Page 148 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SUMMER 2022 DISCOVERING MADRID

antlers for handicrafts. Some reindeer herders tus: the more jewels and bigger the riska, the
even grind the antlers into powder because the wealthier she is.
Japanese buy it as Viagra, even though there’s no After the reindeer ride, Leena took me to the
proof it has those powers. ski boot dance, a funky bar where all the skiers
The Sámi man who owns the reindeer farm go after the slopes close, still wearing their ski
where I took a my ride, was dressed in his indige- clothes and ski boots. A local band played
nous costume: a many-pointed hat with stream- mainly polkas, but every now and they launched
ers (the streamer’s direction indicates marital into a rendition of Springsteen on steroids. A
status), a royal blue tunic with red and green em- tall man with reddish hair approached and asked
broidered designs, reindeer boots which curled me to dance. As he led me to the dance floor he
up at the toes (in order to attach skis), and a said proudly, “I skied almost 100 kilometers to-
leather belt decorated with gold and silver on day.” Leena had warned me they love to brag
which was a leather sheath holding a knife. Both about their daily ski mileage.
men and women carry a knife not as a weapon, “Are you Sámi?” I asked hopefully.
but as a tool. His Sámi wife wore a colorful skirt “No, I’m Robert.”
and embroidered blouse. At her neck was a riska,
He wasn’t even Finnish – he was Dutch.
a brooch whose purpose is to flaunt financial sta-

148 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2022