which
the restaurant built its name is all still there – fillet
mignon, T-bone, New York strip and about 17 other
kinds of steak. Now, however, a considerable amount
of freshness has been added to the side orders on the
summer season menu. For one, this has to do with the
fact that in the summertime, we all prefer lightness
over heartiness. Furthermore, by this autumn, three of
Steiku Haoss’ chefs will have completed an internship at
Noma, the renowned double Michelin-star restaurant in
Copenhagen. Having worked 90 hours a week and seen
up close the tough discipline and high creativity in one
of the world’s finest eating establishments, the chefs
have added a serious dose of inspiration to their home
restaurants in Riga. You’ll see the haute cuisine influence
mostly in the appetizers, salads and side dishes, as they
usually stick to the classics with the steaks, allowing
for only the occasional variations in the main course,
such as pork fillet in thyme, grilled turkey fillet or
salmon steak.
Next year, the chain, which currently consists of
seven restaurants (including three Steiku Haoss, two
Ribs & Rock and two KID restaurants) will celebrate
its 10th anniversary. The middle-priced eating
establishments have been pioneers in three distinct
specialties: steaks, ribs and salads, the latter being a
trademark of KID. This specialization and focus has
been a cornerstone of their success in Riga. Speaking
of steaks and ribs, the restaurant chain has its own
meat processing plant, which treats tasty cuts not
only from the Baltics and Scandinavia, but also from
suppliers in more distant countries that include Spain,
New Zealand and Argentina. That shows how serious
this chop shop really is. In the world of steaks, buying
the best meat that you can is over half the success.
The rest lies in perfect cutting, seasoning and cooking.
Since the cutting and seasoning is done in-house at
the processing plant on Tērbatas iela, Steiku Haoss can
ensure the same consistent quality, no matter which of
its restaurants in Riga you decide to visit.
Although the quality of the food is uniformly high in
all of the establishments, the menu does vary slightly,
as each of the restaurants has tailored its dishes in
accordance with the favourites of its clients. These are
Beef fillet flambéed with rum and
served on a hot stone
Interior of Steiku Haoss at Līvu laukums
really just minor adjustments, so don’t worry – the
classics like grand buffalo or flambé steaks, or the beef
fillet matured for 20 days, or that amazingly filling ovenbaked stuffed potato, are all going to be there. And like
all grand steakhouses, Steiku Haoss is not only a bastion
of beef. Its extensive range of steaks also includes pork,
lamb and fish.
For those who are not crazy about a rare piece of
tenderloin, there’s a wide selection of soups, salads and
light starters. Take a seat at one of the recently erected
summer terraces to enjoy your meal at its outdoor
best, and make sure a good bottle of Italian, French or
Chilean red wine joins your company of friends. The
house wine here is Spanish, while other reds and whites
start from about 12 LVL per bottle. BO
OUTLOOK / DINING / PROMO
A new royal pub in town
Text by Isabel Ovalle
Photo by
JAnis SaliNS, f64
Queens
Public House &
Restaurant
Kaļķu iela 2, Riga
(+ 371) 67 800 001
www.queens.lv
108 / AIRBALTIC.COM
Situated right in the heart of Riga’s Old Town, Queens
these are on tap, along with bottled beers from Mexico
opened its doors after a complete renovation in the
and the USA. For foreigners and locals, Latvian beer is
month of August. This cosy spot is an excellent choice
the most popular.
not only to have a beer (with 18 different local and
Since it is open for most of the day until late in the
foreign brands on offer) or a cocktail, but also to enjoy
evening, Queens is not quite like most other public
a delicious meal in a friendly atmosphere.
houses in the classic sense, given that initially, pubs
The new public house, informally and
served mainly as drinking establishments in
universally called a pub, provides an authentic
the social culture of the UK, Ireland, Australia
Good music and New Zealand. Queens differs in that
British setting in the Latvian capital, with a
and good respect, because it also offers all kinds of
brand new and carefully selected Victoriancompany
style décor. Located on Kaļķu iela number 2,
meals, starting with an English breakfast, and
are two
Queens can serve 100 people, not counting the
continuing with tasty snacks to accompany
outside terrace set from May to September,
a good beer or noontime cocktail. Don’t miss
essential
with space for another 50 diners. The pub is
ingredients out on the tasty stake-o-fish, and don’t feel
open on work days from 10:00 to 01:00 and on
ashamed to engorge yourself in a splendid
for any
weekends from 10:00 until the last client leaves.
dessert, such as an apple pie or cheese cake,
pleasant
Good music and good company are two
accompanied with a broad selection of teas
evening
essential ingredients for any pleasant evening;
and coffees.
a scenario that is guaranteed in Queens, which
This new pub and restaurant is also a paradise
differs from other spots in Riga thanks to its
for sports fans, who can watch a wide variety
refined interior. When the time came to name the new
of sports competitions, including football and rugby, on
establishment, the owners thought: what could be more two screen televisions with different satellite channels,
British than the Queen?
