I was wandering around the village not really sure what else I should do - I was on my own and had already chatted to Santa and be pulled in a sled by reindeer - then I noticed there was a tepee and it didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the adjacent tourist buildings, it was as if it had just sat itself there out of nowhere.
I noticed the door open and through a quick peek I distinguished there was some sort of flame burning inside. My curiosity got the better of me and I ventured inside the little tepee. It turned out to be a sort of cafe with traditional Lappish drinks and foods. The main specialty was the salmon, which is cooked in a traditional Lappish way.
I didn't have the salmon, but instead I tried Lappish coffee - it's made by heating the pot over the open fire and the coffee tastes amazing. Usually I don't like drinking coffee without milk (and sugar sometimes too) but this coffee tasted so rich and powerful that it would of been ruined if I put anything else in it. It wasn't bitter, instead you can drink it easily and no tingling after taste was left, only goodness. The owner served me the coffee with a cinnamon bun and gingerbread cookies which was a real nice treat.
Visiting this tepee (which is called "Santa's Salmon Place") was one of my favourite memories of the trip, particularly because of the owner.
Since I was on my own I sat there watching the fire and noting how he was making the salmon - as he could see me watching he came over and started talking to me about his salmon and other Lappish traditions and cooking methods.
He told me that everyone cooks salmon different, the way he cooks it has been passed down in his family for generations, so it was a very special and sentimental recipe. When I watched and listened to him I realised it would be very hard to cook the salmon like he does even through taking notes, it is definitely a method that could only be learnt and taught through the generations.
After discussing the salmon, the owner asked me if I had ever tried cloudberry jam (which I hadn't) - so he gave me a serving of the jam on the gingerbread cookies and didn't even charge me for the serving. It tasted really good, the cloudberries are sweet but not as sweet as strawberries, and it was really refreshing too. Then the owner also gave me (for free as well) a serving of the berry juice - I can't remember the name unfortunately, but I remember it was made with cinnamon, blueberries, cloudberries and a few other ingredients, and it is served hot. It was really good, like a cheeky fruit tea, but much heartier and fresh, the smells of the berries and cinnamon are really powerful, they just fill your nostrils making you feel like you're in an aura of complete goodness.
I offered to pay the owner money but he insisted - I think he appreciated that I was so interested in his place and the Lappish culture and traditions.
I realised then that there are some perks to being a sole traveller - if I was with someone else, perhaps I wouldn't of had the same conversation with the man and got to learn new things about the Lappish traditions; and that's the beauty of being on your own, you are never really alone, whether you get to meet other travellers or get to have conversations with the locals, nevertheless you will always be surrounded by company - you just have to look for it.
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