Posted by Annette Arlander:
Finally, during my last day here, I managed to get all the way to the summit of Saana. And it was worth it, although the wind was freezing cold. On the way up it was helping from the back, but on the way down it was blowing right in your face. No mist, luckily. The walk up on top of the mountain is rather pleasant, after the steep steps, although it is longer than you would imagine. There is always one more peak ahead. Coming down was almost harder because of the cold wind, but I did not feel tired before I was safely down on the main road. Only then did my legs tell me they wanted some rest. So now I have done my duty as a good tourist and feel I can leave the place content of fulfilling what was expected of me. And sure, I would be poorer without the views from Saana in my mind. The pictures on my phone are only a pale shadow of them, of course.
The ten days I have spent here have coincided with the arrival of spring. When I came I was astonished at the warm weather and the fact that the birches did not show any signs of green. And now when I am about to leave, I am surprised by the cold weather although the landscape is now all green around me. Although today was spent freezing in the dry, rocky moon landscape on Saana, some images of the beautiful foaming waterfall near the village I passed on my way to Lake Saana yesterday, can serve as a counterpoint.
The video works with Malla that I tried to complete here still remain to be edited, but for now this is enough. I am fairly sure to be back one day, perhaps already in the autumn, who knows. For now, thank you to the Finnish Bioart Society for the possibility to return here – and good luck to those who come after me.