Finland, Europe travel resource.

Finland,Europe.

There is an expression -- "as talkative as a Finn" -- meaning, of course, just the opposite. It is true that Finns are prone to long silences and bouts of shyness; nevertheless, when the mood is upon them (and it can strike at any time) Finns can be as lively and talkative as people from any other nation.
To visitors, Finland can appear to be two countries -- one in winter, another in summer. In winter, you'll find a people hunkered down for a long twilight, when the sun never quite rises. It's then that the Finnish character trait known as sisu -- a sort of melancholy fatalism -- prevails, and it might take a group sauna to melt the Finns' seemingly cool reserve. But in summer, when the sun never quite sets, you'll find a lively, outgoing people who never seem to rest. Residents prolong the midnight sun through outdoor music and arts festivals. Long days mean more time for galleries, museums, cafes, live music of all kinds and, especially, the great outdoors. The country has an abundance of scenic lakes, islands, forests and pristine wilderness to explore, and a Finn is never more at home than in the countryside, where most residents have a cottage with a lakeside sauna to which they retreat on weekends. At other times, Finns flock to galleries and museums in numbers rarely seen in other countries, and Finland is said to have the highest rate of newspaper readership in the world (as well as the world's highest intake of coffee per capita). Finns take their culture and traditions seriously -- and expect the same from visitors. The visitor to Finland, whatever his or her tastes, will find much to delight, amuse, inform and enchant.