"It's one of those countries in that part of the world that everything sounds more or less the same, but with only slight differences so that I am never really sure which one is which, but they're all pretty fuckin' chill. Also vikings are from around there, but not necessarily this one specifically."
This same thought crosses my mind if you were to ask about Denmark, or Sweden, or Switzerland. They're all homogenized in my head.
It's really far away and kind of expensive for tourists so I'll likely never go. Sounds like a great country though. Maybe if I wind up with a Finnish lass in Australia we can visit her family. I like the sound of their natural social distancing, but as an Aussie, we're a big country with few people so our personal space is pretty good too.
As an ignorant American I'm saddened to say, very little. One thing that comes to mind is Simo Häyhä.
I cant forget Linus Torvalds. The third most influential person in my life behind Thompson and Ritchie. Without these three I would never have found one of my greatest joys, coding.
I think of the pictures of snowy landscapes crowned with ethereal lights dancing in the night.
Stories from my dad about a Finish violin maker who used to hitchhike everywhere dad used to give frequent rides to.
Birch barks white shimmer through the green leaves … that must have been taken last year or further back in history, since now it is still wintery in finalnd, and birch is empty.
It seems like a great place with a decent government and society. The few Finnish people I've met over the years have all been really cool and/or smart and/or hilarious.
Great public transit, safe bike infrastructure (so safe they bike in the snow!), and a happy chill country that tries to be great for all their citizens (unlike the US which only cares about the rich)
Power metal, rallying, forests, snow, reindeer, personal space, a language with a very musical-sounding rhythm and grammar that I don't understand in the slightest, and that one video of a man swearing at a bear because it's in his garden
That’s Ahti. A recurring character in Remedy games. I saw him first in Alan Wake 2 and just met him in Control. I’m not sure if he is just some kind of human anomaly or a god. But he is a fan favourite and a treasure ❤️
Edit: Also he has the heaviest finish accent I’ve ever heard. To the point his clues sound more like riddles to an English speaking person. Which comes from him trying to use Finish proverbs or even grammar while speaking English.
Expanding on what rustyfish wrote: a lot of wired stuff happens in those games and Ahti never acknowledges any of it. He is the janitor and he is mopping the floor. He will ask you to fetch something mundane like a tool from the basement which by pure coincidence is the exact place and time you need to be to save the world. He appears in places he should never have been able to get to. You had to fight through many enemies to get there, Ahti is just there.
He is the janitor of the universe, making sure things are how they should be. And then he goes to sing songs at the community center.