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Non-dues Revenue

A Finland and Estonia Experience:

Travel Opportunity after 2023

International Conference in

Tampere, Finland

Finland is bordered by Sweden, Norway, and, in the east, by Russia, and
it is a most wonderful archipelago, surrounded by water. With only 16
people per square kilometer, Finland is among the most sparsely populated
countries in Europe. Most of the people live in the south with its capital
Helsinki and its big cities: Espoo, Tampere, Vantaa, and Turku.
Because the Scandinavian Mountains shield Finland from the Atlantic,
continental high-pressure zones ensure cold winters and comparatively hot
summers. Although summer in the south lasts from May to September, it
starts a whole month later and ends a month earlier in the northernmost
region, Lapland. North of the polar circle, the midnight sun occurs in
summer and the polar night in winter. At the northern tip of Finland, the
sun does not set for 73 days, and in winter it cannot be seen for 51 days.
The most salient feature of Finland is its abundance of lakes. Of its 338,455
square kilometers, 34,534 are inland waterways. Therefore, the country is also
called “Land of the Thousand Lakes.” However, a lake can only be officially
designated as such if it has an area of at least 5 acres, making it all the more
remarkable that there are more than 187,000 lakes in Finland. It is also the most
densely forested country in Europe. Most of it is coniferous forest, with mixed
forests occurring only in the southwest and on the offshore archipelago. Everybody
is allowed to pick berries and mushrooms regardless of who owns the forest.
Moose are so numerous that they become a problem in road
traffic, and reindeer can be found in the north. The number of brown
bears and lynx is growing steadily due to protective measures.

Traveling in Finland
Usually, travelers start their journey in the capital, Helsinki. But because
the 2023 DKG International Conference in Europe will take place in Tampere,
DKG members might be happy to come a few days earlier and explore this
city of museums. Tampere is situated between two lakes, the Näsijärvi and the
Pyhäjärvi, both connected by the Tammerkoski Rapids. Each lake has a harbor.
A tourist attraction is the Särkänniemi Park with its planetarium
and a tower with a revolving restaurant. A must-see is the cathedral of
Tampere and the orthodox church. Of the more than 20 museums, the
Muumimuseo is the most popular. It is dedicated to author Tove Jansson.

Collegial Exchange · 59