Latest news with #midnightsun
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Chasing the midnight sun: Why Nordkapp is Europe's cool secret
NORDKAPP, Norway — The calendar says it's the day of the summer solstice. The map tells us we're in a country known as the 'land of the midnight sun.' Yet the weather at this remote clifftop 300 miles above the Arctic Circle that marks continental Europe's northernmost point is anything but summerlike. And the midnight sun seems to be taking an afternoon nap with no chance of awakening, blocked by a thick layer of clouds. Instead, a light drizzle and blistering wind off the Arctic Sea make temperatures in the mid-30s feel far colder. If this is summer, what must winter be like? Welcome to difficult-to-reach Nordkapp (North Cape), a magnificent – albeit somewhat extreme – antidote for travelers looking to escape the summer heat back home while visiting a majestic landmark that has been challenging explorers, royalty and tourists for centuries. How to book an epic Arctic or Antarctica cruise without overspending Scenic Norway fjord cruise on Holland America The visit to Nordkapp was my most anticipated excursion during a two-week cruise in northern Europe on the 2,666-passenger Holland America Nieuw Statendam. The cruise started and ended in Dover, England, a city 80 miles southeast of London known for its iconic white cliffs overlooking the English Channel. After a stop in Rotterdam, Netherlands, to see the famous 18th-century windmills at Kinderdijk – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – we set sail for northern Norway, where the Nieuw Statendam stopped in five ports. Three of our Norwegian stops were above the Arctic Circle, which meant we had around-the-clock daylight for several days. We ended the cruise with three port stops in Scotland, including the remote Shetland Islands, before sailing back to England. Norway's fjords are going green. It could impact your next cruise. Not many cruise ships come to the northernmost part of mainland Norway. The gateway port to Nordkapp is a town of about 2,200 residents called Honningsvag, which is actually about as close to the North Pole (1,314 miles) as it is to Norway's capital city of Oslo. The only patch of land between Nordkapp and the North Pole is the lightly populated archipelago of Svalbard, which is also under Norway's domain. In Honningsvag, several buses waited to take many of the ship's passengers on a 45-minute drive to the cape. Along the way, we passed scores of Norwegian reindeer grazing in the Arctic tundra. Expeditions aren't your typical vacation : 'What a privilege it is to see these places' What is Nordkapp famous for? Nordkapp was named by an English sea captain who sailed past the cape in 1553 while searching for the Northwest Passage. The site started to develop as a tourist attraction when Norway's King Oscar II visited in 1873. A battle was fought in the waters off the Cape during World War II; the British navy sank a German warship. A large statue of a globe was erected at the site in 1978, which has become the symbol of Nordkapp and an obligatory photo op for the many tourists who visit in the summer. The globe is perched on a flat clifftop 1,007 feet above where the frigid waters of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans converge. Fortunately, we had been warned about Nordkapp's chilly weather and came prepared with four layers of clothes, hats and gloves. We had heeded the advice of the Nieuw Statendam's cruise director, Karlijn Verpalen, who repeatedly reminded us of an old Norwegian saying: 'There is no such thing as bad weather. Just bad clothes.' There is a place to scamper inside to escape the biting winds at Nordkapp – a visitor center with a coffee shop, theater, small museum and continental Europe's northernmost post office. A souvenir shops sells shirts, mugs and fridge magnets emblazoned with Nordkapp's latitude – 71°10'21'. While Nordkapp markets itself as continental Europe's northernmost point, technically that distinction belongs to Cape Nordkinn on Norway's mainland. Nordkapp is several miles farther north of Cape Nordkinn but is on an island – Mageroya – connected to the mainland by a road that passes through an undersea tunnel. Either way, Nordkapp can rightly claim the distinction of being Europe's northernmost point accessible by car. After departing Honningsvag that evening, the Nieuw Statendam sailed by Nordkapp for one final look at the cape as we headed 200 miles southwest to our next Arctic port-of-call – Tromso – where the weather was sunny and 20 degrees warmer. Norway's fjords are going green: It could impact your next cruise. Tromso is famous for the northern lights Tromso, surrounded by the snow-capped Lyngen Alps, has a population of about 80,000 and is a popular place for winter visitors who come to see the northern lights. We took a stroll down the Storgata, the city's main pedestrian street, past shops, cafes, the northernmost McDonald's in the world and stands selling reindeer hotdogs. Some of the locals were celebrating a cherished Norwegian tradition