I’m an American and went to Finland for the first time in June (Kesäkuu). I stayed at a kesämökki and absolutely loved it!!! So peaceful and the sauna was the best experience! ❤️🇫🇮
Very lovely cottage! The cottage of my family doesn't have running water either but luckily there is a spring producing unlimited supply of clear drinkable water. 😀
Oh my gosh! Anni thank you SO much for sharing your grandparents summer cottage! When you said it is like paradise, I laughed because I'd been thinking Heaven the whole time i was watching! Grandpa must be super-talented. The buildings are beautiful. Something tells me Grandma does the decorating. Everything looks so homey & comfortable! I'm ready to move in! I couldn't believe even the outhouse is adorable! Wow. And the land & water, it truly IS paradise. I am relaxed just from watching. Might be your best vlog yet. Lastly, your clothes are ALL gorgeous! I wouldn't have guessed it, but Purple may be your color. Love you Anni! Thank you again! 💜
Anni that place is very beautiful, your Grandfather did a wonderful job on everything, thanks for another glimpse into your world, where was Lauri? Lol
What beautiful and cozy cottage. Great work by your grandfather. Lovely place to spend the summer in. When I was a kid, my parents and two other families owned a small summer house deep in the woods in Sweden. The nearest neighbor lived about a kilometer away. There was electricity, but no radiators in the house (wood -burning stoves ftw lol). No running water either, we got it from an old style water pump in the garden. Toilet was like the one you have shown here. A little shed about 100 meters away from the house We spent so many nice holidays there both in summer and winter. I really miss that place and the sort of primitive living... sniffles ;-) Very nice video. It brought back a lot of good memories for me, thank you. P.S. ... For some reason I can't help but hear Lauri's voice in my head, calling the toilet a "shit hut" lol
Your childhood summer house sounds really familiar, just like in Finland! It is really important that there are not neighbours near. :D People want to be in peace in Finland!
Also, I just remembered a funny story similar to you finding a 1992 magazine in the out house. One time about 1997 I think we were visiting my great aunt (she was about 90 then) and I reached down by the chair in the living room and found a map of New York State. It looked a bit old, in fact very old. I found a date on it: 1942! She was still using that map as "her map of New York". Everything in her house was old, she lived in that house since 1916 and not much was ever updated!
Anni Vuohensilta Yes, it is more the idea that old people have old things. It sounds like your grandparents might be like that also if they still have your old toothbrush and a magazine from 1992! I am going to try not to be that way if I ever make it to those old ages!
That really is paradise! Your grandparents have done a great job. Such a beautiful place. Finland is a gorgeous country, and a big part of that is because Finnish foresters manage natural resources wisely with sustainability in mind. My wife and I both noticed how pristine Finland is when we were there with our sons last year. We travelled by train from Helsinki to Oulu then to Rovaniemi, Vaasa, Turku, and back to Helsinki, and things looked great everywhere we went. We didn't get to Tampere though. That will happen next time.
My favourite Finland Friday video so far. Really brought back memories of the visits to my Mother's farm in Kasala and spending time with her parents and brothers and sisters. Perfect living.
Anni you are awesome, thanks for making this video. Every video I watch feels like it makes me want to move there more and more. Canada is awesome but I can see that family just means something more where you guys are. Someday when I get older if I start a family of my own I think I would move to either Sweden, Finland or Norway.
Believe me we have the full spectrum of families from these close-knit ones to the very dysfunctional ones. :) Overall I feel we are more individualistic and less family oriented than the Slavic countries for example. Depends which kind of family you are born into and how much effort you put in it yourself.
Thank you for sharing. You are a very beautiful wonderful woman. Your region reminds me of the area I grew up in North America. The people in my area were immigrants from Norway Sweden and Finland. Here we also had the summer Cottage in the far north. It is not a reality for most of the Americans though. The term used in American English was often family "cabin in the North" or , "cabin up north". Oddly I now live in Phoenix in the hot desert , but in the mountains, I own a property with a summer camper. It's too cold there in the winter by Arizona standards , but nice in the summer. I think seasonal housing is a global idea and a place for a family to Escape 2 is a thing for anybody to be thankful for
In the "Little Finland" area of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, this tradition made it to America. Our "Kesämökki" lands are similar. Even though I'm an American and not a Finn, my family came from Kemijärvi (mother is Inari) and Oulu and this was a wonderful insight into your culture. Kiitos.
Americans with Finnish blood are unique. We all drive around with "SISU" stickers on our cars and it is almost law that when we see another car with a "SISU" sticker that we soon pull over on the highway and have coffee and discuss our families. We all know where in Finland our families are from and we discuss where they settled. There is maybe 300,000 Finnish-Americans in America and most of us cannot pronounce "oravannahka" any better than you can pronounce "squirrel" :DDD
Hey Anni! Thank you so much for sharing your life with us. I know you said that a lot of people want to goto Seaworld (or Florida !) anymore but I think the Finnish summer cottage is like a dream to me. You’re so lucky to get to spend your time with your grandparents and enjoy what looks like a wonderful wonderful magic paradise place! You have really inspired me to come to visit Finland and learn some Finnish language.
