Finally there is a new "Next Stop: ..." post. This time I visited Lapland, where I hugged the REAL Santa, had fun with super cute huskies and enjoyed a Finnish sauna with 0-degree-cold ice hole. By the way, Lapland is more close to the North Pole than Iceland, so Lapland is the northernmost place where I have been!
Location:
Lapland
Rovaniemi, Kuusamo, Ruka, Oulanka
Durnation of trip:
5 days
Travelling to destination:
*First we went from Tallinn to Helsinki by ship. After that started 10-hours-long bus ride to north.
*Plus: We had our own bus, so there was no waiting and nice breaks. And no visas!
*Minus: It is just shocking how many drunk Finnish people I saw on evening ship board, like almost everybody were at least a bit drunk, included old ladies. As the bus ride is so long, then some entertainment could be nice, luckily we had a night ride so most of the time I was sleeping, sadly not very well.
*Plus: We had our own bus, so there was no waiting and nice breaks. And no visas!
*Minus: It is just shocking how many drunk Finnish people I saw on evening ship board, like almost everybody were at least a bit drunk, included old ladies. As the bus ride is so long, then some entertainment could be nice, luckily we had a night ride so most of the time I was sleeping, sadly not very well.
About local life:
*Winters are cold, so take ski pants, hat and warm socks with you!
*Prices are a bit more expensive than in Estonia.
*Prices are a bit more expensive than in Estonia.
*There are special shops for alcohol, which are opened in specific times.
*On Saturday the shops in Kuusamo will be closed at 7 pm.
*In Finland people in sauna are naked, also in SPA saunas. Most of the times men's and women's saunas are separated.
*Those places are small, so they are quite quiet places, unless there is some events in Ruka.
*There is a opportunity to make a photo with Santa, but for that there is a special photographer. *The photos costs 39€. In Santa's room there is not allowed to do any photos whit your camera/phone/tablet.
*On Saturday the shops in Kuusamo will be closed at 7 pm.
*In Finland people in sauna are naked, also in SPA saunas. Most of the times men's and women's saunas are separated.
*Those places are small, so they are quite quiet places, unless there is some events in Ruka.
*There is a opportunity to make a photo with Santa, but for that there is a special photographer. *The photos costs 39€. In Santa's room there is not allowed to do any photos whit your camera/phone/tablet.
Accommodation:
We stayed in Kuusamo, school of arts dormitory. We had very nice rooms, most of them had bathroom. Also we got towels and some extra blankets and pillows. Shops are near, also the hill of sledging.
Sightseers:
Most of the sightseers are connected with nature.
In Rovaniemi the most important place is of course village of Santa Claus. For everybody has a chance to meet with Santa and dwarfs and speak with them and hug them and make photos with them. Also there is a place where people will get a stamp to their passport, which shows that they have visited Santa. And of course there is a chance to send a post card. Luckily those activities are cheap.
In Rovaniemi the most important place is of course village of Santa Claus. For everybody has a chance to meet with Santa and dwarfs and speak with them and hug them and make photos with them. Also there is a place where people will get a stamp to their passport, which shows that they have visited Santa. And of course there is a chance to send a post card. Luckily those activities are cheap.
In Rovaniemi and in Kuusamo has a chance to see Northern Lights, but only while there is no clouds. Sadly we weren't so lucky, but unstead of this we saw a magical picture while it was snowing.
I also recommend to go to Oulanka National Park. Shorter roads are suitable for everybody and the view is just amazing!
Places to eat:
*Unfortunately I don't know eating places, because we had our own caterer. But I warmly recommend to try meat of reindeer, I know, it sound a bit brutal, but this is one of Finnish traditional food.
Free time:
For me there is more activities than sightseers.
One of the most interesting is a riding whit husky sledge. We made it in Erä-Susi dog kennel, where is possible to take different distances, even 5-days-long safari ride! There is also a chance to play with extremely adorable husky puppies and meet with the owner who looks like a wolf (Susi in Finnish means wolf). Those rides are possible only in winter season.
One of the most interesting is a riding whit husky sledge. We made it in Erä-Susi dog kennel, where is possible to take different distances, even 5-days-long safari ride! There is also a chance to play with extremely adorable husky puppies and meet with the owner who looks like a wolf (Susi in Finnish means wolf). Those rides are possible only in winter season.
In Kuusamo there is also a possibility to ride with a reindeer sledge.
For those who wants to do some sports activities then there is a chance to go to sledge or to Ruka ski mountain, to enjoy some winter activities.
So what could be better end of the northern trip than a good sauna? Luckily around Kuusamo there's a lot of opportunities to go to sauna. The big bonus is sauna with ice hole, but also a snow is a good alternative and makes health stronger!
For those who wants to do some sports activities then there is a chance to go to sledge or to Ruka ski mountain, to enjoy some winter activities.
So what could be better end of the northern trip than a good sauna? Luckily around Kuusamo there's a lot of opportunities to go to sauna. The big bonus is sauna with ice hole, but also a snow is a good alternative and makes health stronger!
///
Ja ongi teie eest "Next Stop: ..." postitus, seekord avastasin Lapimaad, kus kallistasin PÄRIS Jõuluvana, hullasin imenunnude huskydega ning võtsin ühe korraliku sauna, mille juurde kuulus ka karastav 0 kraadine jääauk! Muideks hiljem Google Mapsi uurides nägin, et Lapimaa jääb Islandist põhja poole, seega on Rovaniemi minu kõige põhjapoolseim külastatud koht! Jeppikajei!
