On our last morning in Saariselkä we decided to head to the sledding hill again before checking out of the hotel. We were the first to arrive and found some not too damaged sleds abandoned at the base. As we started to climb to the top of the mountain we realized we were following a group of about 5 reindeer. It was a magical experience to walk behind them up the slope and stop when they stopped. Once at the summit we went our separate ways. The reindeer went to forage and we sledded down.
At the base we found some residents of Saariselkä who had set up an ice cafe for sledding children with hot juice and sausages and pulla. One woman was impressed with Chris' command of Finnish and told us her mother had lived in Fitchberg MA until 13 when she returned to Finland. But on her death bed, her mother spoke in English.
The two gentlemen in one picture are carving a bear out of snow. They carved a bevy of bears outside our hotel as well. Our Finnish friend told us that people decorate their yards with snow sculptures and fill large garbage bags with snow overnight so that they can have Moomi in their yards.
oh to be in lapland!
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