You are in luck Phillip. Prices of summer cottages are on the decline, because it seems that current youth are not that interested of owning those. If they want to go they rent it. So get one, enjoy it when you visit and put on rent the rest of the season.
zabnat this is a great idea. In fact, I am a software developer and can work from anywhere. Maybe next year I will live in Finland for a few months at the rental summer cottage! Ohhh.... this is a good idea!
Very beautiful place, it's just like northern Minnesota. The people there do the exact same thing, they must have brought it over from Finland. Have a great weekend!
Mark Larson Lot of Finns moved to Minnesota because its nature was familiar to them. They brought their culture with them and I've heard that some of the traditions have survived better than here in Finland. 😅
It is funny that you say this a Finnish thing as I grew up with a very similar cottage all the way over here in Canada! My grandmother had it built in the 1960s, on the lake with no running water and an outhouse. Only difference is no sauna!
And "answer". I stopped and said "wait. What did she say the ants were doing?" Please don't be offended, Anni. The accent is part of the charm of these videos.
Moi Anni, your videos are so much better and educational and interesting than the HPC channel. Although I like the hydraulic press channel, I hope you keep your own channel. It's awesome. I will be moving to Finland soon.
It's great that your grandfather is so practical! An old family friend of my dad was an architect and designed the entirety of the house he lived in from scratch, as well as others!
This reminds me of the dacha that my wife's family has in Latvia! We also live there when we're in Latvia during the summer--pretty much all the time, just like your parents!
That cottage look like the best place to relax! Ahh I want to vacation there! Oh I have to say you have become really good at editing the videos. They’re so entertaining and fun. :)
I lived like that for 20+ years. Now I'm living in the city. I sure miss that lake. It's cute Your tooth brush was saved. You're very lucky to have such a cool place to go. Thanx for sharing it with us.
Outhouse... is the outside toilet with no running water. My father built us a Summer cottage back in Pennsylvania. It had an outhouse, of course, because there was no running water either. We, the kids, walked about 1/2 a mile carrying jugs to get water from a fresh water spring so we could cook and wash up.. Those were many years ago. Thank you for your video. Your Grandparents have a lovely place there in Finland.
This is simmilar to the cottage culture in Canada. Except cottages here are sometimes the size of a normal family house or larger. Smaller cottages like the one in the video are the most common type though. Some cottages in the Muskoka part of Canada can sell for millions of dollars!
Some newer cottages are bigger here too, but this is pretty typical older cottage. And yes, a big and new cottage by the big lake or sea can cost 500 000-1 000 000 e here.
Reminds me of my family's summer house in New Hampshire on Lake Winnipesaukee. Where your family's summer cottage is located looks like a beautiful place just to go and unwind when you need a break away from everything.
Anni: The summer cottage and property was so beautiful. Do people in the area ever stay through winter in a cottage like that or is the winter there too harsh, too much snow, etc.?
The stone building with small woodstove outside (starting at 3 mins 27 secs) must be a root cellar. I think you said something about cold storage for food that was what it is used for, maybe winter too for potatoes, carrots, onions and cabbage. What a nice place to vacation for months on end. Thanks for the video.
I love getting to go to my families summer cottage. It is beautiful and the lake is usually very calm and perfect for fishing. I hope to have my own summer cottage someday
Hi Anni, what a lovely video, here in Tasmania there is a similar "Shack" culture, although the government started charging a tax on shacks which meant that people could not afford them as easily. Our shack has tank water from rain, composting toilet to use no water and solar power, it is a different ( more crowded) but same sort of paradise.
I immediately googled those shacks, looks nice! Sorry to hear about high shack tax. There is property tax for the cottages in Finland too, but it is not problem usual.
Lovely Finland, come and visit!!!😎 Thank you for sharing your grandparents home, very impressed with their building skills. Great camera work Anni. Best regards from the UK.
Watching this video third time in a row :) .. I love everything about spending time at mökki, other than having to leave on Sunday evening and getting back to the office on Monday... that's the worst feeling ever.
Wow... thank you for sharing this Anni!!! How beautiful... both the Summer Cottage & the area it is located. Fabulous.... :) Your Grandfather is a talented man building all that himself. I bet they really enjoy being there from May till September. That is great!! Thanks again for this video.... I loved it :)
Moi Anni, this does look like a paradise! A couple of times we have been on an old wooden schooner in Lake Michigan for a four-day trip around, and it reminds me of this... no running water, only battery-powered lights (so you had to be careful to use lighting as little as possible on the trip), and only a wood stove to cook on. But lots of time outside on the deck, plenty of time to relax, very beautiful! You and Lauri have talked about how bad the mosquitoes are in the summer, though, and the thought of getting itchy bites from those little bastards kind of tempers my idyllic view of your summer cottage! Are the mosquitoes very bad? How do you deal with them? (Oooh, idea for HPC "extra content" ... you should make a clay mosquito and then crush it, it would serve them right!)