Sky Sports included, which means that you can choose
Like any true British or Irish pub, Queens carries a great
the sports event that interests you the most. Don´t
selection of draught beers, including ales, stouts and
miss the opportunity to take advantage of the various
lagers, both imported and domestic. From Guinness to
discounts that Queens regularly offers, be it a special
Boddingtons, or from Stella Artois to Leffe, any customer
deal on a particular food and drink combination, or halfwill most likely find their favourite. There are beers not
priced beer during important sports events, the perfect
only from the United Kingdom and Latvia, but also from
excuse to relax and unwind after a hard days work. With
Belgium, the Czech Republic, Ireland or Denmark. All of
live music on weekends. BO
FOOD&DRINK
Text by Kate KrUmiNa | Photo by reinis hofmanis, f64
Restaurants, bars and cafés
Fly to Riga
with airBaltic from
€33
Riga downtown finds
HE’s, Riga
Heinrihs Erhards has become quite a name on
Riga’s culinary scene. Educated in Latvia but
then having gained experience at Michelinstarred establishments in New York and Paris,
he has launched three restaurants in the Latvian
capital so far. HE’s is the latest one (the first
two being the Botanica Café and Cotton), and
this time Erhards has paired up with the Latvian
chain Vīna studija (Wine Studio), the city’s
pioneers in planting the seeds of wine culture in
this Northern European country. This is a happy
marriage – with one side bearing a vast expertise
in wines and the other mastering European
cuisine – providing all of the preconditions for
a long and enjoyable dinner. Even the lunch
atmosphere is conducive to a refreshing break
for office workers. The lunch menu – consisting
of salad, soup, a main course and a dessert –
changes two or three times a week. The
main menu, which can be summed up as a
creative improvisation with what’s seasonal
and fresh (raw food options on the menu in
summer), is wider but can still manage to fit
into one A4 page, even when written out in
three languages. French and Italian flavours
dominate in the cuisine, while the desserts
show influences of the time that Erhards spent
in New York. Regarding the wines, who better
to ask in Riga than the experts from Vīna
studija? Pick one of the more than 700 wines
at the Vīna studija store and for an additional
3.99 LVL, enjoy it together with your dinner
meal right there at HE’s. Stabu iela 30 (corner of Tērbatas iela)
Hours: Mon.–Thu. 11:00–24:00, Fri.–Sat.11:00–01:00,
Sun.11:00–22:00
http://hegroup.lv
FOOD&DRINK
Maize Café, Riga
When they first met on a flight
from Milan to Riga, Inga – a Latvian
artist – and Luca – an Italian with
a passion for fine dining and
travelling – both agreed that Riga’s
café scene could use an additional
dose of fresh air. At the time, Inga
had founded a small publishing
house devoted to children’s books,
while Luca had just produced an
audio guide about Riga. The two
decided to form a partnership and
open a new café in downtown Riga,
where one could enjoy an excellent
cup of coffee or tea together
with both sweet and salty homebaked pastries – all in a creatively
decorated interior. Hence Maize,
which means ‘bread’ in Latvian,
came into being.
“We didn’t want to set up something
too chic or ostentatious, which
might put off the ordinary passer-by.
Bread is a staple food that most
people eat every day,” says Inga.
And yes, Maize has a similarly
primeval attractiveness to it that is
hard to define. It is a fine spot for
a morning coffee, as well as for
a carefree evening with friends,
having a bohemian aura that one
finds in some European big-city
cafés. Here, the feelings and the
atmosphere prevail over the interior
and the intricacies of the food. The
menu is plain and simple, consisting
of bruschettas and paninis made
by Luca himself, along with stuffed
muffins, delicious homemade cakes,
ciabatta bread that can be ordered
‘to go’, and other items that attest
to the co-owner’s country of origin.
You are likely to be served by Luca
and Inga themselves, which adds
to the charm of the place. The
majestic chestnut tree across from
the café, which was in full bloom
when I visited the establishment in
May, is another added bonus.
Ģertrūdes iela 16
Hours: Mon.–Sat. 08:00–22:00,
Sun. 11:00–22:00
www.facebook.com/cafemaize
OUTLOOK / FOOD BLOG
Text by Natali Lekka | Photo courtesy of Dimotsis / www.keyproductions.gr
Holding the secret to longevity
Located in the southernmost part of Europe, the Greek island of Crete has
been blessed with a temperate climate that provides the optimal conditions
for cultivating high-quality produce. The Cretan diet, which dates back to the
Minoan Age, is widely believed to promote longer and healthier lives
Rusk
Olive oil
The Cretan rusk or paximadi is a good
source of natural fibres that boost
your digestive system. Moreover,
this form of dried bread contains
vitamin B and magnesium to help
you maintain a healthy nervous
system. Next time you visit a Cretan
restaurant, ask for a fresh dakos salad,
made from grated tomato, aromatic
spices, traditional Cretan cheese and
olive oil on a large barley rusk. A tip
for the uninitiated: the rusk is a bit
hard on the teeth and you need to
slightly moisten it with a bit of water
One healthy practice involves the everyday use of
olive oil, which accounts for 40% of Cretans’ daily
calories. Olive oil contains antioxidants that protect
the heart and the liver, and that can strengthen
the organism’s resistance against a number of
diseases such as cancer
Dittany or hop majoram
The plant’s healing properties were first discovered
when goats were seen rubbing their bodies against
it to heal accidental wounds. Today, dittany is mainly
used as a tea or a therapeutic sip for the stomach
Olives
A great supplement to a healthy diet, olives
contain a significant amount of calcium, iron,
magnesium and phosphorus and are a great source
of vitamin A. Crete is famous for the throumba olive
from the town of Rethymnon
Cheese
Special thanks to Mitato,
an e-shop of traditional and
organic Cretan products
(www.mitato.gr)
114 / AIRBALTIC.COM
Rumour has it that Cretans consume the most
cheese per capita in the world. Anthotyros,
translated as ‘flower cheese’, is a traditional
low-fat white cheese made of sheep’s or goats’
milk. When fresh, it is soft, sweet and mild and
can be used in pies or eaten with honey. When
aged, it becomes harder and drier. Salt is usually
added to make it even more savoury
Snails
Contrary to popular belief, snails are not just a French delicacy. Cretan
families eat snails at least once a week. This low-calorie, high-protein
food is rich in omega-3 acids and possesses anti-thrombotic and antiinflammatory properties. Snails are enjoyed fried or boubourista, in the
traditional Cretan style
SIXT and airBaltic. A dream team between heaven and earth.
(Earn 500 Baltic Miles with every car rental. Sixt welcomes you in Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Finland and all around the world.
Find your nearest Sixt location at sixt.com)
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WELCOME TO THE FIRST
OFFICIAL KONTINENTAL
HOCKEY LEAGUE BAR!
• LIVE EVENTS AND GREAT ATMOSPHERE
• EXCLUSIVE DESIGN INSPIRED BY ICE-HOCKEY • LARGEST SPORTS BAR IN THE BALTICS WITH 34 HD SCREENS
• WATCH YOUR FAVORITE SPORTS - FOLLOW OUR PROGRAMME
OR ASK FOR GAME ON DEMAND
TABLE RESERVATIONS: +371 67772270
R A D I S S O N B LU H O T E L L AT V I J A ( E N T R A N C E F R O M B R I V I B A S S T R E E T )
15.05.2012 17:20:53
airBaltic
Umea
Vaasa
Moscow Sheremetyevo
Moscow Domodedovo
Dublin*
Amsterdam
Chisinau*
Odessa*
Budapest*
Venice*
Simferopol*
Nice*
Burgas**
Tashkent*
Bari*
Baku*
Tenerife**
Athens*
Antalya**
Heraklion**
* Seasonal flights.
