Sweden Day 2: A Taste of Sami Culture

​Today, we spent the entire day in and around our lodge, enjoying the outdoors and the various end-of-summer entertainments on offer.

We started with a briefing from Emma, the manager of the dog kennels.  She told us about how the 102 sled dogs are bred, raised, trained, put in teams and kept healthy and happy year-round, but especially in the peak season from January to April.  The lodge takes tourists out for 24 km full day excursions - so the dogs have to be ready to pull four days a week for 4 months.  That takes a lot of training!

First we fed the dogs, then we cleaned their pens, and got to cuddle with each one. 

We especially enjoyed the puppies - 10 of them in one litter. They were six weeks old and being weaned. The Mom spent a lot of time up on the roof of her house where they couldn’t reach her! However, she spent time nursing three of them that were not as strong as the rest. It was so fun! 

Then we went for a walk with a few of the “retired” females, and got to learn first hand how strong the amazing animals are!

For lunch, we went into a huge lavoo - the Sami version of a teepee, and enjoyed wild berry tea, gakkha (flat bread) and reindeer/moose/deer stew - a traditional Sami meal.  We also learned a little bit about the Sami people in the area, and some of their traditions. 

In  the afternoon, Ruth rested while Cheryl went for a mountain bike ride around the town of Tärendö.  It was a beautiful clear day, and the perfect temperature for a ride in the countryside. Later we both spent some time outside sitting in wooden lawn chairs out by the river.

After a delicious salmon dinner, our Tour leader took us on a walk through the forest to see the trees, mushrooms and wildlife (mostly ants).  

We also walked down to a bridge to catch the tail-end of the sunset and a spectacular full-moon rise.