Yep, cottage is great place to relax! The mosquitoes are not problem on this summer, because it has been really dry summer and all mosquitoes are dead. :D They like more humid summer.
You have very nice grandparents, Anni. And what a playhouse they built for you, they must love you a bunch. What is the camera you use? I am thinking of starting a channel and your camera makes very good videos. It is amazing how beautiful Finland is, must be a great place to live.
Thanks for comment Jerry! I have brother and two cousins so we played together in play house. :) My camera is Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, it is super good camera. Maybe a bit expensive for the first vlog camera.
Moi Anni! Thank you for the tour! Your grandpa did a great job on making each cottage look so beautiful! Love your mosaic! I think Nelli cat must be with your other grandma! 😻👏🏻👍🏻😘
As a finn with a summer cottage without running water or electrics, the best part of spending time there is turning off the phone, and just being in nature for a couple of days. Relaxing, a tour with the rowboat, bathing in the sauna or maybe enjoying a freshly smoked fish!
That's exactly what I was thinking about. Putting down the luxuries and exercising awareness of surroundings. I'm probably due for something like that because I've been focused on what's in front of me for so long, I'm starting to not notice things. Like familiar people. You definitely have the right idea.
I think its something everybody needs sometimes. Its so easy to just get caught up in work and the daily routine, that every day starts being the same. Try to get out there buddy, and disconnect for a while! Its really good for the mind!
It's a beautiful mökki. My in-laws' mökki has a lot of similarities. My father-in-law is a carpenter and he built and/or modified everything as well. Thank you for sharing.
Absolutely beautiful, Anni. I'm so very jealous! The closest we have to this are cottages on Lake Erie, but the water is never that warm, and they are extremely expensive to own. The normal person doesn't have a summer place, sadly. I can't believe the lake water is the equivalent of 80 degrees farenheit, either. You'd probably never get me out of it! Someday come to Ohio and we'll show you the Lake region! Can't wait till next Finland Friday! Hugs
I think 27 C was some kind of record of this lake! It was like a spa, my and my grandma were like a small kids when we swam there. :D Your lake region would be awesome to see! See you again!
Yes, I fish with friends at their Lake Erie summer cottage every spring and fall. The cottages are very expensive to own and maintain. Although theirs does not have sewer (septic) and all fresh water must be tanked into Johnson's Island (near Marblehead/Cedar Point) they must pay monthly 'maintenance fees' in the hundreds of dollars per month for essentially nothing. It's absurd! Anni, do you need to pay yearly fees to the government for your summer cottage properties? If so, are they taxed at the same rate as other properties?
Geoffrey : the property tax for summer cottages differs very much, depending on where your cottage is. It's between 150 and 700 euros per year. Recently there was an extra cost for many cottage owners, because they had to build new sewers for all waters, even if they had just kitchen.
Anni ! Love this video! I'm always amazed to see how different things are in Finland compared to the United States. The buildings and culture and traditions etc are so cool in Finland. I can't help smiling the whole time I watch your videos. What camera is that that you are using?
I loved this video very much. So far for me this is the best episode in your channel. It is nice to see you like to spend time with your grandparents. Not hard to recognise you had good time there. I'm feeling a but sensitive today :) En voi odottaa seuraavaan perjantaihin.
G'day from down under! What a beautiful location! The summer cottage, lake, scenery, really beautiful! It is a shame that old traditions such as summer cottages and families spending time together are not so popular these days, which is sad. Thank you Anni for showing us all more of Finland, perhaps I'll get there some day 😊 May I ask what is the name of the small lake? Or is it part of the big lake?
G´day or good morning to Australia! :D I think people need more action and running water for the great holiday nowadays. But sometimes cottage life is just perfect and good way to relax. :) The lake is very small so I think I dont say it. Just for to protect my grandparents' privacy. But the bigger lake (where I throw the bottle post) is Päijänne, the second largest lake in Finland. Super beautiful and big!
Moi Anni! Thanks for another Finnish Friday. My Finnish friend is visiting his family's summer cottage - he's busy chopping and stacking wood for the fire - pretty hard work in the heat. He said this year's joke on July 25th folklore day was that Jaakko threw a sauna stone into lake and not a cold stone! How late in the year do most people stay at their cottages?
I don't know what is the typical. Maybe until end of July when people go back to work. My mom is retired and she stays at cottage half a year.(which is quite extreme without running water)
I enjoy all of your videos, but Finnish Friday is my favorite. Lots of questions. Does the cabin have electricity? How do your grandparents manage the drinking water from May to September? Do they go back and forth bringing water from the city? With the lake nearby, could your grandfather install some kind of filtration to make the lake water drinkable? Thanks for sharing!
