Helsinki Market Square: Scouting an Ancient Finnish Trade Post
As I wandered through the one-of-a-kind Finnish Helsinki Market Square on an overcast summer day, gentle raindrops fell on my head. The sky was covered with massive grey clouds, and the streets were drenched in shimmering raindrops. Rather than conjuring up a shelter, I chose to go along with the cool ambience. It stopped raining briefly, allowing for a virtual landscape painting of a shoreline, lined with massive cruise ships and an orange canopy concourse. I was at Helsinki’s central square, a bustling open-air market lounging with a relaxing mood besides the Baltic Sea.
My shopping adventure began with a stroll along the enticing path of small stores that encircles a big portion of this farmers’ market. It’s a shopping paradise that sells everything from artisan housewares made of Finnish wood to unique gifts like the reindeer horn bottle opener. Although I was overjoyed at the sight of the dog souvenir department, which is a typical sight in Helsinki, that instantly doubles the joy shall you have a furry friend at home. At the very least, every other Scandinavian home does!
A reindeer horn cheese slicer, bottle opener, wooden glide sealers for packed goods, and wall stickers for my beloved refrigerator are among a few things I purchased. The artwork showcased by the area’s best-skilled craftspeople dominates the ‘Kauppatori’ booths of Helsinki Market Square. It’s nearly hard to satisfy one’s need for a plethora of Finnish goods at just one store. So I walked a little more before getting my hands on some Moomin souvenirs, Lapp caps, a Kuksa bowl, and a Puukko, a Finnish hunting knife.
I wouldn’t have missed the magnificent reindeer rug, indigenous fur attire, and a couple of bottles of Finnish Vodka if my suitcase could hold more. I suppose next time, and let’s ‘Kippis’ to that! A Finnish cheers to shopping at a Market Square that is home to one of the world’s oldest tradeposts. According to what I’ve heard, Market Square is closed on Sundays, so plan your visit for Monday through Saturday.
If you are a car aficionado and chance to be at Market Square on the first Friday of the month, you will be in for a treat. On this day, Helsinki Market Square hosts a rumbling adventure, a one-of-a-kind giant vehicle display. The annual herring festival, on the other hand, is a must-see for food enthusiasts. You will not only be treated to classic Finnish food but will also learn a lot about the Baltic Sea forage fish.
At the hotel where I was staying, I had tried pickled Herring for breakfast. When I asked the waitstaff about the advantages of Herring fish, I learnt that it is high in cetoleic acid and omega-3 fatty acids, which gives it its distinct flavour. This fish is nutritious, delicious, and well worth trying while in Finland. I ploughed my way towards the food sellers, jaded by the weight of shopping tales. I selected to place myself at a food stand headed by two charming Finnish women.
They were cooking wearing orange aprons and matching bohemian style headbands. After much deliberation and diving into the deliciousness quotient of the culinary items on exhibit, I ordered the classic fish and chips, and coffee. I savoured the ‘cuisine for brave’ on a different day; it included a Finnish meat pastry, flaky salmon with succulent caviar, and a traditional doughnut for dessert. I also shopped for fresh fruits before leaving the stand. The magnificent views of the seashore undoubtedly added to the pleasure of shopping and dining at Helsinki Market Square.
I headed out for a little inattentive squandering at the Baltic Sea’s side after having the delectable snack. This time, I was concentrating even harder on the myriad articles that comprise the frame from the market to the Esplanadi Park. My camera’s lens focussed automatically on the large cruise ships, colour-changing city lights, and the concatenation of antique vintage hanging street lamps. The architectural artistry that encircles this retail paradise, is the linchpin.
Helsinki’s architecture displays an astonishing streak of old-world beauty, from the copper towers of Uspenski Cathedral to the relaxing shadows of Presidentinlinna, the Presidential Palace. The Helsingin Kaupungintalo (City Hall), the Guard House, and the domed Helsingin Tuomiokirkko Cathedral are among noteworthy designs in this neighbourhood. Each is a virtual anthology of political and cultural legacy, with an unrivalled sequence of grandeur. I’d never been to a magnificent Market Square like the one in Helsinki before. Finally, the day came to a close with me receiving complimentary maps and pencils from the Helsinki City Hall. Shopping, on the other hand, was quite pleasurable!
