Finland 100: 6 – Baana

Winters may be long but the fireworks heralding the dying days make it all ok. And then there’s Baana, the cycle lane for all seasons cutting through the centre from east to west. A pity I’m only a fair weather cyclist. When I first arrived in Helsinki back in 2002, Baana was a disused railway track leading from the docks to some dilapidated warehouses by the central railway station. The warehouses were a much loved alternative space right in the middle of Helsinki’s new civic area and there was a large public outcry when their removal was first voiced. It’s understandable but, as I update this website in 2020, it’s kind of impressive to have the additions of Musiikkitalo and Oodi library as part of this civic centre.