Our fourth day in Helsinki we spent exploring a bit more of the city. We had a general idea of what we wanted to see. After visiting some shops that specialize in a variety of objects all known for very high quality design, we eventually worked our way back to Market Square where we did not find the one-song accordian player playing. We did, as we knew we would, find the Old Market Building open. It’s a bustling narrow but long building with plenty of food vendors. It was a bit early for lunch so we passed through.
We continued on to eventually find our way to the Design Museum. I don’t have much to say about this museum. I can tell the textile work is of high quality and special in an abstract way but it doesn’t really click for me - too visual. For Mom and Dad it was a treat and well worth the time we spent there.
After leaving our quest for lunch began. That took us a bit farther than we probably wanted before we settled on a place we think is called Gourmet Street Food. It appears to be a collection of restaurants selling various types of food. To date it probably is our best lunch in Helsinki. The ice cream we had from the Helsinki Ice Cream Factory (making ice cream since 1922 - oldest in Finland) was a nice capstone to the meal.
Mom and I took an afternoon stroll over to the Church of the Rock called Temppeliaukio Church. From the literature at the church and the wikipedia article final plans for the church came together in 1961 after an architecture competition in 1961 was won by brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen. The final church - started in 1968 and consecrated in 1969 - was scaled down due to cost but what was built is impressive enough. Excavated from a hill of granite I believe the interior space is about 24 meters in diameter with granite walls ranging from 5 to 9 meters in height before skylight windows climb higher to the copper dome. That dome is sheaved in 22 kilometers of copper tape which permits more light to filter through. There are artificial lights in the ceiling but the space is more than adequately lit by the natural light streaming down. The walls are mostly unworked granite. Water can trickle down, it must be a slow process, to grates set in the concrete floor. These walls and the grand space give the church very good acoustics. While neither Mom or I thought the music playing from the speakers added much to the ambiance of the church we did note that the music filled the space without being loud. There is a different feeling about this church compared to the Chapel of Silence. Both are worth visiting.
We walked down past the Music Center which was rather un-welcoming at least as far as the lobby area went. A final examination of Oodi Library was in order and it really is a building you should stop by to explore inside and out. Then back to the apartment - it’s isn’t as far as we first thought. It was a good way to spend a bit more time during the afternoon and the day would have been overall very good if our Chinese restaurant dinner had been more than just adequate.
••• ••• ••• •••
This is our final day in Helsinki. We have spent the entire time in the city and we are ready to be done. Perhaps we should have taken a day trip to Tallinn, Estonia but we weren’t keen on the 4.5 hours of round-trip ferry travel. Perhaps we should have visited a national park but the enthusiasm wasn’t there. However, we have managed to fill our final day pretty well and it turned out a fine day in Helsinki.
We weren’t hurrying to get out and about. Many places don’t open until 10:00 or later. I’m pretty sure the Botanical Garden (not sure of the name) is one such. It was a fairly straightforward walk to the gardens and when we entered we were in for a nice surprise as the sounds of the city ebbed and the scents, sights, and some natural sounds began to make themselves known.
We strolled through the gardens. The “Sense Garden” was an interesting experience. They’ve put out an assortment of plants people can touch, look at, smell. There is a path you can walk barefoot and get acquainted with you sense of touch through your feet. We somehow missed this path - I would have walked it. As we walked the gardens we were surprised by how many people seemed to be working to keep things clean and growing. A lot is being put into these gardens and that is nice to see.
One thing we like about walking through European cities is you don’t seem to have to travel far to find a cafe that will serve a decent coffee-style drink (if not necessarily a simple brewed coffee) and a nice pastry. The Botanical Garden had a nice little cafe where we were able to enjoy just such food before continuing on our way toward Market Square and the boats that cruise the Gulf of Finland providing 1.5 hour tours. Along the way we passed by the large white church we had seen from afar the first day. One thing we had marveled at here are the large number of large open plazas. This is something you see a lot of in European cities and we are always a bit surprised by them.
Market Square was not as busy as it had been. Perhaps they have a mid-week slowdown. However, the one-song accordion player was present. When we purchased our tickets for our City Canal cruise we asked the people working the ticket counter if he plays anything else - he does not. I hope it turns into white noise for them because if it doesn’t it surely becomes something of an ear worm.
The cruise was a nice way to spend a part of our afternoon. It’s true the provided information comes through in a pre-recorded set of speeches in several languages on too few speakers to easily hear over wind noise, boat engines, people chatting, and everything else. But you get a sense for part of the area that is Helsinki and at least a few of the 300 islands along with the mainland that make up this place. It was a nice cruise and I can see why people like to live here with the comforts of a city and the ability to get away from the city to a peaceful island without too much difficulty.
After the cruise we managed to find a good lunch at one of the food vendors in Market Square. The place that sells sweet and savory crepes was a hit. The ham, cheese, and egg crepe was good but the spinach and feta cheese one was better. After that it was time to head back to the apartment to take a bit of a rest before dinner. We actually did pretty well with dinner too. It didn’t look like much from the outside but Burger Bites produced a good burger. Sometimes simple is best.
Photos
The Helsinki Ice Cream factory has been making ice cream since 1922. The ice cream we had there was pretty good.
—June 27, 2023 at 2:14 PM.
Under this granite dome sits the Church of the Rock. It was excavated in 1968 and work was finished in 1969. There is a coppery green dome on top though it isn’t really obvious here.
—June 27, 2023 at 4:04 PM.
It is a bit distorted because of how I took the photo. The church has a main floor and a balcony where I am standing. It is a grand single space under the copper dome you see above. I believe the diameter of the intereor space is 24 meters and the skylights that surround the dome and let in plenty of natural light sit atop walls of unworked granite that are 5 to 9 meters high. I am not sure how high the dome is. The feel of the space is quite different from that of the Chapel of Silence.
—June 27, 2023 at 4:22 PM.
A view from the other (south) end of the Oodi Library. Here you really get a sense that the building could be a boat sailing a sea of, I imagine, knowledge and creativity.
—June 27, 2023 at 4:45 PM.
We didn’t enter this Lutheran church. What we really reacted too here though is yet another grand plaza. Helsinki, like many European cities, is liberally sprinkled with large open squares such as this one.
—June 28, 2023 at 11:24 AM.
A view of Suolemina from the cruise boat we are on of the now Lutheran church and the lighthouse beacon that sits on its steeple. As we passed we caught a glimpse of the green light emitting four long puleses (Morse code for “H”).
—June 28, 2023 at 12:42 PM.
When you have daytime temperatures that can touch 80 °F now and then and over 20 hours of sunshine and you have some nice sandy beaches you should take advantage of the fine weather.
—June 28, 2023 at 1:31 PM.
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