Miraculous times in Northern vicinity
Thank you all for you response! Toni, if you become a student blogger, I for certain, will give you my comments. Hyoshil, I am sorry to tell you that I am not able to find Scandinavian witch story books in English for your son to read. Maybe you could ask the Library in U.K?
I am glad I found the time to write once more before the student blog closes. Also I must say that I am pleased that Christmas is behind us for another year, so much hassle!
Nevertheless one more note about Christmas, I am pleased to tell you that Santa in Finland had over 700 000 letters this year from all over the world. It is a lot of letters to answer. As you may know our Santa is 400 years old. Luckily he has a gadget in his possession to slow the time circle; without it he could not visit everyone over the globe.
In my previous blogs I talked about our Polar night. Well many people find the dark fascinating. Over 500 charter flights landed in Lapland in December to witness our winter. In January the figure is estimated to be only about 200 flights, but all and all we are talking about 120 000 visitors mainly from U.K, Russia and Ukraine.
Let us hope the visitors to Finland are able to withes Northern Lights splendor (photos below). We call this miraculous occurrence in Finnish “Revontulet”, but they maybe are known to you as Aurora Borealis. I doubt that you were aware that when seeing the lights up in the night sky, you are able to get them dance wild by whistling. According to old Lappish tale, you must whistle and thump you feet on the ground simultaneously, and hence, you will be rewarded by even more staggering light show.
I hope you find the photos below interesting. With a kind permission of Newspaper Kaleva I am able to share them with you. You may get the picture larger by double clicking your mouse key on right side.
The first picture is taken in Kuusamo, about 200 kilometers from my home town and the other photo has been shot in Tromso, in Norway.
Copyright Kaleva / Heikki Ketola
Copyright Kaleva / Jarmo Kontiainen
When I see the Northern lights again, I will whistle and think of you!
BBC LE thank you!
Happy New Year from your mate Leila in Finland.
Comments
Hi Leila! We could trace the Santa through the Internet and my son was delighted to see him nearer and nearer to his country. He was over the moon with his presents and has already listed next year presents for him. My son is worried to death, as the Santa is getting older so his memory is fading a little by little away. Thank you for the picks and story. It is so sweet of you that you are thinking of us when you see Northern lights again. If I see the night in my dream I will thump my feet to make it dance wildly and shine more brightly for you in good return. take carexx
Hi Leila, wonderful pics. This winter holidays I'm reading the first Stieg Larsson's novel. Its placed in your neighbouring Sweden. I'm going to propose to my family to go in summer at those wonderful landscapes. Have a Happy New Year. Toni.
Hi Leila! Good to hear from you again. It must be beautiful to see the Northern Lights. I will certainly add Finland to my long list of future holiday destinations. Again, happy and healthy 2009 to you and your family!
Hi Leila, It's interesting to know Santa has the gadget to do many wonderful things, my 2009 resolution is to have a gadget that I can speak each languge in the world by the gadget.Supposedly Santa has many gadgets in her/his hand.So, can I borrow a gadget from Santa, or could Santa copy a gadget for me and convey to me by any means? May my dream come true. Best wishes, James.
Hi Leila! Fantastic, even a bit of Norwegian countryside you allowed me to see! To whistle is the only thing of all I learnt as ´singing´. I will try hard on my balcony in the evening! Happy New Year, dear mate!
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