Finland Visitors Guide

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The Insiders Gu


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Index

CHAPTER P

1 ONE BASICS Where On Earth Am I?2 TWO NATURE Pure By Nature3 THREE CONTRASTS From 100 to 0 in a Few Seconds4 FOUR HELSINKI Sie Doesnt Matter5 FIVE CREATIVITY Room For Thoughts6 SIX DESIGN Home o Modern Classics7 SEVEN LAPLAND Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow8 EIGHT WELLBEING Isnt It Nice When Things Just Work?

This is a book about a country on the top o the world - ull opure and breathtaking natural surroundings, interesting people,places and contrasts. Its a country especially or people who aresearching or something completely dierent. I you think you

have seen everything, think again.


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PAGE 6 ChAPtEr ONE


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PBASICS WHERE ON EARTH AM I?

Republic o Finland

Population:5,300,000

Capital:Helsinki

Languages:Finnish, Swedish

Flight times:New York: 8 hBeijing: 8 hLondon: 3 h

Neighbours:Sweden, NorwaEstonia & Russ


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PAGE 8 ChAPtEr TWO


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Finan is basica ne big pa, cee wi ess an fes, csse b ies an e wsans pe, gieing aes. A ew iban ciies, a sapes an sizes, ae spine ee aee. S weee ae, escape ban ie is awas s a ew seps awa.

PPURE BY NATURENAturE


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PAGE 10 ChAPtEr TWO

Reeta, 26 Im not a friendof sweet pastries, but I dontknow a better present to taketo someone youre visitingthan cinnamon buns and alitre of cold milk.

Annu, 32 My English friendwas visiting here. The radiowas on and he asked whatthe topic was that was beingdiscussed. When I told himthey are giving the listeners

instructions on how to behaveif you bump into a bear whenyou are picking berries inthe forest, he though I waskidding.


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PANAturE PURE BY NATURE

Mikael, 29 We used to goshing with my ather when Iwas a boy. We could sit on aboat with our shing rods incomplete silence or hours.Only a ew words now andthen just to remind us we

were still sitting on the sboat together. These daystill do that and my wie cmens meditation.

Katja, 31 The best thingabout Finland is a cottage bythe sea or a lake. The starryskies on rosty winter nights.And the quiet that sets uponthe lakeside cottages in theevenings.


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PAGE 14 ChAPtEr TWO


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PAGE 16 ChAPtEr TWO

Pekka, 15 I think the mostpopular oods in Finlandthese days are the nationaldelicacies o other nations,such as pizza or kebab. On

my menu, however, numberone is genuine rye bread inall its simplicity, oering achallenge to your teeth andjaw muscles. My ather always

takes some with him when wetravel abroad, however muchmy mother tries to oppose.


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Tytti, 17 Walking on the icedsea in ront o Helsinki givesyou a whole new perspectiveto the city.


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PAGE 18 ChAPtEr TWO


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Anna, 16 Finns are not exactlyIndians, but they do havea certain kind o primaevalconnection with nature despiteurbanisation. People indtheir way to parks and theirsummer cottages and like tobe outdoors. To make enjoyingnature easier, there is a clause

in the law called EverymansRight. It means that youreallowed to go almost anywherewithout special permissionrom the landowner.


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PAGE 20 ChAPtEr THREE


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PACoNtrAStS FROM 100 TO 0 IN A FEW SECONDS

Se pepe ie ea, es c. Se pepe e ig, es a. Se pepe e ses wine. Since Finan is pace wi aazing cnass, is sae sa a ees se eene.


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Johannes, 49 The best thiabout Finland today is that wno longer ask every oreignwho comes to Finland Wdid you come here?

ChAPtEr THREE

Einari, 30 It is really quiteunbelievable how in a smallcountry like this you can meetsuch dierent people dependingon where you happen to be.Although its a generalisation,in my experience the countryis divided more or less likethis: in western Finland live

the sophisticated Swedish-speaking Finns, in the souththe trendy career people, inthe east the merry story-tellersand in the north the genuineand jovial. They are all sodierent, but all equally andoriginally Finnish.


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PACoNtrAStS FROM 100 TO 0 IN A FEW SECONDS

Sampo, 44 I have dream that is connectedthe sea. I would like to my wie to a real mans boat, the icebreaker SamIt takes ordinary peoplcruises. And its name is qsomething.


