Hackpacker

On Juhannus eve there was an apocalyptic feel to Helsinki. The streets were empty, shops were closing and a lot of foreigners were walking the streets with a “What happened?” expression. I went to the supermarket late in the day and staff were keener than usual evacuate as customers hoarded groceries for the three-day shutdown. All the while the were lights dimming. A shield began to roll down over the dairy cabinet sending Finns into an apoplexy. If this was the end of the world, many would see it without enough cheese. Juhannus is the annual midusmmer festival which Finns have moved slightly so it always falls on the third weekend in June. It’s best celebrated by heading to a summer cottage and watching the bonfires that ring the lakes on Juhannus eve. In Helsinki there’s a marriage ceremony and the lucky couple get to ignite the bonfire (which may have been the inspiration for Jim Morrisson’s Come on Baby Light my Fire’). And there may even be a little drinking done. The Saturday is

There’s always some debate amongst Finns about what the Three Ss of ‘Finnishness’ are. Some will say Sibelius, the nation’s great composer, many will say sisu , the word for guts or determination. Others point to the salty liquorice, salmiakki , while a few say Suomi, meaning the land itself. But no matter who you ask they will always include sauna in their list. Of course, Finns aren’t the only people in favour of stripping off and steaming up. Russians have the banya , Japanese have the onsen , Turks have the hammam , but it is only the Finns who define themselves so strongly by getting naked with each other. The first time I met a friend of mine’s new boyfriend he said ‘We must go to a sauna!’ in a way that made me wonder if he was the right boyfriend for her. But for Finns it’s a regular ritual. Some manage it daily, but most opt for a couple of times a week, depending on how handy a sauna is. Some apartment buildings have them, most hotels do and there are a few public saunas for