Santa Claus Village, Arctic Circle

Dashing through the snow,

In a one horse open sleigh

Over the fields we go

Laughing all the way.

Santa Claus Village

After all, it’s 8km away from the Rovaniemi Airport, might as well right.

We did a quick few hours pit stop here enroute to the airport. We didn’t see Santa though as the queue was very very very long and we (or at least I) have nothing to wish for… Ahaks.

They have a few activities here but we only pick a few… the main reason why I wanted to visit this place is that I wanted to step on the Arctic Circle Line. Yes, you can do that… it ajer pun. Kiasu dak?! Hahhahahaa…. I will share more tips on luggage area and taxi to the airport from here. I find it hard to source for this info when I was preparing for my trip. Will definitely make a point to share with everyone.

Attractions

Arctic Circle: The Arctic Circle cuts right through Santa Claus Village. A white line denoting the Arctic Circle (at its position in 1865) is painted across the park. Visitors officially enter the Arctic area when they cross the line. The line is a very popular photo spot for visitors.

Santa Claus' Main Post Office: A large variety of Christmas related items, Christmas cards and CDs are sold in the post office. All mail sent from this post office is postmarked with a special Santa Claus postmark. Visitors can also specify their mail to be sent at the next Christmas, regardless of when they actually visit the post office and send their items.

Santa Claus's Office: A Santa Claus's Office is located inside the main building of the Village, for visitors to take photographs and chat with Santa Claus. However, there is an "office hour" for Santa Claus and he may not be in the office all the time even when the Village is open.

Other attractions: There are also many shops and restaurants inside the park selling a variety of items related to Santa Claus and the Lapland region.

Source : Wikipedia

Aside from this, jeng jeng jeng… there is also Santa Park of which I did not visit, it is rather expensive and most of my money was spent at Ranua Zoo.

Attractions

Elf Show

Santa's Workshop

Gingerbread Kitchen

Sleigh Ride

Elf School

Elf Workshop

Post Office

Source : Wikipedia

  

I don’t even know how to describe my excitement in Rovaniemi, first was the snow; its everywhere but everywhere, then the Ranua Zoo – the northern most zoo, followed by the northern most McDonald (apparently taken over by Russia), the Arctic Circle Line and now this; the Santa Claus Village! How lah not to love Finland.

The annoying part was the Igloo Bar & Restaurant and Igloo Hotel cost EU18 per entrance, aisey mannn….. mahai nya. Snowman World lagi. Aish… Bila nak kaya raya ni.

Anyway, nothing much for me to story mory here as I did not fall town, tripped on ice or do anything stupid. So, layan gambar ajer lah yek.

For more Santa Claus Village picture, please visit my Facebook Page HERE.

Entries on : 
Santa Claus Post Office at Arctic Circle
Yummiest salmon : Helsinki Old Market Hall
Ranua Zoo, an Arctic Zoo of the Lapland (Part 1)
I found my Wolverine in Ranua Zoo, an Arctic Zoo (Part 2)
Huskey sled. Reindeer sleigh. My Finland Trip! (Part 3)

Yummiest salmon : Helsinki Old Market Hall

The silent “L” in Salmon.

I was chatting with my colleague the other day on me wanted to start a business in any Scandi country (sungguh berwawasan tak?), remembered telling them that the only food I told myself to try is their salmon. By the time I hit my fourth country during this trip, the salmon that I was looking for was yet to be found. Well, I saw a couple of shops and supermarkets selling but not exactly how I imagine it to be… Just about then, in Helsinki, while walking aimlessly, we saw this old looking building which I am intrigued, hence wanted to photograph it. Guess what? It was the Helsinki Old Market Hall, and as I got inside….. it was SALMON HEAVEN. Menggigil tangan, I was ecstatic and speechless on our finding (not like we found a pot of gold or whatnot but it was close enough; for my darling tummy at least *gleaming*).

The quaint inside of this Old Market Hall overwhelmed us, you’ll see cafes, delicatessens and fish stalls. If it is not because of the price or our exchange rate, I believe I will be here daily if not hourly *ahaks*. And I would like to add that I for one have not seen so many ways to prepare/cook your salmon… there’s the salmon spring role, the grill salmon, salmon sushi, salmon salad and the list goes on and on. Pecinta salmon boleh jadi giler kat sini. By the way, it’s pronounce as “sa-mon”, with the silent “L” (I pun baru tau).

