Finnish nature in blue and white

 

Today - December 6th - Finland is
celebrating 100 years of independence. Many countries around the world have joined to celebrate the centennial anniversary by setting blue-white lights on famous buildings or nature landmarks, e.g. Colosseum in Rome, Holmenkollen skitower in Norway, or the Niagara falls in the US. 

For those who don't know or remember; blue and white are the colors of the Finnish flag. There are many stories about why these colors were chosen originally but I believe that mid-19th century Finnish historian and author  Zacris Topelius was the first to point out that blue and white are colors of our country; white as the snow in the winter and blue as the lakes in the summer.

As pictures tell more than thousand words, I trust the following photos tell a whole story about the beaty of Finnish nature. It is easy to see where Topelius got his inspiration. Pictures presented here are from five national parks (Torronsuo, Kurjenrahka, Tiilikkajärvi, Selkämeri and Hossa) as well as from Reposaari in Pori and various locations in Pihtipudas.  Happy Independence Day!