18 Comments
User's avatar
Bob Kuchman's avatar

Seven !!!!!!! Desserts 🤠

Expand full comment
Brenna's avatar

I couldn't believe it! I was indeed able to eat them all :)

Expand full comment
Flavio Massignan's avatar

I did the same trip, from Tallin to Helsinki. I didn't try the sauna in Finland but I did the same cold dipping sauna in Russia, I loved the experience.

Expand full comment
Brenna's avatar

So cool! I see you're in Budapest? We just went there and of course we sauna'ed it up! I loved the rooftop panarama pool, we went there right before the airport :)

Expand full comment
Flavio Massignan's avatar

Yes I'm in Budapest! you went to Rudas baths, the panorama pool is very cool!

Expand full comment
Aja Frost's avatar

I love this new series! Such a lovely way to share a sense of place & time. This trip sounds dreamy.

Expand full comment
Brenna's avatar

Thanks Aja! It was a cold dream :)

Expand full comment
Peach's avatar

What are the chances I'd be reading this while in the sauna? I have dreams of having Tom build one under my deck. This sounds like such a fun, relaxing trip! I love a fancy dinner, but I can't say I've ever had 7 courses of dessert

Expand full comment
Brenna's avatar

Truly blew my mind! There were lots of berries I'd never heard of before, like "cloudberries". They were so beautiful.

Expand full comment
Clarice Dankers's avatar

It sounds like you had a wonderful experience. I would love to visit Finland some day, too.

My husband is from Austria, and they also take their saunas seriously. One time in January we stayed in a small hotel in the Alps that only had three rooms, each of which was equipped with its own sauna. He would steam in the sauna then run outside and roll in the snow, then come back and steam some more. It was all really fun and new for an American like me!

Expand full comment
Brenna's avatar

You’re living in Ireland, right? I really want to make a trip there this spring. I have Irish heritage and it’s on my budget list ☘️

Expand full comment
Clarice Dankers's avatar

Yes, I've lived in Ireland for four years now. It is a beautiful country (especially County Kerry, where we live), and I am sure you will really enjoy visiting here. Outside of Dublin and Cork City, the costs are fairly reasonable, too.

I have a totally ad-free, non-commercial website about Ireland that you might like to check out during your planning stages (https://www.nourishingireland.com). There are lots of pictures and suggestions for places to visit. Also look at the tab "For Visitors," which provides practical information about traveling here.

Expand full comment
Brenna's avatar

Thanks Clarice! Super helpful!

Expand full comment
Molly Last's avatar

I will have to add Finland to my bucket list!

Expand full comment
Brenna's avatar

Yeah! I want to go to the islands and countryside! We only skimmed the surface in Helsinki!

Expand full comment
Frankie's avatar

Sounds amazing! Feeling inspired to do a cold plunge 🥶

Expand full comment
Brenna's avatar

It’s way better in nature!

Expand full comment
Jack Whalen's avatar

absolutely loved this! (I know it is some time since you posted it, but I just found it via you link from your new 1-yr in Napoli post) - so happy you too found such joy in Helsinki

I was teaching in the design school at Aalto U for one semester a year (always the cold and dark term) for 9 years, so I was living in Helsinki during those terms, and those were some of the most wonderful times of my life - the people (reserved but so friendly and helpful when you needed help), the places (public saunas! pretty much any museum), the cafes (korvapuusti! pulla of any kind!) and restaurants (Sea Horse was my fave special place, near my flat), and the cold dark days with hopefully lots of snow (loved them, actually)

thx for this

Expand full comment