Many people have written in this blog about us Finns being reserved, quiet and not so easy to approach. We don’t care much for small talk and blabbering, and we tend to be honest and straightforward. The image of Finns living in a cottage in the middle of a forest, fishing and enjoying the silence of nature is still living strong in people’s minds.
I would like to point out that this is not the only truth about us Finns. Thoug we from time to time need our own space, Finland is also the land of peculiar, extraordinary and unique events and gatherings.
First comes the sport. We are quite competitive in Finland, and we can make a sports competition of about anything. One of my favorites is the swamp soccer championships, that take place every summer. Basically this is about playing soccer in the swamp, there are over two thousand players and two hundred teams involved. At the same time is also held the swamp rock festival, and the spirit of the event is unbelievable.
And have you ever heard about the wife carrying championships? It’s a race where the male competitors carry the female competitors on their shoulder trough a track filled with obstacles. It has it’s roots in the 1800’s when it was apparently common practice to steal women from the neighbouring willages. There are over 80 teams attending this event, many of these foreign also.
Last but not least is of course the beer floating! It is an event where thousands of people float down the Vantaa river in all kinds of self-built or bought rafts and enjoy a beer or two. This event is the perfect example of the crazy and spontanious side of Finns. You come up with an idea, gather some friends and make it happen – in a few years it might have become a tradition for hundreds or even thousands of people!
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