Series: Snapshots of the Past
Series: Snapshots of the Past
Story: The Nobel Laureate
Chapter 39
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Previously: Jed and Abbey prepared to leave Stockholm, but they told Lizzie their Swedish vacation wasn't over just yet; during a trip to a storybook museum, Jed entertained his girls with the story of Princess Katarina who lived in a magical Ice Palace (chapter 29); Jed and Abbey talked about him running for Congress (chapter 30)
Summary: The Bartlets visit the most famous "igloo" in Sweden - the Ice Hotel
Elizabeth wiped her sleepy eyes. "What time is it?"
"It's morning, Sweetheart," Abbey told her.
Liz stared out the window at the navy hues that filled the sky. "It's dark out."
"That's because of where we are."
"Where are we, Mommy?" Ellie curled up next to Abbey. Still tired, she laid her head on her mother's lap while Abbey ran two gentle fingers through her nest of soft golden curls.
"You'll find out soon, Goldilocks."
The overnight train ride through the villages and snow-trimmed forests of the Swedish countryside spurred a myriad of questions from the girls, but neither Jed nor Abbey breathed a hint of their destination. It was a surprise, they said from the start, and so, the girls were left with no other choice but to curiously enjoy the journey.
Dressed in several layers of thick sweaters, boots, and other warm garments, the Bartlets stepped off the train a few hours later, just in time to catch the first glimpse of winter's blue twilight reflecting off hundreds of dazzling icicles that hung from the branches of surrounding pine trees. Around them, snowy fields seemed to extend for miles beyond their sight and directly in front of them, a pack of huskies driving a sledge careened towards them.
"Mommy, doggies!" Zoey ran to pet the excited animals.
"A dog sled?" Lizzie threw her father a quizzical look. "A real-life dog sled?"
"That's how we're getting to where we're going."
"That's pretty cool."
"I thought it might be."
"So, where are we going again?"
"Nice try." Jed took her duffle bag out of her hand and dropped it on the fur-lined seats.
"I thought you said we were taking a taxi."
"Up here, Lizzie, this is a taxi." He led her to the other side of the sledge. "Come on."
They had traveled to the northern-most point of Sweden, deep in the heart of the Swedish Laplands - and the Arctic Circle - where hunting, hiking, fishing, and swimming engulf the summer months, and in the winter, when the rushing water of the lakes and rivers become frozen in time, dogs outnumber people and snowmobiling and sleds become the popular modes of transportation; where the sun hides just below the horizon for three whole weeks in December and a brilliant turquoise glow lights the landscape while the frigid winter temperatures carve endless tresses of ice out of fountains and waterfalls that sprayed their misty springs in July.
It was strangely silent in the Laplands that afternoon. No birds chirping or people talking. The only sound was that of the snow crunching beneath the paws of the twelve huskies preparing to pull the Bartlets along the frozen river. This was a place like no other and it was obvious from the moment they stepped on board the sledge, Liz, Ellie, and Zoey were awestruck by their surroundings.
Amused by their reaction, Jed and Abbey exchanged a satisfied glance, then held on to their daughters as the driver lifted the ice anchor.
The dogs braved the snaky curves of the river's path, crossing the woods and the remote forests of the vast Arctic wilderness. The girls paid careful attention to all the animals they saw emerging from behind the trees along the way and Zoey, the most animated of the bunch, bounced on Abbey's lap each and every time she spotted something unfamiliar.
"What's that?" she asked as she pointed to the unusual creature roaming the banks ahead.
"What do you think that is?"
"Ummm..." she paused for a moment. "A doggie?"
"That's not a doggie, you silly girl," Abbey teased her. "Seriously, what do you think it is?" Zoey shrugged. "It's a moose. Remember we saw a picture of a moose in that coloring book back home?"
The toddler nodded, then turned to search for more. Instead of a moose, she found another animal, one with velvety antlers grazing several feet away. "What's that?"
"You tell me."
When Ellie glanced over, she bolted out of her relaxed posture and sat upright. "Is that a REINDEER?"
Abbey laughed at her middle daughter's enthusiasm. "Yeah. It's a reindeer."
