Helsinki Waterfront

After exiting the train station, I turned east and made my way to the seafront in the hope of getting to the Old Market Hall before they closed at 6pm. En route, I tried to get a feel for the environment I was in. Apart from a general sense of orderliness, I was surprised to hear a fair bit of English spoken around me. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that Helsinki was more multiracial than I expected for a European country that wasn't a colonial power.

To get to Old Market Hall, I first walked through the Esplanadi, a very cute park with several statues depicting various sea creatures spouting water. Alas, I arrived at the Old Market Hall just as they were shutting the front doors. I wandered around the seafront for bit, taking in the sights, and taking note of the location of the ferry to Suomenlinna. I was also impressed by the modern design elements around. A great example was a tourist information booth which was constructed from asymmetrical wood strips. From there, I headed towards the Allas Sea Pool. I briefly considered going there to partake in Finland’s sauna culture, but I balked about walking from the hot sauna into the chilly 14 degree Celsius open air to dip myself in even more chilly sea water.

Note: A number of the photos in this entry are from my second layover.

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