Nature & Wildlife
Every February 14th, we celebrate Valentine’s Day, a time that has become synonymous with emotional connections and loving relationships. It’s often marked by romantic gestures, such as giving chocolates or flowers, writing a love letter, preparing a candlelight dinner, holding hands—or kissing.
Nature & Wildlife
Migration is a wonderful word. It doesn’t merely mean a physical relocation but is an expression of strength, resilience, the universal desire for well-being and a movement toward hope. I have always thought of migrations as nature in motion.
Nature & Wildlife
At first glance, geese and reindeer (called “caribou” in North America) may not seem to have much in common. But there is a link: in some places, they share diets and habitats.
Nature & Wildlife
Every year, without fail, Thanksgiving and Christmas seem to come right on top of each other. The four weeks between the two holidays fly by, with hardly enough time to savor one before the other is upon us. Magical, flying reindeer, in other words, quickly follow the turkey feast.
Canada & the North
Many of us are familiar with the tale of Santa Claus and his travels across the world yearly on Christmas Eve, bestowing gifts to every expecting child. His sleigh, elevated into the sky by nine reindeer is a fantasy to some and a lasting tale of wonder for generations of children.
Nature & Wildlife
Just five days from now, the magic will happen. Santa Claus will step into his gift-laden, reindeer-powered sleigh and make his annual, around-the-world trip. The character of Santa Claus was originally inspired by the fourth-century, Greek bishop Saint Nicholas of Myra in Asia Minor (now Turkey), a man renowned for his generosity and kindness.
Nature & Wildlife
Throughout time, reindeer have been used for economic purposes by various circumpolar peoples, including the Chukchi, Evenks, Khants, Nenets and Sami. Long heralded for their dependable and docile natures and their dexterity in a range of tasks, reindeer were even widely used during World War II by the Soviet forces to help transport injured soldiers.
Europe
Each summer, hundreds of thousands of reindeer and their herders, known traditionally as bozaovazzi (reindeer walkers), start their annual migration down from higher elevations to lowland tundra in the far north of mainland Europe.
Europe
Many travelers understandably want to go to Norway in the summer to enjoy the pleasantly cool summer climate, hike through the magnificent fjords, and have a poetically introspective stay in a picturesque cottage on the coast. And, yes, Norway in the summer is absolutely gorgeous—but Norway in winter? Somehow even more so.
Europe
As you prepare for your trip to the European Arctic by luxury train, harken back to the days of Imperial Russia on a city tour through the streets of St. Petersburg.
Nature & Wildlife
It’s mid-January, the time some people call the “doldrums,” a period of feeling low energy and a lack of motivation after the Christmas and New Year season of celebration and parties. It can be brought on by putting the holiday decorations away, facing a blank engagement calendar or taking down the Christmas tree.
Videos
Sometimes, even Santa’s strongest and swiftest assistants need a little help. Reindeer in the Arctic lead a tough existence, depending on a delicate balance of climate, food supplies and predator/prey relationships to maintain their population numbers. A slight deviation in any of these factors can have dire consequences.
