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“This land, although not my native land,
Will be remembered forever.
And the sea's lightly iced,
Unsalty water.

The sand on the bottom is whiter than chalk,
The air is heady, like wine,
And the rosy body of the pines
Is naked in the sunset hour.

And the sunset itself on such waves of ether
That I just can't comprehend
Whether it is the end of the day, the end of the world,
Or the mystery of mysteries in me again.”
― Anna Akhmatova, The Complete Poems of Anna Akhmatova

“first seek ye the kingdom of pure practical intelligence

shreds of posters and headlines
shards of gramophone records feathers

lights shining arcs
the well-lit borders

when the rush-hour comes
and the hour of the pile-up
and the sounds of breaking steel-plate and people
are heard in the dark

when the journey is broken, no one is on the right road”
― Pentti Saarikoski, Helsinki

“Right by the Arctic Circle, the city of Rovaniemi is a key draw for visitors, with various Santa Claus attractions (the red-suited saint officially resides here) and numerous tours and activities, ranging from reindeer-farm visits to snowmobiling safaris, dog sledding with huskies and various high-adrenaline adventures. Rovaniemi has a small ski area, but the best skiing is at Pyhä-Luosto. Elsewhere you can hike, take an ice-breaker cruise, stay in a winter snow castle and go berry picking in summer.”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“Since the start of the decade, it has been a legal requirement for Finns to have access to broadband.”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“Once dominated by forestry, which has lessened in importance in line with the decrease in demand for paper due to digital reading habits, Finland's economy is now as much or more about technology and services.”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“Finland is not Scandinavia, nor is it Russia. Nevertheless, Finnish tradition owes something to both cultures. But the modern Finn is staunchly independent. The long struggle for emancipation and the battle to survive in a harsh environment have engendered an ordered society that solves its own problems in its own way. They have also given birth to the Finnish trait of sisu, often translated as ‘gutsâ€�, or the resilience to survive prolonged hardship. Even if all looks lost, a Finn with sisu will fight â€� or swim, or run, or work â€� valiantly until the final defeat. This trait is valued highly, with the country’s heroic resistance against the Red Army in the Winter War usually thought of as the ultimate example.”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“Finland hits the headlines every now and then for the fact that its speeding fines are based on income. You're a multimillionaire doing 80km/h in a 50km/h zone? Expect a fine of â‚�100,000 or moreâ€�”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“Finns have a deep and abiding love of their country’s forests and lakes. In July Finland is one of the world’s most relaxing, joyful places to be â€� a reason Finns traditionally have not been big travellers. After the long winter, why miss the best their country has to offer? Finns head en masse for the mökki (summer cottage) from midsummer until the end of the July holidays. Most Finns of any age could forage in a forest for an hour at the right time of year and emerge with a feast of fresh berries, wild mushrooms and probably a fish or two. City-dwelling Finns are far more in touch with nature than most of their European equivalents.”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“No matter where you are in Finland, you’ll never be far from a sauna.”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“Few countries have such an obsession with cars as Finland. The interest goes right down the scale, from watching Formula One to changing the oil in the old Datsun parked outside.”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“There’s a definite depressive streak in Finns, more so than in their western neighbours. While they aren’t among Europe’s biggest drinkers per capita, the incidence of alcoholism is high. The winter darkness can strain even the most optimistic soul â€� seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is significant here and suicide levels are higher than the comfortable standard of living would predict. The melancholic trend is reflected in Finnsâ€� love of darkly themed music and lyrics of lost love”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“Finns have one of the lowest rates of church attendance in the Christian world.
Various Lutheran revivalist movements are seeking to combat this and are often in the news. The ultra-conservative Laestadian movement”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“Finland has one of the most storming metal scenes around.”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“Jazz is also very big in Finland, with huge festivals at Pori and Espoo”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“Most hotels offer a free buffet breakfast. Finns tend to eat their biggest meal of the day at lunchtime, so many cafes and restaurants put on a lounas special (of buffet) from Monday to Friday. Weekend brunssi (brunch) has become a big deal in the cities. Finns have dinner as early as 5pm. It's often just a light meal, but will eat much later if it’s an organised, ‘going out for dinnerâ€� affair.”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“Big towns all have a kauppahalli (covered market), which is the place to head for all sorts of Finnish specialities, breads, cheeses, deli produce, meat and a super variety of both fresh and smoked fish. It’s also a top place for a cheap feed, with cafes and stalls selling sandwiches and snacks.”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“The Finns lead the world in kahvi (coffee) consumption. While the distinctive standard Finnish brew can be found everywhere, smarter cafes and restaurants will have espresso machines.”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“Finns drink plenty of olut (beer). Among the major local brews are Karhu, Koff, Olvi and Lapin Kulta. The big brands are all lagers, but you'll also find speciality brewers including MalmgÃ¥rd, a 1614-established, hydro-powered estate. Its beers can be found around Finland.”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“Beer, wine and spirits are sold by the state network, Alko. There are stores in every town. The legal age for drinking is 18 for beer and wine, and 20 for spirits.”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“Den stora världen är farlig, där är det ingen som känner till en och vet vad man tycker om och vad man är rädd för.”
― Tove Jansson, Moominsummer Madness