** Operated in cooperation with tour operator Tez Tour.
Hurghada**
Sharm el-Sheikh**
Welcome
aboard airBaltic!
118 airBaltic news / 120 Behind the scenes / 122 Service classes / 123 BalticMiles
126 Meals / 127 Entertainment / 128 Fleet / 129 Flight map / 132 Contacts
PHOTO ALAMY
airBaltic / NEWS
Odessa Academy Opera and Ballet House
In brief
1/ Flights to Odessa and Dublin return
for the summer
2/ airBaltic and Air France team up for
increased global reach
3/ Check in through your mobile phone
4/ Carry more with extra baggage
allowance
5/ Get on your BalticBike in Riga and
Jūrmala
118 / AIRBALTIC.COM
1/ Flights to Odessa and
Dublin return for the summer
June sees two popular seasonal destinations return to
airBaltic’s flight schedule: Dublin and Odessa.
Dublin, the Irish capital, needs little introduction.
Renowned as a cheerful and lively city, the famous ‘craic’
is also becoming an increasingly important centre for
business and culture, with some outstanding theatres
and music venues.
Odessa, for its part, retains the elegant aura of
a Tsarist-era resort, while serving as a key city of
Ukrainian commerce.
Flights from Riga to both cities operate four times per
week and come with good connections from the other
two Baltic States and Scandinavia.
One-way tickets from Riga to both cities start at
75 EUR. Transit tickets through Riga from Scandinavia
and the Baltics start at 79 EUR.
airBaltic / NEWS
2/ airBaltic and Air France team up
for increased global reach
4/ Carry more with extra baggage
allowance
airBaltic has signed a cooperation agreement with Air France that
will bring more than 150 destinations worldwide within reach
through Air France’s major Paris hub.
Customers will now get much better connections to a number
of major cities in France, including Bordeaux, Lyon and Marseille, as
well as to many other exciting foreign destinations where no direct
flights from Riga are possible, such as Tunis, Casablanca or Lisbon.
In the same way, Riga and the Baltic States will be much more
easily accessible to French travellers than ever before. En route!
Summer holidays sometimes call for more than a standard baggage
allowance, whether it’s packing for the whole family or bringing
back more souvenirs than planned. That’s why airBaltic is pleased
to offer two new options that let you increase your baggage
weight limit.
The first option is to take more than one bag, with each
additional bag costing 20 EUR per direction. Each bag that you
add will increase your standard 20 kg allowance by 5 kg. So if you
take two bags, both bags together can weigh 25 kg, three bags can
weigh up to 30 kg and so on.
The second option is to pay a flat fee of 25 EUR for every 5 kg
by which you exceed your 20 kg limit. It’s worth remembering that
paying in advance is much cheaper than paying when you get to
the airport.
3/ Check in through your
mobile phone
The next time you fly airBaltic, save yourself even more time and
inconvenience by checking in through our mobile website at
www.airbalticmobi.com or airBaltic iPhone App.
You won’t need a printer when using the mobile check-in, as you
will receive a paperless boarding pass on your mobile phone screen
that will allow you to head straight to your gate at the airport.
Mobile check-in is currently available for airBaltic flights from
Riga, Helsinki, Oulu, Paris and Moscow Domodedovo. Other cities
will join the list soon. Mobile check-in starts at 12:00 (local time) on
the day before your flight and ends 90 minutes before departure.
For full details of airBaltic’s baggage policy and how to increase
your allowance, please visit www.airbaltic.com and click on the
Travel information section.
5/ Get on your BalticBike in Riga and
Jūrmala
A bicycle is the best way to enjoy summer in the city, so if you are
visiting Riga as a tourist and want to go on a sightseeing trip, or just
fancy a fast and fun way to keep fit, then BalticBike bicycle rental is
the answer.
BalticBikes are available at 16 rental stands in Riga and three in
Jurmala, 24 hours a day. To rent a bicycle, first register free of charge
at www.balticbike.lv or by phone at (+371) 67788333 (registration
fee 0.90 EUR). Then head to the nearest rental stand, call and give us
the number of your selected bicycle. Unlock it by using the unique
code that we will give to you. To return the bicycle, lock it at any
BalticBike rental stand and call us to terminate the rental.
Rental fees are 1 EUR per hour or 8.60 EUR per 24 hours. Payment
by credit card. More information at www.balticbike.com.
airBaltic / BEHIND THE SCENES
Text by Kate Krumina | Photo by Lauris Viksne, f64
James Knaus,
Instructor and examiner
on airBaltic’s B737 Classic
Full Flight Simulator
Filling the
log book
with most
challenging miles
Last year, more than 1500 pilots from over 30 European countries received their
qualifications at the airBaltic Training centre. The huge white B737 Classic Full Flight
Simulator, a 10-million-dollar piece of technology, serves both as a means to train
new pilots and as a testing device for experienced pilots to revalidate their licences
Twice a year
, James Knaus,
a pilot of Australian origin, takes the
student’s seat in the simulator to keep
himself in top flying form. The rest
of the year, he instructs the younger
generation and checks the proficiency
of his fellow pilots, while continuing to
fly airBaltic Boeing aircraft.
The cockpit simulator – which looks
and feels identical to that of a real
Boeing aircraft – prepares pilots for
the worst situations, including rough
takeoffs and landings. James makes
sure that his students and fellow pilots
are well-challenged, in order to perfect
120 / AIRBALTIC.COM
their reaction to situations that they
hopefully will never encounter. One
session lasts for four hours, during
which two trainees work as a captain
and first officer, then switching roles.
Any aviation map can be loaded onto
the simulator software, although mostly
European routes are exploited. Until five
years ago, airBaltic pilots worked their
simulator hours either in Stockholm or
in Berlin, two of the closest simulator
options. Now the airBaltic Training
hangar-like buildings are used by both
Swedish and German pilots, among
many other nationalities.
