Dry Danes and Sweaty Suomis

One of the things I love about living in the Southern part of England is that the winters are not as long, cold and dry. After a winter in Denmark, my skin was always totally itchy. During a winter in London I do feel the cold but hardly ever extreme cold for long enough for it to cut through to the bone. I am not even sure if this expression works in English, but I think you get the picture.

The Finnish have found a way to deal with the winter - I guess they had to as it is much colder, longer and darker up there. So they have the sauna. I experienced three different types last time I was there. The smoked sauna, the electric sauna and what I think is the most common, the firewood sauna. They are all lovely, warms you through and you can happily throw yourself in the snow afterwards because of the fuzzy, warm feeling inside. I am not really a spa person but the heat and typical mood of the sauna really relaxes me.

The smoked sauna is a special experience and the walls are completely black with sot. You wait for the smoke to clear out before you go in. I think it creates a more intimate and rough experience and I felt as one with nature.
The electric one is the most convenient - instant heat and relaxation. Beautiful walls in light-coloured wood to give you that Nordic feel.
The firewood sauna is also very nice. You can burn different types of wood and some create a nice smell. I was in one with no electric light - just me and a candle.

When I was in Copenhagen in February this year, I noticed the enormous selection of body lotions and creams in the shops and I could hear people asking the sales people for one that would sink in quickly and still provide a lot of moisture for very dry skin. I recognised the desperation in their voices and sympathised, remembering when that was me. The problem is that it is not possible to solve this with a body lotion, no matter how fat and how many times you apply it a day. At least I have never succeeded that way. I think the way forward for these dry Danes is to learn from the Finnish - build a sauna and build up a good sweat.

In preparation for Easter

Danish Easter

Naked in the Nordics

I was talking to my brother about podcasts recently, and he told me about this American podcast that explained how to behave in public. He had it found very strange that it recommended that when in a locker room, one should cover up oneself with one's towel on the way from the actual locker to the shower area, so as not to offend anyone.
For a Dane, the main concerns are not to get the towel wet prematurely and washing yourself well before going in the pool in order not to pollute it and thereby forcing the administrators of the pool to use more of that poisonous, smelly chlorine. We don't really care if same sex people see us naked. If they are offended, it is their problem (a general attitude that applies to many situations amongst Danes). They can just go away.
In some places in the UK people tend to be more shy with their nakedness, which can feel awkward if you are not used to worry, but don't really have an explicit wish to offend anyone either. London seems pretty chilled though, which is nice.
On the other hand, they have mixed sex sauna's over here - and people will wear their swim suits in there! In DK, the sauna is usually in the changing room of the pool and often equipped with signs saying that you shouldn't wear your swim suit in there. It is not hygienic.
In Finland they have it all: mixed sex (gender, that is), nakedness and beer in the sauna. More about the Finnish and the sauna culture in another blog post soon to come.