Category: Features

ABOVE the Arctic Circle in Northern Sweden a new building that will stand for just a few short months and then slowly melt into the river, is re-born every year.

The Ice Hotel at Jukkusjarvi, near Karuna, is both a work of art and a stunning wonder of architectural imagination, built completely of ice, in which I was fortunate enough to spend one, incredible night recently.

This crystal wonder is not just a novelty for the adventure-seeking ‘yuppy’, though there were quite a few of them, but a place that inspires a spiritual awareness of the transience of things, both material (it’s easy for the Krona in your wallet to flow away in the Extreme Ice Bar on warming vodka-based cocktails) and of nature itself.

For the harvesting of ice from the Tôrn river every autumn by an ever-changing group of artists, and the slow dissolving of the building fashioned from it by the following Spring, is synonymous with the circular nature of life that is the main tenet of the lives of the Sámi, the indigenous people of the region, struggling to preserve their ancient way of life and culture, based around reindeer herding.

But all this spiritual stuff crept surreptitiously up on me like the wolverine that preys on reindeer calves during the arctic Spring; it was the adventure and the desire for a physical challenge and a tick in the box of ‘things to do before you get too old’ that was my personal motivation originally. And an unusual way to celebrate the 25 years of a marriage.

From Stockhölm, the flight into the twinkling darkness of Karuna (at this time of the year Lapland experiences less than an hour of full daylight) is about 1 hr 40 mins. A 20 minute bus ride, or an optional dog-sled ride carries you to the village of Jukkusjarvi and the Ice Hotel complex itself. This includes a fantastically domed and eerily-silent ice chapel, a conventional wooden reception building, log cabins and locker room where you are kitted out with insulated snow suit, warm boots, extra thick gloves and fur-edged windproof hat ¬- indispensable in the averagely minus 13 degrees Centigrade outside temperature, and minus three or four inside the Ice Hotel itself.

The snowmobile has been the favoured mode of transport for the local people since the 1950’s, enabling them to go where no reindeer or dog team could venture, and the modern, four-stroke vehicle is easy to drive and manoeuvre and great fun, especially through the snow-topped trees that lead to the Sámi encampment where we were served freshly cooked reindeer meat (a succulent cross between beef and lamb) and vegetable soup, Lingenberry juice and the best coffee I’ve tasted for a long time.

No less exhilarating was the dog-sled ride the next day across the frozen Torn river, lead by a local character in reindeer fur coat and skin trousers with tassels blowing in the wind. What is striking about this mode of transport is the absence of sound – only the occasional whistle of a bird, no aeroplanes, no traffic and no howling wind; just the swish of sled runners over the snow and the occasional low-key whistles and words of encouragement and instruction from the driver to his pack. This lack of ambient noise, coupled with the constant twilight and the day-long presence of the moon, creates a dream-like and strangely calming atmosphere after the earlier, manic barking and excitement of the dogs, straining and howling and leaping about excitedly wanting to get going.

During a visit to a Reindeer enclosure in the forest, where the animals are brought together for the winder, we were taken into a Sámi Kåta, a type of teepee, where Johanne, our Sámi guide lit a huge log fire in the middle upon which he cooked us fresh reindeer meat just as his ancestors have done since the retreat of the ice-age, 10,000 years before. As we sat around in the dark on brushwood covered with reindeer skins, we watched the smoke drift upwards out of the hole at the top of the tent and listened to Johanne describing his people’s history, their annual struggle of rounding up their reindeer to bring them down from the mountains for the winter, how different nations have slowly taken away their autonomy over what they see as their land and water, have taxed them by taking meat, fish and skins and how these days, their livelihood is being threatened by cheap reindeer meat being bought in from Russia.

Johanne had previously demonstrated the art of driving a reindeer sledge and we were all given the opportunity the have a go. Unfortunately, these stubborn beasts only seemed to respond to the voices of their keepers and my animal particularly, after an initial dash from the starting point, ground to halt and proceeded to scrape in the snow with his hoof for moss and to eat snow.  As three other sledges backed up behind me, no amount of yelling, cursing or thwacking it on the backside with the rein, could induce this animal to proceed any faster than an intermittent stop-start to the finishing point.

