Andrew thought it would be a great idea to take a 16 hours train ride to Jukkasjarvi. I claimed the top bunk and slept the whole way there!
The train is a great way to travel long distances if you don't want to deal with the bad road conditions.
Here we are, in the big city of Kiruna.
Jukkasjarvi, where the ice hotel is located 200km above the arctic circle just 50km from Kiruna.
Area map of Ice Hotel Premises. Beware that there are only two restaurants in these premises. If you seek a little variety, you must find transportation to take you back to Kiruna for dining options.
Reception of Ice Hotel.
After you've checked in, you can peruse the grounds. Straight ahead is the entrance to the ice hotel, to your left is a gift shop, your right are “private cabins.”
We were able to go on a Ice Production tour. They explained how they harvested these huge blocks of ice from the Torne River. Each block costs 5000 sek and weight several tons.
I couldn't help myself!
Surrounding the hotel grounds are these odd artistic Heavy Magnetite sculptures.
In this area, aside from tourist economy, Jukkasjarvi survives on iron ore mining.
These were made by a local “famous” artist.
Behind the Ice hotel, you can see bits and peices of how they build the vast 42 room structure. This is a base tunnel that eventually is carved and shaped according to each artists imagination.
These steal moulds help to keep the ice and snow packed tightly. They are then forklifted to a specific location and the moulds slide out. Everything in the Ice Hotel is made of natural snow and ice.
I highly suggest at least spending the night in a warm room, because you need a place to get away from the incessant and exhausting cold.
The ice hotel is not built all at once. They begin production in December when the Torne River has solidified.
We are standing on the Torne River
Entrance to the Ice Church
Reindeer skins keep you bum from freezing on to the ice seats
Beautifully carved ceiling
You can see the 12 apostles, carved into the ceiling.
To get that stark white 4D texture in the pillar, artists packed snow in to the carvings and glued the blocks together with hot water.
Unlike most ice in the world, the Torne River produces the best quality ice due to its perfect flow of water during the winter freezing process.
No where can you possibley get ice blocks so clear and so pure than from the Torne river.
The altar of the church
This is a common site here in Jukkasjarvi and most northern parts of Sweden. An inexpensive mode of transportation - the Spark
Here we are, in front of the Ice Hotel!
This is the 18th hotel built here in Jukkasjarvi. The first was just a two person Igloo. Slowly they began to expand.
They have special machinery that can chisel out fonts and characters into the ice blocks.
The bubbles within the blocks are made by causing rough surfaces as the river flows across the developing ice block.
Entrance to the Absolute Ice bar
Here you can lounge comfortably on deer skin benches.
The bartender mixes some excellent drink using Sweden's famous Absolute vodka and native berries and fruits from the area.
The blue hue is natural, the ice blocks tend to cast a bluish tone throughout.
Along side the ice bar you find engraved portraiture. Amazingly complicated.
Having a drunk at Absolute Ice Bar. All the cups are made of Ice.
Ice bar, as you can see is completely made of ice blocks, chiselled artwork.
Security doors at an Ice hotel.
Main Hall to Ice Hotel
Ice sculptures are made by different artists from all over the world.
Emergency exit for the Ice Hotel, I can't imagine what would happen during a fire.
These are the halls to the ice rooms. There are art rooms and then there are the regular rooms.
One of the Design rooms. I highly suggest booking a room in an a design room because it would be interesting to sleep in one of these rooms.
Every design room is unique. Artists are required to complete a room in 2-3 weeks.
This is our room! Cozy isnt' it!?
This one's designed by a japanes artist. Every year, the Ice Hotel has an arrangement to allow for half or the veteran sculptors to return.
and the other half of sculptors are new and have never worked at the Ice Hotel.
As you can see, we still have to dress according to the cold temperatures. Inside the ice rooms, temperatures are -5 C.
Works like this require special machinery, hand work and snow packed into the grooves.
Artists must submit a portfolio which the Ice Hotel committee goes through a process of elimination.
Every year, the Ice Hotel is different.
This is the dragon room.
Aquaria
this room was designed by a New Zealander, with a Maori motif.
This room is called Leaf by Niggle.
This was designed by a Swede.
Blades
Being Sci Fi geeks, we have to appreciate the room.
This was an impressive room. Sort of an Escher-like room.
This room was called Poseidon.
This was also designed by a Swedish artist.
View from Ice hotel, on the left is the Ice hotel sauna, showers, and prep room. On the right is the church.
View across the lake.
We're standing on the frozen Torne River
As the swedes would say. “There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.”
When the lake is frozen, the Torne river becomes a new access way for snowmobiles, dogs sleds, and even cars. Sort of an extra highway during winter.
Ice hotel offers dog sled tours, you can even learn to drive your own dog sled.
Should you not have the appropriate attire for -23C, the Ice Hotel has overalls, boots, gloves, and ski masks.
This is the road to take, should you want to go to the second restaurant at the end of town. I highly recomment taking the Spark or car, because walking will leave you with painfully frozen toes.
At the end of town, this church was the first building built in Jukkasjarvi.
The paintings were made by local Sami's
The Sami's are an indigenous group who have lived in Sweden for centuries.
The Sami's have an incredible history as a nomadic group, migrating the reindeer throughout the arctic tundra.
I was really impressed with the lock that they had for this church.
Back of the hotel.
Andrew is prepared for major arctic weather.
Entrance to the Ice bar during the day.
Some of these building were built in the early 1800's
Andrew's frozen relatives.
We decided to go cross country skiing. The track were beautiful and the weather perfect.
It was a winter wonderful trip in Jukkasjarvi.
