The Raven on the Writing Desk: Finland

I have this affection for Finland. I mean, on most people's list of "I want to go there" Finland is not generally near the top, or even on it, at least, the people I have had this conversation with. I guess it started when I discovered the band HIM. 5 Finnish born, amazingly talented men who pour just the right amount of doom, gloom, guitars and keyboards, along with sinfully luscious vocals by Ville Valo and I was hooked. (They, after more years than I will soon be wanting to admit, reign as my favorite band) Upon discovering HIM though, and reading a bit about them and I thought "Finland, Hmm, there's a place you don't hear about everyday" so I went and got the European travel book out of the bookcase and flipped over to the Finland section. It was beautiful. Not in the fairytale way of Kent in England, or the pastoral way of the French countryside, but in a wonderful way none the less, a way that I can't even fully describe. Maybe that's just because I'm tired, and seem to have already exhausted my list of adjectives. What ever reason, I became more entranced by Finland, and the Finnish people. So what did I do? I bought a book. And read about Finnish people. After listening to a couple of Ville Valo's interviews in Finnish, and hearing how beautiful the language is, I started listening to other stuff in Finnish, because I liked how it sounded. I even bought another book (really, you should see my apartment, the books outnumber all other possessions including clothes. I could have an army of books) on Finnish language and started reading it. I didn't get very far in my study though, because, well, I got busy. But I know a few words, and it is still on my list of things do. And the How to speak Finnish book often gets very interesting looks when people come over for the first time and are nonchalantly trying to see what on earth all of those books are about. So I haven't been there, yet, but I plan to go. For now, I leave you with a few pictures from Finland and one very interesting link. If you click it you will be taken to a web cam from the Yllas ski resort in Finland. They have archives on the side, so you can see what it looked like there going back for months. Okay, after typing that, I see that it sounds rather boring, but, I enjoy looking at it every once in a while and maybe you will too.

These four photos are from Heikki Alanen's site.

Lake Finland or Lake Saimaa