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Jim & Cynthia | profile | all galleries >> Jim and Cynthia's Travel Photos >> Jan '07 - Lapland: ICEHOTEL & Aurora tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Jan '07 - Lapland: ICEHOTEL & Aurora

I'd always wanted to see the aurora borealis, so we found this wonderful tour that took us to Sweden and Norway ...
Reading a book on orcas between flights at LAX
Reading a book on orcas between flights at LAX		 A quick cuppa at the central bus station, Heathrow
A quick cuppa at the central bus station, Heathrow		 Our 1842 canopy bed, the Avebury Lodge, UK
Our 1842 canopy bed, the Avebury Lodge, UK		 Dinner at the Red Lion Inn, Avebury
Dinner at the Red Lion Inn, Avebury
Experiencing a stone that was put here 5,000 years ago
Experiencing a stone that was put here 5,000 years ago		 Another standing stone in the Avebury Stone Circle
Another standing stone in the Avebury Stone Circle		 Beautiful gothic church in Avebury
Beautiful gothic church in Avebury		 Graveyard was eerie at night with rain and howling wind
Graveyard was eerie at night with rain and howling wind
Stonehenge at sunrise
Stonehenge at sunrise		 Again, amazing to think how old this stone circle is
Again, amazing to think how old this stone circle is		 The sun comes up!
The sun comes up!		 How did they get those huge stones on top?
How did they get those huge stones on top?
Cynthia loves the stones themselves
Cynthia loves the stones themselves		 The happy couple at Stonehenge
The happy couple at Stonehenge		 Cool
Cool		 Cynthia with Stonehenge
Cynthia with Stonehenge
The happy couple at sunrise
The happy couple at sunrise		 So glad we went inside the fence (signed up on the English Heritage website)
So glad we went inside the fence (signed up on the English Heritage website)		 Avebury and its stones by day
Avebury and its stones by day		 Sitting in the seat on an Avebury stone
Sitting in the "seat" on an Avebury stone
Cynthia sharing her love of stones
Cynthia sharing her love of stones		 Jim likes them too!
Jim likes them too!		 Walking around Avebury
Walking around Avebury		 Cute sheep!
Cute sheep!
The Red Lion Inn, Avebury
The Red Lion Inn, Avebury		 The Lodge at Avebury (our bed and breakfast)
The Lodge at Avebury (our bed and breakfast)		 Between buses on the way back to London
Between buses on the way back to London		 On the underground
On the underground
We arrive in Kiruna, Sweden (120 miles north of arctic circle!)
We arrive in Kiruna, Sweden (120 miles north of arctic circle!)		 A very welcoming terminal (like something out of Heidi)
A very welcoming terminal (like something out of "Heidi")		 The sign on our tour bus (from Discover the World tours, UK)
The sign on our tour bus (from "Discover the World" tours, UK)		 Arriving at the warm reception building at the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi
Arriving at the warm reception building at the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi
They competely outfitted us! (and we needed it)
They competely outfitted us! (and we needed it)		 Front door of the famous Ice Hotel (exciting!!)
Front door of the famous Ice Hotel (exciting!!)		 The decorative wall outside the Ice Hotel, and the chapel
The decorative wall outside the Ice Hotel, and the chapel		 Ice reception desk at the Ice Hotel
Ice reception desk at the Ice Hotel
In the reception hall
In the reception hall		 Our first drink at the famous Ice Bar
Our first drink at the famous Ice Bar		 Jim is brave enough to hold the ICE glass with bare hands
Jim is brave enough to hold the ICE glass with bare hands		 The glasses ready to go
The "glasses" ready to go
The Ice Bar menu
The Ice Bar menu		 Cyn is not as brave ... using gloves
Cyn is not as brave ... using gloves		 The drinks are really festive looking (and delicious)
The drinks are really festive looking (and delicious)		 Loving our time in the bar
Loving our time in the bar
Cheers!
Cheers!		 Cyn enjoying the Ice Bar
Cyn enjoying the Ice Bar		 Jim enjoying the Ice Bar
Jim enjoying the Ice Bar		 Getting another drink from our bar tender
Getting another drink from our bar tender
Even the chairs are ice!
Even the chairs are ice!		 View down the central hall of the Ice Hotel
View down the central hall of the Ice Hotel		 The central hall
The central hall		 The chandelier is ALL ice!
The chandelier is ALL ice!
