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A Special International Report Prepared by
The Washington Times Advertising Department - Published on April 23, 1999
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Lapland
A frontier town, Rovaniemi lies at the confluence of two rivers- Kemijoki and Ounasjoki - five miles south of the Arctic Circle. It is the gateway to the world’s northernmost region. In the 1800’s, lumberjacks would travel down the river in the fall after months of seclusion in the forests, stopping in town to trade, drink and relax. Their early presence made an important contribution to the town’s development. Later in the century, they were joined by gold diggers and the town took on a Wild West character that colored its history for decades.
Toward the end of World War II, the city of 35,000 was burned to the ground by retreating German troops who destroyed all but 17 buildings. (Local teenagers have been known to steal all the matches from a table of German tourists). The city was rebuilt, with the help of renowned Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, in a rugged, natural form that echoes its surroundings. Rovaniemi’s exotic, untamed character has always attracted adventuresome tourists looking for a unique experience.
The modern airport bustles with Finns carrying cross country skis and dressed in traditional woolen sweaters trimmed with brightly colored ribbons and ornate silver clips. Interspersed in the crowd are groups of tourists, anxiously awaiting their guides. After a short ride to town and a rest in one Rovaniemi’s first class hotels, my adventure begins. “The dressing room at Lapland Safaris is like an assembly line,” joked Kaisa Siren, one of the company’s founders. Walking from station to station being fitted with socks, one-piece snow suits, hats, gloves and finally a skidoo helmet, does give that impression. Snugly dressed beneath layers of warm clothing, it is off to learn the workings of a snowmobile. Setting out on the frozen river to the first stop the wind rushes and one is overwhelmed by a sense of power and freedom. The first stop is a working reindeer farm. Written records of reindeer herding date back to 1300’s. Then it was practiced by the Sámi, considered the only indigenous inhabitants of northern Scandinavia.
For Lapps, like Tuomo Leppanoro, reindeer herding continues as a way of life. Dressed in traditional Sámi clothing, he told - through a translator - of searching for lost reindeer in winter’s bitter cold. A short trip at the reigns or a reindeer-drawn sleigh offers insight into life before the invention of the skidoo. Back on the snowmobiles it is time for lunch, but not before a ride though the fells. In the middle of the forest, the engines silent, the quiet of a world blanketed in snow and the stillness of the trees provide a humbling sense of real wilderness. Resuming the trip, the sun begins its descent beyond the mountains and the glades are awash in pinks and yellows. From behind the trees a tee-pee constructed of logs is visible in the distance, a plume of smoke rising into the tree tops. Inside, wooden tables laid with reindeer stew, home baked bread and hot lingonberry juice, and benches covered in reindeer fur surround a glowing fire. Back on the snowmobiles, the last stop is a husky farm. Climbing the river embankment, the dogs’ howls and barks can already be heard. Anxious to get going, the dogs’ blue and brown eyes watching for the signal to run. When it’s given, their speed is exhilarating and the driver leans into the turns to avoid tumbling into the snow. It is already dark when the snowmobiles pull alongside Lapland Safari’s office. Across the river, the sky is ablaze with the northern lights - greens, yellows, reds streak the darkness. The fragrance of wood intermingling with birch leaves beckons from the sauna. A new day of adventure awaited. |
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Table of Contents (1) Pointing Europe's compass North |
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Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland, lies on the border of the Arctic Circle. Here, in the winter period of Kaamos, the sun never rises above the horizon, bathing the snow-laden trees in twilight’s blue hues. In the summer the sun never sets, and fishing, hunting and canoeing continue through the day into the night.
The town market was famous among merchants and adventure seekers. Visitors came from far and wide - Laplanders, Germans, Russians, Tartars, Italians, Brits - even fur traders from Canada’s Hudson’s Bay Company, traveled thousands of miles to see the furs and compare quality.
Arriving in Rovaniemi is exhilarating. The white landscape blends into the sky, beckoning the explorer to discover where sky ends and land begins.
The Sámi were known to have hunted, fished and herded reindeer until being driven further north and melding their culture with modern populations. The present Sámi (about 7,000 people in Finland) live in an arc like area almost 1,500 kilometers long, extending from the Kola Peninsula in the east, across Finnish Lapland to the south and west, and to the southern provinces of Norway and Sweden.