Please welcome Matsilainen to the mod team

I so agree.  Having an international membership just increases our viability and interest.  

By the way, my one visit to Finland was centered around Helsinki and one or two of its suburbs.  I loved my time there and the setting of Helsinki is absolutely striking.

Freddy, I’m so glad to hear of your good experience in Finland. Your comment made me miss the old stomping ground… The Helsinki area is really beautiful especially in the summer.

Matt, I was there in summer and it was truly a wonderful experience.  Everything from its setting on the water, to the trams that trundle through the city, to the architecture, to its ties to the 1952 Summer Olympics all made for a memorable experience that I still remember some twenty years or so after I was there.  

Were you ever in the Temppeliaukio Church (the Rock Church) in Helsinki?  Although I am Jewish, not Lutheran, the beauty of the church was awe inspiring.  While sitting in the church and just resting, a young American who was married to a Finn and lived in Helsinki chatted with me briefly.  The entire impact left a wonderful experience on me.

I also went to the Sibelius Monument and felt it was perfect for the man's music.  I tend to find Sibelius's music a bit heavy but, somehow, the monument paid homage to that heaviness as well as the musician's beautiful compositions.  

As I say, Helsinki made a lasting impression.

Freddy, thanks for sharing your experience. It is enjoyable to read!

Yes, I’ve been to the Temppeliaukio Church, and it is quite a magnificent structure. When you are in there, you are basically inside the Earth. A fairly unique place, in that sense. I’ve heard the acoustics are quite something, but haven’t really experienced them first-hand. I’m also glad to hear that you got to see the Sibelius Monument, and that your impression of the area in general was so favorable.

It can be very pretty there in the wintertime, too, if there is snow. Most people would automatically assume that because Helsinki is such a northern city, there is snow every winter, but there have been several winters in the last decade or two when that has not been the case.

Congratulations and welcome Matt

Congratulations and welcome Matt

Thanks! I’ve enjoyed your SOTD pictures from your travels. Looked like a relaxing place to visit.

Congrats, I always liked your spongebob pic!

Congratulations and welcome Matt

Thanks! I’ve enjoyed your SOTD pictures from your travels. Looked like a relaxing place to visit.

Thank you! I had a great time - and it was very hard coming back...

The beach pictures were Koh Chang (Thailand) and Sanur (Bali) - snow was in Haus im Ennstal/Austria - I can highly recommend those places!

Wow, alfredus — those are some nice places for sure! (Haven’t been myself, but have heard and seen from others, and now your photos.) I can understand how it could be a little difficult to return… But glad to hear that good times were had!

Matsilainen here are a couple of pictures I took a while ago of your country playing hockey - can you name the time and place?  The second picture shows a player's name that might help place it.  

Matsilainen here are a couple of pictures I took a while ago of your country playing hockey - can you name the time and place?  The second picture shows a player's name that might help place it.

Mark, great photos! My first clue was the type of Jofa helmet seen in those pictures, as I used to have one just like that. Then I saw “CCCP” and the Olympic logo. Couldn’t quite make out the player’s full name, but as I’m guessing you may not have been to Sarajevo in 1984, I’m going to say that this was in Calgary in 1988. Correct?

Matsilainen here are a couple of pictures I took a while ago of your country playing hockey - can you name the time and place?  The second picture shows a player's name that might help place it.

Mark, great photos! My first clue was the type of Jofa helmet seen in those pictures, as I used to have one just like that. Then I saw “CCCP” and the Olympic logo. Couldn’t quite make out the player’s full name, but as I’m guessing you may not have been to Sarajevo in 1984, I’m going to say that this was in Calgary in 1988. Correct?

Correct! It was the Gold Medal Game - sorry but Soviets won. Finns took Silver and Swedes Bronze. (I believe those helmets are similar to those worn by Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri back then. ) I had great seats for the game in third row behind the penalty box. The 1988 Olympics was a very special time - I had just met the young woman who would eventually become my wife (we've just celebrated our 25th anniversary). There was plenty of things to do for a young couple just getting to know each other both before (arts festival) and during the Olympics. The nightly medal ceremony was a particularly special time - so many people in the snowy night, laser displays and such a pleasant, peaceful mood. Despite the crowd packed in a small space there was no pushing, everyone just happy and relaxed. It didn't matter who won the medal, everyone cheered.

If you're a hockey fan, I can recommend a couple of good movies that are on Netflix - The Last Gladiators which is a documentary about Chris Nilan and NHL enforcers back in the day - old time hockey and Red Army which is a documentary about the Soviet Red Army hockey team featuring mainly Slava Fetisov. I well remember the Soviets coming to North America and teaching our players a lesson or two. This movie provides a different perspective and helped increase my understanding of those players and that time period.
Marko

I can't identify the Finnish players but the Russians in the second picture are Lomakin and Myshkin in net.