Finnish Summer Cottage Adventure

As a wedding gift, Terhi (one of our co-workers) gave us a weekend trip to her family's summer cottage. Saturday afternoon we jumped on a bus and headed southeast. We met Terhi and her father, Arto, at the bus stop in Kangasniemi and drove to the summer cottage (about 20 kilometers away). The weekend was filled with so many adventures I do not know where to begin. Perhaps the best way to highlight our weekend is by listing out the top 10 experiences:

 
1.) A wood-fire sauna with vihta: Every night we indulged in the wood burning sauna to relax and to wash the dirt from our bodies (there is no shower in a traditional cottage). Terhi was brave enough to go swimming in the lake, Charlie and I chickened out as the entry/exit into the lake was a little too rocky for our comfort.We also experienced the long-awaited birch tree branch beating that Finns lovingly call vihta. Arto cut some young birch tree branches and tied them together, in the sauna we moistened them in water, then lightly warmed them over the sauna coals and energetically beat our bodies with the branches (starting with the legs, then the arms, and moving to the heart center). The smell of birch permeated the air--nice! It is said that this ritual opens pores and increases circulation. While it does sound a bit masochistic...it felt almost as good as getting a massage.
2.) Outhouse: A red wooden outhouse served as our throne for the weekend. I was convinced that mosquitoes were waiting for me every time I had to go to the bathroom and attacked my bum as soon as pulled down my pants.
3.) Row-boat: Charlie was a pro at rowing and toured us around the lake. I, however, rowed us in one BIG circle.
4.) Mosquitoes: In Finland, there are over 30 varieties of mosquitoes and I think every variety loves to suck my blood. We joked that the summer cottage cologne was the smell of Off bug repellent. Despite having mosquito netting at each door those pesky little blood suckers managed to break into the cabins.We did, however, have fun zapping them with an electric bug zapper in the shape of a tennis racquet (poor squitters!) 
5.) A rainy (and very relaxing) day: Sunday was a rainy day, so we napped as the calming sound and fresh smell of raindrops comforted us in our dreams.
6.) Barbecue: Saturday night Charlie was in heaven as he was handed the barbecue tongs and quickly embodied his master bbq skills. 
7.) Chopping wood: This is therapy! Once we got the hang of it we were splitting wood like a hot knife goes through butter.
8.) Finnish swamp adventure: Terhi took us on an adventure to the nearest swamp area which had a sweet smell (unlike the icky swamp smell in Florida). Many berries and plant species live in the swamp area which gives it the ambrosial smell. During our walk we swam through thick waves of mosquitoes trying their hardest to find any exposed skin for a little blood sucking action.
9.) Excellent food: We ate amazing meals and to our delight we had plenty of vegan options to choose from (kiitos, Liisa!): nettle soup, couscous salad, fennel salad, veggies, veggies, and more veggies. 
10.) Caves: We visited caves that were used by the locals to hide out from the Russians during the Great Wrath, 1714-1721.