Al-Ahram Weekly 17 - 23 June 1999 Issue No. 434
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875

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Different milieu, different climate

By Rania Khallaf

Jets carry people to different parts of the world so quickly that there is hardly time to adjust. Having suffered the traffic congestion, inhaled the car fumes and wilted under the noise pollution en route to Cairo Airport, I was somewhat astonished by the prevailing calm in Helsinki, my destination. I took a bus from the airport to the city centre and when I arrived at the hotel I innocently asked my Finnish partner, "Where is everyone?" She simply smiled and it was only later that I understood that this was just one of the vast differences between the two capitals -- Cairo and Helsinki.

Finland, a republic in Northern Europe and a member of the European Union since 1995, is bordered by Sweden to the west, Norway in the north, Russia in the east and Estonia in the south. It is a sparsely populated country of just five million people, with unspoiled countryside and a capital within easy reach of everyone. I could not help but mentally compare it with Egypt's some 60 million spread out over the Delta, the Nile Valley, distant oases and many major cities aside from Cairo.

Visitors get their introduction to Finland and its culture in Helsinki and I soon realised that there was no crash course to help newcomers acclimatise. This is a country of great diversity and unique characteristics. I was introduced to the music of Jean Sibelius, saw the modern architecture of Alvar Aalto and heard of the famous runner Paavo Nurmi, of whom the Finns are particularly proud. Initially, I found the locals a little stiff; not very welcoming. I later discovered that they are simply shy of foreigners. As before, I automatically made comparisons with Egypt and I started relating them with Egyptians, who are so used to the sight of strangers, warm in their welcome and keen to go out of their way to make them feel at home.

Helsinki lies in the south of Finland and the weather is relatively moderate, while the northern towns are snow-covered throughout the year. However, it was very cold (five degrees Celsius) during my three-day visit and, like many Egyptians escaping the heat and humidity of Cairo at this time of year, I found myself quite content to walk in heavy rain, even without an umbrella. Construction was taking place in earnest in the streets -- not surprising as the city has been chosen as the European capital for the year 2000.

My first excursion was to Ainola in central Finland, the home of Sibelius for over 50 years and where he composed much of his inspirational work. Finland's beautiful lakes, in a way, provide a backdrop to the nature of the Finns and the easygoing lifestyle of the rural villages.

My second trip was from Helsinki to Haapavesi. It took about seven hours by bus but the journey was a delight. Forests and lakes, hills and valleys, different colours and shapes at every turn. I stayed in Haapavesi for almost a week, and travelled to several neighbouring towns. Haapavesi is a beautiful area, which hosts about 8,000 inhabitants. I especially enjoyed the rural surroundings and popular music. I arrived there at night and it was very cold. When, after two days, the temperature soared and the countryside was bathed in sunlight I was told, "You brought the hot weather with you!"

Local ethnic museums gave an insight into life in the countryside in days gone by. I noticed many exclusive camping sites and some farms even offered guests accommodation in a genuine rural setting, serving local food including home-grown vegetables and the Finnish delicacy, salmon, which was grilled in special open ovens.

In cities like Haapavesi and Rahee, which are far distant from the capital, I found the people curious about the Arab world. "Where are you from? What are you doing here?" were frequent questions asked.

The towns along the coast are fairly old, most having been established in the 17th century. Rahee is somewhat typical. It is one of the oldest towns in Finland. It was founded by Count Peter Brahe and ideally located with offshore islands. There are some very old wooden houses in the city and the Rahee Museum, founded in 1862, is small but contains a wide assortment of objects ranging from rare species of wild birds and animals to antiquities from different parts of the world. I did not fail to notice a small collection of Pharaonic vessels. The object of special pride to the Finns is the "Old Gentleman" -- described as the oldest diving suit in the world.

The popularity of cross-country skiing has spread from Scandinavia to continental Europe and I found training centres for those, like myself, who were new to the sport. "Every man's right" is an expression of the freedom to move in the forests and pick berries, mushrooms and strawberries to take home. Of course, the locals keep the best places secret. Fishing is highly popular and a number of ice-fishing contests are held each winter. Game-hunting is also gaining ground as a popular "sporting" activity.

Because of the weather, the sauna -- an old-fashioned smoke sauna -- is a true delight. They can be found everywhere -- in homes, sports clubs, by the shore, and, believe it or not, in the parliament in Helsinki.

My last excursion was to Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland in the north. It is located next to the Arctic Circle where, at the height of winter, the sun never shines and in summer, it stays above the horizon for weeks at a time. The city was rebuilt after World War Two and the plan, the inspiration of Alvar Aalto, is most original: its streets follow the shape of a reindeer's antlers.

Such a city provided a perfect finale to a beautiful trip. The contrast of Lapland and the far north of Finland to my own home in Cairo reminded me of the reason why people should travel in the first place -- to savour different cultures.

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