Most tourists see Finland from the deck of a cruise ship with brief forays into Helsinki, a modern European city where most people speak English and 93 percent of the adolescents own cell phones (Finland is the home of Nokia). About 75 percent of Finland's 5.2 million inhabitants live in Helsinki and several other large cities in the southern third of the country.

The urbanization of Finland means that thousands of square miles of forests and lakes have become a paradise for rural living, nature lovers, campers, hikers and backpackers.

We were interested not in the industrialized and modernized Helsinki, but the east-central section of Finland, which offers a remarkably different experience. Our journey to North Karelia was reminiscent of simpler, gentler times ... as if one were a time-traveler back to the mid-'50s in the United States.

Finland was under Swedish rule from the 12th to the 19th centuries and then under Russian control after 1809. It was not until 1917, after the Russian Revolution, that the country won independence.

Karelia is an ancient tribal area that has been constantly divided between Russian and present-day Finland. During World War II, Finland resisted invasions by the Soviet Union — albeit with assistance from Germany — and loss of territory, particularly parts of Karelia, to the Soviet Union following the war. The present boundary between Finland and Russia was established in 1947.

Finnish North Karelia is one of the poorest and least-populated areas of the country, having experienced a huge exodus of the population to more urban areas from the 1960s through the 1980s. However, we found none of the signs of poverty (abandoned cars, boarded-up storefronts, or homeless people) that one sees in parts of the U.S.

Finland was the only Nordic state to switch to the euro and possesses a modern economy comparable to other countries in Western Europe. It is a social democracy providing education, housing and medical care equally to all.

After flying into Helsinki and spending one "recovery" day touring the beautiful city, a half-day's drive got us to Joensuu, a pretty little city of about 52,000 at the southern edge of North Karelia. We were eager to start our trek, so we drove for another couple of hours to the headquarters of Patvinsuo Park, one of Finland's many large national parks.

Finland has dozens of such parks with many trails of varying lengths. None are difficult because Finland has no large mountains. North Karelia, in particular, is billed as "the walker's paradise."

In the heart of this remote but accessible area, Patvinsuo Park boasts several short and long trails through forests, across bogs and rivers, and winding around the lakes that comprise 23 percent of the nation's land area.

In the U.S., a park of this magnitude would have a major complex at its entrance: tourist center; wildlife displays; water slides; stores and shops selling T-shirts and key rings; traffic jams; and no parking for latecomers. Yet the center of this huge park consists of three rustic wooden buildings deserted in late June. The Finns all take vacation in July, and many travel to other countries for their adventures; Estonia, Sweden and Russia (especially St. Petersberg) are all within a day's drive or half-day ferry excursion from Helsinki.

There was parking galore in the dirt area by the "headquarters." In fact, only two deserted vehicles were in evidence at the entrance to one of the main trails. The moral (which we learned too late) is that if you need hiking and backpacking supplies, don't assume you can find them at the park headquarters; get them in Helsinki or stop in Joensuu.

BOGS, LICHENS, FLOWERS

After a 10-minute drive from park headquarters down a small, partially paved road, passing no cars along the way, we arrived at the trailhead for Susitaival (Wolf) Trail, one of the "Karelian Circuit" treks. Fifty-six miles long, the route meanders through woodlands and boggy fields covered with white flowers, following rivers and old logging roads, and at times passing through primeval forests.

We were attracted to this trail by the vivid descriptions in tourist brochures: wolves and bears still frequent the area, and moose hide in the underbrush. The trail seems to belong to them, as their scat is apparent all along the route. We encountered several local residents used to seeing wolves, bears and many moose.

But our most frequent encounter was with smaller predators: mosquitoes! Finland is no different than Alaska, Minnesota or Canada in the early summer; mosquitoes and small, biting black flies are abundant. Potent insect repellent, mosquito-netting hats, and a gentle temperament will enhance your enjoyment of the journey.

In the U.S., this hike would be a major route for backpackers who don't want to climb mountains, beautiful scenery, remote location and the opportunity to view wildlife. There would be campsites overflowing with fellow trekkers sharing stories and showing off gnat bites. Not so in North Karelia. This is the outback of lower Finland. No human sounds or signs intrude for miles. (In our experience, three days of hiking produced no sign of humanity.)

This is close to "the land of the midnight sun" — twilight arrived around midnight and lasted for two hours until the sun reappeared. Complete peace and quiet surrounded our tent.

