I don't think that anyone thinks that having to get naked with a group of sweaty men in a hot closed box is at all apealing (well maybe for some). This was the thought that went through my mind when I was first told about the finnish sauna experience.
I think everyone knows what sauna is, but for those who aren't familiar with the scandinavian style let me tell you that up here it is like a religion (I would bet that saunas get more attendance than churches). I would say that most people go at least once per week. There is a high percentage of houses that have an inbuilt sauna, and apartment buildings have a common one that is shared by the tenants.
Finnish people in general are quite open with their nudity. No one really cares about it. And for them it is hard to understand how someone from another culture would have this feeling of shame of nudity.
There are a few variations of saunas. Some are heated electrically others by wood, and others even by smoke.
I was with a group of friends last January and I thought I would give the sauna a try. First you have to keep in mind that the heat of the sauna is at a minimum 75ºC in order to be "acceptable". Additionally, in the winter, it is normal that a sauna session consists of being in the sauna for a while, then cooling your body with a cold shower, just standing outside in the cold, rolling in the snow or diping in the cold baltic sea, this process is repeated some times to increase the blood flow. Some people even roll in the snow.
In this occasion these group of finns decided to roll naked in the snow. I wanted to try but when steping on the deck of the backyard of the house I felt the cold wind and immediately came back in to the shower. I thought that I would now build up the courage to try the second time. Finally I jumped in, the he feeling is hard to describe, but at first when the snow touches your skin it burns and can be quite painful, even if your skin is still also very hot from the heat of the sauna. Once in the sauna the sensation of your skinn becomes so strange, there is this tingling sensation like your body is trying to decide if it is cold or if it is hot. I still do not know how to explain if I liked this or hated it, the best I can do is to say that it was very interesting feeling.
In the building where I live in Turku, they started doing the so called "Jogging Sauna". There was no jogging involved, but later I found out that this was a mixed sauna. I thought that this would be even more interesting that the first time and I went to give it a try as well. The openness about the nudity remained the same, even between men and women. I guessed that it would be decent to have lots of eye contact with whoever was in front of me. I got into a few interesting conversations with some other students and made a few friends there. After a few times, you mature and don't really pay attention to the fact that people are naked. Later I came to know that mixed nude saunas are not the norm in this country, rather the exception.
In general I did get the feeling that some finnish people are a lot more sociable inside the sauna, and when sharing this sauna experience. Sauna is a very nice feeling if you learn your limits and use appropriately. I would definately recommend it.
I have tried the Ice-Swimming on two occasions. Here are some pictures to prove it:
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