called utepils, referring to the act of enjoying the first beer outdoors with friends under the sun after a long winter. Our third and final Arctic port stop, the remote Lofoten Islands, are 30 miles west of mainland Norway. Home to about 24,000 people, the archipelago consists of 80 islands, only a few of which are inhabited. From our tender port near the town of Leknes, we took a one-hour bus ride to the picturesque fishing village of Henningsvaer. Along the way, we crossed several bridges, taking us from island to island while we gazed at snow-capped mountain peaks towering over glacial fjords. With only 500 residents, Henningsvaer has an economy built on cod and – more recently – tourism. The Vikings had a significant presence on the Lofoten Islands about 1,000 years ago. We visited the Lofotr Viking Museum in the small village of Borg and toured a reconstruction of a 272-foot-long Viking longhouse, the largest ever found. Our shore excursion in the Lofotens is one of a growing number of 26 tours that Holland America offers in partnership with the History Channel, created to take a deep dive into a location's historical significance. The Nieuw Statendam first set sail in 2018. It is virtually identical to its two sister ships in Holland America's Pinnacle Class – the Rotterdam and Koningsdam. Our sailing was close to capacity with 2,578 passengers onboard, about 40 percent of whom were Americans. There was also a large contingent of Dutch passengers. As for the day we visited Nordkapp, out of curiosity, I checked the weather back in Phoenix. The high was 108. The cape was more than 70 degrees colder, not counting the wind chill factor. While I watched fellow tourists take selfies by the globe statue on the Arctic clifftop, I thought about the heat in Phoenix. A 35-degree day with a stiff wind in late June started to feel much more bearable, even quite invigorating. Scenic Norway fjord cruise on Holland America Holland America Line: Visit Norway: VisitScotland: The reporter on this story received access to this sailing from Holland America. The Arizona Republic and USA TODAY retain editorial control. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Most scenic Norway cruise: This Holland America sailing is a contender
The Independent
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Why Europe's only indigenous tribe started a rap festival in the Arctic circle
It was well past midnight when Mihkku Laiti took to the stage at an open-air music festival in Utsjoki, a Finnish village nestled north of the Arctic Circle. Despite the hour, Lapland's famous midnight sun still illuminated the scene; during summer, the sun never sets in Utsjoki, which lies less than 50 kilometres from the Arctic Ocean. Under the glow of blue spotlights, Laiti, known by his stage name "Yungmiqu," captivated a crowd of over 300, many singing along and dancing. Like the majority of Utsjoki's residents, Laiti is a member of the Sámi – Europe 's only recognised Indigenous people – and he performed his raps in his native Sámi language. Laiti, the founder of the Loktafeasta rap festival, first gained prominence on the television show Talent Finland. He famously surprised the judges by rapping while wearing the gákti, the traditional Sámi dress. This distinctive attire is brightly coloured, often characterised by plaits, intricate pewter embroidery, and a high collar. The festival brought Laiti's Indigenous culture to the spotlight, though some of his fans could not understand what he was saying. That didn't seem to bother anyone at the Loktafeasta as the festival mixed performances from artists in both Sámi language and Finnish. Some drank beer and ate sausages and the crowd seemed to enjoy the summer festival atmosphere despite spells of rain. 'When I rap about my culture... I want to show how being Sámi is like from my point of view," Laiti told The Associated Press. 'Because there are many stereotypes about Sámi people and I want to like normalize ... the basic stuff we do and not romanticize those things,' he said. He added that he has not worn the gákti for performances for about a year now to show people that it is possible to be Sámi and wear whatever you want. Europe's only recognised indigenous people The Sámi traditionally live in Lapland, which stretches from northern parts of Norway to Sweden and Finland to Russia. However, of the roughly 10,000 Sámi people living in Finland, the majority now live outside their homeland. The Sámi people were oppressed for centuries by the powers that ruled and exploited their lands, including bans of the use of their native tongues and efforts to suppress their culture. In the past decades, there have been efforts to reestablish their rights, including the right to use Sámi languages which is now guaranteed in the Finnish constitution. Today, the historically semi-nomadic Sámi people have modern lifestyles. The few who still tend reindeer do so with modern vehicles, digital tools and regulated land use. However, there is an effort to preserve the Sámi's cultural identity. Distinctive Sámi clothing was worn by many at Loktafeasta, as is typical on special occasions. Artists rap in Finnish and Sámi language At the festival, Laiti mostly wanted his fans to be happy and enjoy the music. 