What hooked you to aviation and when
did this happen?
My father is a pilot. That means that back
home in Melbourne, I grew up in an aviation
environment. I started gliding at the age of
14 and entered flight school at 18. The initial
schooling takes two years, then you start
flying small aircraft and gradually build up
on your experience.
It is one thing to master a skill and quite
another to pass this knowledge on to
others. Not everybody can be a teacher.
Yes, instructing is very challenging – passing
on new information to someone with little
airBaltic / BEHIND THE SCENES
or no experience requires certain skills.
When teaching from scratch, you’ve got to
be exact about the details. It can be easy
to make a mistake in the way you explain
something, which will then take lots of
airBaltic Training centre
Built in 2007 by the SAS Flight Academy
Bought in 2010 by airBaltic
T he B737 flight simulator is run by
20 instructors
uring the first year of running the flight
D
simulator, airBaltic Training served 93% of
airBaltic pilots.
T his year, the percentage of external
training has increased by over
80% compared to the same period in 2011
and the flight simulator is mostly serving
pilots from other airlines, originating from
almost all European countries.
I n order to become an instructor and
examiner on a B737 flight simulator, you
need a licence to fly a Boeing 737 aircraft,
about 1500 flying hours in your log book,
and you need to pass an instructor’s test.
effort to correct. As a student, you first learn
the basic skills so that they become second
nature. Most people always remember their
first instructor. My first instructor was back
home in Melbourne and it’s not likely I will
ever forget him.
What characteristics are necessary to be
a flight instructor?
This question is always asked at instructor
interviews. I’d say it’s important to be calm,
firm and to show confidence. You need the
ability to handle and think multiple tasks
at once. You need to be focused, dedicated
and enthusiastic about teaching, and you
need to pay attention to every small detail.
Patience and the ability to instill confidence
in your students become vital. You must
know the balance in situations when
students do something wrong. Point out the
mistake but don’t criticise too much, so that
their self-esteem does not suffer.
OK, but the means of training require
pushing your students out of their
comfort zone.
It most certainly does and people react very
differently. Some might even panic. Every
pilot, even the most experienced flyer, must
undergo a testing session in the simulator
twice a year. Even the most seasoned pilots
get nervous with the test. I also have to be
checked twice a year, and when sitting in
the simulator as an examinee, I also feel a
certain amount of tension. But that only
shows that I care about my job and about
improving my standards to become a
better and more experienced pilot.
The B737 simulator has 413
programmed malfunctions. Which
ones are most frequently used in the
training and tests?
We have a program that calculates
what students should know at different
stages of their training, but the most
common malfunction we train them
for is ‘one engine out’. That means the
student must approach and land with
only one functioning engine. As the
second emergency I’d name loss of
pressurisation in the cabin due to a system
failure. I’m expecting my students to put
on their oxygen masks and to do so in
15-18 seconds, otherwise they would
lose consciousness at high altitude. Of
course, the air pressure remains constant
in the simulator, but I need to see the
students calmly and confidently handle
this situation, starting with the realization
that they need to put their masks on. I’d
name wind shear as the third manoeuvre
we want pilots to be prepared for. Usually
I give it after takeoff and before landing
and see whether the student applies
the correct procedures. Losing speed
accidentally is another situation I train my
students a lot for, as well as traffic collision
avoidance –when there is another aircraft
heading in our direction.
Judging from the outside [as we talk,
two students are undergoing a training
session in the simulator, which is
shaking and moving about violently],
I’d say that turbulence is the number
one task you make the students cope
with in a simulator.
Turbulence is actually an everyday
situation. It’s considered to be normal. Of
course, there is extreme turbulence and
there are things to do to avoid it – either
climbing or descending. If turbulence is
unavoidable, then the pilot has to make
sure the cabin service stops and everybody
has fastened their seatbelts. But in terms of
testing, turbulence is not very interesting.
Besides, extreme turbulence is pretty rare
these days. BO
--
IATA instructor led
classroom courses at
airBaltic Training
--
Airport Extreme weather
operations
19 – 22
June
16 – 20
July
22 – 24
- - IOSA-SMS Requirements August
03 – 07
Project Management
-September
Essentials
12 – 14
Airport Slots and
-September
Scheduling
- - DGR Initial
------------
17 – 21
Ground Operations
Documentation and ISAGO September
24 – 28
SGHA & SLA Workshop
September
08 – 11
Airline Sales & Key
October
Account Management
15 – 17
Cargo Quality
October
Management
17 – 19
Advanced Train The
October
Trainer
Internal Audit for Ground 23 – 26
October
Service Providers
29 – 31
DGR recurrent
October
07 – 09
Training needs
November
assessment
12 – 16
Emergency
November
Planning & Response
Management
19 – 23
Aviation Internal Auditor
November
26 – 20
DGR Initial
November
Tel: (+371) 67668512, (+371) 26116606
skype: airbaltictraining
e-mail: training@airbaltictraining.com
www.airbaltictraining.com
airBaltic / SERVICE CLASSES
A class
to suit your needs
airBaltic is offering a new concept of three travel
classes in order to suit the needs of a greater variety
of passengers.
Now, when booking your flight at www.airbaltic.com,
you will be able to choose between the following ticket
types: Business, Economy or Basic. Compare the travel
conditions and services offered and choose the class that
suits you best.
One-way ticket price example
Riga – Barcelona
Business
Economy
Basic
from EUR 435
from EUR 135
from EUR 69
Travel date/time change
EUR 50 per direction
Cancellation with refund
EUR 100 per ticket
Advance seat reservation
from EUR 3
Hand baggage
2 pieces
1 piece
from EUR 3
1 piece
EUR 30 per direction online or
EUR 40 at the airport
EUR 20 per bag per direction
online or EUR 30 at the airport,
1 bag 20 kg, 2 bags 25 kg
EUR 30 per direction online or
EUR 40 at the airport
EUR 10
EUR 10
Meals and drinks
from EUR 9 for hot meal,
preorder or buy on board
from EUR 9 for hot meal,
preorder or buy on board
Inflight entertainment iPad 2
EUR 9
EUR 9
Economy cabin
Economy cabin
from EUR 50
from EUR 50
5 Points for each EUR spent
1 Point for each EUR spent
Checked-in baggage
3 pieces, 30 kg total
Sports equipment
1 piece
Priority check-in
1 piece, 20 kg
Security fast track
Business lounge
International press
Seating
Cabin forefront
Adjacent seat kept free
BalticMiles Points earned from
ticket purchase
10 Points for each EUR spent
Available free of charge
122 / AIRBALTIC.COM
Not possible
airBaltic / BalticMiles
Join BalticMiles
the airBaltic Frequent Flyer Programme
BalticMiles is the largest multipartner
loyalty programme in the Baltics.
