FINLAND - Independence day

[richard]

I've just been told today in Finland's Independence day so the Condo Chain pool is being filled with vodka. All are welcome I believe

[Bamboo Grove]

How early did you start, Richard?

[Terry]

To you and all your buddies BG - I'm sure you don't need much excuse to hit the falling down water, enjoy

[richard]

How early did you start, Richard?

I didn't. I scarpered quick and went down town. Old and grumpy now so can't hack that sort of scene anymore.

Mind you, ended up having a few 'light' sherberts down Binta and soi 80 and when arriving back at about 7.45 the corner shop at condo chain was heaving with your fellow countrymen seemingly seeing the day out in a haze of 'wodka'

I managed to avoid becoming a participant.

Lovely bunch of people that know how to party and are always so friendly. Got to say that this year with so many Fins here the atmosphere is so much more exuberant

[Bamboo Grove]

Richard wrote:

corner shop at condo chain was heaving with your fellow countrymen seemingly seeing the day out in a haze of 'wodka'

Is there a Finn bar there? Thanks for your kind words Richard:

Lovely bunch of people that know how to party and are always so friendly

Not always and not everyone, as with any other nationality. Happy, that they have been behaving well, though.

I recall from eons ago on this particular day, I and a friend of mine went around the bars with a CD of Sibelius's Finlandia and Karelia Suit and the bars were friendly enough to let us play that CD after we had ordered our drinks and politely sneer and laugh at our singing abilities. In suprisingly many places someone would come and say: "Oh, I really like Sibelius." We were really surprised, how many (Falangs) knew of him.

[richard]

No Finn bar but the guy currently dating the corner shop dragon is Finn by birth but hails from Oz. He's created the front of the shop 'mini bar' scene and of course with his lingual capabilities is drawing fellow countrymen in from both the condo and elsewhere.

Not too popular with the German and Skandi residents but who cares.

Despite the condo seemingly representing an old folks home, for me it's a great mix of multi nationals all here to enjoy themselves and ALL very civil

edit. I hear the odd Finn is scraped off the sidewalk in soi 80 after venturing out

[Bamboo Grove]

Right then, let me finish (just with one n) this evening with my favourite Swede poet, Dan Anderson and his song. He could be a Finn, you know?



Bort längtande vekhet ur sotiga bröst,
vik bekymmer ur snöhöljda bo.
Vi ha eld, vi ha kött, vi ha brännvin till tröst,
här är helg, djupt i skogarnas ro.
Sjung, Björnbergs-Jon ur din fullaste hals
om kärlek och rosor och vår.
Stäm fiolen, Brogren och spela en vals
för spökblåa månlysta snår.

Det är mil efter mil till lador och hus
där frosten går tjurig vid grind.
Här är lustigt i stockeldens gula ljus,
som darrar i nattens vind.
Du är fager, Brogren, i eldglans röd,
där du gnider din svarta fiol,
för mat och för brännvin du glömt all nöd
och din panna är ljus som en sol.

Och Jon, där du sitter vid grytan din,
en baron i din mollskinnsskrud,
se, fast åren har garvat ditt sega skinn,
i ditt sot är du ung som en gud!
Och Vargfors-Fredrik, du skrattande man,
som vill alla uslingar väl,
kom, sjung om din ungdoms synd, om du kan,
och en skål för din gossesjäl!

Och när morgonens stjärnor blekna och dö
och när ångorna stelna till is,
och när dagningen skälver på myr och sjö
vi sova på doftande ris.
Då sova vi alla på granris tungt
och drömma om bleka mör,
och snarka och vända oss manligt och lugnt,
medan elden falnar och dör