Unexpected Detours and a Quiet Santa Claus Village
Lappi Central Hospital
First Aid
It’s Friday morning and still in Rovanimie, and the past few days have been anything but ordinary. Michel woke up with a pretty nasty eye infection—couldn’t see out of one eye at all. So, our first stop was the local hospital’s emergency room at the Lappi Central Hospital. After an initial checkup, the doctors decided an ophthalmologist needed to take a closer look. The catch? The nearest one was 300 km away in Oulu. Yep, welcome to Lapland, where everything is miles apart. They arranged a taxi for Michel, and off he went—three hours each way for a quick eye exam. Talk about a detour!
Meanwhile, I stayed back in Rovaniemi to sort things out. First up, booking a hotel for a couple of nights. After some research I found Hostel Café Koti in the center of town to be a priceworthy place to stay. Then came the fun part—retrieving both motorcycles from the hospital. That involved a decent amount of walking between the center and the hospital, but I finally got both bikes back to the hotel.
Michel eventually returned that evening by train, armed with medicine and instructions for a follow-up at the local hospital on Monday. So, I extended our stay until then. At least he’s on the mend—he was already feeling better this morning after starting his meds.
Today, we took it easy with a 1.5-hour stroll to Santa Claus Village. Esther, my wife, made me promise to get a photo with Santa, but it turns out Santa’s taking a summer break—everything was closed. We did, however, spot the cabin where those Married at First Sight participants Sarath and Malou stayed. (And where things went south for them, too, apparently.)
Tomorrow, we’re sticking around Rovaniemi for one more day, and after Michel’s checkup on Monday, we’ll figure out the next leg of our journey.
Walking over Arctic Circle
Old Locomotive at the Train Station
Santa Claus Village closed
Santa Claus Village closed
Santa Claus Village closed
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