On the 6th Dec 2007 Finns will celebrate the 90 magnificent years of Finland’s independency. That is a respectable age for a person, and for a state it is a good reason to celebrate. Finland 90 Anniversary Year celebrates different aspects of Finland and Finnishness such as history and future; nature and summer; language and culture; music; design; sport and physical activity.
If you are wondering what Finland is all about, here she is from A to Z and …Ö.
A | Alvar Aalto, famous architect and designer. In the 70’s Habitat was full
of his famous stacking stools. |
B | Berries. Blueberries, wild strawberries, crowberries, Arctic cloudberries
picked fresh, eaten with desserts, in liqueurs, and in wines! |
C | Cycling. Finland’s flat roads are perfect for cycling tours. The scenery is varied from lakes to forests, peaceful farmland. Most cities are well design for cyclists. |
D | Design. From furniture to tableware to jewellery. In wood, in silver, in fabric –everywhere. The Helsinki Museum of Art & Design tells the story. |
E | Elk (also known as moose). Finland’s forests are also home to brown Bear, foxes, wolves, lemmings, otters, red squirrel, lynx and wolverine. |
F | Fun. Finland hosts a “wife carrying world championship”, a mobile phone throwing competition” and an “Ant Hill Competition” (involves sitting naked on an ant hill)…and more |
G | Green Zone Golf Course. The world’s northernmost golf club.18 holes: 9 in Finland, 9 in Sweden. Play at midnight – the light won’t be fading… |
H | Heated pavements. In Helsinki’s central, main shopping area the pavements are heated so that when it snows, pavements don’t freeze up and everyone can walk safely. |
I | Ice fishing. A craze in winter when most of the water surfaces are frozen over. Cut a hole, drop a line and wait. |
J | Joulu. Finnish for ‘Christmas’. |
K | Karhunkierros, otherwise known as Bear’s Ring, one of the oldest and best-established trekking routes in Finland - located within the Oulanka National Park. |
L | Lakes – 187,888 shimmering ones with lovely summer cottages adjacent. |
M | Midsummer. People have a few days off – bonfires, songs and celebration on Midsummer night. Sun does not set. Magic. |
N | Northern Lights (aurora borealis) – amazing sight, visible from above
the Arctic Circle, usually late September to March. |
O | Opera. Savonlinna Opera Festival every July is world famous and held in the dramatic setting of the covered courtyard of Olavinlinna Castle. |
P | President of Finland, Tarja Halonen. In April 2007 she appointed the first cabinet in European history with female majority (12 women and 8 men in the cabinet.) Finnish women were the first in Europe to be granted the right to vote (1906). |
Q | Sorry – Finland doesn’t have q’s – and rarely has queues either (for anything) |
R | Ruska is the Finnish word for the autumn colours (from every shade of yellow to gold and red) seen in September-October particularly in Lapland.
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S | School meals. All schools serve a hot meal at lunchtime and menus for the whole week are published in newspapers on Sundays so that parents
can see what their children will eat and can plan balanced meals at home. |
T | Taika is Finnish for magic – the magic of the seasons. |
U | Ukko Island. In eastern Lapland and sacred to the Sámi (people who traditionally live in the North) |
V | Vapaus, freedom in Finnish. The Finnish concept; everyman’s rights, gives people the freedom to go where they please in the countryside - on land or on water - as long as you don't intrude on people's privacy, cause nuisance or damage, or leave litter. |
W | Winter Wonderland. You can ski, skate, go on a husky/reindeer/snowmobile/ Icebreaker safari, snow shoeing and lots more. |
X | LinuX. Linus Torvalds, Finnish software engineer best known for developing the Linux kernel. Finland is the country of innovation and high-tech. Nokia, Sulake, Happo, Remedy, Kone.. |
Y | Ylläs – a fabulous resort in Finnish Lapland (New attraction in Spring 2008 when they add a sauna inside a cable car – really!) |
Z | Zetor Bar – in downtown Helsinki, a cool place where tractors are one of the main attractions – for seating, decoration. Open until 4am. |
Å | Åland islands or Ahvenanmaa (in Finnish) is the archipelago on the South West coast of Finland. It an autonomous, demilitarized, monolingually Swedish-speaking administrative province of Finland. |
Ä | Äiti, Mother (in Finnish). Finnish is one of two official languages of Finland, the other being Swedish. About 1,700 people in Lapland speak Sami (Lapp).English is widely spoken. Many Finns speak several languages. |
Ö | Öl, Beer (in Swedish). Finns love beer. Sinerbykoff Brewery (Est. 1819) is the oldest in Finland.
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