ICE HOTEL PART ONE

AN ADVENTURE INTO THE ARTIC CIRCLE..... WHAT A DELIGHT!

THE ONE GATE AIRPORT IN THE ARTIC CIRCLE

FIRST SUNSET IN THE ARTIC.  TIME 3:30PM

BZ GETTING COZY WITH THE LEAD DOG

 A FUN LOVING WINTER BABY, (GYPSY BY GENES?) NATURALLY WILL GRAVITATE TO A SNOWY ICE PALACE TO CELEBRATE A  SPECIAL BIRTHDAY.  HENCE THE IDEA OF FLYING TO THE ARTIC BECAME A BURNING DESIRE ON MY LIST TO EXPLORE THE WORLD. A MERE 90 MINUTE FLIGHT FROM STOCKHOLM ON SAS AND WE ARRIVED IN KIRUNA. AN ADDITIONAL 90 MINUTE DOGSLED RIDE (TOASTY WARM, UNDER REINDEER HIDES) THROUGH A FROZEN FAIRYLAND OF EVERGREENS ENCRUSTED WITH SNOW  AND WE FINALLY ARRIVED AT THE VILLAGE OF  JUKKASJARVI  ON THE TORNE RIVER. (SOURCE FOR THE ICE)

THESE HUSKIES ARE SMALLER THAT THEIR ALASKAN COUSINS

SUITING UP TO KEEP WARM, THE HOTEL LENDS YOU BOOTS (TOO BIG FOR JZ &BZ) AND SNOWSUITS

READY TO GO FOR A SLEIGH RIDE

FOR OUR FIRST NIGHT WE CHECKED INTO A "HOT" ROOM

WHICH IS REAL BIRCH WOOD TO MY RIGHT  OR LEFT?

SO WARM AND COZY BZ CAN WIGGLE HER TOES

BEAUTIFUL, SWEDISH MODERN FURNITURE IN HOT ROOM  SITTING AREAS

NOT WANTING TO WAST A MOMENT, WE WERE BOOKED FOR THE TWILIGHT SNOWMOBILE TOUR.  WE LEFT AT SUNDOWN (THE LITTLE DOTS IN THE PICTURE) FOR A TWO PLUS HOUR DRIVE INTO THE GREAT UNKNOW......"FOLLOW THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU"  WE WATCHED OUT FOR FROSTBITE!  JORDS AND I WERE PREPARED FOR THE COLD.  WE EVEN WERE TOO WARM AT ONE POINT! WE BOUNCED THROUGH HILL AND DALE.

OUT WE GO INTO THE SUNSET

STOPPING FOR A FOTO OP

THEY HAD DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF SNOW THIS YEAR, WE GOT OF THE SNOWMOBILES TO CHECK OUT THE HIP HIGH SNOW

BZ "DEMO ING" HOW TO MAKE A SNOW ANGLE

FINALLY WE GOT TO THE LITTLE SWEDISH CHALET FOR DINNER

THEY WERE LIKE WOODEN TEEPEES

NICE AND HOT LINGONBERRY WAS SERVED TO WARM US UP

A FIREPLACE WAS IN THE CENTER TO KEEP US WARM

BZ WARMING HER HANDS AND DRYING HER GLOVE LINERS

REINDEER STEW WITH POTATOES AND SOUR CREAM YUMMY WAS THE MAIN DISH

OUR VERY, VERY ADORABLE (OK CUTE) LEADER

JORDS WARMING HER BUNS BEFORE WE CHECK OUT THE AURORA BOREALIS 

LUCK WAS ON OUR SIDE! WE GOT TO SEE THE FLOATING LIGHT GREEN CLOUD IN THE FAR FAR DISTANCE!


COLD AND TIRED WE HOPPED ON TO OUR SNOWMOBILES AND HEADED BACK TO THE ICEHOTEL... TO FALL INTO A NICE WARM BED FOR A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP... MORE TO COME