This story is about the ice hotel in the north of Sweden in a place called Jukkasjärvi This is close to Kiruna. 200 kilometers north of the arctic circle. It's arranged by swedish people and gives you the ability to sleep in a hotel made of ice, as the title suggests.
How it started
It started with a bar made inside an igloo in 1989. They drank so much that making a real hotel out of this wasn't such a bad idea anymore. Japanese travellers were the ones who requested to sleep in the igloo. It shows how travellers make ideas happen. This is the worlds first official ice hotel. Artists are invited here to make the rooms and the sculptures with ice from the Torne river.
The hotel opens in December every year. After a week the next section opens. Then another, and another. Until In January the whole place will be complete.
When more and more people who want to make amazing art for the hotel, the quality goes up. Only the people on the top gets picked for the glory of making this phenomenon become reality.
The ice church
There's an ice church too. Just like a normal church. Every year up to 200 marriages happen and 30 children are baptized. The priest Jan-Erik started the church in 1990 and is still here now!
Go anytime of the year. They actually have a solar based ice hotel with ice bar, ice bed, ice chairs and Smirnoff ice. You will find so many different incredibly detailed and complicated art sculptures here.
In the video above you can see what photographer Anna Øhlund felt for this place. She felt so much and made a photo book about it.
One of the few things that's not made of ice is the people who works here
Northern lights + Ice hotel = The magic duo
If you want to visit an ice hotel and see the northern lights in the same package then your best option is here. You will discover the best place for northern lights is in the north of Sweden. It's away from the coast in Jukkasjärvi. Now suddenly arises the question of which one is better: Northen Lights or Ice hotel? It's irrelevant when you can have both!
Going here made my dreams become true
Check out the Torne river
There's opportunity for activities that is not ice related also. You can do canoing or river rafting or stand up paddling. Rent your own gadgets here and go independent on the water. If you can't do that; then get a guide.
Walk in hills
You have the opportunity to hike in the perfect hills up here. They have steep and non-steep hills so you get to choose. Also go to check out Kiruna and get a tour of the mines they have there. They are going to move this city because of the mines. They will move the actual physical city!
Midnight sun
Since it's so far north there is midnight sun in the summer here. A lot of it. The sun constantly intakes Red Bull so therefore it never goes down during this period. It is very special to be awake during this time. Because the body is entering sleep mode and gets more relaxed. So when you then stay awake you enter a sort of meditative state. This doesn't happen if the sun would go down. The body has to be a bit confused with the light for this to happen.
Go now
Think of how many opportunities you have for something in your life. For example, finding real love and a long lasting relation. Those chances come to you perhaps 5 times in your life. Maybe 6. Then think of the chance to go to an ice hotel + aurora borealis. Think of all the barriers that will come your way in the long run. Really think if you will have more barriers or less barriers in the future. A barrier is tough. For example that your loved one doesn't want to go here. Then It is tough when you go by yourself. The things that you want to do, do them now. It is very easy to find excuses. They are perfectly logical. They for sure can be. Still, they are excuses.
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The author
Kai Bonsaksen
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