So, I guess the next question one will ask will be, is it expensive?

The answer to this is pretty simple, cheap!!!! NOT.

I got myself a salmon tapas the size of my palm and it cost me approximately €5 which is around RM20 at that point of time, it’s practically the cost of two McDonald Value Meal. BUT the salmon taste… Well,I can still remember the taste till now, it is THAT good. I was hoping to revisit the Old Market Hall the next day but since the distance and weather doesn’t permit us, we gave it a pass. Sigh…. Nyesal sampai arini hokkay.

Here’s the thing, I couldn’t find any similar shop in both Oslo and Stockholm or perhaps I didn’t try hard enough.

My #TravelTips to everyone heading to Helsinki, do try their fishers, if not salmon. Supaya tak menyesal dikemudian hari *wink*.

Huskey sled. Reindeer sleigh. My Finland Trip! (Part 3)

Huskey sled.

Reindeer sleigh.

My kind of holiday.

As featured in my earlier entries here and here, the Ranua Zoo is worth the visit as it also offer a few other rides outside its compound such as Snowmobile ride, Husky sled and reindeer sleigh ride; and all these at a reasonable price. This is what I have been waiting for from this whole trip and we save the best for last keh keh keh…. (kalau tak dapat buat memang nangis meraung kalah polar bear hokkay!).

My trip highlight and plan was this :

Santa Clause Village, Husky sled and reindeer sleigh in Finland

Viking ship and Noble House in Norway

Gamla Stan and Skansen in Sweden

My so called future plan (tak tau bila) will be Aurora Borealis, Ice fishing and snowmobile ride in Iceland, Legoland in Denmark to complete my Scandi countries. Obviously I plan to do a repeat in Norway especially, to cover Bergen, do some hiking and perhaps a few of the smaller cities up north. All these depending on rejeki, in-sha-Allah.

Anyway, there’s nothing much to share except pictures… do bear in my that during the rides, one’s face can froze (beku) but it was worth it (and funny too). I also attached the price and bus timetable to help you guys plan better *smile*.

 This is the best part, wanna know how the bus stop environment looks like. Check out the below.

So, make sure you are well covered yah... we waited almost an hour for the bus and after a while it was freezing cold and sky gets dark pretty fast. Plan well!

I found my Wolverine in Ranua Zoo, an Arctic Zoo (Part 2)

Previous entry :
Ranua Zoo, an Arctic Zoo of the Lapland (Part 1)

There are 2 things I was looking for aside from those mentioned in my earlier entry, which is.... jeng jeng jeng... Polar Bear and Wolverine!

Before I start, you guys need to know this facts about Rania Zoo (bangga okay I dapat pergi)

Ranua Wildlife Park (Finnish: Ranuan eläinpuisto, better known as Ranua Zoo) is a zoo that opened in 1983 in the municipality of Ranua, Lapland, Finland. It is the northernmost zoo in the world. The zoo's animals consist of approximately 50 wild animal species and 200 individuals, including top predators such as lynx, brown bears and wolves but also European moose and deers. The zoo has Finland's only polar bears in artificial snow. The Ranua Wildlife Park is an accredited member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).

From Wikipedia

My first thought (and always) is that polar bear are chubby, fluffy, friendly and of course cute. Boy, was I wrong about this, they were nothing like what I imagined. What they actually are flabby, not snow white and fierce, oh! they are also a carnivore. You heard me alright, which means..... they can eat us. And do you know that in Svalbard, there are more polar bear than us human? I am so not going there man.... that's like suicidal. Full respect to Azuan Zahri as he and his lovely wife are brave enough to step foot on Svalbard, wanna know more? Visit his blog HERE.

Polar Bear 
Polar bears are the largest land carnivores in the world, rivaled only by the Kodiak brown bears of southwestern Alaska. Polar bears sit at the top of the food chain in the biologically rich Arctic. The most carnivorous of the bear species, polar bears feed primarily on the fat of ice-dependent seals. The remains of these seals provide food for many other Arctic wildlife species, giving polar bears a vital role in their ecosystem.