After an afternoon of physical activity out in the fresh air, the actual stay in the Ice Hotel loomed nearer and the whole group began to conjecture about the night ahead. Would it really be possible to sleep on a block of ice? What should one wear inside the sleeping bag? Thermal underwear and warm socks were a must – so we’d heard. What do you do if you need a pee in the middle of night? Would the sound of snoring carry into the neighbouring rooms? Soon we would find out.

 

The general consensus among old-hands at this was that you visit the Extreme Ice Bar and consume several vodkas before returning to the locker room where you change into your night clothes, clean your teeth and any other bits of you that, by this point of exhaustion and alcohol-induced state of relaxation, you can be bothered to wash, struggle back into your snow suit and boots and head off for your room along an icy corridor. Once there, we followed the instructions of the friendly tour guide and quickly removed our snow suit, laying it carefully out on the bed, climbed into the extra thick sleeping bag provided and then lay down on top of the suit, plus a 10 cm layer of foam rubber and several reindeer skins that gave off a vaguely musky smell. The only bit of the body left exposed is one’s head; it is advisable to wear a warm hat and to zip the sleeping bag all the way up, all around the head so that the only bit visible is your face.

At last I was as ‘snug as a bug’ and in the absolute silence, very quickly fell asleep. Sometime later, I awoke. My feet were roasting, my head felt like it was on fire and I was under the impression that I was sitting in a dark cave, looking out through a small hole on to an icy, Narnia-like landscape. Either it was the vodka or a very high temperature was causing me to hallucinate. I removed the hat, unzipped the sleeping bag from around my face and immediately began to cool down and realise where I was. Husband John snored gently on beside me. Apart from a short spell when I awoke again to put my hat back on because my ears were cold and to take a few mouthfuls of water from a plastic bottle I’d stood beside the bed, I slept deeply until awakened by a friendly face in a brown furry hat, coming through the blanket-curtained opening proffering a cup of hot lingenberry juice. (Mysteriously, despite the ambient temperature being well below freezing, my water did not freeze – answers on a postcard please to…editor@thamenews.net) Then it was a question of retrieving the warm snow suit from underneath yourself, putting it on as quickly as possible while you were still glowing from the hot drink, stepping into the cold boots beside the bed and then dashing off for a sauna, a shower and then breakfast – all a few hundred metres away from the Ice Hotel itself. (Husband John, egged on by an alpha male, virile young Scotsman sharing our sauna cabin, did the Swedish thing of dashing out of the sauna and rolling in the show before running back in – luckily it was very early in the morning and dark!)

After a second night spent in the more familiar surroundings of a warm, wooden cabin, came the day of our return to London, via a connecting flight from Stockholm. From my seat by the window, I reassuringly watched a man spray anti-freeze on the aircraft’s wings before we took off from the tiny airport at Karuna and headed back to the damp, grey skies of England.

Other memorable moments:- drinking Glŏgg, a sort of mulled wine sweetened with raisins and almonds and warming our hands by a brazier of burning logs at the Christmas market in Stockholm; watching children looking at animated scenes from fairy stories in a Stockholm department store’s windows; eating a wonderful dessert made from baked slices of pineapple in a lemony, vanilla sauce; the friendly Swedish people always ready to chat; seeing a set of reindeer horns, the points carefully wrapped in brown paper and sellotape going past on the baggage conveyor belt at the airport; noticing the difference between three polite and well-behaved Swedish children entertaining themselves quietly on the plane whilst one ill-disciplined noisy English child annoyed everyone within ear-shot for most of the journey; the pride in his people that Johanne’s demeanour and voice expressed despite their plight and above all, a feeling of outrage that colonisers can be so thoughtless and uncaring about what they do to an indigenous people when they rush in to take what they want.