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PA

Sami, 28 The Finnishmentality. It is oten something

between the orest and thecity. A kind o silent certainty.That some days may be dark,but it is not so serious. Thatyoure not quite European, butpretty close, anyway.

Tiina, 25 At irst sight youmay not believe how eager theusually slightly reserved Finnsare to make their opinionsknown. Instead o spectaculardemonstrations, their preerredorums are the phone-inshows on the radio and theletters to the editor pages

o newspapers especiallythose that allow posting yourmessage anonymously througha text message.

Patrik, 61 I moved here aboutthirty years ago and one o therst thing that I learned aboutFinns was that they might betough on the outside, buttheyre sot on the inside.

CoNtrAStS FROM 100 TO 0 IN A FEW SECONDS


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Hanna, 33 We have ourMidsummer party ar away romthe cities towards the end oJune. People travel several hoursin their cars to the countryside.All the biggest roads are ull o

cars and there is really a lot otrac. But we all have to getto the countryside on thatspecial weekend. Kokko is themidsummer bonire. It is ashigh as how much wood the

locals have collected there.And we burn it down onMidsummer Eve ater sauna,drinking and eating.

CoNtrAStS FROM 100 TO 0 IN A FEW SECONDS


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PAGE 28 ChAPtEr FOUR


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PAhElSINkI SIzE DOESNT MATTER

Is e cpacness an esaii a ae hesini, e capia Finan, ne e ippes pain Epe. Wi e an aciiies aaiabe i ees ie a epis, b en ees e caspee a ci a a iin pepe.


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Antti, 35 The best thingis to ride your bicycle tothe Olympic Stadium in themornings. Flash your pass, goto the lockers with 50 cents inyour hand. A quick shower andthen along the cool slab foortowards the pool shrouded in

mist. Way to go! Jump in thepool and crawl ahead thinkingyour own thoughts. Sometimestake the ast lane and zoompast someone slower than you.The King o Outdoor Pools hashad me addicted or six yearsnow. The Stadium has made

passing acquaintances goodriends, beautiul morningseven more beautiul and myown head work better. Ohyes, and a cup o mocha and aglass o juice at the Tlntorimarketplace round o thewhole experience.

Janne, 29Ever since 2001,shy people have been abenjoy the pools at the YrjnSwimming Hall, one o the wmost beautiul swimming Because that was the year wthe 70-year-old ban on swimnally ended.


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Linda, 29 One o the bestthings in Helsinki is themorning swim in the Tlindoor pool. At that hour, there

are usually only older ladiesthere. In the public sauna, youdont care who is who, andeverybody participates in the

chatter about the hot news othe day. The ladies welcomenewcomers, and you can hearexciting stories about the

recent history o Tl. I dknow i the mens sideanything like this, but at the ladies do.


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Jani, 40 The best thing inHelsinki city is that wheneveryou need to go somewhere youjust have to use your legs. All thegood parks, galleries and pubsare so close to each other.

Virpi, 36 My rst memory oHelsinki is rom the cemetery

o Hietaniemi. I was only 10years old and my aunt tookme there to see tombstones oamous Finnish people. At thesame time the experience wasspooky and very ascinating.

Jaska, 41 Theres only one thingyou need to know when you

come to Helsinki. Take a erry toStockholm. On that breathtakingtrip you will learn everythingabout the Finnish character.

Laura, 26 I was walking at theKaivari (park in Helsinki city)when out o the blue I hearsomeone yelling my name. I see

my riends sitting on a brancho an old oak tree and drinkingchampagne. O course I haveto climb up there and join theiroriginal picnic in the middle othe darkening summer night.

Linda, 29 When I worked ata marketplace ca in Helsinki,

my bike route in the morningwent past the Hakaniemimarket. At six in the morningthere was still cool mist in theair and the sun rose beautiullyinto the cloudless sky. Themarket coee stands werealready open and their canvasstools illed with early risers

having their morning coeeand enjoying the deliciousdoughnuts.

Hanna, 33 The Tl baypark in Helsinki is ull o cityrabbits. All sizes o rabbits:small, medium, large. Dierentcolours: grey, brown, black,

white. Some city peoplewe need a very cold wintget rid o those rabbits. dont they bring a coupcity oxes there? We always lived with nature.city and us. Nature and City... City... What a city.


