English · 23.02.2019

Four days in Saariselkä

I have recently found a new friend, the ex of my ex. Since we met, we have been pretty much inseparable and it is really weird according to some people I know. We both dated the same guy, she left him because of his unreliability, drinking and several other problems and then he cheated, lied and left me. So she was there to pick up the pieces of what was left of me, and we became friends. And what kind of friends! We speak on the phone daily, several times a day, and text. Often I am staying the night over at her place, watching movies, talking about relationships, going to walk with the dogs. So all in all, we are pretty tight. HA HA. 

Anyhows, we saw an ad in Instagram for a very inexpensive trip to Saariselkä Holiday Club Hotel. So we thought about it for 2 minutes and booked and paid it straight away. We went there on 30 January – 2 February, 3 nights, 4 days. 

Saariselkä village itself looks a lot like a Christmas resort, the kind of you can see in many American Chrismas movies… Everyone is very sporty and they hike, ski or slide to places. There is lots of snow during the wintertime, plenty tourists, reindeer, the occassional Santa, and another. The village literally only consist of hotels, restaurants, and activity companies. There are a few souvenir shops and the local grocery store which carries a lot more stuff than just foodstuffs, you can basically find anything from jewellery to long underwear and souvenirs to camping equipment. Then of course Siidawhich is a meeting point (cultural centre and a museum) for anyone interested in the Sámi culture. Sámi are the only indigenous people in the European Union area, and the culture is very attuned to the different seasons. They say Sámi people have 8 seasons which follow the reindeer feeding herding practices. The Sámi are also known for their music, and more specifically joiku. 

Holiday Club Saariselkä accommodated my dog with an extra fee of 10€ per day. There was a metallic water bowl and an extra cover for the sofa for the pet, waiting in the hotel room. It was so nice that the hotel paid attention to their canine guests in this way, it made me, as a dogowner, feel even more welcome to this hotel. Yay Holiday Club, well done! The spa area of the hotel is a tad tiny, but kids will enjoy it and the grown-ups can soak in the warm pools as well. 

The spa area of the hotel is a tad tiny, but kids will enjoy it and the grown-ups can soak in the warm pools as well. 

During the wintertime, the sun sets very early this high up in the North.
Keep your camera at hand, as you will have only a few minutes to catch the sun rays. 
On top of the Kaunispää fell, where the skiing centre is located. 

Natura, artis magistra- Nature, the mistress of art

This post has already been read 1461 times!

Minnamoira – Follow me