Although there are small cabins and campsites, these are few and far between ... a curiously too-convenient one appears at the beginning of the trail (perhaps for those who have succumbed to the mosquitoes or muck in the first 100 yards of the trail), but none are apparent for the next 12 miles. Although park brochures brag about the shelters on all the Karelian trails, we were relieved to have brought a tent.

We did not prepare well. We had no topographical map, just a small leaflet describing the trail and providing a very rough outline of its route. We would have gotten seriously lost, many times, in miles of wilderness, except that the trail is extremely well-marked.

In late June, we also could have been mired in bogs, but we were fortunate enough to encounter dry weather. The ground was only spongy and full of an incredible variety of mosses, lichens and mushrooms, not to mention vast fields of white and purple wildflowers. At every waterway (mostly natural sluices in the middle of a boggy forest) there were log crossings. Several of these consisted of one good log and a few rotten pieces of wood; they were a bit tricky to negotiate with a heavy backpack, but for those with minimal balance it is possible to avoid falling waist-deep into bog water. The acres-wide, flower-strewn open bogs are equipped with very sturdy wood planks across the most water-soaked areas.

A PRIVATE SAUNA

In keeping with the time-travel feel, we felt like Huckleberry Finn at two river crossings, equipped with well-maintained wood rafts with rope pulls to reach the other side. One large river crossing provided the opportunity to take in the serenity, purify a gallon of water, rest in the river breeze, and snack on Finnish herring with homemade bread (and delicious berries if one remembered to stop at a town before the trek began, since in later summer, trekkers can pick wild berries along the route if the bears allow).

The settlement of Narva is the only place to exit the trail before its end far to the south. With a bit of an uphill gasp through a vast field of multicolored flowers, we arrived at a narrow paved road. Our map showed Narva as a small town complete with shops, two bed-and-breakfasts, and other amenities. However, we found something far more charming: several houses, but no people in evidence at first glance. A "road sign," which in fact displayed the name of the family that owns the place (Hirvonen), indicated a large field for camping; another sign hinted that a sauna awaited us.

As we collapsed in the field and struggled out of our backpacks, an elderly man approached us. He spoke no English but had a broad smile and spoke in welcoming tones. He retrieved his English-speaking son, who not only provided a homemade cabin, complete with kitchen, bath and view across a spectacular wilderness of forests, lakes and rivers, but also drove 20 miles to pick up groceries, at no extra charge (the local grocery had closed two years previously after the out-migration of residents).

A wood-burning sauna was prepared for us every evening, at the time we specified. Fresh birch boughs created a bouquet to spank our sleepy bodies into increased circulation while we steamed in the hand-built, pine-walled, spacious and entirely private compartment. Between saunas, we sat in the evening sun to cool off in silence, alone with the view and a couple of frosty beers.

Except for one retired couple who made a brief stop, there were no other travelers during a three-night stay in this idyllic setting.

Getting back to the car from Narva was an interesting adventure. We had planned to take a bus, but despite an elaborate network of bus signs and bus stops on country roads, there were no buses — they don't run in the summer in North Karelia.

By chance, our Narva host worked as a taxi driver in a town about 40 minutes away, and he graciously agreed to take us to our car, one hour's drive along unpaved forest roads. The charge: 20 euros, less than it costs to go to Honolulu airport from Kaimuki.

We hoped he knew the roads well, because he drove with considerable abandon. At one point, he waved to a group of loggers who no doubt went to high school with him. During the early morning trip to our car, a search for wildlife on the road netted only hares (the size of many dogs in Hawai'i) and a mole. If we had been lucky, we might have seen a moose or a bear. The driver reported that a neighbor in Narva found a bear scavenging in her garbage just the night before.

Unbeknownst to us, our taxi-driver host waited for 15 minutes while we discussed routes. He wanted to make sure our car started; an example of the thoughtfulness we encountered among all the Finnish people we met.

One would think it was incredible luck to find such a wonderful place to stay, such friendly and considerate hosts. But more kindness awaits the visitor who spends several days in North Karelia.

On a small road north of the park, we stopped at Loma Kitsi, which is billed as a "holiday village." This seems to mean that groups can stay for retreats; many of these appear to be religious youth groups. A minister from the group staying at Loma Kitsi translated for the hostess, who had just finished preparing breakfast for 30 hungry teenagers and was about to start lunch. She quickly adjusted her time frame and prepared a full brunch for the two strangers from Hawai'i. As in many remote locations in the southeast U.S., the place was full of stuffed bird specimens, photos of neighbors, religious memorabilia and very friendly local people.

