Ok, I promise to stick to the truth this time around, the frozen man with his assistant were of course only a product of My misleading brain. Today nobody here really cares about the phenomenon called "Suomi-kuva" (the picture of Finland), but still in the 1980-1990 :tees the government in Finland was very concerned about what kind of picture foreigners and visitors got of our country, and what could be done tom improve it (included the impression Finns gave when they visited other countries).
Since we are outnumbered by almost every other nation (inhabitants 5 000 000 +), and thereby an easy boat to turn, it was thought that information would reach everybody, and the Finns would behave more like their brothers and sisters in the European Union. In some ways it must have been a success, but people are people and big changes come slowly.
About foreigners beliefs vs. the truth: Polar bears walk the streets in Rovaniemi, our biggest town in the north; FALSE; as its name tells us, this bear likes to stay in the icy regions of the North Pole. Can be found on Finnish soil, but only in some Zoos.
Finnish drinking habits leave a lot to wish for, drunken Finns can be found any time of the week, or time of the day; TRUE; But things are getting better. Finland, and the other Nordic countries, are moving towards the boozing habits of the rest of Europe, not so heavy drinking (keeping it hidden?). During the transformation from one system to the other. we have to feel the weight from both of them: from Monday to Friday: Vodka , Week-ends: Vine.
There You have it. Only facts as far as the eye can see. (Some problems with the last line, but it's well marked...)
For those who complain about the text being more politics than photography: You don't get the big picture, do You?