'I want people to feel joy, of course, and I just want people to be happy that we have this kind of festival here in Utsjoki," he said with a smile. Among the other acts was a duo comprised of self-confessed old school tango crooner Jaakko Laitinen and rapper Jouni J. They also reside in Lapland and perform in Finnish. 'I see a connection from the hip hop and the tinkering with words to the old Finnish like Kalevala freestyling folk poetry," said Laitinen, referring to Finland's national epic about the Earth's creation. "So that obvious connection and the Finnish tango ... is part of our soul and heart,' he added. A world away from the birthplace of rap music in the Bronx Although the duo's songs were a world away from the birthplace of rap music in the Bronx in New York City, their performance brought joy to Utsjoki's locals and visitors. 'Music travels and music brings people together. It's the magic of the international language of music,' Laitinen said.
Al Arabiya
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Arabiya
A Rap festival near the Arctic Ocean delights crowds under the midnight sun
It was well past midnight when Mihkku Laiti appeared on stage to perform at an open-air music festival in the Finnish village of Utsjoki north of the Arctic circle. Despite the time, Lapland's famous midnight sun was still up. During the summer months, the sun doesn't go down at all in Utsjoki, which is less than 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Arctic Ocean. In the glow of blue spotlights, Laiti rapped while a crowd of more than 300 listened, some of them singing along and dancing. Like the majority of Utsjoki's residents, Laiti is a member of the Sámi—Europe's only recognized Indigenous people—and he rapped in his native Sámi language. Laiti, also known by his stage name Yungmiqu, is the founder of the Loktafeasta rap festival. He first found fame on the television show 'Talent Finland,' where he surprised the judges by rapping in the gákti, the traditional dress of the Sámi. It is brightly colored and often characterized by plaits, pewter embroidery, and a high collar. The festival brought Laiti's Indigenous culture to the spotlight, though some of his fans could not understand what he was saying. That didn't seem to bother anyone at the Loktafeasta, as the festival mixed performances from artists in both Sámi language and Finnish. Some drank beer and ate sausages, and the crowd seemed to enjoy the summer festival atmosphere despite spells of rain. 'When I rap about my culture ... I want to show how being Sámi is like from my point of view,' Laiti told The Associated Press. 'Because there are many stereotypes about Sámi people, and I want to like normalize ... the basic stuff we do and not romanticize those things,' he said. He added that he has not worn the gákti for performances for about a year now to show people that it is possible to be Sámi and wear whatever you want. Europe's only recognized indigenous people, the Sámi, traditionally live in Lapland, which stretches from northern parts of Norway to Sweden and Finland to Russia. However, of the roughly 10,000 Sámi people living in Finland, the majority now live outside their homeland. The Sámi people were oppressed for centuries by the powers that ruled and exploited their lands, including bans of the use of their native tongues and efforts to suppress their culture. In the past decades, there have been efforts to reestablish their rights, including the right to use Sámi languages, which is now guaranteed in the Finnish constitution. Today, the historically semi-nomadic Sámi people have modern lifestyles. The few who still tend reindeer do so with modern vehicles, digital tools, and regulated land use. However, there is an effort to preserve the Sámi's cultural identity. Distinctive Sámi clothing was worn by many at Loktafeasta, as is typical on special occasions. Artists rap in Finnish and Sámi language. At the festival, Laiti mostly wanted his fans to be happy and enjoy the music. 'I want people to feel joy of course, and I just want people to be happy that we have this kind of festival here in Utsjoki,' he said with a smile. Among the other acts was a duo comprised of self-confessed old school tango crooner Jaakko Laitinen and rapper Jouni J. They also reside in Lapland and perform in Finnish. 'I see a connection from the hip hop and the tinkering with words to the old Finnish like Kalevala freestyling folk poetry,' said Laitinen, referring to Finland's national epic about the Earth's creation. 'So that obvious connection and the Finnish tango ... is part of our soul and heart,' he added. Although the duo's songs were a world away from the birthplace of rap music in the Bronx in New York City, their performance brought joy to Utsjoki's locals and visitors. 'Music travels and music brings people together. It's the magic of the international language of music,' Laitinen said.