“Finns are rightly proud of the strong foundations of their society. Famously high tax rates mean the nation is well equipped to look after its citizenry with some of the world’s best health care and education. Despite the high excise on alcohol, Finns appreciate the reliable public transport and world-class universities, libraries and other infrastructure these same taxes afford. Like much of the world, the country is holding its breath as ageing baby boomers retire and it attempts to maintain high pensions.”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“Partly thanks to Helsinki’s Sibelius Academy, Finnish musical education is among the best in the world, with Finnish conductors, singers and musicians performing with some of the world’s top orchestras. There are some excellent classical-music festivals in Finland.”
― Lonely Planet Finland

“Ei ehkä liity kovin kiinteästi tähän, mutta kerron kuitenkin vielä, että Italian televisiossa meteorologi voi seistä koko säätiedotuksen ajan sääkartan edessä, ja sanomattakin on selvää, että mitään tällaista ei â€� sateita kiihkeästi tarkkailevassa ja sateita saavassa â€� Suomessa voisi koskaan kohutta tehdä. Suomessa sääkartan edessä seisominen olisi sama kuin laahaisi maassa siniristilippua.”
― Marjo Katriina Saarinen, Kaikki päivän tunnit

“Bugün Çad'da doÄŸan bir çocuÄŸun Finlandiya'da doÄŸan bir çocuÄŸa kıyasla beÅŸinci doÄŸum gününden önce ölme olasılığı 50 kat daha fazladır.”
― Bill Gates, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, The New Climate War, The Rare Metals War 3 Books Collection Set

“You should not take more than you nees”
― Sami Saying

“You should not take more than you need”
― Sami Saying

“Finland â€� a country that is a dilute solution of land in water”
― Steve Jones, Almost Like a Whale: The Origin of Species

“It is rather amazing that the Finns appeared not to have realized that their refusal to participate in operations against the Soviet Union after they had secured the lost territories at East Karelia that the achievement of their own goals was totally dependent on Germany achieving its goal of destroying the Soviet Union. Germany’s failure to do so, either because of a military defeat or because of a negotiated settlement would jeopardize Finland’s position. If Germany lost the war, the very existence of Finland came into question. It therefore made virtually no difference what the Finnish war aims were as they were intrinsically linked to those of Germany. It is nevertheless extraordinary that the Germans did not press the Finns for more definite answers regarding their participation in achieving the two main German objectives: operations against Leningrad, and the cutting of the Murmansk railroad. The failure to do so became a major bone of contention and should have been anticipated. Carl von Clausewitz wrote: ‘no war is begun, or at least no war should begin, if people acted wisely without first finding the answer to the question: what is to be attained by and in war?”
― Henrik O. Lunde, Finland's War Of Choice: The Troubled German-Finnish Coalition in World War II

“Ei hyvä joukkueurheilija Suomessa ole koskaan ollut tärkeä, mutta anna olla, jos hän on hyvä ja erikoinen luvista ja säännöistä piittaamaton â€� hän on heti suosikki. Aito suomalainen taistelija ei kumartele ketään.”
― Alpo Suhonen

“There is a pot of coarse oat porridge with bilberries, a whole side of smoked salmon on a waney-edged plank and venison black pudding as crumbly as chocolate cake. Nettles are pressed into crispbread like leaves on a frozen pond. A sleigh ride from Lapland, snow falling and faced with the breakfast of my dreams, I spoon cakes of potato and kale onto my plate to eat with slices of beetroot-cured salmon. I drink glowing red lingonberry juice from a shot glass that feels like a transfusion and stir a compote of berries into my yoghurt.”
― Nigel Slater, A Thousand Feasts: Small Moments of Joyâ€� A Memoir of Sorts