Oh deer, I lapped it up
I DON’T know how I’m going to look my young nephew Aidan in the eye again. He was so excited to hear that uncle Declan was going to Lapland to see Santa’s reindeer. Well, I saw the reindeer alright, up close and personal, and none more so than when it was on my fork en route to my mouth. I’m sorry Aidan, but I ate Rudolph.
Before rushing to judgement, let me state that chowing down on reindeer is practically mandatory in Lapland. I discovered this just after arriving in Helsinki airport where reindeer burger was offered in the terminal’s restaurant. I initially hesitated, but couldn’t resist. It was delicious: juicy, lean and chewy.
Work purposes brought me to Lapland — specifically Kittilä, a popular Lappish holiday resort, located some 200km above the Arctic Circle — in the early spring of this year, though in truth it was still very much winter on the ground. In fact, Lapland essentially enjoys — if that’s the right word — a year-long winter.
It gets about 72 days of summer between June and August, a period by all accounts that is extraordinary to behold as the region enters ‘Midnight Sun’ where the sun only sets for a couple of hours at most, and sometimes not at all. Temperatures at this time of year fluctuate between 10C and 25C (in July).
The opposite effect occurs in winter — ‘Polar Nights’ — where, in late December, the sun doesn’t rise at all. Those with a propensity to suffer from seasonal mood disorder should probably steer clear.
I had been warned in advance to prepare for temperatures between minus-5C and minus-20C, but funnily enough, I never found it that cold during my stay, even though it was still snowing quite heavily. Sure, I was bundled up warm in my thermals, but there isn’t really a wind-chill.
Rather, the temperature was steady and the cold manageable, while the air was almost suffocatingly fresh in that ‘good for what ails you’ kind of way. Furthermore, the silence of the place is something to behold, with the vast array of surrounding forests serving as a sort of sound-proof force-field. You genuinely feel cut off from the world.
There was very little daylight at the time; it was more a lasting dusk-like effect. Our guide assured us these were the perfect conditions under which to view the phenomenon, Aurora borealis (the Northern Lights). Indeed, on our bus transfer from Kittilä airport to the hotel, we were told the lights could be seen through the window from a certain vantage point, but as much as I contorted my body and leaned over my annoyed bus-seat buddy, I couldn’t get a view. At that very moment it became a personal mission to see the Northern Lights before I left.
Time constraints meant there was no time to ski in Kittilä, but I did get a chance to explore a little of what else was on offer outside of Lapland’s bread-and-butter Christmas attractions.
For instance, I made it to Tonttula (http://hulluporo.fi), a popular regional lodge that offers a range of Lappish activities in their large surrounding yard.
Under the watchful and patient tutelage of our native Sami guides — dressed in full traditional colourful fur-and-boot regalia — we spent the morning taking short reindeer and husky rides, as well as attempting a small (clumsy) hike in snow-shoes. We also took part in some tobogganing, and in between activities, we ducked into a Sami teepee for delicious warm fruit juice and snacks cooked over an open fire.
We also managed to get up close to some reindeer, and, seeing that some were bleeding from their antlers, subsequently learned about shedding, whereby the reindeer’s antlers fall off at the end of mating season and regenerate later in the spring. Straight after, we took a reindeer ride, reclining on reindeer skin in the sled, to the adjoining restaurant — to eat reindeer soup. You really do have to get over that kind of guilt if you’re to survive in Lapland.
Later in the day we made the short drive to visit the, frankly awesome, Lainio Snow Village (www.snowvillage.fi), a 20,000sq ft complex of buildings made entirely from snow and ice. For that reason, temperatures inside are minus-5C so you need to wear snowsuits and boots inside, but it’s well worth donning the layers.
Included in the complex is a hotel, comprising 30 double or twin ensuite rooms, where you can actually sleep in fleece-lined sleeping bags on ice-sculpted beds. You can also have dinner in the ice restaurant, or go for a drink in the Snow Village’s ice bar (take that Four Seasons Dublin!). I’d particularly recommend the hearty vodka hot chocolate. There’s even an ice chapel where you can get married for the sum of €650 (and it’s big enough to accommodate up to 60 guests).
That night, we had a quick exploration of Kittilä’s nightlife, which seems to comprise mainly of generic European après-ski pubs. There’s Hulla Poro (http://hulluporo.fi), which translates as Crazy Reindeer, and its Porocks nightclub, which has a stylish cocktail bar and something of a wild reputation for after-hours revelry (and, by all accounts, is the area’s number one nightspot in which to hook up).
We also had good fun in Bar Ikhu (www.ihkubar.fi), which specialises in karaoke. Believe me, the locals take their amateur singing seriously: on the night we stopped by, even the burliest, most tattooed, most biker-looking dudes couldn’t resist getting up on stage to blast out a little Journey as well as obscure Lappish and Finnish love songs.
Luckily, Lapland is good for curing hangovers, with its crisp, wintery air, and protein-heavy diet. Disappointingly, I didn’t have a single sighting of the Northern Lights during my stay. If possible, I’ll have to make a return journey this winter to rectify that. Besides, it’ll be prime reindeer-munching season by then too. Apologies again Aidan.
If you’re not travelling on a package holiday through operators like Sunway (www.sunway.ie), Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus.com) fly from Dublin to Helsinki on Tuesday and Saturday. Return flights will start from around €300. You can then take a flight from Helsinki to Kittilä by charter, or on Finnair (www.finnair.com, prices vary, depending on season. Expect to pay around €200 return).
We stayed in the Hotel Panorama Levi (+358 (0)16 3363000, www.levipanorama.fi), 15km from Kittilä airport. Located centrally in the Levi ski resort area with views of the slopes, the accommodation is much more luxurious than usual for ski resort lodgings. A standard twin room with breakfast starts from €180.
Twin and double rooms in the Snow Village hotel (www.snowvillage.fi) start at €120 per adult, and €70 per child (aged 4-14).
The Snow Village (www.snowvillage.fi) will be open again on December 10 until April 15 2012. €10 for adult, €5 for child (4-14).
The Särestöniemi Museum (www.sarestoniemenmuseo.fi) displays the striking colour canvasses of Reidar Särestöniemi.
There are also two national parks in the area: Pallas-Ylläs (www.outdoors.fi) and Lemmenjoki (www.luontoon.fi) Keep an eye out for the Northern Lights while on a snowmobile safari (http://www.levi.fi), costing between €17 for children and €60 for adults.
Reindeer meat is a must-try, be it reindeer burgers (tender, juicy and lean), sausages (the size of a TV remote control), soup (rich, creamy and salty), or local speciality poronkäristys, where the meat is thinly-sliced, sautéed with onions, and served with mashed potato.
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