andrew_jorgensen ([personal profile] andrew_jorgensen) wrote2006-07-03 09:29 pm

(no subject)

The Sami, the indigenous people of Lapland, have many uses for their reindeer. One of the primary uses seems to be denial, or at least it seemed that way yesterday as we stopped on the outskirts of Inari for a visit to the home of a Sami schoolteacher. The noonday sun -- much like the midnight sun but still not going anywhere can't you tell I'm losing my mind from the sun the sun the sun -- had the temperature up to a lot closer to sweltering than I had expected, but she was dressed in a heavy calf-length dress made from reindeer wool; she quickly escorted us out of the open air into a canvas tepee so we could sit around a crackling fire, listen to her explain which portions of the reindeer become which handicraft, and sweat. To be fair, this was an attempt to avoid the mosquitos, gnats, horseflies, other-nasty-winged flies and flying, bug-sized piranha that infest the Lappish air, lapping up my blood. Our hostess said that she much preferred the winter, especially when it would reach 40 below, and I suspect the insects have something to do with this.

In the afternoon, we met another resident of the area who preferred the winter, but she was raising sled dogs, so I suppose it's to be expected of her. She had one Siberian Husky, but the bulk of her team were cross-bred from Alaskan Huskies and greyhounds. For the speed, one supposes; they are capable of reaching as high as 45 k.p.h. with a sled in tow.

The people I have met in Finland have seemed very nice, but I was a little disturbed to see, hanging in the window of one apartment building in Ivalo, a flag with a white cross on a blue background, starbursts at each point of the cross, and the Confederate flag. At 68° N I don't think this is an expression of regional pride. The population of Ivalo is so white as to be translucent, and my impression is that the immigrants there are all Russian, so I'm a little on edge. They do have a surprisingly large number of tourists from Thailand, though.

Today was spent indolently tramping around Urho Kekkonen National Park and then driving down to Rovaniemi, which has an absolutely beautiful riverside. It seemed as though every twenty feet another pair of young lovers had deposited their bicycles so they could sit, and talk, and watch the river, and forge dreams together, or somesuch.

[identity profile] ladystarlightsj.livejournal.com 2006-07-03 06:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, yes, the midnight sun.

One of my more blurrier memories from Whitehorse was going out partying in June and being absolutely fascinated by the sun still being out at 4 AM. In that way of the totally schnockered. There may have been staggering as well.

Huskies and greyhounds? That's...interesting. (ponders)

[identity profile] dherblay.livejournal.com 2006-07-04 03:40 pm (UTC)(link)
They're really skinny, the husky/greyhound crossbreeds. Of course, it is summer. But they're not particularly husky in a way I might associate with, uhhh, huskies.

[identity profile] ladystarlightsj.livejournal.com 2006-07-04 03:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah. And for racing, you do need the strength as well as speed. Greyhounds don't strike me as particularily strong dogs, but I guess the breeder knows what she's doing. Or not, heh.
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[identity profile] lakrids404.livejournal.com 2006-07-03 07:36 pm (UTC)(link)
About the Confederate flag, if it's the same as in Denmark, where I also have seen it. It's mostly used as a kind of rally banner, for people who likes US country music or Westeren cowboy romantics.

[identity profile] dherblay.livejournal.com 2006-07-04 03:39 pm (UTC)(link)
I did wonder if/hope that he were a Lynyrd Skynyrd fan.

[identity profile] c-mantix.livejournal.com 2006-07-03 08:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Your travel reflections make for good reading.

They do have a surprisingly large number of tourists from Thailand, though.

How incongruous that seems...

[identity profile] dherblay.livejournal.com 2006-07-04 03:43 pm (UTC)(link)
I was in the grocery store, buying fruit and insect repellent, and I kept seeing East Asians. "Oh," I thought to myself, "Ivalo, Finland, population 35,463, must have a high population of Asian immigrants." But, no, just package tourists stocking up on supplies.
ext_2353: amanda tapping, chris judge, end of an era (Default)

[identity profile] scrollgirl.livejournal.com 2006-07-06 06:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah yes. Never underestimate the Asian vacationer's ability to cram themselves onto crowded buses en route to the far corners of the globe all for the sake of a cheap tour package. *g*
ext_2353: amanda tapping, chris judge, end of an era (Default)

[identity profile] scrollgirl.livejournal.com 2006-07-06 06:08 pm (UTC)(link)
To be fair, this was an attempt to avoid the mosquitos, gnats, horseflies, other-nasty-winged flies and flying, bug-sized piranha that infest the Lappish air, lapping up my blood. Our hostess said that she much preferred the winter, especially when it would reach 40 below, and I suspect the insects have something to do with this.

*Scroll recoils in utter horror*

OH GOOD GOD NO

[identity profile] dherblay.livejournal.com 2006-07-07 02:30 am (UTC)(link)
So I guess you won't be wanting that souvenier I picked up for you . . .

[identity profile] dherblay.livejournal.com 2006-07-07 02:31 am (UTC)(link)
Souvenir.