10th
A Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience
I went dog sledding tonight! What a time. I went to this place called the Tromsø Villmarkssenter (Wilderness Center), where they have 300 huskies. They have some beautiful dogs who love to run. With my musher, Frank from France, I got to ride around for a while on a 5km trip. The scenery is stunning there, off of Tromsø Island. It’s quite peaceful, with just the dogs, the sled, the trees and the snow. I got some great photos. I even had the bonus of practicing my French, which seemed like a strange mix with the dog sledding. Oh, and these weren’t just any old huskies. They compete in the Iditerod in Alaska, the longest race in the world.
After our tour, we went to a Sami-style tent and sat by the fire for a meal. I had some reindeer meat and soup, followed by chocolate cake. Delicious! This also happened to be made by Frank, so I owe him big time. He added some vegetables and spices, so it wasn’t exactly traditional Sami, but still really cool. I learned that only the Sami are allowed to hunt the reindeer; they are the property of these indigenous people. Whenever the Villmarkssenter needs more meat, they go to a local Sami man who sells it to them. It’s an interesting arrangement.
I will post some photos soon! Then I need to get a couple of hours of sleep before I leave for my 6am flight to Riga, Latvia.