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Linda, 29 Few things canbeat carpet washing in a lakeor the sea. On a summersmorning, I load the carpetson my bicycle, take some

juice with me in a bottle andpedal down to Taivallahti bay.All the women there chat witheach other and help eachother. The smell o pine soapis dizzying, and in the eveningyou can bring home the cleancarpets ater they have driedin the resh air.

Petteri, 35 I would take myguest to the Kotiharju sauna inKallio, Helsinki. The place hasa genuine eel o the itiesworking-class public sauna.

My best memory is rom aChristmas eve aternoon aew years ago. The eelingwas estive and more peaceulthan on ordinary weekends.Many generations o menrom the same amily werebathing together. Grandathertold the younger ones how it

was to go to the Harjpublic sauna during the You can also have your scoured or cupped bwasher lady. You can also b

microwaved sausage wrapin sandwich paper rom hebe enjoyed while sitting isteam room.


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PAGE 38 ChAPtEr FIVE


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I can fn inspiain in Finan, pbab can fn i anwee. tans e nie, siing ce an naa snings, Finns ae awas been ceaie ca an ecngieas. hee ig-ec enginees an beian aiss ie appi sie b sie. An w nws, awie e isiing ee wi ce p wi an iea a eas seing ie e bie p a c ban wi ces.

CrEAtIvIty ROOM FOR THOUGHTS


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ChAPtEr FIVEPAGE 40


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CrEAtIvIty ROOM FOR THOUGHTS

Jaakko, 61 This is probablythe only country in the world

where a long-haired youngstersinging old heavy metal trackscan win the nations largesttalent contest.

Ira, 43 The best thing iFinnish that people sp

and conversations duwhich nobody speaks i it necessary.

Fredu, 42 I dont understandwhy everyone always talks

about Nokia phones when theconversation turns to Finland. Ithink the outer archipelago, likeJurmo and Ut is much moreastonishing than some piece oplastic you can talk to.

Jarmo, 33 As a typhicalengineer Im a big an o

technology. Im even a bitproud o all the Finnishtechnical innovations. Forexample when I step into anelevator somewhere abroad,the irst thing I always do ischeck whether its Kone. WhatI dont understand is why myriends arent as excited as Iam about the huge amount oFinnish tech innovations shotinto space.

PA


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PAGE 42 ChAPtEr FIVE

tIIA vANhAtAPIo / CoquEttESPrING/SummEr 08PhotoGrAPhEr: NINAmErIkAllIo

luhtA FAShIoN


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PACrEAtIvIty ROOM FOR THOUGHTS

CoPyrIGht 2008mArImEkko CorPorAtIoN.All rIGhtS rESErvEd.

rINNE NIINIkoSkI For olArIFEmAlE GymNAStICS tEAmdEltA


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PAGE 44 ChAPtEr SIX

KARUSELLIBy yrj kukkAPuro


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PAdESIGN THE HOME OF DESIGN CLASSICS

ye pbab sa in a nice Finnis cai, aie es Finnis gapic esign been in a biesigne b a Finnis aciec wi ee aing been in Finan. Finnis esign as been was ecaes. An, wi a e es an pising ng esignes, e cassics e ae aea n e wa.


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PAGE 46 ChAPtEr SIX

PAIMIO ARMCHAIR By AlvAr AAlto

BLOCKBy hArrI koSkINEN N93I By NokIA

BAMBU SIDETABLE By ArtEk StudIo 2008


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PAdESIGN THE HOME OF DESIGN CLASSICS

AALTO VASE ByAlvAr AAlto

Cyrila, 29 The best in Finlandare the our seasons andFinnish design put together. Inspring you clean the windowsto let the spring sunshinein. The Alvar Aalto vase is

taken out o the cupboardand lled with budding birchtwigs. In summer, you spreadMarimekkos Poppy tableclothon the garden table, whichyou set with Teema plates andKartio glasses. A barbequewith Jaa orangeade as thedrink ollows, with strawberries

as dessert. In the autumn, youswitch on Harri KoskinensBlock lamp, drink cocoa roma Moomin mug and wrapyoursel in a blanket whenreading a book on the soa

while theres a storm outside.In winter, you go tobogganing.When you come home, youlight a re in the replace, putKivi candles on the living roomtable and light them up.

Mikael, 27 Im so proud thatFinnish design, even retro, ismodern. For example the ballchair by Eero Aarnio or Karusellichair by Yrj Kukkapuro.

Janne, 36 Say somethingabout Finnish design? Well,most o the Finns eat and drinkevery day rom design pieces.Iittala and Arabia can be oundin every home.


