Τhe Land of Ice and Snow

Stratovarius is a Finnish power metal band.(last released CD,2005)
Their name is a blend of Stradivarius violin and Stratocaster guitar
Power-metal works:Destiny(video)Infinity(video)Hunting High And Low(video)Visions,For ever free(video)

The land of ice and snow-Η Γη των Πάγων και του Χιονιού
Where the midnight sun blows-εκεί όπου o Ηλιος του Μεσονυχτίου φυσά
Hundred thousand lakes glow-και Χίλιες Λίμνες λάμπουν
In the land of ice and snow-στη γη των πάγων και του χιονιού

Nothern lights guide our way-Το Βόρειο Σέλας μας οδηγεί
Come whatever may-ό,τι κι αν συμβεί
Forest god protects our day-Ο Θεός του Δάσους μας βοηθά να επιζήσουμε
In the land of ice and snow-στη γη των πάγων και του χιονιού

Where Koskenkorva flows-εκεί όπου η βότκα Κόσκενκόρβα ρέει
Where the freezing wind blows-όπου οι παγωμένοι άνεμοι φυσούν
Summer nights are white and warm-Οι καλοκαιρινές νύχτες είναι λευκές και ζεστές
In the land of ice and snow-στη γη των πάγων και του χιονιού

Some might say that we are cold-Μερικοί ίσως μας πουν ψυχρούς
Don’t believe all that’s been told-Μην πιστέψεις,αυτό που λεν
Our hearts are made of gold-Οι καρδιές μας είναι από χρυσάφι
In the land of ice and snow-στην γη των πάγων και το χιονιού

We didn’t bow under oppression-δεν λυγίσαμε στην καταπίεση
We fought and we died-Παλέψαμε και πεθάναμε
Redeemed in blood-λυτρώσαμε με αίμα
The land of ice and snow-τη γη των πάγων και του χιονιού

Here I was born and here I’ve lived-Εδώ γεννήθηκα,εδώ ζώ
And one day here I will die-εδώ θα πεθάνω
Under nothern starry sky-κάτω από το βορινό έναστρο ουρανό
In the land of ice and snow-στη Γή από Πάγο και Χιόνι

1.Jean Sibelius(1865-1957)The father of finnish romantic classical music
(Γιαν Σιμπέλιους)

Finlandia is a symphonic poem written in 1899-1900,to incite Finnish independence from the government of the Russian Empire (see Grand Duchy of Finland )On December 6,1917 after the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, Finland declared its independence. In 1918, the country experienced a brief but bitter Civil War that coloured domestic politics for many years. The Civil War was fought between "the Whites", who gained support from the West, and "the Reds", supported by Bolsheviks.(novel Under the Northern Star-Väinö Linna)During World War II, Finland fought three wars: the Winter War (1939-1940) against the Soviet Union, the Continuation War(1941-1944) against the Soviet Union, and the Lapland War (1944-1945) against Germany.

Famous Finns

2.Mikael Agricola (1510-1557)protestant clergyman,the father of finnish written language
3.Linus Torvalds (1969-)father of Linux,the most prominent example of free software and open source development
4.Jorma Ollila, CEO of the old finnish Nokia Corporation (1992-2006)
5.Jarkko Oikarinen – creator of IRC (Internet Relay Chat)
6.Johan Helsingius – creator of penet remailer(ανώνυμο remailer)
7.Tatu Ylönen – creator of SSH,secure shell net protocol

8.Martti Ahtisaari-former finnish president and UN diplomat and mediator
9.Tarja Halonen-first female president of Finland
10.Miina Sillanpää(1866-1952) first finnish female minister(1926-27)
The first European country(worldwide South Australia in 1894) to introduce women's suffrage was Finland, where women were granted the right both to vote (universal and equal suffrage) and to stand for election in 1906. The world's first female members of parliament were also in Finland, when in the 1907 parliamentary election 19 women were elected to Parliament of Finland.

11.Artturi Ilmari Virtanen-chemist and recipient of the 1945 Nobel Prize in Chemistry,for his research and inventions in agricultural and nutrition chemistry, especially for his fodder preservation method.
12.Ragnar Granit, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1967 for describing the different types of light-sensitive cells in the eye and how light interacts with them.

13.Paavo Nurmi – runner, 9 Olympic gold medals (1897 – 1973)
14.Jari Litmanen famous finnish soccer player
15.Mika Häkkinen –Twice Formula I Champion. (See the term "Flying Finn",Ιπτάμενος Φινλανδός(winter sports,ski,ice hockey,motocrosss,rally-race)

16.Tove Jansson – children's female author of Moomin cartoons
17-18.Kaurismäki Brothers,Aki and Mika,film directors.
19.Karita Mattila, soprano.
20.Alvar Aalto,architect,the father of nordic modernism.
21.Mika Waltari writer,best known for his novel ''The Egyptian"
22.Akseli Gallen-Kallela,painter,best known for his illustrations of the Kalevala,the national finnish epic,that was compiled by the finn philologist 23. Elias Lönnrot.

24.Joulupukki-the finnish Santa Claus. :-)

and the Helsinki 2007 Eurovision Song Contest ...the best ever...

FINLAND-WIKIPEDIA/ΦΙΝΛΑΝΔΙΑ-ΒΙΚΙΠΑΙΔΕΙΑ

Pioneeri euroopalainen Valtio/Pioneer European State
(surpassing the geographical difficulties and the lingual isolation)

Pioneer in industrialized Economy,Communications,Ecotourism,Immigration policy,Freedom of Speech,Human Rights and Feminism.

.. more about Finland? ->http://www.finlandforthought.net/
an American immigrant's blog in Finland

Περισσότερα για τη Φινλανδία -> από τον Ovi(greek Thanos Kalamidas)(english Asa Butcher) και το Ovimagazine
(Ovi means Door in suomi)
...and your window on Finland...
*http://virtual.finland.fi/*