Asukoht:
Lapimaa
Rovaniemi, Kuusamo, Ruka, Oulanka
Reisi kestvus:
5 päeva
Sihtkohta reisimine:
*Esmalt sõitsime laevaga Tallinnast Helsingisse ning seejärel ootas meid ees 10 tunnine bussisõit põhja.
*Pluss: Kuna läksime tellitud bussiga, siis polnud kuskil mingit ootamist, vaid saime korraga oma reisi tehtud koos kosutavate pausidega. Ei mingied viisasid!
*Miinus: Õhtusel laeval mõjuvad purjus soomlased eriti šokeerivalt, sest olenemata vanusest on pea kõik vintis. Bussisõiduks tuleks koguda endale veidi tegevust või siis rohkesti und, õnneks oli tegemist öise sõiduga, seega unega väga probleeme polnud, küll aga selle kvaliteediga.
Kohalik eripära:
*Talvel on ilm külm ja lund palju- suusapüksid, müts ning villased sokid tuleb kindlasti kaasa võtta!
*Hinnad on veidi kallimad kui Eestis.
*Kel soov pidutseda, siis tuleks arvestada sellega, et alkoholi müüakse ainult teatud poodides ning teatud kellaaegadel.
*Kuusamos on laupäeviti poed umbes kella 7ni õhtul lahti.
*Saunas on kombeks käia alasti, ka SPAdes. Tihti on meeste ning naiste saunad eraldi.
*Tegemist on väikeste kohtedega, kust suurt melu loota pole, v.a siis, kui Rukas mõni suurem sündmus toimub.
*Jõuluvanaga saab teha pilti, kuid selleks on olemas spetsiaalne fotograaf, pilti on võimalik osta 39€ eesti. Kõikvõimalikud enda kaameraga/telefoniga/tabletiga jne pildistamised on keelatud.
Majutus:
Ööbisime Kuusamo kuntstide kooli ühiselamus, mis asub peatänaval. Toad olid korralikud, enamus neist vannitoaga. Kohapeal on olemas rätikud ning lisa tekid/ padjad. Poed on ligidal, samuti kelgumägi.
Vaatamisväärsused:
Vaatamisväärsused on seotud pigem loodusega.
Rovaniemis on kõige olulisem muidugi Jõuluvana koos oma toreda külakesega. Kõigil on võimalus Jõuluvana ning päkapikkudega paar sõna juttu rääkida, neid kallistada ja pilti teha. Samuti on võimalik lasta passi luua tempel, mis kinnitab Jõuluvana külastamist, lisaks on võimlus saata postkaarte- õnneks jäävad need hinnad normaalsuse piiridesse.
Nii Rovaniemis kui Kuusamos on hea õnne korral võimalik näha ka imeilusaid virmalisi, mis meil seekord kahjuks nägemata jäid, kuid selle eest nägime muinasjutuliselt kaunist lumesadu!
Soovitan kõigil minna ka Oulanka rahvusparki matkama, lühemate teedega saavad hakkama kõik ning vaade on lihtsalt meeletult ilus!
Nii Rovaniemis kui Kuusamos on hea õnne korral võimalik näha ka imeilusaid virmalisi, mis meil seekord kahjuks nägemata jäid, kuid selle eest nägime muinasjutuliselt kaunist lumesadu!
Soovitan kõigil minna ka Oulanka rahvusparki matkama, lühemate teedega saavad hakkama kõik ning vaade on lihtsalt meeletult ilus!
Söögikohad:
*Kahjuks ma ei oska soovitada ühtegi söögikohta, sest meil oli eraldi toitlustaja. Kuid kindlasti proovige ära põhjapõdra liha, kõlab veidi brutaalselt, aga just see on üks toitudest, mis on Soomes traditsiooniline.
Vaba aeg:
Minu meelest on vaba aja tegevusi Lapimaal rohkem kui lihtsalt vaatamisväärsusi.
Üheks põnevaimaks on kindlasti sõit huskydega. Väga toreda kogemuse sellest saab Erä-Susi koerakasvanduses, kus on võimalik võtta erineva pikkusega distantse, isegi 5päevaseid safari sõite! Lisaks on võimalus nunnutada erakordseid armsaid kutsikaid ning kohtuda koha omaniku Susiga, kes on äärmiselt sümpaatne hundi moodi härra. Koertega on võimalik sõita vaid talvisel hooajal.
Kuusamos on võimalik paitada ka põhjapõrtu ning nendega isegi väike tiir teha.
Kes aga otsib rohkem liikuvaid tegevusi, siis on võimalik minna kelgutama või Ruka suusamäele muid talvemõnusid nautima.
Mis lõpetaks veel paremini ühe põhjamaise reisi kui üks korralik saun? Kuusamo ja selle ümbruses on õnneks selliseid võimalusi palju ning kindlasti on parimad need, kus on võimalus ennast mõnusasse jääauku kasta, kuid selle puudmisel on ka lumi alati heaks abimeheks ning teeb tervise tugevaks!
Photos by me and Aliis
Thanks!
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