Fisherman’s Friends & Fisherman's Delicacy Buffet

On one of my trips while guiding was to a fisherman’s village. Even if you don’t like fishing, you would like this programme.

We step out from the bus and were by a huge completely frozen lake. A cozy “kota” was nearby and the fishermen were already waiting for us. They all were very excited and smiling, what surprised me, how can someone love so much fishing? After introducing themselves, we put our way out to the lake. Most of the people were quite worried, maybe even a bit scared, because they had never seen such a big frozen lake, and they were not sure about stepping on the ice. Then Tuomo, the owner of the place, standing on the frozen lake asked the children “who wants to go on a snowmobile?”. The children of course ran to him, into the middle of the lake, while all the parents held their breath... I thought it was a very good strategy, because then everybody saw it was completely safe to go on the ice.


We walked some meters, leaving the “kota” behind, and we stopped next to a kind of stick standing on the middle of the lake. Tuomo explained us it was an important part of the ice-fishing, because it points you where you made the hole, and so also prevents anyone to fall in there by accident. Then he started explaining how the ice-fishing is done, asking always volunteers to help him. At the beginning the people were not sure to be so close to the hole, but later everybody wanted to help. We had some nice catch with the net, and then it was time to try the individual ice-fishing.

We could make a hole on the ice and then sit by it and try to catch something with a rod. He said the most important thing was the patience, that sometimes you could stay there for hours and get nothing, but that was what Finns love: the calm and the silence, where they could just relax and think. And be happy even when not catching any fish for hours… We were very lucky with that, because one of the children was very excited about it and following every single word Tuomo said during all the activity, and so he sat by a hole and waited there completely quiet and doing exactly as Tuomo said. And this gave him a prize! He caught a fish, but he was so surprised when it pulled the rod that he let it go. Nevertheless, Tuomo was not angry and we all laughed at the situation.


After the fishing experience, we came back to the kota and it came out it was the restaurant Tuomo and her wife run. It was a very traditional Lappish kota, with the fireplace on the middle and the tables around. Everybody whispered “hmmm!” once we felt the smell of the food and the warm of the kota after our fishing time. Tuomo explained his wife is in charge of the restaurant, cooking with her own traditional receipts, and always served the fish that lake gave. It was really surprising they could get so much fish from the lake, especially because all the fishing was done in a very traditional way. How many hours they would spend fishing? Definitely, they had to love it.

The lunch was a very diverse buffet with all kind of fish prepared in many different ways, different kind of potatoes, salads, vegetables, house-made bread, berry juice and delicious sweet desserts. I’ve never liked fish very much (my mother was always complaining I only liked one kind of and always cooked the same way) but I tried everything in the buffet because everything looked delicious, and I’ll never regret tasting all of it! Everything tasted so nice taste I had to take more!

Many people was asking about the decoration inside of the kota, from wooden sculptures to reindeer and elk horns, and Tuomo was kindly explaining the story behind all of them, always smiling. I really felt like home at that restaurant.

But it is not possible to stay there forever, so when it was time to leave and we step into the bus again, Tuomo and all the rest of the workers went out to say goodbye while the bus was driving away.

Ester

You can find Fisherman's Friends in our Winter Fun! programs and Fisherman's Delicacy Buffet in our Countryside Restaruants selection.

A day with huskies

Our spanish guide and work trainee Ester got inspired to write about A day with huskies.

I love it everytime and it is not something hard to understand, because not everyday you can be a musher!

A couple of days ago I was at a Husky Farm. It wasn´t my very first time, but it always feels like it is. When you’re approaching the centre of the farm you see dozens of dogs, jumping and barking excited to see some visitors. It is comprehensible, because they know it means they’re going to run, and that’s what they are living for: they love running on the snow, as if they were wolfs.


It is hard to stay calm while the guides are explaining the safety instructions, because you hear nonstop barking around you and above all - you are as excited as the dogs to get started! I remember when I was there for my first time and how some people was whispering “I can’t do it, seems too difficult! I’m gonna fall, sure!”. If you want and advice: don’t even think about it. Everyone who has followed the given safety instructions can do it (ok, maybe you can’t take part in a 500km race, but you can ride the sleigh without any problems on a guided Safari).


After that, the time starts to run fast because the adventure is beginning! You step into a six dogs sleigh, while they are already jumping trying to run, and when everybody is ready, the magic begins. The sleigh is untied and at the wink of an eye, you’re on the middle of a snow path driving the dog’s team.

It is unbelivable how in a second the nonstoping barking has become silence. If the dogs don’t hypnotize you completely, you should take a look around. The landscapes and scenery will definitely transport you into another world, where everything seems to be still in a time gone by. Untouched nature without any sight of human placements, snow and trees surrounding you, and the only sound you can hear is the the sleigh on the snow.


And it is then, in the middle of your trance, when you stop at an idyllic location in the forest. When the smell of food arrives to you, you realize how hungry you are! It’s time to relax and let the dogs rest, it is time to have lunch. Maybe I love food too much, but the meal was delicious! A very typical Finnish dish of elk meatballs and potatos with a creamy sauce, and at the end, a sweet dessert of berries picked from the surrounding forests. The fireplace in the middle of the room, as on the Lappish Kotas, makes the atmosphere warm and friendly, the perfect place to relax.


After this relaxing break is time to come back to your musher mode. I always share some minutes with my dogs before starting again, I want them to know me and to be sure they’re ready for the next ride. They are always up for some pats and cuddles! Then, once more, you’re in the middle of the stunning Lappish nature with only your dogs and the silence as only company.

When the safari is over you can’t believe you have been driving for hours! You really want to stay on the sleigh and run through the nature until your body says “stop”. But for animal lovers as me, this is maybe the best part: you can stroke and hug every single dog now! On this farm they were about 200 dogs, what of course made impossible the mission of stroking all of them, but I still could play and hug many,many dogs, including a couple of lovely playful puppies!




















When is time to go back home I always feel in the hurry to beg to the owner to let me live there, with the dogs, still if it sounds ridiculous (maybe that’s why at the end I never ask). But even if I can’t stay there forever, I’m always sure about one thing: I’ll be back, soon or later, and I’ll enjoy again the adventure as if it was the first time.

Ester