In Finland, Bedazzling Vistas of the North
In the far north of the world map lies the town of Saariselka in Finnish Lapland, where one could experience one of the world’s most fascinating sceneries, the Northern Lights, or get pulled on a sled by huskies through the wintery countryside.
When you are on the bus or walking down the road, you could suddenly be astonished by a breathtaking green and pink light show that unfolds above you in the night sky. It is inevitably worth the stop and contemplation.
Saariselka is mostly famous for its Northern Lights that embellish the sky almost every night in winter.
But visitors also enjoy the activities such as climbing a snowy hill, only to be rewarded by sliding all the way down on a Finnish toboggan (slider).
Every cottage has many toboggans, so at any spare time, tourists just grab one, climb a hill and then enjoy the excitement of sliding down.
The weather could be difficult and often times depressing, so traveling with a big group of friends who’s company you enjoy is a must.
But if you like animals, the very cold weather provides a habitat to unique species such as reindeer, polar bears and husky dogs.
Huskies thrive in cold weather, and the more the temperature drops the more active and energetic they feel.
One just sits firmly – and as snugly warm as possible under layers of blankets – and admire nature’s vista.
The ride is thrilling.
The reindeer animal is an icon of Northern Finland and that’s mainly because their number in the province is roughly equal to that of people.
It’s very common to eat reindeer meat and one of the delicacies here is the reindeer burger that is served in many restaurants.
The reindeers live out in the wild, so one could easily spot them while walking around.
A Finnish Tradition
Saunas are widely found all over Finland, and many people have them in their own houses.
The Finns have the habit of heating up in the sauna then jumping into icy waters for couple of seconds or a minute, and this is what is called “the Finnish dip.”
Tourists are shocked by this tradition, at first. But eventually they actually try it out.
The moment you jump into the water it’s traumatizing and you could initially lose feeling akin to losing consciousness.
But when seconds later you get back again on dry land you feel the blood rushing through your body and circulation is kicking in again.
It is said that there are people in Lapland that start their day with the “Finnish dip” – an energy boost that lasts through their working day.
Due to the long lasting freezing weather, visitors and local residents have to spend around an hour daily in front of the chimney or in heated areas to maintain their blood circulation.
Tourists are accommodated in fully furnished wooden cottages with built in chimneys, saunas and a tiny room full of wood chunks.
Although there is an airport close to Saariselka, tourists mostly land in the capital Helsinki to explore it for a day and then travel 10 hours via a night bus to the very northernmost tip of Finland till they reach Saarislelka.
The bus trip is an experience in itself, the bus stops at stations every two to three hours, so people could use the bathrooms or eat something.
But what is interesting is that in every stop you feel how absurdly the weather is getting colder.
At times you doubt that you can handle it anymore, and then the more distance you take the whiter and brighter everything looks.
When we arrived at our cottages, the bus couldn’t enter into the arrow streets, so we had to walk for five minutes.
But within just a few seconds; people were opening up their luggage getting clothes out and putting on whatever is accessible.
It’s the kind of weather that cannot be explained, it has to be experienced. Imagine yourself stuck in a refrigerator.
Saariselka is located 250 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, so temperatures drop to around -45 to -50 Celsius. The unique weather conditions and the power of nature that visitors experience stimulate their feelings and senses.
Visitors become more aware of the strength of their bodies and to what extent they could adapt to extreme environments.
The weather conditions are at times very challenging, and it could even be dangerous if one is not packed properly with layers of clothes.
But Saariselka often feels like another planet, an ice planet that is unlike most places on earth, and as such it provides unique adventures, experiences and feelings that are not to be forgotten.
