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Scandinavia 2019
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  • Red Magon

Scandinavia 2019

A 44-day adventure by Las Aventureras & Red Read more
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  • Scandinavia 2019

    Nordlys

    March 9, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ -3 °C

    The Northern Lights put on a presentation for us and I was finally able to get them on camera. Not the best shots but these are the best so far. It’s not easy to capture them on camera from a moving boat whilst about 150 other people, mostly men, are doing the same thing. Patience and a bit of luck are required - a clear sky helps too.Read more

  • Scandinavia 2019
    Room with a view - Eva's studio
    It's all just snowLooking towards the NordkappThe Christmas HouseEva the German artist lives hereLocal transportStockfish

    Honningsvåg

    March 10, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ -4 °C

    Today we arrived at the most northern part of Norway in Honningsvåg and the North Cape. Once again we had a gloriously sunny day and everyone kept saying how lucky we have been with the weather as it can change very quickly. We visited two small fishing villages here - Skarsvåg and Kamoyvær, where life is all about the fishing. Here cod and King crab bring in the money, with cod being dried in the open air. Once dried it can keep for up to eight years and is a good source of protein and is low in fat as well. Sadly life in the small villages is ebbing away with only 40 and 60 people left in each town and no children. Most people move to larger towns or cities in the region. It was a wonderful way to spend our last full day in Norway. We could have chosen to visit the North Cape but glad we didn’t when we saw 3 bus loads of tourists from our boat heading up there. We were happy to enjoy it from afar (it’s about 20km out of the town) and stroll around a tiny village. Life here must be quite isolating especially in the winter when it’s dark from November 21 until January 21. Interestingly many of the islands are connected by road not only by bridges but also by tunnels under the sea. The one connecting Honningsvåg to the mainland is 7km long and 250m under the sea.Read more

  • Scandinavia 2019
    In the shadow of the Nordnorge

    Go south!

    March 11, 2019 in Finland ⋅ ☀️ -19 °C

    We left the north and Norway behind this morning, docking at Kirkenes (and probably as close to Russia as we ever need to be - just 57km to the nearest border station) and travelled into Finland. The scenery changed quite quickly from the barren icy shores of the north to forests of pines. The landscape dotted by what appear to be nature parks or reserves with cabins and signs advertising summer activities such as kayaking and hiking. There is still of course snow, lots of it! Tonight we are staying in a glass igloo and the heavens are clear. Fingers crossed for a Northern Lights showing.Read more

  • Scandinavia 2019

    Kakslauttanen - Finnish resort

    March 12, 2019 in Finland ⋅ ☀️ -18 °C

    Today’s snow adventures have already included a husky safari, having frozen nostrils (because it’s so cold at -25c this morning) and sore ear tips. The snow resort is made up of an east and west village. Each village has glass igloos, log cabins and combo cabins (half igloo, half cabin). There is also a restaurant, bar and small shop, with loads of activities to keep everyone busy. The huskies are kept nearby, and they have about 200 dogs. All they do is pull tourists along. When they’re not working they are individually chained up near their kennels. I’m not sure if I actually agree with this. The dogs seem happy enough and eagerly greet visitors and are keen for the run. The guide told us that they are working to build individual enclosures for each dog, but this is an expensive process. Tonight we move to a log cabin which has its own sauna.Read more

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    Getting better and better

    March 12, 2019 in Finland ⋅ 🌙 -12 °C

    The amazing Aurora Borealis once again showed us her lights. This time we were prepared and were able to set up the tripod. Using a Gorillapod in below freezing temperatures is quite difficult. It really is get the camera ready with reasonable settings inside, rug up, go outside, set up the camera on a tripod, point the camera in the right direction and go! I’ve found it best to set the camera on a timer and also set it take 3 shots at a time. Tonight’s light show had different colours including blue and purple. Simply amazing!Read more

  • Scandinavia 2019
    A Christmas Nightmare2Downtown Rovaniemi

    Rovaneimi - Christmas Kitsch

    March 14, 2019 in Finland ⋅ ❄️ -4 °C

    Greetings from Rovaniemi, where it’s still Christmas or maybe it never stops. Wherever you go in this little city you cannot escape Christmas! It’s the official home of Santa. Just out of the city you can find the Santa Park and also Santa Claus Village (that Sonia has nicknamed ‘A Christmas Nightmare’) featuring a whole hall full of Christmas souvenir shops, Snowman World, visit the big man himself, see the official Post Office and the list goes on. You can also cross the Arctic Circle here too! Today’s activities also included a snowmobile along the frozen waters of the Ounasjoki River, to then take a ride on a sledge led by a poor suffering reindeer whose very existence is to pull sledge loads of loud tourists. Rovaniemi is not a terribly exciting place, even the buildings say so, block after block of what I would consider ‘soviet’ style bland looking structures. Thankfully though no high rises. Wandering the streets to our dinner destination we did however find a couple of little shops that will be visited in the morning before we head out to Kittilä.Read more