Aim for the new year – to spread the word about Swedish reindeer meat; its cholesterol-free, very lean and succulent, and delicious. So, if you are, or know a restaurateur, find out where in Sweden you can buy in some reindeer meat and let’s make it the healthy alternative and most fashionable item on the menu, and help the heroic and beautiful Sámi people to survive.

http://www.keziefoods.co.uk/Catalogue/Exotic-Meats/Reindeer-Meat

For more information about the Sámi people, visit: https://sweden.se/society/sami-in-sweden/

For more information about the ice hotel in Sweden, visit: http://www.icehotel.com/

 

 

WHY jump into the car and leave town for Christmas shopping when here in Thame we have so many wonderful, independent shops of our own? Shops where good old-fashioned service and knowledge about the providence of products is paramount – and, bonus – there’s loads of FREE parking.  Let Thame.Net guide and inspire you to find the ideal festive gift for everyone locally.                                                                                                                                                                              Quick links

Get everyone fit for Christmas 
Powders & potions
Retro Chic for Christmas 
Gift ideas galore!
Media & technology for everyone
Sweet delights
Chocolate Unlimited
Christmas Style
Christmas flowers

THERE’s always someone who’s particularly difficult to buy for at Christmas, but in Thame’s Buttermarket where we begin our Yuletide trail, is the lovely little emporium of cosmetics, fragrance and beauty products, POWDER, where Karen, the proprietor will help you create your own gift box of their favourites products, including gift boxes of Miller Harris, Caudalie and Dr Hauschka.

                          

For the younger person, suggests Karen, how about a pampering soak in a Bomb Cosmetic bath with a selection of their gorgeous bath products, or again, make up your own gift box with their ‘Keep Calm and have a Bath’ boxes. Alternatively, bring them a ray of sunshine with the ‘Happiness Kit’ by Love & Toast .

 

POWDER also has some great little stocking fillers and ideas for ‘Secret Santa’ gifts to suit most ladies, from compact mirrors, soaps and nail polish.

But POWDER is not just about the ladies. For the gentlemen, there’s a selection of men’s fragrances, grooming and bath/shower products, including Blue Beards Revenge,  Scaramouche & Fandango.

          

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RETRO CHIC FOR CHRISTMAS

STROLLING back along Buttermarket, towards North Street, is picturesque Montesson Square, by the old Thame Market House. Near by, tucked away to the right of the historic Swan pub, is the courtyard shopping area, Swan Walk (Don’t forget to pat Doris the cow, currently ‘stabled’ at Thame.net’s Jordans Courtyard, as you pass). Recently opened at No. 6 Swan Walk, is Camilla Fraser’s THE LOVELY SHOP, a purveyor of loveliness indeed!  Here you’ll discover handmade, homemade, ethical and just plain funky clothes and accessories. So, what are Camilla’s hot tips for a perfect pressy for lovely ladies?  Christmas is of course party time and we all need something special to wear whether we’re the host or a guest. And ‘because we’re worth it’, we deserve to treat ourselves too!

The Regina Floral Velvet Doll Dress, £75, by the gorgeous, retro clothing company, Collectif, is a beautifully flattering style with sweetheart neckline, capped sleeves and a flared skirt. Camilla says: “It looks fab on it’s own or for that extra ‘wow’, team it with one of my long petticoats, available in sizes 8 to 18 subject to availability.

                                              

“For lovely, little ladies I’d like to recommend the Purbeck Kelp Dress by organic children’s clothes company, Kite Kids. An unusual dress in Purple & green, it looks beautiful with colourful tights and is just right for Christmas parties! It’s available in sizes 3-12 months at £27, and 12 months – 3 years at £29. There’s also a tunic version for older kids in the same colourway available in sizes 3-7 years, at £24 and for 7-11 years, £26, subject to availability.” 

 And for the very new little people why not treat them to a stripy Baby Vest from organic & fair trade children’s clothes company Little Green Radicals for their first Christmas. This vest features Horatio Hound applique & is made from the softest cotton, it also comes in a pink stripe for pink babies and is available in sizes 0-3 to 9-12 months. £18. All these lovely items are available to view on THE LOVELY SHOP’S website www.lovelyandlovely.co.uk

 

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CHRISTMAS GIFTS GALORE

 JUST opposite The Lovely Shop is ELLA JANE GIFTS which, since opening in Swan Walk just nine months ago, has proved a very popular destination for Thame’s visitors and locals as a source of something special for the perfect gift. It’s certainly worth a visit and Alison Cooper, the helpful proprietor, will give you personal service with a smile to help you choose a perfect Christmas gift for almost anyone – she loves a challenge!

