Trip to Finland (4)

The fourth day of my stay in Helsinki.

I took tram line 6 to the last stop and visited the Arabia & Iittala Design Centre. The building is picturesque.

Both Arabia and Iittala are leading Nordic brands. Arabia started as a ceramics workshop, and Iittala began as a glass workshop. Today, they are both group companies under the Fiskars Corporation.

On the top floor, there is a free museum where representative works from Arabia and Iittala are displayed in chronological order.

After that, I browsed the shop on the first floor. It was good to get a quick look at what kind of products they have.

There was one mug I thought, 'I would have bought this if it were a little cheaper.' But I already have a favorite cup I bought at Marimekko, so I decided not to buy it here.

On the way back, I got off the same number 6 tram at Hakaniemi station and visited the Hakaniemi Market, the largest indoor market in Helsinki.

This place was fun. Inside the historic building, there were many stylish shops. The first floor has groceries, and the second floor has miscellaneous goods and more.

I ordered a tomato soup with salmon, shrimp, and mussels at a shop called 'SOUP+MORE'. It was 14 euros and included bread. It's hard to tell from the photo, but the portion was quite huge. It was delicious and very nutritious.

After the meal, I had a drip coffee at a cafe inside the market. It was 2.7 euros. This was also delicious.

After that, I returned to Helsinki Central Station and walked to Oodi (Central Library). Restrooms at the market and station cost money, but you can use them for free at the library.

Therefore, my practical advice for a trip to Helsinki is, "If you're in trouble, go to the Central Library." The restrooms are free to use, and you can even take off your shoes and relax. There is a cafe, as well as power outlets and Wi-Fi. You can kill as much time as you want. It is, in any case, a very comfortable public facility.

From there, I walked to visit the "Temppeliaukio Church," which was built by hollowing out a massive rock. I thought, "It's a church, so why does it cost 8 euros to enter?" but it is worth seeing at least once.

The ceiling is covered with a copper plate 24 meters in diameter, and it was breathtaking. I highly recommend sitting in a chair on the second floor and taking your time. It is a healing space.

I took a break at "Cafetoria Roastery," a 3-minute walk from Temppeliaukio Church. It was small, but a wonderful cafe. You can drink delicious drip coffee for 3 euros.

It started to rain. I tried to catch a tram heading to the central station, but it left right in front of me. The rain was heavy, so I wanted to get on something quickly. Just then, a bus with "KAMPPI" written as its destination came toward me, so I jumped on it. When I visited the Kamppi Center on the first day, I saw the bus terminal. I was sure it would take me there. If I could get to the Kamppi Center, it would be a short walk to the central station, and it would be easy to get back to my hotel.

I thought, this is what's great about Helsinki. The city is compact, public transportation is convenient, and if you just get on something, you can reach major locations.

Since I was there, I wandered around the Kamppi Center where I arrived. It was my first time seeing a buffet-style sushi restaurant. It's 14.5 euros for a weekday lunch. It's a good price since you can eat a lot.

"ROUND" is a donut shop where all products are vegan. It's a popular store that often has a line.

I walked for about 10 minutes and visited the Moomin Shop flagship store on Esplanadi street. It just opened last November.

I'm not particularly a fan of Moomin, but it was an exciting store. And gradually, I started to like Moomin. There are many Japanese tourists as well.

I bought some gummy candies with cute packaging and blueberry licorice (a Finnish specialty). They seem like good souvenirs. The paper bag they gave me for free was cute.

Finally, I went to the Old Market Hall, built in 1889, and decided to get some takeout for dinner.

At a shop called "Kumpi peruna," which had high ratings in reviews, I got takeout of smoked salmon and potatoes, along with a dish where you can freely add various toppings. It was 14.9 euros.

I loaded it up with plenty of avocado and cheese, and it was delicious. The portion size is amazing.

*****

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