Finnish sauna for Yarmouth shoppers
Victoria Nicholls Shoppers wandering through Yarmouth market place for their weekly groceries may be forgiven for doing a double-take when they catch a glimpse of what appears to be a garden shed with steamed-up windows.
Victoria Nicholls
Shoppers wandering through Yarmouth market place for their weekly groceries may be forgiven for doing a double-take when they catch a glimpse of what appears to be a garden shed with steamed-up windows.
One of the quirkier sights of the town's Out There arts festival, this traditional Finnish sauna will entice shivering shoppers in by beaming out images of wintertime in Finland, while a wood-burning stove will fire up the temperature inside.
Open to the public from Friday to Sunday, the sauna is the creation of Finnish sculptor Kari-Petteri Kakko, who wants people to indulge in some relaxation, at the same time as learning about his country's customs. “It's a bit of fun,” he said. “It's also a way of spreading the Finnish culture - it's very much a way of life. People have been born and died in saunas - up to about 100 years ago women used to give birth in saunas. When people arrive in a new place to build a home, the first thing they build is a sauna.”
Mr Kakko, who uses his own electrically-heated sauna nearly every day, said: “It's a really good way to end the day - it can be for spiritual cleansing or physical relaxation.”
He added: “In Finland we usually get naked, although when we don't know each other, men and women use separate sections.”
Most Read
- 1 Classic vehicle day coming to stunning gardens this weekend
- 2 Man in his 20s dies after crash in west Norfolk
- 3 Seven beach walks with a cafe pit stop to try in Norfolk
- 4 'I can't stop Western Link work starting in my woodland'
- 5 7 pubs up for sale or rent in Norfolk
- 6 Jailed this week: County lines gang and man found with cocaine in his car
- 7 Neighbours' tribute to crash victim who 'thought the world of her dogs'
- 8 Mum killed in A47 collision was ‘walking to Norwich’, inquest hears
- 9 'Awe and disbelief' as thousands of bees swarm pub garden
- 10 Police stop 85 vehicles in one day amid safety crackdown
Shoppers will be relieved to hear that anyone wishing to use the 10-person sauna is asked to stay covered up with a swimming costume.
Young people at the Yard project in Lowestoft are putting the finishing touches to the sauna, which is being made out of recycled wood. Ricky-Lee Hibbert, who is working on the project with Scott Busby, who are both 16, said: “It's something different. I don't think people will expect to see something like this in Great Yarmouth.”
The SeaChange Arts charity's £180,000 Out There festival boasts comedians, street artists and musicians who will transform the town centre into an international festival arena. It started on Saturday and runs until Sunday.