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| First destination BEANA LAPONIA |
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| Welcomed by Donder? Or maybe Blitzen? |
Finland is where we learned about the true definition of COLD. It was -30 Centigrade! There is not much going on around here so far. The Lappish Village is across the river, over the frozen ice, and is comprised of a small supermarket, a small church and a few houses, making it about as much of a metropolis as our beloved Hillsboro.
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| Meet one of our new husky dog friends |
We wasted no time in delving right into the unique adventures of Lapland with a morning cruise through the forest via dog sled! I chose to ride in the sled under the warmth of the multiple reindeer hides as Gene took on the task of mushing the dogs, and yes, even in Iceland, the pups respond to MUSH! We were assigned a mixed crew of sled dogs in all colors and mixtures of breeds, all raring to get on the trail. It seems they don't really know how to sit still, even having to relieve their bladders and bowels while moving at 15 mph! Amazing and kind of hard to watch, especially when one of the pups had to poop.
Once I got over the shock of being driven by a team of dogs, I relaxed and watched the snow flocked scenery whiz by. Apparently, the Fins have a dog sled competition similar to the Alaskan Iditarod! Humans have an uncanny ability to create sport wherever they are in this world.
We visited the outdoor kennels where the dogs stay when not pulling the sleds. Yes, they stay completely outdoors in the extreme cold, although they each have a dog house. These guys and gals have one purpose in life, to run very fast! Most of the dogs were very friendly and loved to be petted while some were shy and withdrawn.
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| This is one of our fellow travelers, who had just undergone chemo for Multiple Myeloma |
After the exhilarating dog sled ride, we were given the opportunity to see another part of the exquisite boreal forest powered by our own human energy-on cross country skis! As a longtime down hill skier, I honestly underestimated the skill and willpower required to ski on relatively flat land. In fact, as I was exiting the ski shed, I immediately slipped on an icy ramp and fell hard, bumping my head and apparently tearing my left meniscus! My head was fine, but the knee is still a chronic bother. The good news was that I got to retire my skis before making a complete arse of myself on those cross country skis AND the lead guide and myself headed back to the cozy lodge where we got a head start on lunch! He regaled me with stories of his very fascinating life of being a trained veterinarian specializing in bovines, which is all fine and good except he married a German girl who insisted on living in Munich where there is a dearth of cows! Hence his current job as a B &R tour guide!
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| A clear night with a three quarter waxing moon makes for auspicious aurora watching |
That night, as if our day had not been adventurous enough, the group departed the lodge on foot in search of an Aurora experience (maybe or maybe not). We had dressed up warmly to make the short trek to a traditional Sami Kota (which is a traditional hut made by the descendants of Sami nomads of Lapland). We circled around a blazing central fire and drank warm berry juice as we crossed our fingers in hopes of seeing the Revontulet -a Sami term that translates as "the fires of the fox." A local Sami instructed us on the famed and elusive, NORTHERN LIGHTS! And, no, sadly we saw only a whisper of aurora through the trees, but the night was magical never the less.
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| The view of the Sami Kota from outside |
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