Earn BalticMiles Points by doing
everyday things like shopping,
travelling and eating at restaurants.
Exchange the Points you have
collected for airBaltic flights and
other benefits.
Fly airBaltic and earn
Membership levels
10 Points for each EUR spent on a
Business Class ticket.
There are three BalticMiles
membership levels:
5 Points for each EUR spent on an
Economy Class ticket.
Basic
1 Point for each EUR spent on a Basic
Class ticket.
VIP
Retrospective Points crediting
If you forgot to provide your BalticMiles
number when booking your flight or at
the check-in, you can request the Points
for flights flown within last six months by
contacting the BalticMiles Member Service.
New members can request Points for flights
that took place up to 30 days before the
registration date.
Spend Points on
airBaltic flights
Exchange your Points for free flight
tickets starting from only 4200 Points.
Upgrade your Economy Class ticket to
Business Class starting from 8000 Points.
Executive
The more you fly, the higher your
membership status is, the greater
the privileges: such as advance seat
reservation online, priority check-in,
fast-track security control, access to
business lounges and free baggage
allowance.
Your membership level is defined by
the Status Points earned or number of
flights flown with airBaltic during the
period of 12 months.
How to apply?
Get your BalticMiles card on
board airBaltic flight and start
earning Points immediately
from meal and souvenir
purchases. Afterwards,
register the card online at
register.balticmiles.com and
receive 50 bonus Points!
Or fill in the online
application form at
www.balticmiles.com and
your membership card will be
posted to you.
BalticMiles Member Service
In Latvia: +371 6728 0280 | In Estonia: +372 630 6660 | In Lithuania: +370 7005 5665
info@balticmiles.com | www.balticmiles.com
ew
N
The Economist
ew
From business to politics, technology
and the arts, The Economist is a
magazine renowned for its breadth of
coverage and sharp analysis.
A very special introductory triple Points
offer – subscribe today and receive up to
15 000 Points!
Find out more at www.economist.com
N
The perfect retreat for business and
leisure trips, Domina Inn hotels in Riga
and Tallinn combine historical beauty
and contemporary elegance.
Find out more at www.dominahotels.com
Earn 500 Points for each stay
Earn 10 Points for each LVL
Earn 7 Points for each EUR
Earn up to 15 000
Points
ew
N
Domina Inn
spent on conference services
Vino Rosso
ew
A perfect place for an Italian-style
getaway in the Latvian countryside
with a view of the magnificent Koknese
Castle ruins, the country hotel and
restaurant Vino Rosso offers concept
rooms named after roses and an exquisite
Mediterranean menu and superb wines.
N
Zvejnieka dēls
Latvians have since times immemorial
been a strong and tough fishing tribe.
This motive has inspired books and films,
the most prominent being Zvejnieka
dēls – The Fisherman’s Son. The name is
now proudly borne by possibly the best
fish restaurant in Riga.
Find out more at www.vinorosso.lv
Earn 500 Points for each hotel stay
Earn 10 Points for each LVL spent at
the restaurant and on other services
124 / AIRBALTIC.COM
And a very special introduction offer – 1000 Points
for each stay and prices starting from: Riga – EUR 64,
Tallinn – EUR 59 upon availability until June 30!
Find out more www.zvejniekadels.lv
Earn 10 Points
for each LVL spent
ew
N
Fahle Restaurant&Café
Taste simple and elegant European
meals at the officially nearest
restaurant to Tallinn airport – it is just
a five minute ride from the terminal
and will certainly add some flavour to
your trip!
Great to spend
There are more than 3000 rewards to choose from the
shop.balticmiles.com – all payable in Points or with combination of
Points and money. Worldwide delivery.
Find out more at www.fahlerestoran.ee
Kiwi All Day and Night Cream
50 ml
Earn 5 Points
for each EUR spent
5 259 Points
ew
N
Queens
Experience an authentic British
atmosphere in the heart of Old Riga – at
Queens public house and restaurant
with a gorgeous Victorian interior.
Have a delicious meal or choose from
a sophisticated selection of more than
18 tap beers and earn Points!
Lafuma Backpack Verdon 50
15 485 Points
Find out more at www.queens.lv
Earn 10 Points
for each LVL spent
Italtrike Bi&Ci Balance Bike
Samsonite
ew
N
Founded in 1910, Samsonite has been
an exclusive innovator throughout
the years and created ever so stylish
high quality solutions for the world
traveller and is now the leader of
lightness in the luggage industry of the
21st century.
18 914 Points
Find out more at www.samsonite.com
sWaP Classic Watch-Phone
Earn 8 Points
for each LVL spent
ew
N
54 974 Points
Joker Klubs
Joker Klubs in Riga is where sports,
relaxation and beauty come together.
Whether it is a game of squash, a swim in
the pool or a body treatment, or maybe
just a night out with friends, bowling and
drinks, Joker Klubs will recharge your
batteries!
iPad 2 Wi-Fi, 16GB
105 346 Points
Find out more at www.jokerklubs.lv
Earn 10 Points
for each LVL spent
All the prices displayed include shipping costs to Latvia. Prices and availability of rewards
are subject to change and may vary by delivery country.
airBaltic / MEALS
Onboard menu
Business Class
On airBaltic flights, Business
Class customers enjoy
a complimentary full meal
that includes an appetizer, a
main course, dessert (except
on flights that are shorter than
1 hour, where snacks are served
instead), and a wide range of
beverages and alcoholic drinks.
Our Business Class menu
has been created by the
Latvian star chef Mārtiņš Rītiņš.