"We saw a reindeer! An actual reindeer, not just regular deer like we have back home! A REINDEER!"
"We're going to see a lot more than that, Ellie."
Jed sat back and listened to Abbey describe all the animals native to this part of the world. He loved hearing talk, loved the way her voice always lapsed into a few higher-pitched syllables when she spoke of nature. She had been that way since childhood, his father-in-law once told him.
Ever since Abbey's preteen years, weekend hikes with her mother through the scenic Vermont mountains had become a normal part of her routine. As an adult, she reveled in hiking the White Mountains of New Hampshire or along the designated trails at the national parks. Just as her mother taught her, she taught her children to admire wildlife in their natural habitat. It was a lesson that had rubbed off on all three of the Bartlet girls.
"I wanna go back!" Ellie protested as they passed the area. "I wanna see more reindeer!"
"You will, Ellie. You know where we are?"
"Where?"
"We're just north of the Arctic Circle..." Abbey pointed out a sign that welcomed them to the Arctic.
Her eyes nearly popping out of the socket, Ellie interrupted before Abbey could utter another word. "Are we going to the North Pole?"
Zoey jerked her head at the mention of the magical place she had heard so much about. "Santa?"
Jed chuckled. "No, we won't see Santa, Zo. I think the North Pole's a little too cold for us...or at least, for your mother's comfort. Look at her, she's shivering."
"It's 20 below," Abbey said.
"That's Celsius," Jed returned.
"It's freezing."
"It's crisp," he teased. "Anyway, girls, we can't go to the North Pole, but you know what, we're about as close to it as we can get. And that means that later, I promise we'll see more reindeer."
"What else?" Lizzie asked.
"Huh?"
"What else are we going to see?"
"We're going to see nature. We're going experience things we wouldn't get to do back home."
"And?"
"What do you mean and?"
"There's more to it, Dad. You and Mom wouldn't have agreed to let us miss more school unless there was something going on. So what's this really about?"
"We talked to your teachers. You have your assignments. You'll get the work done just like you have the entire time we've been in Sweden."
"Still. The plane tickets originally said we were supposed to leave Stockholm last night and go back to New Hampshire, but you changed the tickets. You planned this trip after we already arrived in Sweden, which means something happened. We're up here for a reason. What is it?"
He had to admit he was impressed by her deductive reasoning, a skill he was certain she inherited from Abbey. "You know what, Sweetheart? There is such a thing as being too smart for your own good. Just enjoy the day."
A short time later, the sound of laughter echoed from the distance, piercing the peaceful serenity of the deserted snowy fields. The huskies had crossed a couple of lakeside villages during the journey and were now following the path of the Torne River to the northern city of Jukkasjärvi.
When they arrived and turned the bend to head directly into town, Elizabeth scanned the winter wonderland in amazement. "WOW. It looks like we stepped into a snow globe."
Several feet of snow covered the ground, forming hills of undisturbed drifts with their microscopic crystals glittering under a charming little hamlet that looked like it had come to life right out of a holiday painting. To the left, ice skaters raced across the river while children frolicked in the snow on the banks. To the right, a wedding party had just walked out from a church known as the Ice Chapel.
"You know why that's called the Ice Chapel?" Jed quizzed his daughters. "The whole thing is made from ice. Even the pews. We can take a look if you want."
His offer went unanswered as Ellie and Zoey speechlessly watched the bride and groom hop on board a sleigh lit by a string of white lights and driven through the snow by reindeer while a couple behind them boarded a snowmobile headed on a safari through the roadless woods around Jukkasjärvi.
They were in a daze. And they didn't fight it. In fact, they consciously refused to snap out of it for fear it was all a dream of some sort. Lizzie was no better. She, too, was trapped in the fairy tale of it all and when she saw what was up ahead, she nudged Ellie.
There it was. Standing in the center of all the action stood a giant igloo made entirely of crystal clear ice from the pure waters of the frozen Torne River. Like a thousand diamonds strung together perfectly to catch the glow of the moonlight, the building sparkled from blocks away.
"Daddy, it's like Princess Katarina's palace!" Ellie said, reminded of the story her father read to her, Zoey, and Mallory at the storybook museum on Djurgården Island.
