March 28: Inari to Rovaniemi

And further on to Rovaniemi.

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Passing by the Angeli road again, so we knew we were almost back to Inari.

That day on Inarijärvi there were reindeer races happening. We stopped in to check out the scene. Parking was on the ice.

There they go! The racetracks were straight and parallel, delineated by those bushy branches stuck into the ground.

There was a sizable crowd.

Just out of the gates.

Oh my goodness.

So many reindeer! It was easy to tell which ones had already raced because they were sleepy.

The outhouses were very, um, temporary.

Back on the road, past the Ivalo church.

In Sodankylä, the only town between Ivalo and Rovaniemi, we stopped for lunch at this grilli-pizzeria. I got a pizza.

An ice hotel.

Strong snowdrifting in the crosswinds.

This is basically the same as driving across the desert in Arizona, except it's 67° north.

Screwthread smokestack.

Oh my word it's a Dalí ostrich.

Long shadows again. You can count on 'em.

I think this wedge marks the crossing of the Arctic Circle.

We stopped back in at Santa's Village. Here's the main tower, in case you were curious.

And here we are, finally reentering Rovaniemi.