Scary much now?

Aaahhh... I was pratically hopping when I saw this sign. I have never seen a wolverine live and this is my greatest opportunity, not that I have seen the other Wolverine live either (Hugh Jackman), hahhahahaaa....

Yes, This. Is. Wolverine.

Nothing. Like. Saber tooth. Nothing!

With a name like wolverine, my expectation was wolf with toughness and meanness, like The Wolverine from X-Men. I was so wrong. They were so cute running around playfully that now I have no respect for the wolverine character. Dang!!!

You know what happened? 

While I was trying to get the wolverine to look up (of which I fail successfully with flying colours!), not sure how to "address" it, we start calling "Hugh Jackman! Hugh Jackman" which made the visitors behind us chuckled. Sure dia kata budak-budak Malaysia nih merapu. Hahahahahhaaa... Truthfully, they were fully entertained by us. Keh keh keh....

Other animals at the Ranua Zoo is those animals your kinda expected, plenty of all deer species.

This is one animal that I did not expect to see nor have any expectation at all and I fell in love the first time I laid my eyes on this beautiful, regal, sleekest creature. Of all the white arctic animals I saw during my trip here, Arctic Fox is the most beautiful one in my eyes.

I was quite lucky as there is also a mini/little Igloo Bar in Ranua Zoo, hence we do not spend any additional dollars to experience 'lepaking' in an Igloo Bar, How untung is that!

And you know what else is untung to visit this place?

Ahhhh.... Make sure you read my next entry *wink*

Ranua Zoo, an Arctic Zoo of the Lapland (Part 1)

I have to break this into 3 parts due to the silly things happened that I want to share and pen down. Hehehhehee... History in the making gitew...

What made me want to visit Arctic Circle? It was never about the aurora which I believe I've mentioned in earlier entries. The first time I heard about this word - Arctic Circle; was from RaW in his tweet. I was wondering where in the world is this place, and when I am curious, I google. I soon learnt about the Arctic Circle; which countries sits on it or rather how many countries and cities the circle pass by. All these info I kept for the past year or two, just in case I ever travel to those countries, I will know where to head to *wink*.

You know how nature sometimes conspire with technology right? Well, the logic is the same as when you bought a new car, let say a Honda HRV and then suddenly you begin to see HRVs everywhere of  which previously you never noticed. Experienced that before? Yup! The same goes for us travelers, suddenly I kept seeing tweets upon tweets, Instagram upon Instagram post on Arctic Circle and its activities, and I usually “define” this as the ‘travelers calling’ (Over giler dak? But I bet you guys do too kan? Sila ngaku!!!).

So, in this case, I saw a tweet with picture of Santa Claus Village at Rovaniemi on Arctic Circle. Hemmm… *quickly taking down notes*. Then I start to what us Malay call ‘gatal tangan’ and google, and found out that Rovaniemi have a few activities for  travelers to participate – into the bucket list it goes (Oh boy! My bucket list is growing and yet Aurora is still not included [I am weird like that]. Ahaks) I only realized about Arctic Zoo few weeks before departure while searching for husky sled ride, I convinced Wahidah that we should cover the zoo in our trip as it is one of the most unique zoo in the world; being on arctic circle and all, and not to forget it is fully covered with thick snow! Plus the fact that I absolutely LOVE zoos and parks (Tak caya? Check trip I yang lain, if tak de park; ade zoo, if tak de zoo; ada parks or ada both). I was so thrilled that the zoo trip attire was the first one I pick and decide, wanting to look my best for the huskies, polar bears, lynx, wolverine, arctic fox and all (flip hair). Senangkan nak travel ngan I, bawak jer gi zoo and belikan eskrem. Hhahahahhahahah…

I am excited even before stepping on the 1.5hrs bus ride, if we were to cancel the trip I swear I would mangok 3 tahun (gitew) but everything went smoothly of course, we were early despite the hiccups on where to board the bus but we managed to walk to the bus station nevertheless which looks like ‘not a bus station’, we giggled as we purchase the bus tickets.

