This time in Finland, I did not plan to go to the central Lapland region. I thought I was going to miss the dog sled of my heart, but I did not expect that this wish was actually realized in Helsinki. When flying over Helsinki on Finnair, you will find that the city of Helsinki is surrounded by forests and lakes. Finns love nature, so almost every Finn has their own holiday villa or chalet beside a lake or a forest in addition to their apartment in the city. Being in the city, my heart is in the countryside.
Drive from Helsinki's city centre, but within an hour, the reinforced concrete buildings in the city have been replaced by forests, and the lake in winter has been frozen and covered with snow, leaving a large white area.
Our destination is this dog sled base in Nuuksio National Park.
The common sled dogs in Finland are mainly the Siberian Husky (Husky) and the Alaskan Husky, which are now mostly offspring of two dog breeds. These sled dogs are extremely docile, especially very friendly, and even strangers will be close to you. It is even more enthusiastic for the host, like children who are eager to fight for favor.
The dog sled here is a sleigh ride with one or two people, coordinated by seven sled dogs.
Dog sledging is a team collaboration project. These dogs need special training, ranging from 1-2 years and as many as 3-5 years.
Driving sleighs is also a science, and dogs also need to work and rest, so they will be slowed down or stopped to rest at halfway. Sled dogs are inherently active, curious and exploring, and running is their nature.
From them, I saw the intimacy and trust between humans and animals.
There are more than 190,000 reindeer in Lapland, most of which are stocked by the local Sami people, and their owners will mark their ears.
The host laughed and said it was a girl who could never eat enough.
The food for reindeer is mainly this moss.
Tents were built here in accordance with the Sami tradition. The Saami conical tent, called Kota, is very stable even during hurricanes.
The Sami people usually use a bonfire in the center of the tent for heating. There are ventilation holes above the tent, so the smoke will rise naturally and be discharged.
Kuksa is a hand-made water cup by the Sami people, with a history of thousands of years. The original Birch Burl Kuksa is carved from birch bark, and each one is unique.
Outside the tent is the snow and forest of Helsinki.
