Free Wifi in Helsingborg

When traveling, free wifi is god sent.  While more and more places are starting to offer, it is still a rarity...

Free wifi zone near Karnan, Helsingborg.  It looks like the Chennai poster plasters have gone there too...!!!!

So, when I saw this in Helsingborg, near Karnan, I was thrilled.  I immediately, whipped out my phone and connected.  Unlike the 'free wifi' in Chennai airport, this did work and worked well where available.

This map, pulled from a website shows the wifi spots available in any given area and its coverage.  It allows you to zoom in to see exact coverage for a particular area.

I falsely assumed citywide wifi coverage and soon realized that was not the case.  The wifi connection kept dropping as I moved around the city.  Then I learned that, the wifi coverage is not citywide after all and only available at specific locations.  Nevertheless, made best use of it, when and where it was available.

Tags - Travel, Helsingborg, Sweden, Travelogue #69

சிங்களத் தீவினிற்கோர் பாலம் அமைப்போம்

சிங்களத் தீவினிற்கோர் பாலம் அமைப்போம்

Helsingborg is a small town with less than 100k population, but its economy is booming due to open borders.   The frequent ferry service to the Danish sister city, Helsingor seems to the catalyst that has made this small Swedish town humming.  

From Google Maps

Oresund strait is pretty narrow and because of that, Helsingborg and the ferry connectivity has become a key commercial hub.  In fact, on a clear day, you could see the city on the other side and giant ferries are waiting to take you across in 15 minutes.

Constant stream of vehicles drive to the belly of the ferry to be transported across to Denmark.

The ferries that ply across are massive, they gobble up hundreds of trucks, cars, bicycles and passengers.  It's pretty much open borders on both sides with little or no control.  I am sure there are plenty of cameras capturing movements at multiple places, but that's about it.

Truck seen here and plenty more like this just drive in to the ferry with little or no border control to continue driving in the Danish side.

சிங்களத் தீவினிற்கோர் பாலம் அமைப்போம்.....
India and its neighbors just concluded their SAARC meeting Nepal with little or nothing to show.  At this time, open borders amongst SAARC countries is a pipe dream, though there is a strong underlying cultural and historical linkage.

If Europe, a continent ravaged and bitterly divided by two world wars can bury their hatchet and come together for the collective good of their people, There is no reason why Bharthiyar's dream shouldn't become a reality.. but will it?

Tags - Helsingborg, Sweden, India, Travel, Travelogue # 68

Bicycle to work

Bicycle to work

My workplace in Chennai is less than 2km from my home.  I tried bicycling to work couple of times and gave up. Inconsiderate traffic, pollution, humidity and the need to lug a backpack all combined colluded against me my desire to bicycle to work.

But, that is not the case in Helsingborg.  The weather, infrastructure & traffic are all conducive for folks to pick up the keys of bicycles instead of their cars.  Even in this small town with less 100k population, there are separate lanes for bicycle everywhere.

From train stations to bus stops to shopping centers, all are bicycle friendly.  They have ample place to park as well hire bicycles if needed.  

 At work, bicycle parking is closer to office entrance than the car parking lot.  Even in the single digit weather of this Scandinavian town, I see plenty of folks coming to work by their own pedal power.  It was gratifying to see several of colleagues from India, staying here long term, coming in bicycles.

Pedal power (combined with public transport) is the perfect solution for our traffic woes in Chennai.  Everybody knows it.. but nothing is moving on the ground.. like Chennai traffic..:-(

Tags - Helsingborg, Sweden, Travel, Travelogue # 67