         

This compact little shop beautifully presents a fantastic variety of gorgeous quality furniture, a collection of wonderful toys, scarves, jewellery, leather bags and unique gifts of top quality at fantastic prices.

Both THE LOVELY SHOP and ELLA JANE GIFTS are members of the Thame Loyalty Scheme by the way, so some extra discounts and goodies for Loyalty Card holders. 

 

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MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY FOR EVERYONE

ALSO part of the Swan Walk shopping community is the long-established, THAME AV Audio Visual, run by Steve Algar. Here, as well as flat screen TVs (which could be tricky to wrap!) Steve has some very affordable tablets, as well as some great Christmas present ideas for music lovers of all ages. With Vinyl making a big comeback, what better time of year to dig out your old records and play them on your new turntable?  “Starting at £150, these turntables would be ideal for a ‘him’ or a ‘her’,” suggests Steve.”

              

The use of mobile tablet computers, or just ‘tablets’, is growing and growing, and they are surely going to be the big ‘must have’ gift request this Christmas, and While some of the big names are still leading the way in terms of app selection, a number of competitors have risen to the challenge by offering great features and hardware for less money. THAME AV has been quick to realise this trend and the 9 inch, GoClever Android Tablet, complete with a case and a Keyboard, at £165, would ‘fit the bill’ for mums, dads, brothers, sisters – in fact anyone – who wants to access the internet or social media like Facebook and Twitter, suggests Steve, and they can even be used to control many of their other wi fi products.

          

 With the increasing availability of more and more digital radio stations to chose from, being able to carry your radio around the house to keep you entertained while getting ready for work or cleaning the house, a portable radio is a most acceptable addition to today’s listening experience. THAME AV has a wide selection of both the latest Digital and Analogue radios from Roberts and Pure, starting at just £20.

                    

“Something for everyone and a present that any relative will love and cherish,” suggests Steve, adding: “And, all these products come with boxes and internal protection.” A really important, practical point to bear in mind I always think, when it comes to choosing gifts.
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SWEET DELIGHTS

SPECIAL chocolate and confectionery is as much a part of Christmas as crackers and turkey, and in Thame we have a sweet lover’s dream of a shop, a proper sweet shop, the likes of which would have been found in every town and village a generation ago, before supermarkets and multipacks.

 SWEET SURRENDER in Cornmarket has a staggering selection of handmade, Belgian chocolate and traditional sweets, as well as sugar free, dairy free and gluten free confectionery. Here you can buy liquorice in over 40 varieties including salted and root liquorice, individual bags of your favourite liquorice all-sorts, or as a special present for a real liqurice lover, a whole jarful!

                       

Amy Fleming, the proprietor, will make up a gift box of any amount of chocolates selected from the huge range, including the most popular, salted coconut, champagne truffles and orange peel. Or, if it’s the old-fashioned, favourite sweets your mum, aunty, uncle, granny, grandad or other relative or friend would love as a treat, Amy will make you up a traditional mini-jar to suit all budgets. Take the 360 degree tour of SWEET SURRENDER
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GET FIT FOR CHRISTMAS

CHRISTMAS shopping can be tiring. Traipsing round shop after shop trying to find that perfect gift for each and every one of your family and friends, apart from all the food shopping and preparation for the big day. RACQUETS FITNESS CENTRE, in North Street, Thame, (behind the Cattle Market) is a friendly, family run health and fitness club which can help you in more ways than you might at first think.

It is the place in Thame to get yourself fit before all the festivities – build up your stamina and strength before you go out for that long haul shopping visit.

Splash out on a couple of personal training sessions for yourself then think about everyone else.  

“For everyone else we can help with the presents too!” says Squash Coach, Simon Martin, who helps run his family’s business. “For kids – encourage them to get active and give them a place of their own to go to ! A silver junior membership of RACQUETS is just £50 – they can book their own squash court and bring their friends down to play.”

For stocking fillers for the kids, RACQUETS offers lots of ideas, from rackets grips, squash and racketball balls to a child-size squash racket.