RURAL AND REMOTE

We found that one doesn't have to hike on the long trails to find serenity, beauty and a feeling of the past in Karelia. There are a number of day hikes in the region. We took the Tilikka trail in Kansallipuisto National Park. This is a 6.7-mile circle through a bird refuge. As on our long trek, no one else was on the trail, although various clues indicated that it is a favorite outing for early-morning walkers and bicyclists from nearby towns.

We crossed numerous bogs, again covered with white flowers and the now-familiar wooden planks. This time, the planks seemingly went forever into the distance, broken only by small hills and forests. This was a more civilized trail with well-furnished campsites every few miles. Each was equipped with cut wood and benches around fire pits, for families or the Finnish equivalent of Boy Scouts.

Even at midday, birds were abundant; wild swans called loudly to each other as they landed and took off from the nearby lakes; curlews tried to distract us from their nests by elaborate aerial maneuvers. The silence was broken by motorbikes from a nearby road; this seemed all the more incredible given the feeling that one had moved back in time, and its brevity did not, in the end, detract from the impression of a remote forest trail.

Feeling that we were getting the hang of trekking in Finland (lots of Zeet is the answer), we drove to our evening destination, stopping at a roadside restaurant. (There are no big chain restaurants in North Karelia, no expressways with signs to exit for food or gas, so this and all other eateries are unique.)

The place was almost empty, except for a few construction workers having a beer on the sunny deck. The young waitress explained that she is from Russia, her husband is Finnish and they had decided to abandon the city and raise huskies in Karelia. She issued an invitation to her husky farm. It reminded us of the back-to-the-country movement of the 1960s; perhaps the migration to the cities will be countered by these young people, willing to work very hard to succeed at a less-urban lifestyle. The European Union helped to finance this young couple's adventure, in addition to many other start-up businesses.

In the evening, we stayed in Ruunaan Maikalu, at a complex very like those in the Poconos of upstate New York in the '50s. Small cottages were scattered in the woods, and there was a central building where people could gather for drinks and food. A lovely porch view and a breeze to keep the mosquitoes away encouraged us to linger.

We asked for "the best drink" of the house, and the manager prepared it: a local drink concocted, in old-time sexist fashion, for "real men." A so-called "mixed drink," the small glass contained Finnish vodka (Kostenkorva, a clear liquor made from barley) and cranberry liqueur. It was potent! The manager hoped that his charming conversation and creative beverage would lead us to buy expensive jewelry; however, he continued to be charming even when we declined.

And the dinner was delicious — fresh salmon, perfectly cooked vegetables, and complete privacy ... no waiting, no loud neighboring diners, and although the buffet closed at 7 p.m., the chef served us at 9. (Almost all restaurants in this area close early: In Finland, this means by 6:30 p.m. Finns eat their main meal at lunch and snack at dinner.)

At Ruunaan Maikailu, river rafts are available for a ride through a small cut between two lakes. Another long trek (the Bear Trail) goes through Ruunaan Retkeilyalue, another national park. There are waterfalls and rapids to be seen along this route, which appears to be far more popular than our Wolf Trail.

We really did a Kirulean Circuit, returning to a "town" very near Narva. To get to Eramatkailukeskus, we drove for hours on exclusively two-laned, often unpaved roads, rarely encountering other cars. The "town" we selected turned out to be a small locally owned, 10-room inn.

A note on the door said the owners would return at 3:30, so we explored dirt roads that led to incredible lakefront properties. The country's tax structure and geography allow many Finns to own lakefront or forest cottages and vacation homes.

GUESTS BECOME FRIENDS

We decided to return to Eramatkailukeskus for the night, finding that the hotel owners were another couple from the city who had decided to make a go of it in the country. The proprietor is active in an association to provide funding, advice and hope to rural residents who worry about loss of jobs and income. She is also a mountain climber and ex-executive in a computer firm. Like many Finns we met, she was excited about practicing her excellent English, but her partner, a contractor who mills his own lumber and is a fine cabinet-maker, spoke no English.

Again we felt that time had halted during an earlier era. We were treated like friends or relatives: doors were left unlocked; the postman made personal visits to pick up mail. Previous guests were being cared for months later; the hostess created a computer certificate for a group of daring middle-aged women who had rafted the rapids at a nearby river a month earlier. She was not being paid to do this, she just wanted to recognize their accomplishment.

We missed the establishment's periodic country jam sessions, when local musicians play and people from surrounding settlements dance in the lounge/restaurant on the lower floor. In mid-June, the couple was preparing for the national holiday, the beginning of the tourist season when they were expecting a big crowd to party in the atmosphere of a 1950s country dinner/dance establishment.

