Sunday 2 August 1998

Slideshow Pictures

Had breakfast (the breakfasts were great), and checked out of the Kalastajatorppa at 10:30 a.m.

The Kalastajatorppa cost $190 CAN. per night and was the least expensive of the major hotels we stayed in.

We had made arrangements to meet Rita’s cousin Tuulikki and her husband Lasse at an authentic Finnish McDonald’s in a city called Imatra. We filled up, ($1.25 CAN./lt. ) at Lappeenranta.

Arrived in Imatra approx. 1:00 p.m. Lasse was sitting outside at a picnic table and Tuulikki was inside. We had a couple of burgers and French fries and then we were off to their cottage on an Island on the biggest lake, Saimaa, of the 100,000 lakes in Finland.

I drove Lasse and Rachel and Rita went in Tuulikki’s car. We parked the car at the lake shore and boarded their motor boat to the Island.

It was a beautiful small cottage with a separate building for extra room and another with a sauna, of course.

They had an outhouse but it was very neat. Lasse and I went to gather birch branches for a sauna vihta (a cluster of birch branches tied together, which the Finns use to beat the evil out of themselves in the sauna bath - great for the circulation and masochistic tendencies.). I was thinking of putting some poison ivy in Rita’s vihta as a joke, because I have a great sense of humor, but knowing Rita’s lack of a sense of humor, decided against it.

They soaked the vihtas in water and then placed them on the hot rocks. The steam softens the vihta and keeps the leaves from falling off while you beat yourself silly with them.

In the meantime, Rachel was picking wild blueberries from the hundreds of low lying blueberry bushes around the cottage.

The place was thoroughly enjoyable; too bad the weather was so cold. Had dinner of fried cheese and cold cuts

After dinner Rita, Lasse and I went for a truly authentic Finnish sauna, heated by wood, and beat ourselves with the vihtas. I offered to beat Rita, but she gracefully declined. Plenty of water was thrown on the hot kiln of hot rocks for lots of steam. The sauna was so hot it would have hard boiled an egg in 2 minutes. After the sauna Lasse and I went for a swim but Rita could hardly dip her big toe in the cold, cold water. Rita went inside the cabin while Lasse and I had an hour’s conversation, drinking beer sitting in the swinging garden chair in front the sauna hut. We were wearing only swim trunks, but after the sauna, we didn’t feel the cold, it was quite comfortable. We slept inside the cottage while they slept in the guest house.

Had breakfast at the cottage, packed the boat, and headed for the cars.

Packed the cars, and left for Varkaus. I drove Rachel and Lasse, Tuulikki drove Rita.