"It is, isn't it?"
"Is that...is that like a real hotel?" Lizzie squinted her eyes to get a better look.
"It sure is," Abbey answered. "Several winters ago, an artist hacked the ice off the river and built an igloo to house his sculptures. When tourists came to see the art show and realized there were no more hotel rooms, a few of them asked if they could sleep inside the igloo. The next year, more people asked to sleep in the igloo and pretty soon, it became the popular thing to do. So the town officially opened the Ice Hotel so guests could always reserve their own little igloo. Every May, the ice melts and all the water rushes back into the river. Every November they rebuild it."
"Everything's made of ice?" Ellie asked.
"Yep."
"The architecture?"
"It's all ice."
"The furniture?"
"Ice."
"Even the beds?"
"Yes, even the beds. Plates, glasses, everything, is made from ice."
As the sled came to a stop in front of the hotel, Ellie climbed out, so excited that she nearly fell face-first into a nearby snowdrift. "Will we get to sleep on ice cubes like the Princess in the story?"
"No," Jed sulked. "The ice beds will be uncomfortable, says your mother, so we rented a cottage across the river. We're just here to take a look at the sculptures in the lobby."
"MOM!" Lizzie pouted. "Come on. When will we get another chance to stay in an igloo?"
"Yeah!" Ellie whined as well. "Please! I really wanna sleep on a bed of ice, just like Princess Katarina!"
Abbey held Ellie's hand to keep her steady while Jed picked up Zoey. "It isn't like Princess Katarina, Honey. The temperature inside is below freezing. They have to keep it that way to prevent the ice from melting. You're going to be cold...very, very cold."
"That's okay!"
"You say that now, but believe me, when you climb into your nice warm bed and hear the crackling fire in the next room, you'll like the cozy little cottage much better."
"No, I won't."
"And neither will I," Liz added. "We want to stay in the igloo."
Abbey glared at Jed. "Look what you started."
He couldn't help but laugh at his wife's predicament. "I think we should take a family vote."
"Me too!"
"Me three!"
"Me..." Zoey thought for a second and then said, "four!"
"Don't you dare get their hopes up," Abbey grumbled to her husband. "Even if I agreed to it, it would be too late. I'm sure they're already booked solid."
"No, they're not," Jed smirked. "I figured you might change your mind so I went ahead and made a reservation just in case."
"You didn't."
"I did." He huddled the girls together. "Okay, who wants to stay at the Ice Hotel tonight?"
Abbey watched from outside their circle as every hand went up - even Zoey's. "All right, fine, but I don't want to hear a word of complaint from anyone."
"Babe, the only person who will be complaining about the cold, is you. For the rest of us, it'll be an adventure."
"An adventure that will no doubt result in frostbite." She had been giving him a hard time ever since he initially scoffed at her suggestion of renting a cottage, but the truth was, Abbey was as intrigued as her daughters by what they would find inside the legendary Ice Hotel.
"You'll enjoy it, trust me. You'll be singing a different tune by morning."
"I'll be a popsicle by morning," she groaned as she directed Liz and Ellie in front of her and walked alongside Jed.
They were soon escorted to their igloo suite which was decorated with beautiful Christmas ice sculptures and picture box ice windows overlooking the woods. Jed caught his wife's discomfort at seeing the master bed. Just as she had told the girls, it was made of solid ice with a covering of fluffy white snow on top of a thin fur mattress. Thick thermal sleeping bags were draped over the icy headboard.
He snuck up behind her and in that soft, sexy voice she found irresistible, he said, "You know, this place boasts Sweden's best saunas."
"And hot tubs." She reminded him that she had also done the research.
"And you know how much I love hot tubs."
"I do."
He pushed a few tendrils of silky auburn waves off the side of her face and tucked them behind her ear. "We still have the reservation at the cottage."
"No way. The girls will kill me if I back out now."
"In that case..." he touched his fingertips to the small of her back and walked her towards the couple's sleeping bag he had requested from downstairs. "Don't worry. The best part about staying in our very own igloo is that I get to keep you warm all night long."
Abbey smiled. "I'm counting on it."
TBC