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PAGE 48 ChAPtEr SEVEN


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PA

tee aen an paces a can gie a 100% snw gaanee in e wine. tis e Ciswnean can. knwn as e e Sana Cas an nes sans einee, lapis a pace ae see se. N ae wa e seasn, e acic iges an naina paae bea awa. An naes wn fews, e nen igs, ance 80 iees abe gge wieness.

lAPlANd LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW


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Eliel, 31 It is the beginningo April in Kilpisjrvi, northernLapland. The temperatureis about -8C, but the sun isalready giving some warmth.The snow is metres deep. Imstanding on the ice o Lake

Kilpisjrvi, in the middle othe ells and deep snow piles.The sun is shining rom a totallyclear sky, and I wouldnt beable to keep my eyes openi I didnt have sunglasses. Iam surrounded by the shine

o the snow and total silence.Somewhere in the distance Ican see a skier slowly makinghis way over the ice, but otherthan that, there is not a soulin sight. I ll my lungs with theresh, cool air. I eel a tickling in

my stomach. This is peace yocan never achieve in a city.


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PAlAPlANd LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW

Jaakko, 55 One o theten experiences in mywas a snowmobile ride inorests, felds and top o rlakes in northern Finland.was placed in the middthe night. The amount o in the sky was breath taki

Vilma, 52 Some peoplethink we ice ishers arestrange, sitting on the icestaring at a miniature shingrod and a hole in the ice orthe whole day. Well, it doeslook a little like sleeping whileyoure sitting, and its charm

is really diicult to explain.Its like being in the companyo yoursel. When I ind agood spot or ishing andhave enough hot coee andsandwiches with me, thatsbliss or me.


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Kaisu, 32 My irst time inLapland was when me andmy best riends drove to Levi

to celebrate my 30 th birthday.We saw some wild reindeereating lichen rom the trees.But or me, an even moreexciting experience that has todo with reindeer was dancingat a huge club called HulluPoro Areena (Crazy ReindeerArena).


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Mikael, 27 It was Christmas eve in themid-1980s and I was really anticipatingSantas visit. Then he arrived, with aterriying plastic mask, really skinny,sounding like a woman. I went hiding inthe clothes basket.

Lauri, 34 When I was a kid I alwwondered why my dad had to takethe garbage on Christmas Eve at the smoment that Santa Clause came to But now that Im a ather mysel I knowa dads gotta do what a dads gotta

lAPlANd LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW


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PAGE 58 ChAPtEr EIGHT


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Being bn in Finan as been cpae winning e e. tis esn ean a insabece a iinaie. B in a scie wee eeing ws s, eene as e canceee ie ne.

WEllBEING ISNT IT NICE WHEN THINGS JUST WORK?


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ChAPtEr EIGHTPAGE 60


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Janne, 30 You might to think twice beore asa Finn how are you wyou meet one. You maya very honest and exhauexplanation o what they been doing lately.

Katja, 31 There are not toomany people anywhere inFinland. The only place youcan fnd yoursel in a trafc jamis Helsinki, but elsewhere inFinland it is almost impossible.Most oten you get a seat on

trains, buses, the undergroundand trams. There are no crowdson escalators, traic lights,station platorms. Finns dontwant to live too densely, andthey appreciate other peoplesspace. Our personal space is

WEllBEING ISNT IT NICE WHEN THINGS JUST WORK?

about hal a metre and webecome stressed i we mustallow someone in it. However,i you get to know a Finn wellenough, it is certain that youget closer than that. At least ithe person is drunk.

KATJAHAGELSTAM,TAIDES

TIM

ERITA


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PAGE 62 ChAPtEr EIGHT


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PAWEllBEING ISNT IT NICE WHEN THINGS JUST WORK?

Raimo, 55 Theres a dancing place by the same lake as oursummer cottage where we try to go as oten as possible. Duringthe years weve seen many o the greatest Finnish singers liveand Ive got a nice collection o autographs to prove it.


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Been there, done that.

tis b is wien b se, w ea nwwa Finan is a ab, e ea Finns.

We ase pepe a ages, a ane cn sen s sies, eies anips, becase we in a was ipan e, is efnie w eing e wew .

B in ne ing we aie g. We siin in eng ws escibe is

iese, ne--a-in cn. B aspbab ipssibe agee.

y s ae expeience i se.

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Finland Visitors Guide