St John's Day, Mid Summer, Summer Solstice, or up here in Estonia - Jaanipäev, which as I'm sure you all have guessed means, John's Day and the longest day of the year . This far north, that's a lotta light, 18 hours & 17 minutes, although not as much as further north in Finland. My grandmother who wasn't given to hyperbole insists that as a child she could read outdoors at midnight without a candle.First the STATS
Walked or cycled: 36 miles
Total for this leg: 73 miles
Total covered: 531 this year
To go: 389
In relation to Fellowship:
Paths are few and winding; after reaching the top of a rise, we angle southeast.
So what do Islanders get up to on Jaanipäev?
Well first we go to a bonfire. This is us on the way .
Then you need a bonfire,
and dancing.
lot's of dancing
- and music, preferably traditional - 3 mature ladies playing the 'cordeen, fiddle and kandele are about as traditional as it gets.
- and you have to stay late enough for the sky to be lightening as you roll home.
Hope you're all having a wonderful summer!
13 comments:
I love that last picture!
I agree. For me the bonfire with the sky going through its tricks in the background is the best part. I could just stand there and watch it for hours.
Wow beautiful pictures.perfect way to celebrate longest day I think.
I can't imagine wanting to be any place else on Janipäev. Thank you
Those are beautiful photos. I love the first one, but the bonfire is spectacular. Well done, you!
Thanks Stephanie.
Yes, I think our castle is pretty special. It is the one the 'Knight in the Wall' story is based on.
Re: your last weeks 'Writerly', this is the place I haunt - or that haunts me.
Your pics are great. That event looks so cool, even I might attend lol:)
I'm glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for reading. I apologise for taking so long to respond. I've been on another more remote island with no internet or phone coverage. Report is coming soon.
Martha - thanks for popping by at Nami-Nami and commenting.
PS I've checked with various Greek friends about the use of oregano in vegetarian dishes. Apparently it's very common (just as I remembered it) - perhaps it's just Cretans that don't do it.
hi martha - apparently the zucchini dish freezes well (cretans use oregano mainly on their meat, although i use it in all my 'ospria' - beans - dishes, as well as all my tomato based sauces without fail; my mum used a lot of it back in nz and i am just continuing her tradition - some people might freak out if they heard i use oregano in many traditonal dishes that they wouldn't use it in on a normal basis)
Thanks for the INFO Maria,
I use rigani on meat as well and on vegetable dishes where there are tomatoes and/or aubergines, but I think it's too sharp when there's only a soft vegetable, like kolokithia with eggs and cheese. And I hate it with spinach(but that's personal).
Lovely moat too.
Thanks N. We got a substantial EU grant to restore it, and the work is continuing. You saw it earlier in the post about the spring boat races.
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