h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hiya sweetie!

I'm a bit slow occasionally. I know you wrote this some time ago, but I just found it..

I'm a bit bothered that there's nothing about the actual Finnish sauna. A real sauna consists of a sauna stove filled with rocks. The rocks are heated with either wood (mhich is my preference, because it smells nice and the heat is softer) or electric resistor.

There are wooden benches to sit on. Usually there are three benches, the first one is like a normal bench, the second one is a bit higher and the third one a bit higher than second one. This formation is called "lauteet" in Finnish but unfortunately it's not on my dictionary so I can't say what's the English term, if there is any. From a group of people Finn is the one sitting on the highest bench.

The idea is that you sit on the bench and throw water on the heated rocks for the steam to hit you. At the same some Finns have a whisk of birch twigs and beat themselves with it. That's not my cup of tea, though.

In between it's always nice to take a swim in the lake, however in the cities that's a bit impossible.

The best temperature for a heated sauna is about 80 degrees Celsius (in my opinion) and there has to be a bit of humidity. If the air's too dry there's no way you can enjoy it, it just feels like your skin is kind of burning.

Huh.. sorry about the rant.

- Your fellow-lurker Rupert

I'll put it in at some point if I remember, It's been ages since I did any actual editing on h2g2

Mel

Voila done, and it's also now in the writing workshop in an attempt to get it finished!

Mel

Okay, now there's a mention of the environment I've grown up in. Not that I've grown up in a sauna but it is the room I've learnt I can't live without. Did you know there are over one million saunas in Finland? I find that quite amazing for a nation of 5,2 million.. Thank you for including the bit.

I might just have to add that statistic, why can't they have the same kind of numbers over here, I don't sauna nearly enough!

Mel

My recent experience of a Finnish sauna in Helsinki would suugest that beer is an important addition - the beer stays cool (though the bottle gets hot).

This is probably not medically advisable, what with de-hydration and all, but it's the way we did it.

Sounds like a good way to do it to me!

Mel

Yeah, I've heard it's a must but I've found that cider works for those strange ones of us who actually don't like beer. Actually I don't like beating myself with twigs either. Hmm.. could it be that I'm not actually a real Finn?

Just coz you don't match the stereotype doesn't mean that you aren't a Finn! I don't match the Essex Girl stereotype doesn't mean that I'm not from Essex!

Mel