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    Finnish forests

    March 15, 2019 in Finland ⋅ ❄️ 2 °C

    From Rovaniemi to the SnowVillage in Lainiotie, for a night in a cabin, and we are so glad that we did not spend a night in the oh so cold Ice Hotel! Instead we opted for the warmth of a cabin but drank and dined in the ice bar and restaurant. It truly is an amazing place. Forget about the Ice Bars in the cities, this is really something else. The theme of the season is Game of Thrones and so each room in the Ice Bar and Hotel features a different aspect from the series. You don’t need to have watched the program to appreciate the scale of work and skill that goes into carving the ice. Our cabin accommodation was superb and are looking forward to our upcoming stay in Äkäslompolo.Read more

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    Äkäslompo

    March 17, 2019 in Finland ⋅ ☁️ -3 °C

    Day 2 in Äkäslompolo has brought us snow. It is so quiet as it falls. I am still surprised by its stillness. I woke up to find the cars outside completely covered in snow. I am also beginning to perfect the art of bed making Nordic style. Yesterday was a day of rest as we have booked a series of things for the next few days. First up - ice fishing.Read more

  • Scandinavia 2019

    Ice fishing and cross country skiing

    March 18, 2019 in Finland ⋅ ❄️ 0 °C

    There’s always something going on in Äkäslompolo! Yesterday it was snowmobiling and ice fishing - neither of which I am giving up my day job for. This morning it was cross country skiing with a very patient instructor. What a workout! The Finns make it look so easy, but of course they are taught from a very early age. It has been snowing here so no more Northern Lights viewing to date. It is great to stop here In Äkäslompolo for the week. It really is a ski resort town with many Germans and Swiss and other Europeans coming here for skiing. The nice part is it is free of bus loads of tourists. Most of the accommodation is cabin style, set up for longer stays, complete with a kitchenette and of course a sauna.Read more

  • Scandinavia 2019

    Revontulet (Northern Lights) #5

    March 19, 2019 in Finland ⋅ ⛅ 0 °C

    Another fabulous look light show in Finnish Lapland. This time from our little cabin in Äkäslompolo. The night sky was awash with the lights dancing across the heaven and a much deeper green than previously. Sonia braved the cold to get the photos as I have been unwell and was just as delighted to view them from the cabin window. They never cease to amaze us.Read more

  • Scandinavia 2019
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    Cabin fever

    March 21, 2019 in Finland ⋅ ☀️ -1 °C

    After a day staying in as I was not feeling up to it, we set off for a trip to visit a reindeer farm owned and run by a Sami family. It was so good to see that pulling tourists through a forest is not the only business these reindeers do. This really was a reindeer farm where they are bred and well looked after. We learned so much and best of all the place was so peaceful. Even the family expressed how peaceful their lives were, with the work changing season by season. A truly wonderful day.Read more

  • Scandinavia 2019
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    Back to the city

    March 23, 2019 in Finland ⋅ 🌬 3 °C

    It’s funny how you get used to a place so quickly when you are travelling and you develop small routines the longer you stay. We had grown so used to our cabin in Äkäslompolo and it felt a little strange to be back in city hotel room. The short flight was a but rough especially on landing and very cramped. When the person sitting in front of me decided to recline I could not even read a magazine without turning to the side to turn the pages... it’s a first world problem I know.
    Well, anyway... Helsinki. An interesting place, and a very spacious city. Wide tree lined boulevards remind me a little of Paris actually, and the green and yellow trams that are similar to Melbourne. My first and very short impression is that it is lively, full of Finnish culture and art. It has given me a new appreciation for Finnish design. We feel very underdressed as we walk around in our travel clothes. I would like stay an extra day, as we really have not had a chance to explore too much, as we will have only been here for under 48 hours! Unfortunately, Saturday was a grey, rainy day with a mist that blanketed the city from early afternoon. We took the Panorama Bus to view the city from the warmth and dryness of a bus. After a spot of lunch we visited the Finland Museum of Photography and the most awesome Helsinki city library with it’s architecture that it resembles Finland’s fells. Today the sun has greeted us and a quick morning walk took me to the sea baths where locals were enjoying their ‘löyly’ in the sauna followed by a quick dip in the sea pool. A little cold for me.    Read more

  • Scandinavia 2019
    The Sun Voyager
    First views of IcelandFirst views of Iceland1

    Land of fire and ice and of course Björk

    March 24, 2019 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 1 °C

    With Finnish forests still fresh in our memories, a 3 1/2 hour flight across the Baltic and Norwegian Seas has found us in Reykjavík, Iceland. A quick evening stroll has revealed what looks to be a quirky city. Something like an outback arctic station that grew into something bigger but has still managed to retain some of its small town nature. It’s early days for us and tomorrow will revel more.Read more

