The Turku food hall

This is perhaps my favorite food hall.  Dating from 1896, the basic building is notable, the displays are lovely and suitably Nordic, and for lunch you can try a wide variety of cuisines, including excellent Mexican food, a rarity in Europe.  (They told me they buy their tortillas from other Mexicans in Czechia.)  From separate stalls I bought some salami and also black bread, and both were as good as any I have tried, ever.

Many food halls are overrated.  They create an illusion of plenitude, while not offering many items you actually wish to buy and consume.  The Turku food hall, however, is a real winner.

Overall, Turku felt more Swedish and also more stylish than Helsinki.  The Swedish name for the city — Åbo — you see all over, and one of the universities still teaches in Swedish.  It is much more of a college town.  That said, at population 202,000 it is slower and there is much less to do there.  You can see some of Alvar Aalto’s early buildings.

I was told that 77 Mexicans live in Turku.

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