Chairs, carved like flowers, in the central hall
Chairs, carved like flowers, in the central hall		 Ice columns along the side of the hall
Ice columns along the side of the hall		 Emerging flowers as part of the Linneaus theme (300 year anniversary of his birth)
Emerging flowers as part of the "Linneaus" theme (300 year anniversary of his birth)		 More flowers along the central hall
More flowers along the central hall
Jim in one of the flower chairs
Jim in one of the "flower chairs"		 Cyn relaxes in the flower chair
Cyn relaxes in the flower chair		 Looking down the hall towards our room
Looking down the hall towards our room		 Entrance to our inviting Ice Room!!
Entrance to our inviting Ice Room!!
The bed in our Ice Room!!
The bed in our Ice Room!!		 One of the deluxe suites with pretty ice sculpture
One of the deluxe suites with pretty ice sculpture		 Another deluxe suite
Another deluxe suite		 Nice sculpture behind this ice bed
Nice sculpture behind this ice bed
Really amazing sculptures in the deluxe suites
Really amazing sculptures in the deluxe suites		 The plaque outside our favorite deluxe suite (describing the artist's vision)
The plaque outside our favorite deluxe suite (describing the artist's vision)		 Experiencing the ice helices in the deluxe room
Experiencing the ice helices in the deluxe room		 Inside the chapel at the Ice Hotel
Inside the chapel at the Ice Hotel
At the meeting place for our Sami excursion
At the "meeting place" for our Sami excursion		 Arriving at the Sami reindeer corral
Arriving at the Sami reindeer corral		 The happy couple in front of the reindeer
The happy couple in front of the reindeer		 The reindeer have bunny noses!
The reindeer have "bunny" noses!
Michael, our Sami guide (the Sami are semi-nomadic reindeer herders in Lapland)
Michael, our Sami guide (the Sami are semi-nomadic reindeer herders in Lapland)		 Cyn with reindeer
Cyn with reindeer		 And Cyn even pets one!
And Cyn even pets one!		 They have funny stances
They have funny stances
A BABY reindeer!
A BABY reindeer!		 Another baby ... patiently sitting in the snow
Another baby ... patiently sitting in the snow		 Jim prepares to lasso a reindeer
Jim prepares to lasso a reindeer		 Now, which one should he try for?
Now, which one should he try for?
He throws the lasso ...
He throws the lasso ...		 And CATCHES the ferrari of the reindeer
And CATCHES "the ferrari" of the reindeer		 Cyn leads another reindeer to the sleighs
Cyn leads another reindeer to the sleighs		 Michael explains how to steer ...
Michael explains how to steer ...
And Cynthia takes off into the wilderness!
And Cynthia takes off into the wilderness!		 We are invited to the lavvu after our cold morning
We are invited to the "lavvu" after our cold morning		 There is a roaring fire inside
There is a roaring fire inside		 Relaxing after our sleighing adventure
Relaxing after our sleighing adventure
Michael cooks some reindeer for the guests
Michael cooks some reindeer for the guests		 While Cynthia gets veggie soup
While Cynthia gets veggie soup		 The snowmobile got rather covered in snow
The snowmobile got rather covered in snow		 Our warm accomodation for the second night of our stay
Our "warm accomodation" for the second night of our stay
It's a really comfortable cabin
It's a really comfortable cabin		 Dinner and Scrabble in the warm bar
Dinner and Scrabble in the "warm bar"		 Cynthia decides to make ...
Cynthia decides to make ...		 A Snow Angel!
A Snow Angel!
The sweet church in Jukkasjarvi
The sweet church in Jukkasjarvi		 Picture-postcard pretty
Picture-postcard pretty		 At 4 in the morning!