Hi Jim! Answers come here! - Yes, there is electricity in the cottage. - They usual visit once or twice per week in the city (it is pretty close) and then they bring big water cans from there. - It is pretty easy to bring water from the city, so I think the filtration system would be more complicated! Thanks for watching!
Moikka Anni! Thumbs up to super awesome vlog Anni! Your grandparents kesamokki is beautiful! It gets 2 thumbs up from Wisconsin! We use to go to a summer cabin up in northern Wisconsin when I was a kid. It was super cool, we had running water though! Is your lake water drinkable? Or do you use it for just the basics! Cooking bathing and dishes? Give you grandpa a big thumbs up for doing such a great gob on kesamokki! Kiitos for sharing your Finnish life! Bye! :-)
People do not use lake water other than do the dishes and wash. You can also boil potatoes with it if needed. People bring water with them or have a well for the drinking water.
Thanks for this great video, Anni! Sorry if you answered this earlier, but I could not find it in the comments: What is the little stove next to the cellar used for? Why are there decoy ducks floating on the lake near the shore? Do your grandparents hunt ducks? Is duck/goose/waterfowl hunting popular in Finland?
Thanks for watching Geoffrey! I am not sure, first I thought it is smoker, but maybe not. I should ask it from my grandpa. I think ducks are there because they scared real ducks away. Because they shit to the pier. :D And no, they dont hunt, but they fish! I think hunting mooses and deer is more popular in Finland, but some people hunt ducks too.
0 dislikes, people like your videos. Very beautiful place btw. Im a bit sad becouse my grandpa sold our summer cottage about 15 years ago, it was also very beautiful place at a lake and there was even a long beach.
I’m an American and went to Finland for the first time in June (Kesäkuu). I stayed at a kesämökki and absolutely loved it!!! So peaceful and the sauna was the best experience! ❤️🇫🇮
Great to hear! Kesämökki is the important part of summer in Finland. :)
Anni Vuohensilta Kyllä se on!
if everyone in the world lived like Finland does, the world would be a great place.
Very lovely cottage! The cottage of my family doesn't have running water either but luckily there is a spring producing unlimited supply of clear drinkable water. 😀
Wow, that is cool! Spring water is always good and fresh.
We had that too until we got running water a couple of years ago
Sooooooo beautiful! It brings back so many memories of summers on a small island on the Pacific coast of Canada.
Wow, very nice location and cottage! No wonder Finns are happiest people in the world!
Maybe over 500 000 summer cottages are one good reason for the happiness. :D
Oh my gosh! Anni thank you SO much for sharing your grandparents summer cottage! When you said it is like paradise, I laughed because I'd been thinking Heaven the whole time i was watching! Grandpa must be super-talented. The buildings are beautiful. Something tells me Grandma does the decorating. Everything looks so homey & comfortable! I'm ready to move in! I couldn't believe even the outhouse is adorable! Wow. And the land & water, it truly IS paradise. I am relaxed just from watching. Might be your best vlog yet. Lastly, your clothes are ALL gorgeous! I wouldn't have guessed it, but Purple may be your color. Love you Anni! Thank you again! 💜
Thanks for comment Becki!
Moi! I hope the Finnish tourist board is paying you for this. You make Finland look like a great place to visit.
Moi! I am still waiting for money from Visit Finland hahha! :D
Anni that place is very beautiful, your Grandfather did a wonderful job on everything, thanks for another glimpse into your world, where was Lauri? Lol
Thanks! Lauri was home. Somebody has to do all job. :D
I am not summer cottage type of guy ;D I need bit more action and 21st century comforts :D
Lauri needs to sit home and edit (without pants).
No one likes pants.
What beautiful and cozy cottage. Great work by your grandfather. Lovely place to spend the summer in.
When I was a kid, my parents and two other families owned a small summer house deep in the woods in Sweden.
The nearest neighbor lived about a kilometer away. There was electricity, but no radiators in the house (wood -burning stoves ftw lol). No running water either, we got it from an old style water pump in the garden. Toilet was like the one you have shown here. A little shed about 100 meters away from the house
We spent so many nice holidays there both in summer and winter. I really miss that place and the sort of primitive living... sniffles ;-)
Very nice video. It brought back a lot of good memories for me, thank you.
P.S. ... For some reason I can't help but hear Lauri's voice in my head, calling the toilet a "shit hut" lol
Your childhood summer house sounds really familiar, just like in Finland! It is really important that there are not neighbours near. :D People want to be in peace in Finland!
Also, I just remembered a funny story similar to you finding a 1992 magazine in the out house. One time about 1997 I think we were visiting my great aunt (she was about 90 then) and I reached down by the chair in the living room and found a map of New York State. It looked a bit old, in fact very old. I found a date on it: 1942! She was still using that map as "her map of New York". Everything in her house was old, she lived in that house since 1916 and not much was ever updated!
