Special guest appearance: Helsinki 1952 Olympics venue

A trip to Finland to see my friend Emmi, and for Vappu, gave me the opportunity to visit another former Olympic host city. This time, Helsinki 1952.

The main stadium. Amongst its many uses, there's now a youth hostel underneath one of the stands.

The Olympic Tower.

The Sonera Stadium, where HJK Helsinki played until a couple of years ago (the women's team still does).

There wasn't a match on whilst I was in Helsinki, but I did get to watch a training session.

One of the warm-up pitches, again still in use, with the Helsingin Jäähalli (Helsinki Ice Hall) in the background. I saw a HIFK ice hockey game there on my last trip, a couple of years ago.

Overall, what struck me about the Helsinki Olympic site was the legacy for sport in accordance with the true spirit and aim of the Olympic movement. Venues are still being used for sport almost 60 years on. I currently have a bit of a dread feeling for London in this respect, but I really hope to be proven wrong.

Marathon day

Work on the Media Centre is progressing well

Parts of the River Lea towpath are being intermittently closed as they rebuild it. Currently the section from the London Overground bridge down to Old Ford Lock is impassible.

The Aquatic Centre is now fully boxed in around the seating areas, and the ArcelorMittal Orbit Olympic tower (the red steel structure in front of it) is starting to grow.

From slightly closer in it's clearly still the Aquatic Centre, but it is a shame that lovely saddle-span roof has been largely obscured from view.

The Olympic Stadium from the 'ViewTube' Container Cafe on the Greenway.

And because it's sort of Olympics linked, and it's marathon day, some photos of the brave marathon runners out on the London Marathon course in this heat.

Taken aaround the 21 mile mark at Limehouse DLR

The (distant) aerial view

A very amateurish shot, through dirty aeroplane windows, but it's the closest descent into Heathrow I've been on in a while so I thought I'd take the opportunity for some snaps.

From the North-East...

...and the North-West.

Yeah, sorry it's a bit blurry, but that's a combination of distance and dirty BA aeroplane windows...