Magical winter morning on lake on Åland

Frozen Apples

7am in a small cottage on Åland. It’s dark outside. But not for long. Today is going to be a weird day: the frost has taken the island. We need to wait for the apples to unfreeze. We don’t know how long it’s going to take so we’ll wait next to the phone, ready to hit the road as soon as we’ll have news from our boss.

In the meantime I sit next to the window and eat my breakfast staring at the sunrise. It’s so misty outside that it’s impossible to tell exactly when the day begins. But at some point you realize that you can distinguish the shapes of the trees and the light on the lake.

The sight is magical. The frost crystallized the landscape. The grass shines whitely while the lake plays hide and seek in the last clouds. The sky is slightly yellow and the haze is getting thinner and thinner.

I prepare a huge thermos of tea and a light meal. Then I make my way to the shelter. Every step I do make the grass squeals. I sit on the side of the water and wrap myself in a thick and soft blanket.

That’s where I leave you. Feel the sun warming your face. Look at the day getting clearer. Watch the frost melting and revealing the true colours of the land.

Breathe the cold air.

Enjoy.

... Practical Corner

I stayed in a cottage in Tjudö, north of the main island. But you can find lakes everywhere on Åland. I suggest you have a walk around and find a spot you like. Along the lakes you'll often find benches to sit on...

A thermos of tea tends to make the cold not that important and gives you a good reason to stop ;) If you have space in your bag, a blanket is another way to keep you warm and happy.