Night will not come

In June, we are in a hurry to Peter – in the hope of seizing white nights and gain impressions, walking in delicious midnight white twilight. And the rest of Europeans at this moment go to Norway, to the northernmost point of the native mainland. Where the sun does not enter at all. Summer solstice lasts about a month, and all this time there is a mass international pilgrimage to Northskap.

Russian tourists did not happen there. Until last year, while Moscow travel agencies "Samyko" did not dare to organize such a trip. In June 1997, our first group went to Northskap. June 26 of this year will go the second. A year later, God will give, – Third. If you need time for thinking – wait a year, get ready, reflect. Information for reflections is enough.

You are loading in the train "Lev Tolstoy" and go to Vyborg. There replancing the bus – and go ahead, through Finland, past the giant Lake Saimaaa. The first stop – in the city of Mikkel, small and cozy – such a lot in the country of Suomi. But the Mikkel is noteworthy also in the fact that Mennerheim’s bet was located at the local school. Now there is a museum. Curious photos hang on the walls, like that, 1942, on which Hitler congratulates the Allian Mannerheim on the Angel Day. And outside the car-salon belonging to Marshal. We also showed the train Ilyich.

Spend the night in Kuopio. And in the morning you go further, to Lapland, stopping for a little bit in the white town of Oulu, along the Gulf of Bothnia, through Kemi. By evening, the bus just get to Rovaniemi, Lapland capital. To the morning you can enjoy the classic buildings of the Finnish Alvar Aalto and the famous bridge, holding on to the ropes and a pole with a lantern at the top. He’s called "candles rafters". But the most important thing – to look at the home of Santa Claus (Father Christmas village – near the Arctic Circle, that is very close). Stylized log house, crowds of foreign tourists, though Christmas is still far. And here is the Santa Claus beard, red hat, rosy-cheeked smile and attendant international issue: "WhatHs your name?".

Goodbye to Santa Claus Office, the group sent further north. With stops in the village of Tankavaara gold-diggers. If enough time there for a very reasonable cost – 55 Finnish marks ($ 11), you can pan the sand itself. Of course, the gold. The night of the fourth day of travel you will meet in the town of Saariselkä. The next day cross the Finnish-Norwegian border, then for what some 45 minutes to get from Kaforda in Honningsvåg. From there to the North Cape – no more than 20 kilometers.

The first foreigner to visit the northern outskirts, was Italian Francesco Negri. It happened in 1664. Since then much has changed. On the territory of 5.000 square meters of the Norwegians built a tourist center. And not to disfigure the landscape, the building was placed under the ground. It turned out something like an underground town – with restaurants and cafes, a panoramic hall, which continuously twist species movies, club, a Thai museum (once here came the King of Thailand), the chapel of St. John. At midnight, under the solemn sounds "In the morning" of grigovskogo "Per Günta" dark shutters that cover the glass wall, creeping up. Opening for viewing the Arctic Ocean, over which hangs a red light. For the sake of this spectacle here and go.

Alternatively, you will return to the ferry in Kafjord and you will go to the south to Norway, having thrown out from the window by fjords, scattering the reindeer overlooking the highway and stopping for a while in the towns along the way. Swim on the ferry from Scarbergety in Bognes, and cross the polar circle. On the eighth day, the bus will reach Sweden, then goes past the lake Sturuman to the city of Umea. From there ferry Silja Line – 4.5 hours before Finland. Two days later you will be at home. From time to time you will get "Certificate of visiting Cape Northskap". There will be written: 71 degrees 10x21xx north latitude. Remember where it?