The Independent
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
A rap festival near the Arctic Ocean delights crowds under the midnight sun
It was well past midnight when Mihkku Laiti appeared on stage to perform at an open-air music festival in the Finnish village of Utsjoki, north of the Arctic circle. Despite the time, Lapland's famous midnight sun was still up. During the summer months the sun doesn't go down at all in Utsjoki, which is less than 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Arctic Ocean. In the glow of blue spotlights, Laiti rapped while a crowd of more than 300 listened, some of them singing along and dancing. Like the majority of Utsjoki's residents, Laiti is a member of the Sámi — Europe 's only recognized Indigenous people — and he rapped in his native Sámi language. Laiti, also known by his stage name 'Yungmiqu,' is the founder of the Loktafeasta rap festival. He first found fame on the television show Talent Finland, where he surprised the judges by rapping in the gákti, the traditional dress of the Sámi. It is brightly colored and often characterized by plaits, pewter embroidery and a high collar. The festival brought Laiti's Indigenous culture to the spotlight, though some of his fans could not understand what he was saying. That didn't seem to bother anyone at the Loktafeasta as the festival mixed performances from artists in both Sámi language and Finnish. Some drank beer and ate sausages and the crowd seemed to enjoy the summer festival atmosphere despite spells of rain. 'When I rap about my culture ... I want to show how being Sámi is like from my point of view," Laiti told The Associated Press. 'Because there are many stereotypes about Sámi people and I want to like normalize ... the basic stuff we do and not romanticize those things,' he said. He added that he has not worn the gákti for performances for about a year now to show people that it is possible to be Sámi and wear whatever you want. Europe's only recognized indigenous people The Sámi traditionally live in Lapland, which stretches from northern parts of Norway to Sweden and Finland to Russia. However, of the roughly 10,000 Sámi people living in Finland, the majority now live outside their homeland. The Sámi people were oppressed for centuries by the powers that ruled and exploited their lands, including bans of the use of their native tongues and efforts to suppress their culture. In the past decades, there have been efforts to reestablish their rights, including the right to use Sámi languages which is now guaranteed in the Finnish constitution. Today, the historically semi-nomadic Sámi people have modern lifestyles. The few who still tend reindeer do so with modern vehicles, digital tools and regulated land use. However, there is an effort to preserve the Sámi's cultural identity. Distinctive Sámi clothing was worn by many at Loktafeasta, as is typical on special occasions. Artists rap in Finnish and Sámi language At the festival, Laiti mostly wanted his fans to be happy and enjoy the music. 'I want people to feel joy, of course, and I just want people to be happy that we have this kind of festival here in Utsjoki," he said with a smile. Among the other acts was a duo comprised of self-confessed old school tango crooner Jaakko Laitinen and rapper Jouni J. They also reside in Lapland and perform in Finnish. 'I see a connection from the hip hop and the tinkering with words to the old Finnish like Kalevala freestyling folk poetry," said Laitinen, referring to Finland's national epic about the Earth's creation. "So that obvious connection and the Finnish tango ... is part of our soul and heart,' he added. A world away from the birthplace of rap music in the Bronx Although the duo's songs were a world away from the birthplace of rap music in the Bronx in New York City, their performance brought joy to Utsjoki's locals and visitors. 'Music travels and music brings people together. It's the magic of the international language of music,' Laitinen said.
Washington Post
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
A rap festival near the Arctic Ocean delights crowds under the midnight sun
UTSJOKI, Finland — It was well past midnight when Mihkku Laiti appeared on stage to perform at an open-air music festival in the Finnish village of Utsjoki, north of the Arctic circle. Despite the time, Lapland's famous midnight sun was still up. During the summer months the sun doesn't go down at all in Utsjoki, which is less than 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Arctic Ocean.
