Saturday, February 24, 2018

A Delicious Parcel from Moscow

Lovely decoration: a little cosmonaut with his rocket.
I like to think he is Yuri Gagarin, my hero.

One week ago, I received a big parcel from my dear Russian friend Nika. The parcel included almost three kilograms of chocolate! Yes, so many chocolate bars, confections and caramels... Besides, there were three lovely pastries (a huge "gingerbreads" with images) and lovely decoration: a little cosmonaut with his rocket! I like to think he is Yuri Gagarin, my hero. Russian chocolate is very tasty, high quality and delicious. Yummy! See, Nika knows that I'm crazy about chocolate... I must be careful, because I don't want to be fat. Hehe.

Many thanks for your lovely gifts, dear Nikushka. I really liked them. Once again, you made my day. Большое спасибо, ангел мой! ^^

Teisuka

Three lovely pastries, a huge "gingerbreads" with images.

Tons of chocolate! Haha. :D

For the first time, the customs were opened and checked the parcel,
because there was a sticker inside: "Tullin avaama. Opened by Customs."

Monday, February 5, 2018

Runeberg – The National Poet of Finland


Today in Finland, we celebrate Runeberg Day.

Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804–1877) was a Finnish poet and lyric. He is the national poet of Finland.

Runeberg’s magnum opus or masterpiece is The Tales of Ensign Stål (Finnish: Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat). The first part of Ensign Stål was first published in 1848, the second in 1860.

Runeberg Day (Finnish: Runebergin päivä) is celebrated annually on February 5, the day of Runeberg's birth.

Happy Runeberg's Day!

Teisuka

P.S. Runeberg is also the author of the lyrics to Our Land (Finnish: Maamme) that became the Finnish National Anthem. Here is a little sample in the English language – actually the first and the last stanza of our National Anthem:

Our Land


O our land Finland, our land of birth,
sound, the golden word!
There's no valley, no hill
no water, shore more precious
than this northern homeland
the dear land of our fathers!

Your prosperity from its hide
shall break out once
yet our love it shall rise
your hope, joy in its brilliance,
and once, your song, the land of birth
shall get the highest echo.