Lapland: A moment of eternity

by Bianca Santos (Brazil)

Making a local connection Finland

Sometimes life can surprise you with joy, I was just an exchange student in Helsinki and with the arrival of a holliday I gained a lifetime experience of one daring dream. I had nothing planned for that particular holliday on October 31st of 2019 (In Helsinki its all saints day), as the advent of such date was coming near, a friend of mine invited me to meet Lapland with her for the first time, previously she was supposed to go on such adventure with her boyfriend, but, they were no longer together so I was going to accompany her, me and the full moon of that beautiful Friday night. We arrived at the train station that night and went straight to our berth, it was already late since our train departure happened at 9 pm, so we read a book, slept a while and woke up already in lapland! As soon as I felt the strong winds of Rovaniemi, I admired those beautiful snow covered Alps in the landscape, growing in me wanderlust to seek more about what such wild land of northern lights and Santa Claus had to offer me, the wind was strong and those alps, the snow, the lights were all luring me to trust the winds and the fireplaces around me, the beautiful northern lights a natural Kaleidoscope bringing joy and warmth to my soul. We drove ourselves to the arctic land adventure reindeer ranch and immediately astonishment took over, the glass igloos were like a dream for my eyes, the roof completely made of transparent glass, the wood of the walls was strong and in a light brown colour, although extremely sophisticated, inside of the igloo was a huge king size bed and a pretty dark wooden small table with 2 comfortable chairs and a bathroom, the landscape was thrilling: a beautiful lake, already frozen by the winter, the mountains on the horizon and surrounded by 10 foot threes with leaves covered by snow, watching the midnight sun goes down followed by the spectacular green and blue northern lights in a Kaleidoscope moving, sparkling and pleasing our eyes with the greatest show on earth, made me and my friend say nothing but "this moment is eternity". We spent hours watching the northern lights and how they seemed to move in the lake as they were dancing together the prettiest nature Waltz's, it wasn't even needed to put on Sibelius, it was like nature was dancing without the song playing... We surrendered to sleep, willing to wake up on the following day, when we would meet the town of Rovaniemi. Rovaniemi is an elegant city, in its entrance you will see a marvellous bridge, looking at your left side you can gaze the mountains, at your right side the frozen lake under the bridge ,but still with a beautiful blue colour, in front of you: the city with small buildings of 6 floors, still elegant and modern, bistros serving delicious local foods such as Mustakkara (a wonderful black sausage), beautiful shops that seems small versions of the famously known Lacy's in New York and trees covered with lights all around the city, its a place where love at first sight comes alive! After shopping, eating food and admiring the beautiful city of Rovaniemi it was time for us to go sledding in the mountains with an amazing view of the snow fields, the highest trees with the winter sun around us, the cutest reindeers we could ever ask for and the alps afar, as well, completing a breathtaking landscape within the sunset. In the Santa Claus village the building with roofs that will remind you of a Christmas cap, bright lights, and christmas trees full of lights completes the perfect travel of an amazing dream and inside you will find a souvenir shop with lots of toys, Santa Claus miniatures, reindeer stuffed animals, keychains, as well Santa's helpers as salesmen, a perfect ending for a perfect dream. On our last night in lapland we stayed up all night admiring the northern lights for the last time in bed with furs, longing and already looking forward to dream again in the Santa Claus land...