Monday 29 August 2011

The Beautiful North (1) - Finland 美丽北国(1)-芬兰

Finland, an unassuming name representing five million tenacious people doing their own quiet thing so far up north, can be easily overlooked. A modern country with deep traditions, many things about Finland are poles apart. In the summer, the sun never sets. In the winter, it barely rises. The language is unique, mysteriously unrelated to none of its imposing neighbours. The taciturn Finns are expert in communications. While the country is generally meticulous, the Helsinki airport can be inexplicably chaotic when you least expect it.


In my story Man's Last Song, there's a passage on the lakes of Finland in Chapter 2-3 "Isa's Ashes"  http://guo-du.blogspot.com/2010/11/mans-last-song-chapter-2-2-bread.html?spref=tw


芬蘭,一個很女性的國名,代表著五百萬意志頑強的芬蘭人。這個美麗的北國,充滿了異常的極端:一個現代化的國家,帶著深厚的傳統。太陽在夏季不下山;到嚴冬不出來。芬蘭語是個謎,自成一派,與包圍著她的北歐語系和斯拉夫語系,截然不同。芬蘭人沈默寡言,卻是通訊專家。芬蘭的社會,平日井井有條;但赫爾辛基機場,卻偶爾會陷入莫明其妙的混亂。

在「笙歌」第二章之3 「爸爸的骨灰」 中,可以看到幾段描述芬蘭湖景的文字:  http://guo-du.blogspot.com/2010/11/blog-post_23.html?spref=tw



A few pictures from Finland 看看芬蘭:


Most Finns are related to a summer house in the forest, by the lake
大部分的芬兰人都在湖滨森林的渡假屋过夏天

Summer Moon at Midnight
清风朗月,子夜银桥

Finland has 188,000 lakes and 179,584 islands
芬兰有18万8千个湖和18万个小岛

It can be windy at times 刮风的日子
Bird house 雀屋
It's only natural to expect gnomes in this setting
这个环境,的确是培养小精灵的好地方



Lakeside sauna house
湖滨桑拿屋
Sauna is an important part of Finnish family life
一家人桑拿浴是芬兰家庭生活中重要一环



Lots of clean water to wash potatoes
洗幼薯的水多的是,清澈冰凉。

Raclette "hotpot" after sauna
桑拿完毕,来个奶酪烧火锅

Late night by the lake, a lone gull . . .
子夜湖景:寂兮!寥兮!偶然几声水鸥怪叫。。。

The bread on the ceiling was a housewarming present from 1951. Things don't grow moldy!
天花上一串面包,是六十年前渡假屋落成时朋友送的,还没有发霉!

Lake view 1 of 188,000 十八万分之一的湖景
A gleaming vista . . . 漾漾柔波,就是这个样子