] Tolkien's High Elvish language, Quenya, was inspired by
] Finnish. Tolkien taught himself Finnish in order to read
] the Kalevala, a 19th-century compilation of old Finnish
] songs and stories arranged by Elias Lönnrot into a linear
] epic poem and completed in 1835 and revised in the
] mid-1800s.

Tolkien's Elvish was based on a language from the "Viena Karelia" region, near the Finnish border. Which means that that area of Finland is now on the list of, "places that Elonka is going to travel to someday." ;)

If you're really bored, and would like to see a complete list of places I've already been to (along with my rules for "what counts as a country"), check here:
 http://members.aol.com/elonka/allcountries.htm

Elonka :)

Finland and Tolkien's Languages