Finnish Lake at Midnight

I have been away from Finland for so long that I observe many aspects of life here as an outsider. One of the things I find particularly strange is the night, or should I say the lack of it. When the sun sets around 11.30 p.m. and rises just after 3 a.m. (as is the case this week), there simply isn’t enough time for the night to get dark. The sun stays close to the horizon, providing sunlight even when the sun is set. It can be very disturbing and during my first nights here, I kept waking up around 4 a.m. thinking the morning has arrived!Finland at midnightThis is the photo I took at midnight a few evenings ago. The nights have been getting shorter and darker since the Midsummer (The Midsummer Weekend in Finland) but still, one could read a newspaper outside without a lamp! This is obviously nothing out of ordinary to the majority of the Finns, but I find this astonishing and I keep taking photos. This is what living abroad does to you!

PS If you plan to visit Finland from May to August, think of bringing eye patches for sleeping. It may save your holidays….

20 thoughts on “Finnish Lake at Midnight

  1. Packing my Suitcase

    Thats amazing… nature really is amazing! Ive been to Stockholm once, during the winter and it was totally the opposite, almost no sunlight. And I kept imagining that during summer there would be sunlight most of the time…Im guessing its so different from Finland! I hope I can visit this amazing country someday 🙂 great photo!

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    1. Miia Post author

      Hi, thanks for taking time to comment!
      It is very similar in Finland. In winter, very dark, but in summer, almost too much light 😉
      I don’t miss Nordic winter for this very reason (one week of winter is enough for me) but summer is spectacular. Especially when the températures are as nice as they were during my visit!!

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      1. Packing my Suitcase

        You’re welcome 🙂 hahaha I can imagine! When I visited Stockholm the first time was during fall, so it wasnt too dark nor too much sunlight..and I thought that it would be awesome live there, I loved the city… but after I went during winter I thought it was a little too much! Winter in the Nordic countries must be too depressing I guess… you are right! Weather in Paris is better 🙂

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      2. Miia Post author

        Ppl think the prob is cold weather but no, It is the darkness!! I like cold weather (I go jogging when minus 25) but darkness Is depressing.. I cannot get up!!

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      3. Packing my Suitcase

        Sam thing here! I like the cold too, not always but I do like it. The problem the the darkness for sure… I often say to my husband that I wouldnt mind winter if it had sunlight for more hours during the day 🙂

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      4. Miia Post author

        Haha, I agree!
        For example, skiing at Easter Is perfect for me!
        I haven’t had time to check your blog yet -where do you live?

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      5. Miia Post author

        Ok! Meanwhile, I had time to check your profile so figured that out 🙂
        Germany and Brazil, big difference in terms of many things! Do you often return to Brazil?

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      6. Miia Post author

        Nice! Lucky you. I have been to about 70 or 80 countries in the world but never anywhere in South America (only in Costa Rica, Panama and the Caribbean). Shame on me!!

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      7. Miia Post author

        Where do You come from in Brazil? There are So many countries to see in sth america and I guess no point trying to do too many at the sale trip! Will have to see when.. At the moment i keep returning to india That i love 😊

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      8. Packing my Suitcase

        I come from the north of Brazil, from Fortaleza. I agree with you… South America has so many places to visit, only Brazil is already enough for one trip, its a huge country! You will need to go there a few times 🙂 its nice that you like India, Ive never been there!

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      9. Miia Post author

        Oh I hate writing from my cell ph, just lost a long msg!
        anyways was just saying That maybe brazil and Argentine to start with, then peru, bolivia…

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      10. Packing my Suitcase

        Ohh no, sorry…it happens often with me too! Well, you can do only Brazil, then you can do Uruguay, Argentina and Chile… then Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador 🙂 see? you will need to go there several times 😀 and you won’t regret!

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      11. Packing my Suitcase

        Nooo not embarrassing at all! Whenever you go you will love it, and if you ever need tips let me know 🙂 what really is embarrassing is that me as a Brazilian only have been to Ecuador (apart from my country of course) in South America 😦 I also need to travel a bit more around that continent 🙂

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