Have you been to a zoo all covered with snow? The scene and experience is priceless… all the animals are total different from those we seen in tropical zoo or even those we see in any 4 seasons zoo. Even reading the animals name excite me!

#TravelTips 1 : Buy upfront return tickets from the Bus Station (note : not bus stop tau, but at the bus station!).

#TravelTips 2 : Be earlier at the Bus Station and also when heading back from the zoo. The queue for the bus is long!!! And very limited bus to get to the zoo and back.

#TravelTips 3 : Unfortunately you have to be kiasu when queuing, as there is only that 1 bus for that hour. Give way to the elderly and kids but make sure you are the first to queue, else tertinggal bus.

My first encounter at the zoo was snowy owl, and I was practically jumping up and down padahal burung hantu warna putih jer tapi sebab kat snow hence feel dia lain. I told Wahidah, the snowy owl belongs to Harry Porter. Hahhahahahha…

#TravelTips 4 : Want to impress me? Take me to San Diego Zoo (wish list since 10 years ago). #Eh cam mana ni pun masuk travel tips? Hahhahahhahahha…. Abaikan.

#TravelTips 5 : Tickets to be purchased at the souvenir shop counter, the area is very small so do be civilize and courteous.

 #TravelTips 6 : There are café/cafeteria at this small building, you can have lunch here (non-halal).

#Traveltips 7 : As we traveled during winter, we can’t smell anything bad (Tak da bau binatang/hancing etc. Yeay!)

Some of the tracks require us to walk in this condition, being a Malaysian where snow is uncommon (obviously) we gladly walk while busy taking pictures upon pictures, upon more pictures. I was more excited here than I was in Skansen, Sweden. Despite that everything was white, it never deter me to takes hundreds of photos to a point I start asking myself “why?” and wondering whether am I really that weird (Note that the word ‘weird’ appeared more than 3x, now I am beginning to doubt my sanity).

Our second encounter was kinda funny for it was a wild boar which I honestly thought it was strange for it to be showcased here. Then I noticed something different, the wild boar here is more fluffy and since the habitat it was in; thick white snow kinda makes it look cute. Hahhahahahhahahaa…

We then proceed to Lynx, something I look forward to aside from Wolverine. 

When I arrived at the Lync habitat, to my surprise this little creature actually looks so cute with a slight air of diva cum macho-ness. The problem with this macho-diva-lynx is that it simply refuses to look up, annoying much and trust me, I wasn’t alone on this. A bunch of us were trying to get its attention, we snap our fingers, making noises and some even talk to this Scandic lynx but to no avail. Not wanting to waste that much time at this habitat… not knowing what else to do and how best to get its attention hence I did what I thought was best if not better. I gather my courage, prepared my camera and iPhone, hand and leg on standby mode, steadily aimed at the lynx and I said out loud (feeling proud of my idea of course)…

“MEOW… MEOW… MEOW”

Then I call it again “MEOW… MEOW”

As I did that, my brain begin to process fast, faster than the speed of light, faster that Superman catching a bullet shooting at his forehead, just then it hit me and Wahidah echoed my thoughts.

“MEOW?” Wahidah said.

“Hilang terus ke-macho-an lynx ni, buat malu jer…” Wahidah walked away laughing.

And I stunned. Kannnnnnn….. I said to myself. Yang pegi meow meow tuh apahal, ni bukan kucing kat umah. Imaginary hard and fast facepalm. Malu okay!

It was quite an embarrassment as the crowd behind me was ticklish over my action (and at the 'sound' I made) and I was darn lucky Wahidah was telling me off in Malay instead of English (hahahhahahah…), what else better to do but to move away from the habitat in stealth mode. Did I say malu? Yes. Besar giler kemaluan ini takkala itu. Bluek.

Do you know what happened next?

As I was walking towards the next habitat area, I heard the mat sallehs all was saying...

“MEOW… MEOW… MEOW” to the lynx!!! The same folks that was laughing at me just now!?!

Ek ellaaa…. Korang pun sama lah yek. Copycat sangat! HAHAHHAHAHHAHHAA…

(Next entry sambung cite habitat lain lak, sama gak kemarupannya)