Thursday 30 November 2017

When out on my bike I meet Santa
One day while out on my bike I met Santa Claus. It was some years ago (about nine) when I was in Roveniemi, known as the Capital of Lapland.  With my companion we had pedalled in stages south from the Norway/Finland border to arrive in Roveniemi.
The town at 66 deg. 30 minutes North claims to represent the Artic Line. But it is in reality about six km south of the Artic Line. The Artic Line position changes each summer. It is calculated as the point north where the sun sits above the horizon at midnight. 
We had cycled to Roveniemi from the Norwegian town, Tromso, which is 300 km north of the Artic Line. Tromso also boasts the world’s most northern brewery.
A feature on the outskirts of Roveniemi is Santa Claus Village. My guide book recommended we give it a miss unless we have children in tow or were prepared to feel about age four. We ignored the warning and entered a large log cabin, a suitable looking home for Santa. I must say it was quite impressive, something like Peter Jackson’s Weta Workshop might have dreamed up. A large mechanical device in the ceiling was designed to slow down the earth’s rotation enabling Santa to travel the entire world in just one long night. Well that was one long-time mystery finally solved. We did meet Santa, deemed to be the genuine guy and dutifully had our photo taken.


He was remarkably convincing. In a cultured voice he asked where we were from. Having told him ``Christchurch, New Zealand,’’ he looked curiously thoughtful. I was compelled to ask, ``have you been there?’’
``Only on business,’’ he replied.
Other Roveniemi highlights were enjoying whisky in a pub convincingly devoted to writer Ernest Hemmingway.  (Hemmingway never visited Finland) and visiting the world’s most northerly McDonald’s. We arrived in time for breakfast only to find it did not open until midday.

I was carrying a spare rear tyre purchased in Tromso. I didn’t need it so it eventually went onto my commuter bike. I was worried about a tyre wearing out. What I should have been more worried about was my Aorta was about to peel apart. The Aorta is a principal blood channel to the heart. It peeled apart soon after arriving home in New Zealand. That’s another story.  


      

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