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.

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

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

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There was a sizable crowd.

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Just out of the gates.

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Oh my goodness.

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

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The outhouses were very, um, temporary.

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Back on the road, past the Ivalo church.

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

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An ice hotel.

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Strong snowdrifting in the crosswinds.

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

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Screwthread smokestack.

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Oh my word it's a Dalí ostrich.

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Long shadows again. You can count on 'em.

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

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

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And here we are, finally reentering Rovaniemi.