basking in the sun
same old city, is it not?
life is beautiful.

 What I like about haikus is their simplicity, through and through, from the rules to write them to the words constituting these three-lined poems. With a total of 17 syllables in one single piece of haiku, anyone can create a vivid painting of virtually anything. For me, however, writing haikus is more like selecting an intangible object from my memory and trying to project that object into something seemingly more tangible like a new blank document on my laptop.

 Before I began writing the haiku above, I had recalled the first day I was able to wander around Helsinki’s center after a looooooong time just “commuting” between my bedroom and the kitchen (and occasionally the K-market near my apartment). On putting pieces of that not-so-distant past together, I was once again struck by the excitement to find interesting minor details of Helsinki streets. That day, I felt like I was meeting Helsinki for the first time all over again. It was the day when spring arrived in Helsinki after a long dark freezing winter (though I heard it was merely a mild winter according to Finnish standards), when I finished the first draft of my Master’s thesis (yay!), and when COVID-19 restrictions were somewhat loosened thanks to a decrease in new cases of infection (kippis to that!). It was also the day when I renewed my subscription to the Helsinki City Bikes.

Now, I apologize to those who expect this to be a straightforward article about the benefits of traveling by the city bikes because I habitually let my mind wander as if I was wandering around Helsinki on a certain yellow bike again. In my defense, the wandering (physically, and in this case, by bike) creates a perfect environment for the wandering of the mind. This, however, has conveniently led us to the first random reason why you should start using Helsinki City Bikes—they are a wanderer’s best friend!

 There are two City Bikes systems in Helsinki. The Helsinki and Espoo system provides its users access to more than 3500 bikes and stations. 1000 bikes and 100 stations are accessible to users of the Vantaa system (source: https://www.hsl.fi/en/citybikes). Bike stations are often located near train and metro stations, schools, supermarkets, and parks. If you are a tourist in Helsinki, it is highly recommended that you purchase a one-day pass for 5 euros for which you can have unlimited use of the City Bikes for 24 hours (30 minutes each ride). You can even cut the cheap cost for this one-day pass by sharing it with friends (the pass can be used for up to 4 bikes!). For such a good price, you can easily explore Helsinki center and all of its main attractions. Another plus point is that the bikes are great photo props!

For those residing in Helsinki like I am, why not buy a season pass for just 35 euros and you can use the bikes for the whole season from 1 April to 31 October (also 30 minutes each ride)? Recently, my favorite way to wander around this beautiful city is to ride the bike along the train track from one train station to another. When I am at an unfamiliar train station, I would just explore the area while making sure that I can return the bike within 30 minutes. This method is great for exploring areas far away from the city center as the further you are from the center, the fewer bike stations there are. My most recent successful exploration is this amazing flower field near Malmi train station in the photo below.

I believe many would agree with me that the city bikes have become one of the symbols of Helsinki. For me, seeing those yellow bikes equals seeing Helsinki itself. During this enduring COVID-19 epidemic, the bikes have helped me see not only this city which I have come to love but also the “sisu” spirit of its citizens. I see that spirit in something perfectly simple—well-tended gardens, front yards, and balconies inundated with beautiful flowers. One would understandably think that COVID-19 has rendered everyone dispirited and drained our energy to the point that we would be unlikely to feel the need to paint our houses with flowery colors. Yet, almost everywhere I go, I see how much effort Helsinki residents put into bringing beauty into their homes and thus into this life. Such a simple and seemingly mundane thing has shone some hope into my life too. From time to time, the thought of tending to a garden of my own just casually crosses my mind.

The final random reason for using Helsinki City Bikes is guaranteed satisfaction. The bikes themselves are conveniently located, well-maintained (many new bikes and stations have been put into use this year!), and user-friendly. There are plenty of scenic biking routes, most of which I have yet to discover. Traffic in Helsinki is very organized and safe for all travelers. Cyclists need not worry about road accidents as long as attention is paid to traffic signals and regulations.

In addition to my random reasons, there are certainly obvious justifiable reasons why Helsinki City Bikes are a must-try. For example, they do not emit exhaust fumes or rely on fossil fuels to operate. In fact, the bikes are charged with the help of solar panels installed in all bike stations. I am just a devoted fan of those lovely yellow bikes who is writing these words in the hope of seeing more fellow City Bike users. When I see the bikes, I know spring has arrived. When they are put away, I know winter is bound to come. When I am cycling on a certain yellow bike, I feel like I can live my life at a slower pace to see, feel, and appreciate the little things that should not be missed.