We flew from London to Stockholm and then onto a tiny little airport, that had one gate, in Kiruna. We were 144 km (89 miles) into the Arctic Circle, which the boys thought was pretty cool. When we arrived in Kiruna we were given arctic snow gear. Our family stayed at this little place called Arctic Gourmet Cabin in the middle of nowhere and I mean nowhere. It was run by this husband and wife team, he was a chef previously at the Ice Hotel. They decided to open their own little business which consisted of two one room cabins, a cabin for dining, a hot tub outdoors and a bath house that had a shower, toilet (our first experience with an incinerator toilet) and sauna. Our stay was so fun and he was so good to us and our kids. During the winter there is not much light to the day. A few hours as the sun never comes above the horizon. It was really weird at 2:30 in the afternoon and it was dark. Our bodies told us we were very tired.
Flying over parts of Sweden.
Having a little fun with our Pringles.
Getting ready to land in Kiruna.
We made it!
Arctic Gourmet Cabin
Sleeping Cabins
Eating Cabin
Bath House
Day 2
We headed out to enjoy some dog sledding. They actually had nice weather during our stay but “hot” weather for them that time of year. When we took the dogs out they were very tired at the end of the trip due to the warmer weather they were having. Randy’s dogs did not want to run very fast, we kept waiting for his dogs and no matter what he did they just did not want to go very fast. We returned to the kennels and helped put the dogs away. They had to have each of their legs stretched and the kids enjoyed doing that. We ate lunch in a little hut and had Shiitake mushroom soup, cheese wraps, tea, coffee and hot chocolate. The mushroom soup was PHENOMENAL, wow! The shiitake mushrooms are found growing in the mine there. The Kiruna mine is the largest and most modern underground iron ore mine in the world. After dog sledding we went back to the cabin and enjoyed a laid back day. We played in the snow, sat in the sauna, enjoyed the hot tub, watched a movie, sat around the fire and enjoyed a three course meal which included moose. It was a nice change of pace as we have been so busy with school, work and visitors. At 1:30 in the morning there was a knock on our cabin door. It was Johan, our host, telling me that the Northern Lights were visible. Randy did not want to get up but I put on my gear, grabbed my camera and headed out. If is wasn’t for, Johan, I would not have gotten pictures. He had researched my camera and helped me capture the photos. I was beyond thrilled and so thankful for his knowledge.
Dog Sledding
Getting the Huskies ready.
Abby is all set!
Randy & Kaden
Beautiful views on our ride.
Abby
April & Abby
Randy & Kaden
Beautiful!
Kaden, Randy & Colin
Our family
Kaden putting the one of the dogs away.
Abby getting ready to stretch the dog.
All in their kennels and eating.
The babies ready for us to enter and give some loving.
Kaden with the babies
Snowball fight!
Kaden & Colin
Enjoying a fire!
Randy & Abby enjoying the hot tub.
Northern Lights!
Day 3
Started off snowmobiling, which I greatly enjoyed! I grew up in MN which we often would snowmobile but it has been a long time since I have driven a snowmobile; lets just say I may have dumped Abby off. It was again just our family with the guide and Colin was privileged enough to ride with him. Which he says was awesome because he did all sorts or tricks in the snow. The guide did compliment us in saying that he has never finished his time slot with people with time to spare and said we were good drivers. :) After snowmobiling we enjoyed some salmon stew back at the lodge and it was delicious! Man the Swedish people know how to make stew and meat dishes!
Then onto the Ice Hotel. "Ice Hotel is the world's first hotel made of ice and snow. Founded in 1989 it is reborn in a new guise every winter, in the Swedish village Jukkasjarvi, which is 200 km north of the Arctic Circle. The Torne River with its impressive length of 520 km, it runs from the ancient mountains in the west down to the coast in the east, where it flows out into the Bay of Bothnia." It is one of the last untouched rivers in Europe, a wild river, and Sweden's largest of the four national rivers. It is rare indeed and unique. "It is the Torne River that provides Icehotel with its ice in winter- and in the summer when the hotel melts, the water returns to its source. Natural ice requires a lot of work - before it is harvested in the very beginning of spring, when it has grown its thickest, months are devoted to maintaining the "ice field" and keeping it clear of snow so that the ice can have the best possible conditions for growth." We also toured the Icehotel 365, which is a new and permanent structure in 2016. It includes luxury suites, each with a private relax and bathroom, and art suites, all sculptured by selected artists. As well as a large ice bar that serves champagne, and an ice gallery. Ice hotel 365 can be visited year round and is cooled by solar panels during the summer months.
Then off to the Sami farm. “The Sami people are an indigenous people inhabiting the Artic area of Sapmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. The Sami are the only indigenous people of Scandinavia recognized and protected under the international conventions of indigenous peoples, and are hence the northernmost indigenous people of Europe.”
Sami focus on reindeer raising for their primary source of food, income, etc. The kids enjoyed feeding the reindeer, taking a sled ride and then having supper in a traditional Sami Tepee around a fire while learning about the Sami culture and enjoying reindeer stew.
Snowmobiling
Icehotel
Colin
Colin, Abby & Kaden
Icehotel 365
Colin & Abby
Abby
Sami Farm
Abby feeding a reindeer.
Abby feeding a reindeer.
Colin feeding a reindeer.
Abby & Kaden in the tepee eating dinner.
Randy & Colin in the tepee eating dinner.
We headed back to London. However, before we headed back Johan took us into the town to do a bit of shopping. We were thrilled, as Abby was able to find her Dala horse, Kaden a little wooden cup “Kuksa” that they often use in that area and Colin his little 3D etching prism of a reindeer. He then blessed us with a gift of some Pepparkakor, a traditional Swedish biscuit and some Swedish hot cocoa that the kids fell in love with.
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