Norrland Sweden : Part 6 - Day 3 Morning: Samiska village and Arctic Circle

Day 3 (Morning) of Norrland Drive

Here is a summary of what is spent on Day 3 Morning. 

17/6 Day 3 Morning: Overnight at Luspholmensjö in Storuman -- Samisky village in Arvidsjaur -- Arctic Circle at Jokkmokk Road E45

Must-Incur Costs

(1) None

Optional Costs

(1) Lunch - Skrov Royal Burger (2 beef patties) with fries and 2 onion rings (including béarnaise dip) at Frasses (North's version of McDonalds but the difference is that the meat is fried/grilled upon orders are being placed) - SEK109

The Story

170618: We stayed overnight by a lake and it was sunny the next day that I decided to wash my hair and clothes! I even wore shorts because it was sunny. I found it hard to believe that I could wear shorts because I would expect Norrland to be cold. Unfortunately, I got a slight headache (luckily, I brought headache pills) after washing my hair because I used cold water. Lesson learnt - boil the water first. 

Even got to see the oldest pine's tree trunk in Sweden which was lying less than a km away from the lake. It is 285 years old with a length of 21 metres and still lies in good condition under a shade.  

We got a lovely surprise by a herd of reindeer (just found out that the plural of reindeer is also reindeer) crossing the road during our drive. This is very common in the North but seeing it was my first time, I found it cute and hilarious. Haha! My sister told me that these reindeer were actually running away from the mosquitoes. They even caused a traffic queue and no vehicles horned them. 

Next place of visit is Lapp Village which is a Samiska Village located in Arvidsjaur. They are closely similar to the one I saw in Fatmomakke but the huts here are built closer together. 

This is also a church town where people gathered for important ceremonies - christenings, weddings and funerals. This is where friends and relatives celebrate together. This place is still in use. Source from the Signboard. As people are gathered from far and wide to celebrate events together here, they built huts to stay here throughout the event. They have unique stairs!

There is a one-hour guided tour (starts at 6pm) for this Village (during the summer) that costs SEK100/RM50. I think I am willing to read the signs. One don't need to book in advance but just wait for the guide at the entrance and pay by cash.

We had lunch in Arvidsjaur too. Prof Sweet Tooth mentioned that Frasses is a popular eatery in the North. It is the equivalent of McDonalds, which means you can find Frasses in most of the towns in the North. The difference between these two is that the meat in Frasses is grilled or fried upon the orders are being placed. As you know, the meat in McDonalds are fried prior and left to be cooled. So, you can expect a hot meal in Frasses. I did not find the meal hot but it was tender and juicy meat when I took my first bite.

I saw a few bikers here who were riding across Norway and Sweden. Such stamina to ride. 

One of the major highlights of this trip was being able to cross the Arctic Circle! The Arctic Circle is the southernmost latitude where the midnight sun can be seen at the summer solstice. Its position is defined by the inclination of the earth's axis, which varies under the influence of the sun, the moon and the planets. During a period of 40,000 years, the Arctic Circle moves northwards and southwards within an area of 180km wide. Source from the Signboard.

Anyway, what it means is that the Arctic Circle moves continuously. But what I wanted to share is that by being within the Arctic Circle, I get to see the midnight sun i.e. the sun never sets! The sun is seen on the horizon or up in the skies! Which means one can do anything outdoors because it is 24 hours of daylight. I was so excited to be able to witness one of earth's awesome phenomenon. 

We were in Jokkmokk Road E45, one of the points of the Arctic Circle's signboard. Also, a very commercialised one with a souvenir shop and lots of tour offers for Jokkmokk town. We saw another Arctic Circle point as we drove past a village with just a signboard only.