Wow! The old map must have been super interesting! We have 20 years old map of Tampere and it is interesting too.
Anni Vuohensilta Yes, it is more the idea that old people have old things. It sounds like your grandparents might be like that also if they still have your old toothbrush and a magazine from 1992! I am going to try not to be that way if I ever make it to those old ages!
That really is paradise! Your grandparents have done a great job. Such a beautiful place.
Finland is a gorgeous country, and a big part of that is because Finnish foresters manage natural resources wisely with sustainability in mind. My wife and I both noticed how pristine Finland is when we were there with our sons last year. We travelled by train from Helsinki to Oulu then to Rovaniemi, Vaasa, Turku, and back to Helsinki, and things looked great everywhere we went. We didn't get to Tampere though. That will happen next time.
Thanks very much! Yes, about 70 % of Finland is forrest. It is pretty much. :D
Never knew Finland was so beautiful :-)
Yes, this is super beautiful country on summer!
My favourite Finland Friday video so far. Really brought back memories of the visits to my Mother's farm in Kasala and spending time with her parents and brothers and sisters. Perfect living.
Thanks, nice to hear you liked it! :)
Anni you are awesome, thanks for making this video. Every video I watch feels like it makes me want to move there more and more. Canada is awesome but I can see that family just means something more where you guys are. Someday when I get older if I start a family of my own I think I would move to either Sweden, Finland or Norway.
Believe me we have the full spectrum of families from these close-knit ones to the very dysfunctional ones. :) Overall I feel we are more individualistic and less family oriented than the Slavic countries for example. Depends which kind of family you are born into and how much effort you put in it yourself.
Thank you for sharing. You are a very beautiful wonderful woman. Your region reminds me of the area I grew up in North America. The people in my area were immigrants from Norway Sweden and Finland. Here we also had the summer Cottage in the far north. It is not a reality for most of the Americans though. The term used in American English was often family "cabin in the North" or , "cabin up north". Oddly I now live in Phoenix in the hot desert , but in the mountains, I own a property with a summer camper. It's too cold there in the winter by Arizona standards , but nice in the summer. I think seasonal housing is a global idea and a place for a family to Escape 2 is a thing for anybody to be thankful for
That sauna is a fantastic idea for the house. But I can't help but wonder, how bad the winters are.
In the "Little Finland" area of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, this tradition made it to America. Our "Kesämökki" lands are similar. Even though I'm an American and not a Finn, my family came from Kemijärvi (mother is Inari) and Oulu and this was a wonderful insight into your culture. Kiitos.
Thanks for comment! Northern Finland is really beautiful, great to hear your roots are there.
Americans with Finnish blood are unique. We all drive around with "SISU" stickers on our cars and it is almost law that when we see another car with a "SISU" sticker that we soon pull over on the highway and have coffee and discuss our families. We all know where in Finland our families are from and we discuss where they settled. There is maybe 300,000 Finnish-Americans in America and most of us cannot pronounce "oravannahka" any better than you can pronounce "squirrel" :DDD
have you read this? yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/findians__the_story_of_finns_distant_cousins/9087943 ? story the finns is great lake.
Hey Anni! Thank you so much for sharing your life with us. I know you said that a lot of people want to goto Seaworld (or Florida !) anymore but I think the Finnish summer cottage is like a dream to me. You’re so lucky to get to spend your time with your grandparents and enjoy what looks like a wonderful wonderful magic paradise place! You have really inspired me to come to visit Finland and learn some Finnish language.
Phillip Berger She means "see the world"
Hahhah, Seaworld is nice place too! :D You are always welcome to Finland!
I do understand what you ment, almost always :)
You are in luck Phillip. Prices of summer cottages are on the decline, because it seems that current youth are not that interested of owning those. If they want to go they rent it. So get one, enjoy it when you visit and put on rent the rest of the season.
zabnat this is a great idea. In fact, I am a software developer and can work from anywhere. Maybe next year I will live in Finland for a few months at the rental summer cottage! Ohhh.... this is a good idea!
Very lovely kesämökki (actually more like a summer ranch), have your grandparents build all those things by themselves? Very nice!
Yes, my grandpa is real Remontti-Reiska, he always build something new. :D
This looks like a paradise. Thank you for sharing. I love Finland Friday ❤️
Thanks Kimberly, nice to hear you liked it! :)
Very beautiful place, it's just like northern Minnesota. The people there do the exact same thing, they must have brought it over from Finland. Have a great weekend!
Mark Larson Lot of Finns moved to Minnesota because its nature was familiar to them. They brought their culture with them and I've heard that some of the traditions have survived better than here in Finland. 😅
It is funny that you say this a Finnish thing as I grew up with a very similar cottage all the way over here in Canada! My grandmother had it built in the 1960s, on the lake with no running water and an outhouse. Only difference is no sauna!
