Now I Know How Mercury Feels

Not this Mercury:

This one:

I went today to the last remaining public sauna in Helsinki.  What an experience.  Once I got over the confusion and fear based on a complete lack of understanding as to how the ritual is supposed to play out -- what to do, where to go, etc., etc. -- and once I got over the shock of hanging out naked with 15 naked 65-year old Finnish guys, I had to confront the heat.  The intense unbelievable oppressive inferno that blazed through the sauna room.

The room is weird enough as is.  It's bare except for the rows of benches along 3 walls that escalate up on each wall.  The guys are sitting on the benches stark naked discussing who knows what.  It sounded to me like they were debating points from the Talmud -- but that seems unlikely given the Finnish they were speaking.  My point is that the environment is already surreal.  And then there is the heat.

The woman at the front told me that they start the day with the sauna rooms at 120 degrees.  (From the feel inside, I think she meant Celsius.)  The rooms then cool slightly as the day goes on.  She said that the room was likely 110 degrees when I showed up.  The guys, moreover, kept throwing water onto the oven in the room to create more steam and to raise the temperature a little.  I would have protested if I was conscious.

Yes, I seriously teetered on the edge.  Came within a hair of fainting.  I didn't want to cave by walking out too soon.  I thus kept pushing it and remained in the sauna even after my friends went out to cool.  But when I finally stumbled out to douse myself under a cold shower, I had to grab onto the wall a couple of times.  The only way I fought off the light-headedness was through the sheer willpower that fear can create: there's no way I wanted to have these 15 naked Finns pull me off of the floor in a naked heap!  I have some dignity!!

Today was a fantastic second full day even outside of the sauna.  Ate a reindeer steak for dinner.  (It was tasty -- but a little chewy.)  Went to a nice "Rock Church" that was quite serene and beautiful.  I also continue to be impressed by the architecture and style of Helsinki.