For Cee´s Looking Down…, here we are at Prins Philip´s Steps, Galapagos, waiting for the panga to come and take us back to Cachalote.
Travel theme: Turquoise
Those mountain lakes in Switzerland – they are my first thought when it comes to soft turquoise! Fresh and clear mountain water
Jokkmokk – The Reindeer Race
Every year there is this race on the lake – and it is great fun to watch it. The reindeer are indeed not very tame, and they have to be handled rather like the wild creatures they are… But they seem to like this game – and the running!
The horns often got tangled in the ropes…
…but finally time for a new race!
…and the reindeer eager!
Almost unstoppable…
Well…the last guy was really funny – and he most certainly enjoyed this game even more than the reindeer….No sledge, just his boots!
The reindeer are quite unstoppable as well, as you can see from the pictures. When they have finished the race…they will go on running!
And walking them home can be rather tricky too – even more if they are two…
Silent Sunday
Jokkmokk – The Market Place
If you missed out on my first post on this famous market, click here.
For the big 100- year-celebration, 6th February in Trondheim – go to Bente Haarstad’s blog. Click here.
After a rather warm walk (only 9 degrees C below zero…the temperature at some of the markets over the years has dropped to -40-45 C) among the tents, eating well and buying some dried reindeer sausages, we went down to the lake for the yearly Reindeer Race. People from everywhere come and race two and two on sledges behind a reindeer. But that – you can see more of in another post! Maybe you would like to try yourself?
An akja, to be drawn by a reindeer
The Jokkmokk youth hostel
Knitted wool socks and more…very useful in this cold part of Sweden
Many old people who traditionally work here
A sled is a very practical vehicle in snow
This crochet piece cost 300 dollars
Fox skins and other skins are traditionally sold here. The Sámi people has always been hunters
The food tents – here you can get traditional Sámi food
Old friends – a market is always a great meeting place
Well dressed in the cold air!
Of course we had to buy hjortronsylt! Nothing beats that – warm on waffles and icecream
Skins for everyone. I think this was the most commonly bought thing from this market. One roll under every arm…
Tradition is important
WPC: Against All Odds
Against the odds – my very special and wonderful friend, Mille, survived his severe illness and lived his last two years thanks to my daughter’s loving care. He was so close to death several times, but she managed to save him through natural medicine from the Japanese sea, and through loving care. No veterinary has managed to explain how this really worked – but it did. He was strong and lively throughout his life. And we are so very grateful to have known him. I have had some dogs in my life, but no one like him. I called him Iron Man.
Mille died in May 2014. This is the last picture of him, standing in his beloved water, the sea at our summer house. He had just turned 12.
Thursday Thoughts – Jokkmokks Marknad -412 Years Old
”Jokkmokk’s Market has a long history and is considered to have a four hundred-year unbroken tradition. Permanent marketplaces near the Sámi’s winter settlements were established by the Swedish crown at the beginning of the 17th century in all the Sámi Lappish territories on both sides of the Gulf of Bothnia. The purpose was to strengthen the state’s control of the population in the north as well as to collect taxes, hold legal court and spread the Word of God. Planning a market in the Lappish territories during the coldest time of the year had several advantages. The Sámi were gathered in their winter settlements in the forest area with winter grazing for their reindeer and the frozen waterways constituted magnificent roads for the merchants, state officials and men of the church.”
http://www.jokkmokksmarknad.se/visitors/history/
”Renrajden” is every year led by Per Kuhmunen and his family. It takes at least a year to tame the reindeer as much as needed to follow their leaders through the market place and let people touch them. At the Snow Scene in the middle of the market place, they sometimes let themselves be interviewed and photographed in the traditional Gákti. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%A1kti
His wife makes all the beautiful clothes for the family…
…but now the older children make their own Sámi clothes
Once in a while Per might say a word or two…but must be coaxed into it…
Not many words from his wife either. I guess that is the way of northeners.
The Sámi people have always led a harsh life, and today they also have problems with the global warming that hits hard up north. As the weather wavers between warm and cold, the ground will get icy and the reindeer cannot find food enough. Last year some 30000 reindeer starved to death in northern Russia.
Per Kuhmunen and his family comes back every year to Jokkmokk’s Market. Today they are met by film cameras and ordinary cameras, radio and TV. But they seem to enjoy it.
Between Old and New.
CFFC: Things That Looks Like Faces
Wordless Wednesday
Travel theme: Eyes
Eyes for Ailsa – who doesn’t love eyes?
I met some interesting eyes on my trip to Galapagos. In the header, the intriguing Nazca Booby. Piercing.
The Red-footed Booby has got red feet and marvellously blue eyes and bill.
Another interesting thing – the total metamorphosis of the Swallow-tailed Gull. Eyes like deep wells as young, and then….
Du måste vara inloggad för att kunna skicka en kommentar.