I love Canada and the people!!! Regards from Europe
Just hearing Anni say "currants" is worth a like on this video. :)
JustBob And 'moostard' (Mustard) 😀
Hahhah! Almost right. :D
And "answer". I stopped and said "wait. What did she say the ants were doing?" Please don't be offended, Anni. The accent is part of the charm of these videos.
You haven't lived until you've heard Lauri say Barrrrrrrrel ;-)
Steve Evans Have you heard Lauri trying to say 'Squirrel'? It's hilarious....
Moi Anni, your videos are so much better and educational and interesting than the HPC channel. Although I like the hydraulic press channel, I hope you keep your own channel. It's awesome. I will be moving to Finland soon.
i'll be in your fantastic country for the first time ever in two weeks! can't wait to see the land in person! thanks
Great to hear, welcome! 😁
Moi Anni. I love the fact that you try to respond to all your veiwers ;)
Moi Curtis! I always try to answer to everyone, but sometimes it is not easy when I get hundreds comment. :D
It's great that your grandfather is so practical! An old family friend of my dad was an architect and designed the entirety of the house he lived in from scratch, as well as others!
I always respect practical and handy people!
This reminds me of the dacha that my wife's family has in Latvia! We also live there when we're in Latvia during the summer--pretty much all the time, just like your parents!
Oh cool, sounds nice! :)
Your work is so good that they put it on the OUTHOUSES wall😂
Why not?! 😂
That cottage look like the best place to relax! Ahh I want to vacation there! Oh I have to say you have become really good at editing the videos. They’re so entertaining and fun. :)
Thanks, really nice to hear you liked it. :) The cottage is the best way to relax!
Beautiful video. Kiitos Anni!
Nice, here in countryside NY state people have summer cottages but also use them in winter to go snowmobile
Same here, people use cottages on winter too. (If it is new and warm cottage. :D)
I lived like that for 20+ years. Now I'm living in the city. I sure miss that lake. It's cute Your tooth brush was saved. You're very lucky to have such a cool place to go. Thanx for sharing it with us.
I lived my childhood by the lake and I miss it all the time too!
Outhouse... is the outside toilet with no running water. My father built us a Summer cottage back in Pennsylvania. It had an outhouse, of course, because there was no running water either. We, the kids, walked about 1/2 a mile carrying jugs to get water from a fresh water spring so we could cook and wash up.. Those were many years ago. Thank you for your video. Your Grandparents have a lovely place there in Finland.
Thanks for your story Hammy! Sounds nice but hard.
Very nice tour! In the southern U.S. we would call that area you had the BBQ grill a Cook Shed.
Thanks Mark!
This is simmilar to the cottage culture in Canada. Except cottages here are sometimes the size of a normal family house or larger. Smaller cottages like the one in the video are the most common type though. Some cottages in the Muskoka part of Canada can sell for millions of dollars!
Some newer cottages are bigger here too, but this is pretty typical older cottage. And yes, a big and new cottage by the big lake or sea can cost 500 000-1 000 000 e here.
What a beautiful place. Thanks for showing this to the world!
Very nice Anni :) I really like your grandparents place I would love to have something like it some day
Thanks! It´s so beautiful place!
Reminds me of my family's summer house in New Hampshire on Lake Winnipesaukee. Where your family's summer cottage is located looks like a beautiful place just to go and unwind when you need a break away from everything.
Yep, it is really great place to just relax!
What a beautiful place! And, now I can't stop thinking about sausages!
Fantastic
That reminds me so much of my grandparents cottage. Such a shame the land was sold when my grandfather died.
Sorry to hear, but luckily you have great memories from cottage. :)
Anni: The summer cottage and property was so beautiful. Do people in the area ever stay through winter in a cottage like that or is the winter there too harsh, too much snow, etc.?
Nice. We kind of do that here in Michigan.
Of course, because you have beautiful lakes there! :)
The stone building with small woodstove outside (starting at 3 mins 27 secs) must be a root cellar. I think you said something about cold storage for food that was what it is used for, maybe winter too for potatoes, carrots, onions and cabbage. What a nice place to vacation for months on end. Thanks for the video.
Yep, it is cellar. My parents have similar and they store potatoes there over the year.
Beautiful Anni. Please keep the traditions going. You owe it to them...
Thanks! I know!
Your Dad has some serious skills. Love love
X
Moi - Thank you again Anni, love your videos. actually more than the Press channel. Dino from Arizona.
Thanks Dino, great to hear!
I love getting to go to my families summer cottage. It is beautiful and the lake is usually very calm and perfect for fishing. I hope to have my own summer cottage someday
Yep, beautiful summer place is a life goal!
this is your happy place, and I love it :)
Yes, almost best place in the world!
