Notes from Tory: Arctic Circle, Santa, and Dogsled Driving!!!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Rovaniemi
Today was all about adventure as I arrived this morning in Rovaniemi, in the north of Finland, right on the Arctic Circle (according to Dad I´m a blue-nose now!) Some other tourists with a great sense of direction and I made our way to the information office just in time to sign up for a snowmobile tour. They dressed us up in snowmobile gear -- full snow suit, thick socks and boots, hat, mittens, etc, etc. I looked like a big orange snowman by the time we were finished. And then off of the snowmobiles! I was paired with an Aussie with a lead foot. Gosh we just flew! We went on the river (frozen solid) and then up into the woods where we stopped to thaw out and visit a Siberian Husky ranch. There, we each got a turn going around the pasture on the dog sled -- fortunately, the dogs were well trained and didn't require I actually steer the thing since I was holding on for dear life! We got to see the puppies and I fell instantly in love with a half dozen or so of them. Darling little faces! On our return, it was my turn to drive. WOW! What a rush! I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed the speed and the bumps and the adrenaline coursing through my veins! After a hearty lunch (all of this was before lunch!) I made my way to the Arctic Circle point and Santa´s village. It was really neat. I got to meet Santa and we chatted for quite a while. He had visited Seattle recently, he said, about two months ago... tee hee hee. He must get a kick out of that joke with every visitor! I told him I had been a very good girl, and though I contemplated asking for world peace, I ended up just asking for a job. That´s not too selfish is it? Anyway, he said he´d send his elves to go networking for me
(I only hope he´s not going to wait until Christmas to deliver....)
The best part of Santa´s village was the post office. They had an exhibit of all the letters to Santa that had been delivered. They said all the letters posted to Santa are channeled to Rovaniemi. Volunteers open the letters and collect them by country. The USA had a big stack. Alphabetically next to it, Uganda even had a few in there!
I have to dash but I am sending you my love! Overnight train tonight is back to Helsinki so I can catch the quick ferry hop to Tallinn!
Love T
Rovaniemi
Today was all about adventure as I arrived this morning in Rovaniemi, in the north of Finland, right on the Arctic Circle (according to Dad I´m a blue-nose now!) Some other tourists with a great sense of direction and I made our way to the information office just in time to sign up for a snowmobile tour. They dressed us up in snowmobile gear -- full snow suit, thick socks and boots, hat, mittens, etc, etc. I looked like a big orange snowman by the time we were finished. And then off of the snowmobiles! I was paired with an Aussie with a lead foot. Gosh we just flew! We went on the river (frozen solid) and then up into the woods where we stopped to thaw out and visit a Siberian Husky ranch. There, we each got a turn going around the pasture on the dog sled -- fortunately, the dogs were well trained and didn't require I actually steer the thing since I was holding on for dear life! We got to see the puppies and I fell instantly in love with a half dozen or so of them. Darling little faces! On our return, it was my turn to drive. WOW! What a rush! I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed the speed and the bumps and the adrenaline coursing through my veins! After a hearty lunch (all of this was before lunch!) I made my way to the Arctic Circle point and Santa´s village. It was really neat. I got to meet Santa and we chatted for quite a while. He had visited Seattle recently, he said, about two months ago... tee hee hee. He must get a kick out of that joke with every visitor! I told him I had been a very good girl, and though I contemplated asking for world peace, I ended up just asking for a job. That´s not too selfish is it? Anyway, he said he´d send his elves to go networking for me
(I only hope he´s not going to wait until Christmas to deliver....)The best part of Santa´s village was the post office. They had an exhibit of all the letters to Santa that had been delivered. They said all the letters posted to Santa are channeled to Rovaniemi. Volunteers open the letters and collect them by country. The USA had a big stack. Alphabetically next to it, Uganda even had a few in there!
I have to dash but I am sending you my love! Overnight train tonight is back to Helsinki so I can catch the quick ferry hop to Tallinn!
Love T
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