By Terri Mapes
Scandinavia Travel Expert, about.com
You may have seen photographs of the natural beauty of Finland and dreamed of vacationing there one day. You may be yearning to explore the medieval towns, visit the markets and festivals and have a nice relaxing vacation. Don't do it - it's not what you think. Here are my top reasons why NOT to visit Finland:
[post_ads]1. It's expensive! Just getting to Finland
itself is very expensive, and if you do manage to get yourself there,
you will be shocked at how expensive everything is. Sure you could go
there and have a nice time looking around, but if you plan on eating
while you are there you may want to bring your life savings with you.
From accommodations to shopping to dining - it is all very expensive.
2. The food sucks, in my opinion. Traditional Finnish food is not very appealing - ever heard of Nakkikastike? It's a traditional Finnish food which is essentially a sauce made from hot dogs usually served with potatoes - yum! And if that isn't appetizing, you could try the mustamakkara, also called "blood sausage" as one of the ingrediants is pig blood - yuck!
2. The food sucks, in my opinion. Traditional Finnish food is not very appealing - ever heard of Nakkikastike? It's a traditional Finnish food which is essentially a sauce made from hot dogs usually served with potatoes - yum! And if that isn't appetizing, you could try the mustamakkara, also called "blood sausage" as one of the ingrediants is pig blood - yuck!
Unless these foods sound appealing to you, you may
want to avoid restaurants claiming to serve traditional Finnish foods
and stick with McDonalds.
3. It is depressing - Long, dark, dreary, depressing winters where it gets dark mid-afternoon and stays that way until late morning. Sounds like an ideal travel destination! Of course with the Finnish weather conditions so depressing for half of the year or longer, there are bound to be lots of very depressed people in this country, which explains why so many Finnish people drink so much (see my next point).
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4. Drunk people - If you do for some reason find yourself visiting Finland, you should be very careful when going out at night as there happens to be a LOT of excessive drinking happening in Finland, and it is not uncommon to see random drunk people brawling in the streets at night. This makes it dangerous for travelers to be out on the streets at night, so use caution if you find yourself in such a situation.
5. Crime rates - The crime rate in Finland has risen dramatically in the past twenty years, and they have one of the highest crime rates in all of Europe, most of it in the capital Helsinki. After reading my previous point, it's no surprise to find out that the majority of violent crimes in Finland happen under the influence of alcohol, and about half of theft crimes involve alcohol as well. 61% to 75% percent of homicides committed in Finland were committed under the influence of alcohol. This is another reason to stay away from the drunken Finnish people! Or just stay out of Finland!
In conclusion, after reading these points it should be clear that there are many reasons why not to visit Finland. With all this negativity I think it's only fair that I give a few reasons why you should visit Finland, so here goes. If you are looking to spend your entire life savings, eat something really fishy, or possibly get robbed or get beaten up by a drunken local then yes, Finland is a great tourist destination!
3. It is depressing - Long, dark, dreary, depressing winters where it gets dark mid-afternoon and stays that way until late morning. Sounds like an ideal travel destination! Of course with the Finnish weather conditions so depressing for half of the year or longer, there are bound to be lots of very depressed people in this country, which explains why so many Finnish people drink so much (see my next point).
[post_ads_2]
4. Drunk people - If you do for some reason find yourself visiting Finland, you should be very careful when going out at night as there happens to be a LOT of excessive drinking happening in Finland, and it is not uncommon to see random drunk people brawling in the streets at night. This makes it dangerous for travelers to be out on the streets at night, so use caution if you find yourself in such a situation.
5. Crime rates - The crime rate in Finland has risen dramatically in the past twenty years, and they have one of the highest crime rates in all of Europe, most of it in the capital Helsinki. After reading my previous point, it's no surprise to find out that the majority of violent crimes in Finland happen under the influence of alcohol, and about half of theft crimes involve alcohol as well. 61% to 75% percent of homicides committed in Finland were committed under the influence of alcohol. This is another reason to stay away from the drunken Finnish people! Or just stay out of Finland!
In conclusion, after reading these points it should be clear that there are many reasons why not to visit Finland. With all this negativity I think it's only fair that I give a few reasons why you should visit Finland, so here goes. If you are looking to spend your entire life savings, eat something really fishy, or possibly get robbed or get beaten up by a drunken local then yes, Finland is a great tourist destination!
This article is an independently written opinion piece, and is not intended to reflect everyone's views.