  • Scandinavia 2019

    Four seasons in one day

    March 25, 2019 in Iceland ⋅ 🌧 7 °C

    Snow, hail, wind, rain and patches of sun pretty much describes our stay in Reykjavík this week. This has made sightseeing challenging. Starting with the city on our first day with the wind and the rain we wandered through the streets with so many tourist shops. We visited the church - Hallgrimskirkja, sitting on top of the hill, then walked down to the Parliament House and City Hall, through the main square to the harbour and then back through the tourist area. By that time weird tired from the constant dampness and were happy enough to head back to our hotel.Read more

  • Scandinavia 2019

    Glaciers, waterfalls, geysers and skyr

    March 28, 2019 in Iceland ⋅ ❄️ -1 °C

    Over the last couple of days we headed out of the city on two different day tours. We headed east with our guide Mat and visited Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and walked inside giant cracks in the earth then on to a local greenhouse, Friðheimar for lunch and learnt about how Iceland is using greenhouses and geothermal energy to grow produce. The magnificent Gullfoss waterfall was next on the agenda and the great Geysir geothermal area, where the reliable Strokkur geyser spouts hot water up to 30 m. With more food in mind, it was on to the small dairy farm Efstidalur where we tried skyr and some of their ice cream. Our last stop before dinner was the geothermal spa Fontana. I took up the challenge of taking a dip in the freezing lake (yes, the temperature of the water was 0 C)in between the hot pools. It really was an experience with everything going numb within a matter of seconds. After dinner we tried unsuccessfully to spot the Northern Lights on way back to the city. Our trip yesterday took us south to view the Seljalandsfoss waterfall, then the Skógafoss waterfal before heading to the Sólheimajökull glacier, walking up onto the ice field. The challenging weather made for an interesting walk with conditions changing every 5 minutes. It really does make you appreciate the mild weather we have most of the year at home.Read more

  • Scandinavia 2019

    The North - to Akureyri

    March 28, 2019 in Iceland ⋅ 🌫 3 °C

    A short 35 minute flight (and a little bumpy) from Reykjavík and we found ourselves in the charming northern city of Akureyri. A town really of about 18,000 people, it services the northern region. It’s only about 250km from Reykjavík but takes 4 1/2 hours to drive by car. There are quite a few hotels and backpackers hostels in the town and loads of tours on offer. Once again it’s nice to be out of the big city.
    In the evening Sonia posted herself on Northern Lights watch and was rewarded for her patience.    Read more

  • Scandinavia 2019

    Sagaland - vikings, trolls and elves

    March 29, 2019 in Iceland ⋅ 🌬 5 °C

    Today’s travels took us on a day trip to the Lake Mývatn area. The area is full of volcanic action including geothermal pools and large lava fields. We were lucky with the weather with Mother Nature giving us a stunning day to showcase the lunar type landscape. We stopped by the Goðafoss waterfall (waterfall of the gods) so named when a cheiftain famously threw his old wooden Norse gods into the waterfall denouncing his faith and adopting on Christianity. We also viewed pseudocraters, mud pools and a lava field that is said to be inhabited by trolls and elves as well as being home to the Yulelads of Iceland. We finished off our day in the Mývatn Nature Baths, indulging in the natural hot springs. All in all a wonderful day.Read more

  • Scandinavia 2019
    Leaving Akureryi

    Akureyri - from the air

    March 30, 2019 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ -1 °C

    Iceland has impressed! All I had to say this morning was ‘WOW’. I’m not an easy flyer, but our flight back to Reykjavík this morning was simply spectacular. This little country has the most extreme landscapes I have ever seen. A young landscape in comparison to other areas of the world Iceland was born (and continues to grow and change) from the volcanoes and the shifting of the tectonic plates. It is not an easy country for humans to live in, but the Vikings did, and managed to survive and prosper. Here is a taster of our flight.Read more

  • Scandinavia 2019
    3 lovely ladies from Edinburgh Scotland took our photo

    The Blue Lagoon

    March 30, 2019 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 0 °C

    A trip to Iceland just wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the iconic Blue Lagoon. It really is that blue! The algae and minerals in the water add the colour. It was a very strange feeling to be in the warm waters with snow falling on our faces. It’s a big complex with loads of people- we almost prefer the smaller baths we visited during the week in Iceland. To finish off the day a heavy snow shower greeted as we left the baths. While everybody else was rushing to get out of the snow we didn’t object to standing in it and absorbing the softness and quietness of the snowfall. Tomorrow we are heading home in the early hours.Read more

  • Scandinavia 2019
    The coast of Norway - somewhere North of Bergen
    Flying in to Oslo

    The long way home

    March 31, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ -5 °C

    As the lava fields of Iceland disappeared behind the clouds we began the long journey home, leaving behind Iceland and its 130 volcanoes. With a couple of hours layover in Oslo, we feel sad that our holiday has almost come to an end, yet richer and grateful for the privilege of undertaking such a trip. The world is truly an amazing place.Read more

  • Trip end
    April 1, 2019
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