At 4 in the morning!		 We see a sign for the ESA satellite location
We see a sign for the ESA satellite location
Snow on the street lights
Snow on the street lights		 Time for our continental breakfast
Time for our continental breakfast		 The Ice Hotel restaurant - very inviting
The Ice Hotel restaurant - very inviting		 Inside the ceremonial lavvu at the Ice Hotel
Inside the ceremonial lavvu at the Ice Hotel
This is where concerts are performed
This is where concerts are performed		 Visiting the dogs awaiting sled rides
Visiting the dogs awaiting sled rides		 They are yelping with excitement, ready to go
They are yelping with excitement, ready to go		 Our tour bus, leaving the Ice Hotel
Our tour bus, leaving the Ice Hotel
Morning sun's rays (although the sun didn't make it above the horizon)
Morning sun's rays (although the sun didn't make it above the horizon)		 Clock tower in Kiruna
Clock tower in Kiruna		 Arriving at the train station in Kiruna
Arriving at the train station in Kiruna		 Jim ready to hop on our train
Jim ready to hop on our train
Kiruna train station
Kiruna train station		 Interesting sculpture of iron ore workers
Interesting sculpture of iron ore workers		 Cynthia on the train, ready to go to Norway
Cynthia on the train, ready to go to Norway		 Another train station along the route
Another train station along the route
Incredible scenery for the 3 hour train ride
Incredible scenery for the 3 hour train ride		 Arriving at theTysfjord, Norway
Arriving at theTysfjord, Norway		 Another view of Tysfjord from the train
Another view of Tysfjord from the train		 Arriving at Narvik train station
Arriving at Narvik train station
Time to go for a boat ride to search for orcas
Time to go for a boat ride to search for orcas		 Cynthia on the way to the boat
Cynthia on the way to the boat		 Jim boarding the snow-covered boat
Jim boarding the snow-covered boat		 Our boat, the Leonora
Our boat, the Leonora
Cyn braves the elements to scan for orcas
Cyn braves the elements to scan for orcas		 Jim braves the elements too
Jim braves the elements too		 The happy couple enjoying a brisk day
The happy couple enjoying a brisk day		 Scenery around Tysfjord
Scenery around Tysfjord
Gorgeous snow-covered mountains
Gorgeous snow-covered mountains		 Strikingly beautiful
Strikingly beautiful		 Norway's national mountain, Stetind (with the flat top)
Norway's national mountain, Stetind (with the flat top)		 Granite hills
Granite hills
And rugged peaks
And rugged peaks		 We enjoyed many white-tailed eagles
We enjoyed many white-tailed eagles		 An eagle grabbs at herring from the sea
An eagle grabbs at herring from the sea		 On the fantail, with flag of Norway
On the fantail, with flag of Norway
How nice would this lifeboat be, filled with snow?
How nice would this lifeboat be, filled with snow?		 View from the comfortable (warm!) salon
View from the comfortable (warm!) salon		 Looking at a zodiac in the water
Looking at a zodiac in the water		 View out the back of the Leonora
View out the back of the Leonora
Herring gulls following the herring boat
Herring gulls following the herring boat		 Dressed for our zodiac trip (Jim in survival gear, Cyn in dry suit)
Dressed for our zodiac trip (Jim in survival gear, Cyn in dry suit)		 The shore near the dock
The shore near the dock		 Sweet house with snowed-covered clothes line
Sweet house with snowed-covered clothes line
Looking out towards the docked boats
Looking out towards the docked boats		 The dry suit isn't enough; Cyn needs a full scarf and gloves too
The dry suit isn't enough; Cyn needs a full scarf and gloves too		 A boat that didn't make it
A boat that didn't make it		 Walking out to the zodiacs
Walking out to the zodiacs
Jim's zodiac has seats
Jim's zodiac has seats		 The snorklers in front sit on the pontoon sides
The "snorklers" in front sit on the pontoon sides		 Another view of Stetind
Another view of Stetind		 HUGE granite cliff along the side of the fjord
HUGE granite cliff along the side of the fjord
The snorklers getting ready to dive into the FRIGID water
The snorklers getting ready to dive into the FRIGID water		 Rocking out, to warm up first
Rocking out, to warm up first		 Otters and eagles
Otters and eagles		 White-tailed eagle in a tree
White-tailed eagle in a tree
at 3:30 am, Jim relaxes in a snow bank looking for ...
at 3:30 am, Jim relaxes in a snow bank looking for ...		 The AURORA!!
The AURORA!!		 And it's BRILLIANT
And it's BRILLIANT		 Cynthia is in heaven
Cynthia is in heaven
Back in our room at the Tysfjord Turistsenter, with view of the fjord
Back in our room at the Tysfjord Turistsenter, with view of the fjord		 Snow-covered mountains on our bus ride to Bodo
Snow-covered mountains on our bus ride to Bodo		 The sun touches just the tips of the mountains
The sun touches just the tips of the mountains		 A Norwegian troll
A Norwegian troll
Looking down at an ice island
Looking down at an ice island		 The airport at Oslo ... are you ready to go?!?
The airport at Oslo ... are you ready to go?!?		 On the jetway to our plane (time for de-icing, huh?)
On the jetway to our plane (time for de-icing, huh?)		 One last drink at the Grenadier Arms back in London
One last drink at the Grenadier Arms back in London

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