As president of Slow Food
Riga, he works directly with
farmers to bring local, organic,
traditional and seasonal foods
onto each flight.
Economy Class
Economy Class customers
can purchase a selection of
snacks, sandwiches, paninis,
croissants and drinks (soft and
alcoholic) from the airBaltic
Cafe. Hot meals are also
available on flights longer
than two hours.
Order your meal
before the flight
If you would like to choose from a much wider selection of meals
than available on board, then order your meal before your flight.
Our extensive pre-order menu offers more than 20 different
meals, including special dietary and kids’ dishes.
You can pre-order your meal while you book your flight ticket
or anytime later, up to 24 hours before the flight, under the
Manage booking section at www.airbaltic.com.
Breakfast
Cold meals
from
from
9 EUR
• Pancakes, croissant
• Jam and fruits
• Coffee and orange juice
126 / AIRBALTIC.COM
9 EUR
• Shrimp salad with cherry tomatoes and
quail eggs
• Dessert
• White wine or orange juice
Hot meals
from
9 EUR
• Pork medallions with mushrooms, fried
potatoes
• Dessert
• Red wine or orange juice
airBaltic / ENTERTAINMENT
Inflight
entertainment
On flights longer than 2 hours 30 minutes, passengers can rent
iPad 2 tablet computers pre-loaded with movies, cartoons, serials,
music and games.
TV series: CSI Miami | Desperate Housewives | Two and a Half Men |
Game of Thrones | Mad Men | Breaking Bad | Falling Skies | True Blood |
Top Gear | The Office
Cartoons: Looney Tunes | The Batman | The Simpsons | Family Guy |
Puppet Animation Films
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol Drive
Action, Thriller
Director: Brad Bird
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner,
Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton
Drama, Thriller
Director: Nicholas Winding Refn
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan,
Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks
Blamed for the terrorist bombing of
the Kremlin, IMF operative Ethan Hunt
is disavowed along with the rest of the
agency when the President initiates
“Ghost Protocol”. Left without any
resources or backup, Ethan must find
a way to prevent another attack.
Movie, directed by Nicolas Winding,
about a Hollywood stunt performer
who moonlights as a wheelman for
criminals, discovers that a contract
has been put on him after a heist gone
wrong. Winner of the Best Director
award at Cannes Film Festival.
13+ 133 min
16+ 100 min
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Hugo
Action, Adventure
Director: Guy Ritchie
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law,
Gilles Lellouche, Eddie Marsan
Adventure, Drama
Director: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Asa Butterfield, Chloë Grace Moretz,
Christopher Lee
Guy Ritchie helms a new actionpacked
adventure, following the world’s most
famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and
his trusted associate, Dr. Watson, as they
match wits with their arch-nemesis, the
criminal genius Moriarty.
Martin Scorsese invites you to join him
on a journey to a magical world set in
1930s Paris. Based on Brian Selznick’s,
“The Invention of Hugo Cabret,”
Hugo is the astonishing adventure of
a resourceful boy whose quest to unlock
a secret left to him by his father.
13+ 129 min
10+ 107 min
Young Adult
Madagascar
Comedy, Drama
Director: Jason Reitman
Cast: Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson,
J.K. Simmons, Elizabeth Reaser
Animation, Comedy
Director: Eric Darnell & Tom McGrath
Cast: David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith,
Ben Stiller, Chris Rock
A writer Mavis Gary returns to her
hometown to reclaim her happily married
high school sweetheart. When returning
home proves more difficult than she
thought, Mavis forms an unusual bond
with a former classmate who hasn’t quite
gotten over high school, either.
This computer-animated comedy stars
animals from New York’s Central Park zoo.
Having spent their entire lives in blissful
captivity, they are in for a shock when
they are unexpectedly shipped to Africa
and are shipwrecked on the exotic island
of Madagascar!
16+ 94 min
7+
86 min
airBaltic / FLEET
NEWS
Boeing 757-200
Boeing 737-300
Number of seats 142/144/146
Max take-off weight 63 metric tons
Max payload 14.2 metric tons
Length 32.18 m
Wing span 31.22 m
Cruising speed 800 km/h
Commercial range 3500 km
Fuel consumption 3000 l/h
Engine CFM56-3C-1
Boeing 737-500
Number of seats 120
Max take-off weight 58 metric tons
Length 29.79 m
Wing span 28.9 m
Q400 NextGen
76
29.6 metric tons
8.6 metric tons
Fokker 50
Number of seats 46/50/52
Max take-off weight 20.8 metric tons
32.83 m
Length 25.3 m
28.42 m
Wing span 29.0 m
667 km/h
2084 km
1074 l/h
Engine CFM56-3
airBaltic codeshare partners
128 / AIRBALTIC.COM
P&W 150A
Engine P&W 125 B
Kittila
Rovaniemi
Lulea
Kuusamo
Skelleftea
Umea
* Seasonal flights.
Kuopio
Kristiansund
Sundsvall
Borlange
Bergen
Tartu
Visby
Oskarshamn
Halmstad
Kristianstad
Gdansk
Dublin*
Hanover
Donetsk
Budapest*
Chisinau*
Geneva*
Odessa*
Trieste
Venice*
Simferopol*
Belgrade
La Coruna
Ovideo
Santander
Bilbao
Bucharest
Nice*
Vigo
Burgas**
Pescara
Naples
Madrid
Menorca
Valencia
Ibiza
Bari*
Brindisi
Palma de Mallorca
Alicante
Seville
Granada
Malaga
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Las Palmas
Casablanca
Tenerife**
Athens*
Antalya**
Heraklion**
Beirut
Amma
Sharm el-Sheik
Arkhangelsk
Donetsk
Simferopol*
Almaty
Tashkent*
Yerevan
Baku*
Dushanbe
Beirut
Amman
Sharm el-Sheikh**
Tromso
* Seasonal flights.
