Japanese

September6, 2011: The core of LapLand
	We must say good-bye to beautiful Tromsoe. I can't forget the wonderful Polar Light I witnessed last midnight. The morning mist belt lies on the calm fjord and the background hills give an fantastic beauty of the camping site.
The Polar zone is not so cold as expected from the sound of the word. We walked around for a while.
	In a warmer season, people may enjoy a barbecue on this great wooden deck.
Pansy blooms pretty even in the northern land who changed my preoccupation
Now, we go. We took awe-were-there-picture.
	SkittenelvCamping entrance hoists the flags of all nations.
Skittenelv  means "dirty river",Mr.Klaus　taught us. We walked to the river to confirm it. The river was not dirty at all but rather clean, though.
	Lovely flowers smiled at me in the grass land.
The camping site owners commute daily and we said good-bye. I told that I could see the Polar Light last night and the owners said it was very good.
	See you again! Yes, I wish I can. Can I have such a chance?
The wonderful smiles of the owners. Yesterday, I sent a thank-you message through the net. The owners responded back quickly saying see you in the snow season.
	I looked back Tromsoe many times and started at 8:30 in the temperature of 10 C.
After an hour drive took us to Mr.Klaus's old Lapish family. He makes it a rule to visit the family every time he drives to Tromsoe.
	Ms. Belit, nealy 80 years old, and Mr. Nickel welcomed us in smile. She offered me homemade smoked reindeer meet slice and simple cookies. They were really good and I took much of them.
Mr. Nickel put a native dress on me. They speak in Lapish which is quite unintelligible to me. Mr.Klaus,an eminent linguist, kindly translated it into English simultaneously for us. Ms. Belit usually wears such native dress,Mr.Klaus said.
	Actually, the dress I wore was for man but the design was just like one-piece. My husband tried as well.
The frill of the skirt is very colorful and lovely. The cloth base is like thick felt which may offer good insulation on the snow ans ice.
	I presented a piece of chop stick. Mr.Nickel was very interested in it and learned eagerly from Mr.Klaus how to use it.
He gave me a handmade shell neckless in return. It was really a good souvenir of Lapland. I was greatly delighted.
We took a we-were-there-picture. Mr.Nickel and Ms.Belit, thank you very much and enjoy the longevity.
	Lovely kid native dresses were displayed on the entrance hall wall. The family keeps and uses many adult dresses and long boots.
The time passed so quickly. Although I couldn't understand the language at all but cold feel their hospitality. A beautiful Lapland landscape spreads outside of the window.
	We again drove along the beautiful fjord like this.
The rocky mountains near here feature their unusual shapes. In the front is "Hat" mountain.
	The low trees increasedin number gradually.
Norway,Finland, and Sweden make a tri-states boeder here. Suomi meansFinland.
	The house is a rare place to tell a European border.　The immigration officers of Sweden and Finland were in the house. I repeatedly asked them to stamp on my passport. The Finnish officer soon agreed and stamped, but the Swedish officer ignored me, a funny experience.
The traffic alert wasn't a figurehead. The herd of reindeer slowly crossed the road.
The belt around the neck tellsthe stock farm nearby. We waited patiently until the herb crossed the road. Thanks to the herb, I could closely observe the reindeer that pull the sleigh of Santa Claus.
We continued the drive as we couldn't find a good rest site. We at last arrived at a town and found a restaurant. The time was already 2:30. I took reindeer soup and salad,
	and beer named Karhu (bear). It was very good for me who was very thirsty and tired.
The small restaurant in a small town has everything from food to miscellaneous goods including car commodities. The soup and salad were good enough for me. I was relieved and relaxed.
Again we started. Mr.Klaus suddenly entered into a small trail, saying "Yes, he is here without fail." We found a small cottage where a German owner sold tasty smoked meat. ,Mr.Klaus said the owner,his friend, produces much tastier smoked meat than local Lapland people. We bought smoked pork and reindeer sausages.
	The cowshed keeps many caws were raised in the large cowshed. Around the cowshed spreads the vast wildness. I wondered how the kids go to school. Yes, young people are lured by the lights of the big city even in the Polar land. This is a big problem,Mr.Klaus sighed.
We at last arrived the camp site tonight, but the receptionist couldn't find Mr.Klaus name on the booking note.  The illuminated flower pod was good,though.
	The booking wasn't made. We were at a loss but the receptionist introduced us a nearby hotel.
The hotel was located on a street corner the center. The hotel runs a diversified business such as restaurant,bar,supermarket, and hotel. We were then guided to a huge building that accommodates many people. The kitchen was large enough.
	The main bed room is provided with two beds and a sofa bed. There is another bed room as well. The receptionist rented us the whole building which included bed rooms,bath,sauna, and drying room. Unfortunately the time was too late to try the famous genuine Finnish sauna.
back	next
Today's mileage: 542 km(Total 3185Km)	写真：K.P.Nickel Ken &Mie