A week in Finland

Three years ago, in the summer of 2006, I went with four friends in Finland. Crazy! I had never traveled so far. It was the first time I traveled outside Spain. And I went to the end of the world.

We spent ten days in Helsinki and Turku. In Turku we enjoyed a rock festival: Ruisrock. Of those three-day festival I took several conclusions about the Finns: are drunkards and a piggy. They are spitting all day!

But I had the fortune to enjoy many rock bands, some of them very good.

In Helsinki, we were driving all over town, walk its streets, museums, parks and markets ...

Someday, I would like to return to Finland. Perhaps to live there.

This is the words you need to know if you want to travel to Finland:

Anteeksi: I'm sorry. The Finns are very educated, and they constantly say sorry.

Kiitos: thanks.

Paljonko maksaa lippu ... ?: How much does the trip to ... ?

Missä on ... ?: Where is ... ?

Olen Eksynyt: I'm lost.

Mitä kuuluu?: How are you?

Mikä Teidän nimenne on?: What's your name?

Nimeni on ... : My name is ...

Puhutteko te englatia / espanjaa / italiae / ranskaa / saskaa?:
Do you speak English / Spanish / Italian / French / German?

Finally, if you do not know Finnish, you can speak English. Almost all Finns speak English. So, don't panic! Finland is a good country to travel. It's safe, quiet and pretty.

Mitä kuuluu

Hei hei mitä kuuluu
Sä kysyt ja kaikki on ok
No hyvä sun on puhuu
Kun sä et tiedä miltä musta tuntuu

Mä oon niin iloinen kun näin sut jossakin
Telkkarissa tai kadulla matkalla jonnekin
Onnelliset kulkee käsikkäin ja hymyillen
Moni paikka kutsuu
Minnekään mä kuulu en

Hei hei mitä kuuluu

Sä kysyt ja kaikki on ok

No hyvä sun on puhuu
Kun sä et tiedä miltä musta tuntuu

Maalasin sut seinälleni sua vain oottaen
Katsot alas minuunpäin kuin mielisairaaseen
Kaisulla on hauskaa
Ainakin mä luulen niin
Kun puolimatkassa joka paikkaan

Aina joudun eksyksiin

Hei hei mitä kuuluu
Sä kysyt ja kaikki on ok
No hyvä sun on puhuu
Kun sä et tiedä miltä musta tuntuu

Mitä kuuluu?: This is the most popular finnish phrase to ask: How are you? Then, the most popular answer is terve, kiitos: fine, thanks.

Mitä kuuluu? > how are you? Terve > Fine.
Kiitos > Thanks.
Kiitos paljon > Thank you very much.

Apulanta is a Finnish rock band, founded in 1991 when its members were in their mid-teens. Initially playing various forms of rock such as punk, ska, and metal, they soon shifted to a catchier, more radio-friendly style, and have been fluctuating between these extremes and many others since. Their more recent songs tend to combine melodic and catchy choruses with heavy guitar riffs.

Lonely Planet Helsinki

Lonely Planet's lightning guide to Helsinki takes in local traditions like saunas and being glued to a mobile phone.