Kittila
Rovaniemi
Kuusamo
Lulea
Skelleftea
Umea
Kristiansund
Kuopio
Sundsvall
Borlange
Tartu
Visby
Oskarshamn
Halmstad
Kristianstad
Tashkent*
Gdansk
Baku*
Dublin*
Hanover
Donetsk
Simferopol*
Budapest*
Geneva*
Chisinau*
Odessa*
Trieste
Venice*
Belgrade
Santander
La Coruna
Bilbao
Bucharest
Nice*
Ovideo
Vigo
Burgas**
Pescara
Naples
Madrid
Valencia
Ibiza
Menorca
Palma de Mallorca
Bari*
Brindisi
Alicante
Seville
Tenerife**
Granada
Malaga
Athens*
Sharm el-Sheikh**
Heraklion**
Antalya**
Hurghada**
airBaltic / CONTACTS
Country/City Ticket offices
Airport Ticket Offices
Armenia
Greece
Yerevan
Baltic Travel
105/1 Teryan str.
☎ +(374) 10 514301
Athens
Tal Aviation
44 Ihous str.
17564 - P.Faliro
☎ +30 210 9341500
F: +30 210 9341620
airbaltic@tal-aviation.gr
AUSTRIA
Vienna
airBaltic Germany
Hauptstrasse 117, D-10827 Berlin
☎ 0820600830 local calls
(EUR 0.17/min)
service@airbaltic.de
Airport Schwechat
Terminal 2
Airport Ticket Office Celebi Ground Handling
☎ +431 700736394
AZERBAIJAN
Baku
Improtex Travel
16. S. Vurgun Str. Baku
AZ1000, Azarbaijan
☎ +994 124989239
info@improtex-travel.com
booking@improtex-travel.com
Heydar Aliyev International Airport
Airport Ticket Office Silk Way Travel
North Terminal
☎ +994124972600
BELARUS
Minsk
airBaltic Belarus
19 Pobeditelei Av., 6
☎ +375 172269043
tat@airbaltic.com
Airport Minsk 2
3rd floor
Airport Ticket Office airBaltic
☎ +375 172792568,
☎ +44 7792568
Airport Zaventem
Departure Hall
☎ +32 (0) 27230667
Airport Ticket Office Avia Partner
DENMARK
Budapest
Tensi Aviation Kft.
Komjadi Bela utca 1.
☎ +36 1 3451526
F: +36 1 9991466
aviation@tensi.hu
Airport Copenhagen
International Terminal 3
Departure Hall
Airport Ticket Office SAS
Billund
Billund Airport
Departure Hall
Airport Ticket Office
☎ +45 76505205
ESTONIA
Airport Tallinn
Main Terminal, Departure Hall
Airport Ticket Office airBaltic /Tallinn
Airport GH
Helsinki
Helsinki-Vantaa Airport Terminal 1
Airport Ticket Office airBaltic / Havas
Lappeenranta
Lappeenranta Airport
Oulu
Airport Oulun Lentoasema
Airport Ticket Office Airpro OY
Tampere
Airport Tampere-Pirkkala
Turku
Airport Turku
Vaasa
Vaasa Airport
FRANCE
Nice
Aeroport Nice Cote D’azur
Terminal 1
Airport Ticket Office Lufthansa Ticket Desk
Paris
Airport Charles de Gaulles
Terminal 2D
Airport Ticket Office Swissport Services CDG
Tel Aviv
Caspi Aviation ltd
1 Ben Yehuda st. Tel-Aviv 63801
☎ +972 3 5100213 /4
F: +972 (3) 5108365
bt@caspi-aviation.co.il
Airport Tbilisi
Airport Ticket Office Discovery Ltd
☎ +995 32433155
☎ +995 32433188
ITALY
Bari
Bari Airport
Airport Ticket Office Bari Palese
Milan
Linate Airport
Airport Ticket Office A.R.E. SrL
Rome
Leonardo de Vinci –
Fiumicino Airport
Terminal 3, Departure Hall
Airport Ticket Office A.R.E SRL
Venice
Marco Polo Airport
Airport Ticket Office A.R.E. SRL
Almaty
Cross Way
Kabanbay Batyr str. 112
☎ +7-727-2799916
Fax: +7-727-2799919
crossway@aviation.kz
Berlin
airBaltic Germany
☎ 0900 124 7225
(EUR 0.69/min German landline –
mobile calls may be different)
Airport Berlin-Tegel
Main Terminal
Airport Ticket Office GlobeGround Berlin
Opposite Gate 4/5
Dusseldorf
Airport Dusseldorf
Terminal B
Airport Ticket Office AHS
☎ +49 (0) 2114216275
LATVIA
Riga
airBaltic Corporation
14 Terbatas Str., Riga
☎ 90001100
(0.37 LVL/min, local calls only)
☎ +371 67006006
(for abroad calls)
reservations@airbaltic.lv
Riga International Airport
Main Terminal
Airport Ticket Office airBaltic / Havas
☎ 90001100
(0.37 LVL/min, local calls only)
☎ +371 67006006
(for abroad calls)
Vilnius
airBaltic Corporation
12 A. Vienuolio, Vilnius
☎ 1825
(2.54 LTL/min, local calls only)
☎ +370 70055660
(for abroad calls)
vnoreservations@airbaltic.com
Vilnius International Airport
Airport Ticket Office Litcargus
ticketing@litcargus.lt
Palanga
Palanga Airport
Airport Ticket Office Orlaiviu Aptarnavimo
Agentura
☎ +370 46052300
F: +370 46056401
Kaunas
Kaunas Airport
Airport Ticket Office Litcargus
☎ +370 37750195
MOLDOVA
Chisinau
Moldavian SRL - AirService
Bd. Stefan cel Mare 3,
MD-2001 Chisinau
☎ +373 22 549339
☎ +549340, 549342
F: +373 22549341
agency@airservice.md
Amsterdam
Chisinau Airport
Moldavian Airlines
Departure Hall
☎ +373 22525506
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Air Agencies Holland Ticketdesk
Departure Hall 3, opposite checkin 22
☎ +31 20 3161945 / 46
Fax: +31 20 316 1998
Oslo
Oslo Airport
SAS Oslo Departure Hall
Airport Ticket Office SGS
Aalesund
Aalesund Airport
Airport Ticket Office Roros Flyservice
6040 Vigra
☎ +47 70 30 25 60
Bergen/Stavanger
Bergen Airport – Flesland
Stavanger Airport
Airport Ticket Office Aviator
POLAND
Frankfurt
Airport Frankfurt
Terminal 2, Hall E, Desk 939
☎ +49 69 690 61465
Warsaw
Hamburg
Airport Fuhlsbuttel
Terminal 1, Departure Hall
☎ +49 (0) 4050753672
Munich
Airport Munich
Terminal 1
☎ +49/89 975 92569
Moscow
airBaltic Russia
28 Tverskaya Str., Building 2
Business Center “Amerop”
125009 Moscow
☎ +7 (495) 2217213
moscow@airbaltic.com
Warsaw Airport
Airport Ticket Office BGS
RUSSIA
International Airport Sheremetjevo
Terminal E
Airport Ticket Office DAVS
☎ +7 (495) 9564661
International Airport Domodedovo
Airport Ticket Office DAVS
Ticketing counters no 161; 177
☎ +7 (495) 2871501, +7 (495) 7871697
If there is no local ticket office phone number indicated and you would like to contact airBaltic reservations,
please call ☎ +371 67006006; +370 70055660.
