Make your sauna

-
Where I work we get packages from around the world and occasionally they are packed with newspapers from these places.
Just the other day I had a box with a Russian language news tabloid that had the story of Michael Jackson's death a few years ago.
But here we have an advertisement from a Finnish DIY store- Starkki (something of a cross between Home Depot and Menard's.)
But instead of loads of other krep which you would see in Home Depot ad, this one focuses on the most important one to Finns- the sauna. And it is important to note how it is pronounced- 'sow- nah.' This differentiates it from the 'saw-na', which is usually a dry heat contraption masquerading as the Finnish sauna.
I have heard it said that sometimes Finns have built their sauna before even having a home. In fact some have even lived in their sauna (without the steam of course.) This may be hyperbole.
Starkki has all a Finn would need to build or improve their sauna- doors, benches, cedar, the rocks to be heated. My MFG -mostly Finnish girlfriend- has seen some elaborate saunas when she visited Suomi (aka Finland.) For the less well to do Finns, they can shell out 39 Euros for an infrared heating element. Sounds a bit blasphemous since your can't pour water over it and get steam. The lady in the ad doesn't mind. She can't believe the price.
Hopefully this weekend I will enjoy a real sauna and perhaps take some pictures to share with my Finnish readers. I do have Finnish readers, right?

Comments

Almost Heaven Saunas said…
I can't believe that many people who enjoy a true traditional Scandinavian style sauna would enjoy an infrared sauna. I've even heard them compared to sitting in front of a space heater. Nothing an infrared sauna can offer will be able to compare to a traditional sauna. Just a head's up for anyone who might be thinking about purchasing one! :) Great post btw.
06 January, 2011 17:04
Post a Comment

Notable Posts

So there was this zombie party

-
Image
It was a quiet weekend up here. Well, maybe. Depends on how you appreciated the sound of moaning zombies all over. They can be rather noisome. Fortunately there are guys like McGjervold who can take out a dozen or so of the troublesome undead minions. Went to a party and sure enough, there they were- zombies. Real crazy looking zombies.  And there was the food too. I sampled the fare before I called in McGjervold to clear out the joint with his array of weapons and zombie whooping devices. McGjervold doesn't back down to zombies or their ilk. Afterword we played pool.
Read more

Back to 50s photos: Pontiac Chieftain

-
Image
I n its earlier days, Pontiac featured a Native American on its logo. It may have just been a representation of the famous chief himself, Pontiac although no authentic images of him are known to exist. In the center background you may be able to see a Pontiac Chieftain under a large tree. Pontiac ceased production of the car sometime in the late 1950s. In 1956 they also changed their trademark from the Indian head dress to something more akin to an arrowhead.
Read more

Gumby, Google, Clokey and Hastings. Oh My!

-
Image
This title sounds like a band from the 70s. However, Google has a great interactive doodle today in honor of Art Clokey , creator of green guy Gumby. Clokey would have been 90 today, but he passed away last year. But did you know that the Gumby came from my hometown of Hastings, MN! Indeed I thought this odd too when I saw this fact on a map of Hastings that has hung in the family home for years. Clokey was Californian and seemed to have no connections wtih the North Star State, so I thought this incredulous. I did a little digging and then found my answer in an article in the Star Tribune from October 20th, 2003.  Dick Parker and Heron Marquez Estrada did a the hard work and re-discovered that Echo Plastics of Hastings manufactured millions of Gumby and Pokey toys up to about 1971. So I guess Minnesota can claim the green guy and his red pony after all. Perhaps the state quarter would have been more collectible if it had Gumby and Pokey on it. [I did find a possible Minnesota
Read more