 

FOR everyone else – yes, why not? Encourage them to get active too. “It’s the kindest present of all,””suggests Simon’s wife, Sue. “.. and it’s what they’ll need straight after eating their way through chocolate logs and turkey with all the trimmings!”  Although RACQUETS can offer presents of personal training sessions and memberships, from December 1, they will have, waiting at reception, vouchers for varying amounts which can be redeemed against any of the goods and services available at the Centre. 

So, if you’re looking for something special, RACQUETS FITNESS CENTRE would love you to drop in and have a chat with either Simon or Martin King, who can work out with you an appropriate present for your loved one. Take the RACQUETS 360 degree tour
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CHOCOLATE UNLIMITED

 DEFINITELY a destination for chocolate lovers, whatever the time of year, is RUMSEY’S, a cafe and Chocolaterie, headed up by  Head chef and Master Chocolatier, Nigel Rumsey and his wife Mary; a great place to take a rest from the Christmas shopping and enjoy a cup of real hot chocolate and a spot of lunch

 

A must have as a present or to share at Christmas – their 500g selection of Nigel Rumsey’s favourite chocolates; call in watch them being made!

RUMSEY’S is nothing short of ‘chocolate heaven’ and offers a wide selection of Christmas chocolate  gifts for any chocoholic!  Take the 360 degree tour of RUMSEY’S, Thame
             

Santa’s Solution  

 Whether you call him Father Christmas or Santa he’s delicious either way – a great idea for Christmas Stockings and table decorations. There are loads of different chocolate figurines to choose from at RUMSEY’S

 Something for everyone 

Dark, Milk or White Chocolate – Chocolate dipped Honeycomb or Chocolate Buttons – great for a Christmas treat

 

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STYLE AT CHRISTMAS

THAME is fortunate in having a variety of women’s clothes shops to suit most tastes, and among these, at the top of the High Street, is ISABELLA’S CLOSET, run by Marie Crawley, who with a background in interior and personal styling, prides herself on sourcing new and innovative design labels and unique styles on trend at very affordable prices. Marie has made the following suggestions  that should help make any woman’s  Christmas special:  

Left: This beautiful gold and black body con dress is from the Paper Dolls range which is perfect for the party season Right: A beautiful gold and black body con dress from Isabella’s Closet’s Paper Dolls range, which is perfect for the party season

 

These two are from Isabella’s Closet’s Italian range; ideal for Christmas Day – very stylish and easy to wear. The jewellery featured with the dresses is part of a stunning collection of Accessories that Marie has to chose from. Isabella’s Closet gift tokens are available all the year round!

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CHRISTMAS FLOWERS

 FRESH flower bouquets make a wonderful gift or bring a touch of natural beauty into your home at Christmas. At BIZZIE LIZZIE in the Upper High Street (close to the Swan pub), Katie Virdi, her mum Billie and their team of experienced and creative florists, offer a stunning range of festive floral designs to chose from and will deliver within a 10 mile radius of Thame.

                                                                                    

To see the full range of BIZZIE LIZZIE’s Christmas flower bouquets and baskets, visit their website or take a 360 degree tour of their beautiful shop here.      back to top

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SO, there you are. To  help you find just the right present for anyone, whether it’s for the husband who has everything, a teenage boy or girl, mum and dad, or a best friend of either sex, we’ve combed the shops of Thame, and in consultation with the proprietors, have come up with, what we hope, is a very useful list of suggestions which we hope will entice you to explore our own, wonderful independent shops and discover just what our own high street has to offer – and to help our vibrant little town’s local economy. 

Thame Loyalty Card member or not, November is a good time to subscribe to the Thame Loyalty Card newsletter. If you sign up during the month of November, you’ll be entered into a draw to win £50 in vouchers to spend in Loyalty card participating businesses during December. Go to: www.thameloyalty.co.uk, scroll to the bottom and click on ‘Sign up to our email newsletter’. LINK HERE

FINAL THOUGHT- For every £1 spent with a local business, 83p goes back into the community’s economy. I guess therefore it’s in all of our interests to TRY THAME FIRST and buy where we can in our own high street, and particularly, to support the many, wonderful independents that Thame is known for.

                                 A very merry Christmas and a happy new year !                                                                                                                                                                              back to top