Hi Anni, what a lovely video, here in Tasmania there is a similar "Shack" culture, although the government started charging a tax on shacks which meant that people could not afford them as easily. Our shack has tank water from rain, composting toilet to use no water and solar power, it is a different ( more crowded) but same sort of paradise.
I immediately googled those shacks, looks nice! Sorry to hear about high shack tax. There is property tax for the cottages in Finland too, but it is not problem usual.
Lovely Finland, come and visit!!!😎
Thank you for sharing your grandparents home, very impressed with their building skills. Great camera work Anni.
Best regards from the UK.
Thanks and greetings from Finland! :)
Watching this video third time in a row :) .. I love everything about spending time at mökki, other than having to leave on Sunday evening and getting back to the office on Monday... that's the worst feeling ever.
Wow, then you really liked it. :D Mökki weekends are the best!
Wow... thank you for sharing this Anni!!! How beautiful... both the Summer Cottage & the area it is located. Fabulous.... :)
Your Grandfather is a talented man building all that himself. I bet they really enjoy being there from May till September. That is great!!
Thanks again for this video.... I loved it :)
Thanks for the comment Chuck and thanks for watching! They love the place so much. :)
Looks exactly like Canada. And the weather is about the same from what I can tell too, even in the winter. I'll have to vacation in Finland one day.
Another great video. What an idyllic setting - very peaceful. Thanks for sharing your world 👍🏻
Thansk and have a great day! :)
Moi Anni, this does look like a paradise! A couple of times we have been on an old wooden schooner in Lake Michigan for a four-day trip around, and it reminds me of this... no running water, only battery-powered lights (so you had to be careful to use lighting as little as possible on the trip), and only a wood stove to cook on. But lots of time outside on the deck, plenty of time to relax, very beautiful!
You and Lauri have talked about how bad the mosquitoes are in the summer, though, and the thought of getting itchy bites from those little bastards kind of tempers my idyllic view of your summer cottage! Are the mosquitoes very bad? How do you deal with them? (Oooh, idea for HPC "extra content" ... you should make a clay mosquito and then crush it, it would serve them right!)
Yep, cottage is great place to relax!
The mosquitoes are not problem on this summer, because it has been really dry summer and all mosquitoes are dead. :D They like more humid summer.
You're very lucky, then! I despise them, they are all around the fields and woods here, especially if there are a lot of puddles of water.
You have very nice grandparents, Anni. And what a playhouse they built for you, they must love you a bunch. What is the camera you use? I am thinking of starting a channel and your camera makes very good videos. It is amazing how beautiful Finland is, must be a great place to live.
Thanks for comment Jerry! I have brother and two cousins so we played together in play house. :) My camera is Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, it is super good camera. Maybe a bit expensive for the first vlog camera.
Moi Anni! Thank you for the tour! Your grandpa did a great job on making each cottage look so beautiful! Love your mosaic! I think Nelli cat must be with your other grandma! 😻👏🏻👍🏻😘
Moi Bebina! My grandpa is hero when he has made all those buildings! And yes, Nelli lives with my other grandma. :)
Pretty neat how spaced everything is. So much to enjoy. I like moving around, so I wouldn't mind certain conveniences being absent. It looks so fun
As a finn with a summer cottage without running water or electrics, the best part of spending time there is turning off the phone, and just being in nature for a couple of days. Relaxing, a tour with the rowboat, bathing in the sauna or maybe enjoying a freshly smoked fish!
That's exactly what I was thinking about. Putting down the luxuries and exercising awareness of surroundings. I'm probably due for something like that because I've been focused on what's in front of me for so long, I'm starting to not notice things. Like familiar people. You definitely have the right idea.
I think its something everybody needs sometimes. Its so easy to just get caught up in work and the daily routine, that every day starts being the same. Try to get out there buddy, and disconnect for a while! Its really good for the mind!
So true Moraren, the summer cottage is the best place to relax. :)
Moi Anni, Love this video. Very beautiful!!! Keep the Finland Friday videos coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Curtis, I do!!!! :D
Moi Anni,I know you WILL. :D lol !!!!!
Delicious sausage with mustard.. one of my favorites in Summer!
Really popular summer food in Finland!
It's a beautiful mökki. My in-laws' mökki has a lot of similarities. My father-in-law is a carpenter and he built and/or modified everything as well. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for wathcing. :)
Absolutely beautiful, Anni. I'm so very jealous! The closest we have to this are cottages on Lake Erie, but the water is never that warm, and they are extremely expensive to own. The normal person doesn't have a summer place, sadly. I can't believe the lake water is the equivalent of 80 degrees farenheit, either. You'd probably never get me out of it! Someday come to Ohio and we'll show you the Lake region! Can't wait till next Finland Friday! Hugs
I think 27 C was some kind of record of this lake! It was like a spa, my and my grandma were like a small kids when we swam there. :D Your lake region would be awesome to see! See you again!
