Sauna-Drunk

Oh boy, I am so melty right now.

Thanks, Sauna.

Sure, we had saunas back home, in Canada, and there are saunas in England too, and in somewhat out-spacey hotel basements all over the world; however, the Finnish Home-Sauna, is an entity and experience all of its own.

It consists of three chambers and outside.

-In the first chamber you take off your shoes and sometimes undress. Some people like to undress in the second chamber instead. That's okay too. Things like chopped wood and matches and kindling and clean little body place-mats for sitting on hot hot wood are stored in the first chamber.

-In the second chamber there are small basins and a big basin and a hose. You use the hose to fill the basins. You light a fire under the big basin. You do not light fires under the small basins, they are plastic. Instead, you use hot water made hot in the big basin to mix with the cold hose water in the small basin to make for the perfect luke warm water. This is mostly done with ladles. We'll get back to this luke-warm water in a minute.

-In the third chamber is heat! And some wooden benches. There is another fire, which you have lit (along with the second chamber's big-basin fire) about an hour ago. It's now rollicking along, cracking and cooking. And above this fire are the coals. These two things, the fire and the coals, make for a 75-100 degree Celcius throat burning, body dripping experience. Plus, you get another ladle in here! To ladle water onto the coals to make it Even Hotter. Have fun kids, but be careful. When you get too hot to breath, head back to the second chamber and use one of its ladles to scoop luke-warm water (or freezing cold water, if you prefer) all over yourself. This is how you bathe! Isn't it great. Then,

-Outside. Outside is outside. There are chairs here to sit naked in the fresh air while your body tries to figure out what is going on. Once it has, or once the mosquitoes have noticed you, go back in the sauna and start again. (Sometimes outside means jumping in a lake, if one is handy. Or drinking beer and/or eating something grilled.)

And again and again. And tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. To be done with family and friends. Which I think is just lovely. Sitting naked and quiet in the hot-wood heat.

PS. I didn't have energy (because I'm sauna-melted right now) to mention the vasta (or vihta ). It's great too.