So we have left Muotkan Maja after a fabulous five days. After a transfer of just under 3 hours we are now at the Snow Village and Ice Hotel in Lainio. So we’ve moved from Finland’s NE Arctic region, 24 miles from the Russian border in a SW direction, still well into the Arctic circle to 40 miles from the Swedish border.
The Ice Hotel is spectacular. The detail in the rooms is incredible. But this is a commercial tourist destination and someone has flown out from the UK and getting married in the Ice Chapel as I type! It’s 19:45 and buses of people are arriving to walk round the hotel.
We have a fantastic cabin. It’s own sauna and Steven lit another log fire which is burning brightly. Although the smoke detectors went off as we had a little trouble working the vents out – instructions would have helped. Our cabin is a 10 – 12 minute walk through the woods to the restaurant and hotel. We don’t mind the walk as its only -2!
Sadly I can’t post photos as connectivity here is very poor – slow wifi in hotel only and no data reception on phone in cabin. Bizarrely further North in Muotkan Maja it was excellent with superb 3G and fast wifi. I’ll post them when back in UK (Update 5th April – they are now uploaded!). I can post videos taken with my phone. Enjoy!
Ice Helter Skelter, children only:
Ice chapel with Rabbi Isaacs, must be the first Rabbi they’ve had!:
Ice sculpting tomorrow, although I think they won’t let us use the chain saws!