132 / AIRBALTIC.COM
Airport Khrabrovo
Airport Ticket Office airBaltic / Aviapartner
SPAIN
Barcelona
Airport El Prat de Llobregat
Terminal 1
Airport Ticket Office Lufthansa Ticket Desk
Stockholm Arlanda Airport
Airport Ticket Ofiice
airBaltic / Havas
International Terminal 5
☎ +46 (0)8 797 93 23
SWITZERLAND
Zurich
airBaltic Germany
☎ 0840600830 local calls
Airport Zurich (Kloten)
Departure Hall
Airport Ticket Office CGS
Terminal 2
☎ +41 438166739
TAJIKISTAN
Dushanbe
Global Trans
734013, Lokhuti Str. 16 apt 7
☎ +992 37 2271055;
+992 37 2279444
☎ +992 42 7800975;
+992 42 7800976
(local calls only)
F: +992 37 2274887
airbaltictj@gmail.com
TURKEY
NORWAY
GERMANY
Kaliningrad
Stockholm
Ben-Gurion International Airport
Laufer Aviation GHI
Level 3, Terminal 3
☎ +972 39754076
NETHERLANDS
GEORGIA
Airport Pulkovo
Terminal 2
LTD North-West Transport Agency
SWEDEN
ISRAEL
LITHUANIA
FINLAND
Tbilisi
Discovery Travel Ltd/airBaltic GSA
72 Paliashvili st. Tbilisi
☎ (+995 32) 15 29 99 / 97
☎ F: (+995 32) 15 29 98
airbalticgsa@discovery.ge
Budapest Airport
Airport Ticket Office Celebi Ground Handling
Hungary
Kazakhstan
Copenhagen
Tallinn
airBaltic Estonia
1/3 – 305 Estonia pst.
10143 Tallinn
☎ 17107 (0.51 EUR/min, local
calls only)
tallinn@airbaltic.com
Athens International Airport
Airport Ticket Office Goldair Handling
St.Petersburg
airBaltic
Bolshaya Morskaya Str. 53/8
190000 St.Petersburg
☎ +7 (812) 5700597
F: +7 (812) 5718654
zam@airbaltic.com
Hungary
BELGIUM
Brussels
Air Agencies Belgium
153 A Vilvoordelaan
1930 Zaventem
☎ +32 (0) 27126427
airbaltic@airagencies.be
Istanbul
Airmark
Gumussuyu Is Merkezi No:11/4,
TR-34437 Taksim
☎ + 90 212 444 1472
F: + 90 212 245 4486
BTreservations@air-mark.com
Airport Istanbul Ataturk
Airport Ticket Office AirMark
International Terminal,
Departure Floor
☎ +90 212 465 5757 1927
UKRAINE
Kiev
airBaltic Ukraine
52 Bohdana
Khmelnytshkoho Str.
01030 Kiev
☎ +380 442382649/68
kiev@airbaltic.com
Airport Borispol
Terminal B
Airport Ticket Office Swissport Ukraine LL
☎ +380 445 916 902
Odessa
Odessa Airport
Airport Ticket Office Londonskaya
☎ +380 482 490 078
Simferopol
Simferopol Airport
Airport Ticket Office Krymaviaservice
☎ +380 652 595321
UNITED KINGDOM
London
USA
New York
airBaltic USA
1 Penn Plaza, Suite 1416
NY 10119
☎ +1 - 877 359 2258
☎ +1 - 646 300 7727
nyc@aviaworldna.com
Chicago
101 N.Wacker Dr Suite 350
Chicago, Il 60606
☎ +1 - 877 359 2258
☎ +1 - 312 269 9333
F: +1 - 312 269 0222
chi@aviaworldna.com
Los Angeles
16250, Ventura Blvd Suite 115
Encino, CA 91436
☎ +1 - 818 990 9215
☎ +1 - 855 284 2967
F: +1 - 818 501 2098
lax@aviaworldna.com
Houston
3050 Post Oak Boulevard
Suite 1320
Houston, TX 77056, USA
☎ +1 - 713 626 0134
☎ +1 - 855 284 2967
F: +1 - 713 626 1905
hou@aviaworldna.com
UZBEKISTAN
Tashkent
Apex Dolores Network
Turkestanskaya Str. 8
Tashkent 100015
☎/F: +998 711208980
airbaltic@bcdtravel.uz
Airport Gatwick
Airport Ticket Office Skybreak
Terminal S
Lounge.
Hotels in the Baltics, Russia and CIS
2x Tallinn, 4x Riga, 1x Klaipeda, 2x Vilnius, 3x Moscow, 1x Sochi,
2x St Petersburg, 1x Kaliningrad, 1x Kiev, 1x Alushta, 1x Astana,
1x Batumi, 1x Tbilisi, 1x Tashkent
radissonblu.com
Radisson Blu Resort, Arc 1950
Winter designed by Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts.
Whether you enjoy the great outdoors or intimate stylish
surroundings, Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts are a perfect
base to go on your own personal voyage of discovery.
Choose from spa, ski, beach or golf hotels as well as hotels
in inspiring natural destinations or city centres. Experience
first-class facilities and Free high-speed Internet access in over
200 hotels around Europe, Middle East & Africa.

Christmas spirit in

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