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.