Monday was my last day in Finland and it began with a short walk from Gabriel's apartment to the Olympicsadion, the Olympic Stadium complex, something which I was looking forward to for the entire trip. Besides the main stadium, which was the focal point of the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, there is also a smaller soccer stadium, an ice rink, swimming pool, and ball field. There is also an observation tower, which is 11 stories tall. We first walked in the entrance, which has a few displays about the stadium's history.
The stadium was built in the 1930s, much of it with public bonds, in hopes of Helsinki landing an Olympic Bid. Helsinki was selected to host the 1940 Olympics, which were ultimately cancelled and the city was then selected for the 1952 Games. Past the displays was a door which led overlooking the lowest section of the stadium. During the Olympics, the stadium sat 70,000 with temporary wooden bleachers, but today, seats about 52,000. The stadium is still very much in use today, as it is the site of the Finnish national soccer team. The track too, is still used, and in 2005, the stadium was the site of the IAAF (Track & Field) World Championships. I got the opportunity to run on the track, but was quickly asked by stadium personnel not to.
We then proceeded up to the Stadium Tower via elevator. At first, when one walks out of the elevator, there is just a window, but viewers are able to climb another set of stairs, and step outside into a caged off area, where you get some great views of the city (see pictures below).
Next door to the stadium is the Toolo Sports Hall, a museum dedicated to the history of Finnish Sport. On the first floor, there are display cases with memorabilia, showcasing the development and expansion of sport in Finland, identifying the country's star athletes from past eras to today. The museum is definitely centered on Olympic sports as opposed to professional sports. There is a second floor too, which covers Finland's performance in the Olympics as well as more information on the 1952 Helsinki Games. On the second floor, there is a timeline display of the modern Olympics (since 1896) and the country's outcome in each Olympics. Inside these displays, the had Olympic medals, uniforms, track spikes, souvenir coins, and other memorabilia. It was really cool for me, because I don't believe I have ever seen a collection of Olympic medals before.
After the museum, we took the tram back to Senate Square and I got to see the Helsinki Cathedral again--this time in the light. We also went inside the cathedral and got to sit and admire it. The cathedral has arched ceilings and a big organ, which was playing, in the back, above the entrance. There are also a few white statues (appeared to be made out of the same material as the exterior of the building), two were of Finnish priests and there was also one of Martin Luther.
Following the Helsinki Cathedral, we took a tram to Hakiniemi, an indoor market, and got lunch. I got a sandwich and a pastry that looked (and tasted) like a flattened potato. After the market, we went to the Church of the Rock (picture below), which was very nice and peaceful.
Afterwards, we went back to Gabriel's apartment, and then a couple hours later, had one last Finnish dinner. We each got fried flounder, and the meal came with salad, potatoes (I picked potato wedges), and fruit for dessert. It also came with free homemade beer, which looked like Guinness and tasted like Nestle Ice tea. After dinner, we went to a sports bar and had a Finnish beer. We caught the end of an Italian soccer game and the beginning of a Premier league soccer game.
By the time we had left, it was around ten, and time to pack up for my trip to London.
No comments:
Post a Comment