Finalnd, Lapland, "Polar Dreams"

Finalnd, Lapland, "Polar Dreams"

It's a welcoming, diverse, and cosmopolitan capital city. It's the cleanest city in Europe, I'm told, and everyone there speaks English. As I go down the refined Esplanade, I see almost no graffiti. The hippest stores and cafes may be found along this street. Heat is provided for the sidewalks. There are seven symphony orchestras, an opera house, and libraries on every block. When it comes to fashion, it's all about the design, and a number of famous brands have made their mark on the world of fashion with their own unique takes on contemporary trends.

I appreciate the opportunity the Finnish Tourist Board gave me to attend this conference and site inspection. After I settle into my hotel, Irene, a local guide who clearly loves her city, gives me a personalized tour. About 43% of the population of 560,000 is made up of single people. What a fantastic setting for an imaginative AFS adventure! Finland is home to 187,000 lakes and 584 islands, making up a whopping 10% of the country.

The world's technological center is located here. The fins enjoy new technologies and playthings very much. The use of Nokia Imaging cell phones for routine chores is widespread. They can use it to pay for a tram ride, a parking ticket, or even to switch on their lights before they get home. Almost every home here is equipped with an electric sauna, making this area known as "sauna world." There are approximately 2 million, and you may even find them in some eateries. At Café Tin Tango, locals and tourists alike may do their laundry, eat lunch, and relax with a beer in the sauna while exchanging ideas about how to improve the world.

Designer knitwear, jewelry, and homewares may be found here in plenty. Still, I've been told that Oslo is even more expensive than this, despite the fact that prices here are higher because of the lack of a sales tax. At night, residents go to clubs that include unusual Nordic offerings like "gay karaoke," "saunas, and "ice bars."

Sunday To go to Roveneimi, the starting point for adventures in Lapland and 600 kilometers north, I take the Polar Express. Locals enjoy arctic picnics, swimming in ice holes, and riding bikes in the snow. For the most part, the most exciting events take place in the colder months. The city of 35,000 saw 20,000 tourists last month. It's a balmy 20 degrees Fahrenheit outside.

Twenty-two travel agents from all over the world have settled into a rustic lodge for the night. There is a personal sauna in each of the rooms. The dinner is served in a cozy lodge decorated with warm illumination from candles and lanterns. Over an open fire, we cooked salmon in a special glow batter and served it with wild mushroom soup and blackberry mousse. As a follow-up, we get together and use a smoky wood sauna to become toasty.

On Monday morning, we put on our full-body Gortex Arctic suits and hit the snow for a daylong snowmobile safari. We jump on our high-powered skidoos and ride into the woods. We can travel at speeds of up to 50 mph over the lakes. The first destination is a husky farm, where two hundred dogs will be waiting to meet us. For our dog sled journey, we've selected seven blue-eyed huskies for each sled. The dogs' yelping, howling, and barking are nearly as loud as they wait for their turn to run. This team is strong but kind, and they genuinely enjoy what they do. A spectacular adventure begins the moment the rope is cut. We're going to see nine brand-new pups. It hurts to leave after being licked a thousand times.

At a farm, lunch consists of sautéed reindeer, goat cheese potatoes, and cranberry ice cream. We remount our snowmobiles and go into a winter wonderland. We'll be traveling farther north than I ever have before as we traverse the Arctic Circle. I'm tempted to defect now that we've reached the same latitude as Siberia and are only 40 miles from the Russian border, but we've stopped at a reindeer farm and are greeted by Lapp-ladies dressed in traditional attire.They baptize us in the Lappish manner and issue us a border certificate and a reindeer driver's license. Then, the gentle giants pull us around on a sleigh.

The native Sami people live here. about the interesting culture of these semi-nomadic people who dwell at the top of the earth. Reindeer husbandry is the world's oldest known form of subsistence agriculture.They feel deeply sentimental toward this icy continent.

There were only 4 hours of daylight today. As I put on my jeans again, the thought occurs to me that not even my toes felt the chill. We take a motorcoach to the northern village of Luosto, home to only 40 people, and check into a luxurious ski lodge there. Outside on my balcony is a dramatic forest. A grove of birch trees, illuminated by the moon, represents the untainted beauty of nature. Apparently, snow can hear. Everything around me is completely silent. The peace and quiet had me captivated. The atmosphere here is really lovely, and time seems to stand still. Simply put, it's outstanding.I will remain here and wait. The Aurora Borealis puts on its greatest show here on Earth. I hope I can catch a peek at it. After an absolutely thrilling day, I drift off to a restful slumber.

After a delicious breakfast of smoked salmon the next morning, we ventured out to explore the local area. All 310 log rooms at one resort come with their own sauna. We visit Europe's largest operational amethyst mine. Finding the most brilliant purple diamond required a treasure quest with picks in hand. We go on to Pyha, a tiny ski town with the largest log home in the world, for lunch. A snow church has been carved out of the ice and snow here. Weddings are a common occurrence. When sitting in ice pews, sermons are brief.The visit to Santa Claus Village was another high point. The "genuine" Santa Claus himself met me. Here in this area, he has made his home and has become proficient in a dozen tongues. His helpers, or elves, are hard at work in the post office, responding to the 40,000 letters from kids all around the world that arrive there every year.

After a return to the airport, our plane takes off from a runway covered in ice. Even though I'll miss the polar night, I can't wait to go back to Antarctica in the summer and bask in the perpetual daylight.

The subsequent days are spent usefully at the cutting-edge Helsinki travel trade expo. I've discovered so much about a country that's more wonderful than I could have imagined. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to spend the night in the Kemi Ice Hotel, go on the Sampo Ice Breaker, or swim the Baltic Sea with a floatation device. Even so, I'm appreciative of my brief foray into Lappish excitement. On my final evening, the northern lights danced above me like a teasing fairy. This is a lucky and fitting setting for our final farewell. It would be amazing to experience this with a group, and I pray that the stars align and provide me with the opportunity soon. In all my travels, I have never seen anything like it. Such a heartwarming winter experience should be available to everyone.