solitude as a national pastime
This video slideshow accompanies a travel feature in The Atlantic called Saunas and Silence: The Finnish idea of a perfect vacation. It’s writer/photographer Trevor Corson’s take on Finland where, he claims, solitude is a national pastime.
The pictures are lovely and he’s done a good job capturing that back-to-nature instinct that Finns cherish, myself included. Admittedly, a good portion of the rest of the world probably considers going to a rustic cottage on a mosquito-infested lake to be a difficult and boring sort of vacation. But hey, that’s where the beer comes in, and it’s really, really good for your soul. The nature stuff, not the beer.
Finnish food was not really featured in the story like I wanted it to be, it’s as simple and boring sublime as getting away to the cottage. I suppose it’s possible that the author doesn’t find pickled herring on hard rye bread a mouthwateringly irresistible breakfast food and was trying to be nice by not mentioning it, but, I really wanted a few more mentions of tasty Finnish eats.
Overall though I’m digging this self-produced video slideshow. Good inspiration for the ones we’ve been working on for Mālamalama, as mentioned here and here.
12/05/2009 at 11:20 pm Permalink
That wasn’t a bad slideshow. Often when people do bits on Finland, their lack of background can lead to the strangest of observations. Its true, we don’t hang out with our mökki neighbors, but who would want to. They are hicks who often have Eurodisco blasting from the car speakers on midsummer’s eve.