The huge upper floor of this institution was ours to enjoy with no other guests: a comfortable lounge area, sauna on the same floor, views of the lake down the hill, and a huge bedroom suite. It's a three-star place in the middle of the endless pine forest. Breakfast comes with the cost of lodging — meats, fruit, cereal and breads. A kitchen in an empty large suite was provided free of charge for us to cook our dinner.

WAR DEAD HONORED

Day hikes around the area led us to lakes, river rapids, and old logging roads filled in with ferns and lichen. We could have used the couples' boat to go for a long cruise through several lakes. One country drive leads to a startling discovery: Taxis routinely take people for miles along the dirt roads ... the only cars we passed (one an hour, perhaps) had taxi signs on top, indicating that our Narva host was not unique for North Karelia.

The '50s-era ambience struck us full force at the only restaurant within 50 miles, also a museum full of World War II relics, photos of battles, etc. The Finns are exceedingly proud of the fact that they were able to at least partially repel the Soviet army during World War II (in the "Continuation War"). When the Soviets were overwhelming Estonia, Latvia and all the Eastern-bloc countries, they also invaded this area of Finland, but only a stretch of North Karelia was given up.

The emphasis on the war is akin to the movies of the late 1940s and early 1950s in the U.S.; national pride at defeating an enemy is still very much in evidence. There are many parades and memorials commemorating the bravery of Finnish fighters. At high school graduation in Joensuu, it is a tradition that all of the seniors, and many of the town's population, march through the city to the cemetery and memorial to soldiers killed in World War II.

The people of Karelia are proudly nationalistic and quite worried about an influx of illegal immigrants from Russia.

There is still a "demilitarized zone" between Finland and Russia, which one cannot cross. (We tried; there are surveillance cameras and army observation posts on even the dirt roads.) Many Finns argue for a return of territory lost to the Soviet Union, but the government of Finland has a nonexpansionist foreign policy.

One of us did another stretch of the Wolf Trail, south of Narva, while the other performed drop-off and pick-up duties at dirt-road intersections.

This is a more traveled stretch of the trek. Cobwebs were not abundant across the trail, but, again, there were no fellow trekkers. If you decide to do the whole Wolf Trail, you will find an incredible campsite along this 9-mile stretch: between two lakes; a lean-to; crystal-clear water; precut firewood; and the breeze eliminating the bugs.

NEW GENERATION

A long drive across Finland to Turku on our way back to Helsinki and we were returning to modernity, except for the prevalent "moose crossing" signs. Turku is an ancient city devoted to maintaining the cultural traditions of Finland. Street signs (as in all the big cities) are in both Swedish and Finnish, a testament to the long-term occupation of this area by Sweden. Like most cities and towns in Finland, Turku has an old-time market square with fresh produce, flowers and wonderful plate lunches of small white fishes, fried and served with various rice pilaf combinations.

However, in Turku, as in other Finnish cities, the new generation emerged ... dyed hair, black anti-establishment clothing. We felt we had moved to the late '50s ... the beatniks had arrived, but with cell phones.

Back in Helsinki, preparing for our 26 hours of travel back to Hawai'i, we felt we had experienced a part of Finland missed by most tourists; a place where the Finnish wilderness, traditional customs, and friendly and engaging people provide not only a glimpse of the roots of modern Finland, but also a reminder of our own past.

Nancy A. Stockert is chairwoman of the health promotion program, university health services, at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa. Stephen N. Haynes is professor and chairman of the university's Department of Psychology.

IF YOU GO ...

GETTING THERE: Many connections to Helsinki go through London. Perhaps the most convenient route from Hawai'i is through Los Angeles or San Francisco. There are daily flights from these cities to London. Several airlines fly from London to Helsinki (Finnair, British Airways, KLM).
There is train service in Finland, but the best transportation is a rented car. It's not cheap. The cheapest rate we found was $65 per day, and gasoline was about $5 a gallon. There also are local buses in Karelia, but they don't run in the summer.

WHEN TO GO: If you plan on hiking, July and August are the best months. It can be warm, but the rainy season usually dissipates by that time. Because Finland is almost one-quarter fresh water, bring mosquito repellent. Temperatures vary widely in summer, from 50 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Helsinki and Hawai'i are separated by 11 time zones.

WHAT TO BRING: Stores in the larger cities rent hiking and camping supplies, but it's best to bring everything with you. Tents, sleeping bags and cooking utensils can fit in an easily transportable backpack.

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