Laponia 2002/3 - Part 2

Laponia 2002/3 - Part 1 | Laponia 2002/3 - Part 2 | Laponia 2002 - Northern Lights | Laponia 2003 - Summer

At the turn of the year 2002/2003, we were in Laponia. Or more precisely, in Rajamaa in the village Muonionalusta, located on the island Pitkäsaari in the border river Muonio - near the Finnish town of the same name and 200km north of the Arctic Circle. The island is already on the Swedish side. Lars Malmströn was our host in Rajamaa and accompanied us throughout the days (his Finnish wife Kaisuu cooked very well). The reason for the trip was the 50th birthday of Astrid's sister Birgit at New Year's Eve. We were able to celebrate the turn of the year twice, which was a "specialty" of this trip: First in Finland on a Finnish island in the river Muonio (before that, we had a great meal in Rajamaa), then again in Rajamaa in Sweden. This trip included a dog sled ride in Muonio and a visit to a Lappish reindeer herder in Finland. The temperatures were between -15 (rarely) and -36 degrees Celsius (mostly between -20 and -30 degrees). We were able to see the Northern Lights twice.

See also: rajamaa.com/en/about-rajamaa

BTW: End of June 2003, we visited Rajamaa for a second time, having nearly "tropical" temperatures. This time, the sun did not go down...

Next day (New Year's Eve): Huts in the morning light	Birgit looks at her birthday presents	The main building in the morning...
... and out hut	Landscape in the morning	Let's go for a walk in the island!
Our hut from farther away	And once again, ...	...the main building
Lars' snowmobile	Island landscape	Ditto
Looking at the frozen Muonio river	Ditto	Ditto
Ditto	Ditto	A last fire at the slogbod...
Slowly it's getting dark...	The main building...	...and the street
Close to an old cemetery	During the New Year's Eve dinner	Lars prepares the dessert
On a finnish island in preparation of the turn of the year	The year 2002 has ended...	...at least, in Finland
Way back to Sweden with lights showing the border to Sweden	New Year: A final walk	Old log hut
Once again at the cemetery	Old stable	Lonely bicycle
Recovering from the walk	Departure day: Our hut in the morning	Waiting for the bus to arrive
(Nearly) final look at Rajamaa...	And off we go!	Panorama of Rajamaa
Laponia, December 2002/January 2003 - Minolta Dimage 7i

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