ARCTIC ADVANCE 2009 ARCTIC ADVANCE 2009

Tuesday, July 14

A few days break in Karasjok. Today visited the town here: shopping, Sámi Museum (beautiful and interesting), Sápmi park (commercial, for the tourists), purchase of a typical Sámi knife in the local forge. Evening in the Bivdu, the only pub of the village, talking with the friendly local residents. 90% are Sámi people here, everything is officially bilingual. Marched 22.3 km in and around the village!

Wednesday, July 15

On the advice of locals today a trip to Finland: Karigasniemi, just over the border. Underway passed a Belgian car: the only one on the trip.
Karigasniemi is really a bled that would not be out of place somewhere in Canada: the middle of pine forests, a handful of houses, a petrol station, some shops (visited by Norwegians since many products are cheaper here), and a pub (the same, only € 4.5 for a pint against € 7 in Norway). Eaten good reindeer meat , and few beers in this typical Finnish pub including karaoke!Marched 25.4 km, I get a lift back to Karášjokha some locals I had met the day before.

Thursday, July 16

Today a visit to the Sámi arts center and walk in the woods south of the city, with a nice view from the hill Dákteroavvi. Most trails here are mostly used in the winter as a ski or snow scooter track. Now there is less to do here, especially because of the insects that are more numerous than on the high plateau. Today 20.6 kilometers.