No masters (in Caucasus)

Birch

Snow

Oak

Shadows

I have been reading a book about the Caucasus, written in 2009 by the Yle reporter Anna-Leena Lauren. It is a book about war, about inequality, about corruption, but also about hope, and about human beings as equals. The name of the book is loosely translated as "there are no masters in the mountains" (in Finnish, Vuorilla ei ole herroja), meaning that all men are equal.

The Caucasus is a region which doesn't seem to have much hope, but even there human beings manage to sustain their humanity. The book contained some photographs, not professional quality but hasty snapshots taken by a reporter, but they were the more authentic for it. It is interesting that a region which has such a great natural beauty - mountains like the Alps, great beaches - is spoiled by the power struggle going on.

Anyway, here are some photographs of the Finnish winter. A sunny day, once again.