There is usually snow here

June 21 + 22 (Arvidsjaur and Jokkmokk)

After midsummer, our next destination is Arvidsjaur. We have been here together before in deep snow and darkness, and now we are excited to see the landscape without any snow cover. Due to our long sleep and the adventure at sea, we can't make it in one go and stop at a small rest area by a lake somewhere in the middle of nowhere for the night. I maneuver the vehicle so that we are standing relatively straight and don't have to sleep with our heads pointing down, then we crash out.
The next morning, we continue on to Arvidsjaur. The town actually thrives in winter due to the test tracks for cars, and I had expected a sleepy village in summer, but there is a bustling atmosphere, and we encounter quite a few other tourists. Somehow it is exciting to be in a familiar place after a few weeks. I was here again in January with my mother and grandfather, so I know without needing to consult park4night where we can park well or where to shop. At the parking lot, we make acquaintance with an incredibly friendly cat. We briefly consider becoming vanlifers with a cat, but then it dawns on us that we would certainly make another person very sad. So we enjoy the cat's attention as long as we can and move on alone. The trip turns into a small nostalgia journey, and we decide to walk the same route as during our last visit. Only this time, sneakers will suffice instead of snowshoes, and we can't cut across the lake; it surprisingly consists entirely of liquid water (and we aren't Jesus, I guess). Nevertheless, the tour is nice, and we find equipment for disc golf up in the forest; it seems the Swedes can't find much to occupy themselves without snow... We had originally considered renting a small red house here, but there really is nothing to do, so we decide to travel to the next nostalgia point: Storforsen. On the way, we suddenly encounter a herd of reindeer, including babies; we turn quickly and watch the uncoordinated mass cross the road several times.

Storforsen simply means great rapids, and the name says it all. I was last here in January, having seen the massive water amounts in a partially frozen state, and I was very impressed. Now I want to see what it looks like in summer. We spend the night at Xplore Camping with (drum roll...) Stefan. No, we don't know him yet, but I find it striking how many German-speaking options there are at park4night in this region. It likely comes naturally with the automotive industry - essentially a 2 for 1 deal. The place is really beautiful, but we unfortunately notice too late that there’s no opportunity to drain the gray water. I actually thought that was a standard service at a campsite, but in the future, I will always filter for it. On the bright side, we can wash another load of laundry and are within beautiful walking distance of Storforsen. You win some bits, you lose some bits... First, we sleep well at our lovely spot under the trees. The next morning, we then walk to the rapids. I am quite astonished, as in front of us lies a wonderful place with many small waterfalls and large rocks, but I still can’t truly recognize it. Henry is happy about the beautiful landscape but must also be quite confused about why I insisted we stop here. We jump over the little streams and use the many small bridges until we finally hear a loud rushing. We follow the sound and arrive at a huge, roaring river. The amount of water is absolutely incomprehensible. And I am sure; whatever falls in there will never be found again. Never in my life have I held onto my phone so tightly. According to the information board next to us, the water volumes are at their largest around midsummer (850m² per second), so we have accidentally hit perfect timing. The photos cannot depict how impressive and frightening the current is. The surrounding environment feels magical and reminds me of Rivendell. So far, the first place that looks completely different in summer.

After our visit, we depart from the campsite and head over to Jokkmokk. I was also here in January. The place or rather the village, since there are fewer than 3000 regular inhabitants, is known for the Sámi winter market and would have also been an option for midsummer festivities. On the way, we cross the northern polar circle and will henceforth be able to enjoy even more midnight sun :)
Jokkmokk is primarily known as the Sami capital, even though it is not really a capital and there are various Sami peoples living throughout Scandinavia. Nevertheless, you can feel how much the city is shaped by history. The winter market now attracts over 40,000 visitors, and it is evident that tourism is the main source of income here. Of course, we are included, as we shop here, visit the local museum, and go out to eat something. The museum completely wins us over. The exhibition covers the nature, history, culture, and development of the Sami and is arranged in a circular layout. Of course, we particularly enjoy the children's section, where one learns interactively through mini-games. So we balance a boat, fly as eagles over northern Sweden, and identify tree species. Unfortunately, the game in which you identify mosquitoes (aka buzzers) by sounds and must swat them is out of order; I am sure Henry would have scored the high score otherwise.
Afterward, we have our first pizza of the vacation. Not that we didn't want to have it earlier, but the Swedes simply cannot make pizza. Every pizzeria we have encountered so far looked like you would pay with heartburn and/or stomach aches. Generally, it seems as though pizza here is more of a guilty pleasure fast food than a treat. However, what the Scandinavian countries do right is offering dips for the crust as standard. Absolute game changer. The menu has exactly one vegetarian pizza, but the 'special wish' Margherita is granted to me. Henry's vegetarian pizza looks like someone panic-plundered the salad bar but still tastes excellent thanks to delicious dough and tomato sauce.
On the way back, we visit the local botanical garden (is anyone surprised?) and I realize halfway that I have also been here in winter. Back then, you couldn’t make out anything from the garden, but I am enchanted by the little paths that lead through mountain plants. With that, we have officially utilized all the offerings in Jokkmokk and continue our journey north.