Yes, I fish with friends at their Lake Erie summer cottage every spring and fall. The cottages are very expensive to own and maintain. Although theirs does not have sewer (septic) and all fresh water must be tanked into Johnson's Island (near Marblehead/Cedar Point) they must pay monthly 'maintenance fees' in the hundreds of dollars per month for essentially nothing. It's absurd!
Anni, do you need to pay yearly fees to the government for your summer cottage properties? If so, are they taxed at the same rate as other properties?
Yes the lakes have record temperatures this summer but very often it's 24 in July so very warm still.
Well Erie is so huge, it's like a sea :) I have always wanted to visit Ohio but please, next time, don't vote for Trump :O
Geoffrey : the property tax for summer cottages differs very much, depending on where your cottage is. It's between 150 and 700 euros per year. Recently there was an extra cost for many cottage owners, because they had to build new sewers for all waters, even if they had just kitchen.
Anni ! Love this video! I'm always amazed to see how different things are in Finland compared to the United States. The buildings and culture and traditions etc are so cool in Finland. I can't help smiling the whole time I watch your videos. What camera is that that you are using?
The camera is Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II. :)
Anni Vuohensilta thank you :)
Beautiful.
Agree!
I loved this video very much. So far for me this is the best episode in your channel. It is nice to see you like to spend time with your grandparents. Not hard to recognise you had good time there. I'm feeling a but sensitive today :) En voi odottaa seuraavaan perjantaihin.
Thanks very much! I like this episode too, the atmosphere was perfect. :) Thanks and have a great day!
very nice place , thx for showing us :)
Thanks for watching! :)
G'day from down under! What a beautiful location! The summer cottage, lake, scenery, really beautiful!
It is a shame that old traditions such as summer cottages and families spending time together are not so popular these days, which is sad.
Thank you Anni for showing us all more of Finland, perhaps I'll get there some day 😊
May I ask what is the name of the small lake? Or is it part of the big lake?
G´day or good morning to Australia! :D
I think people need more action and running water for the great holiday nowadays. But sometimes cottage life is just perfect and good way to relax. :)
The lake is very small so I think I dont say it. Just for to protect my grandparents' privacy. But the bigger lake (where I throw the bottle post) is Päijänne, the second largest lake in Finland. Super beautiful and big!
Looks like such a lovely place!! We have that exact electric bug swatter too lol
It is handy with flying bugs. :D
Badass video I love Finland Fridays and it awesome looking into how others live to see their habits and surroundings. Keep up the good work
Thanks Kyle!
Moi Anni! Thanks for another Finnish Friday. My Finnish friend is visiting his family's summer cottage - he's busy chopping and stacking wood for the fire - pretty hard work in the heat. He said this year's joke on July 25th folklore day was that Jaakko threw a sauna stone into lake and not a cold stone! How late in the year do most people stay at their cottages?
I don't know what is the typical. Maybe until end of July when people go back to work. My mom is retired and she stays at cottage half a year.(which is quite extreme without running water)
Nice , also beautiful wheather
This summer has been really hot!
I enjoy all of your videos, but Finnish Friday is my favorite. Lots of questions. Does the cabin have electricity? How do your grandparents manage the drinking water from May to September? Do they go back and forth bringing water from the city? With the lake nearby, could your grandfather install some kind of filtration to make the lake water drinkable? Thanks for sharing!
Hi Jim!
Answers come here!
- Yes, there is electricity in the cottage.
- They usual visit once or twice per week in the city (it is pretty close) and then they bring big water cans from there.
- It is pretty easy to bring water from the city, so I think the filtration system would be more complicated!
Thanks for watching!
Moikka Anni! Thumbs up to super awesome vlog Anni! Your grandparents kesamokki is beautiful! It gets 2 thumbs up from Wisconsin! We use to go to a summer cabin up in northern Wisconsin when I was a kid. It was super cool, we had running water though! Is your lake water drinkable? Or do you use it for just the basics! Cooking bathing and dishes? Give you grandpa a big thumbs up for doing such a great gob on kesamokki! Kiitos for sharing your Finnish life! Bye! :-)
People do not use lake water other than do the dishes and wash. You can also boil potatoes with it if needed. People bring water with them or have a well for the drinking water.
What a wonderful place to enjoy summer and make great memories. Thanks for the tour.
Yep, all my best memories are from summer cottage.
Excellent !! When can i visit ?
Real paradise right there.
I agree!
I could get used to that kinda life, it looks pretty good!
Me too, perfect summer life!
We have very similar summer house :) one of my favorite things about finland! It is the best way to enjoy summer
Nice! I think the cottage always must be really basic, no luxury things. :D
I would love to visit there one day and stay in one of the cottages
It is really easy to rent one of those if you come to Finland. :)
Seet and Sheet! :D Love your videos !! =)
Hahhah, thanks! :D
What a beautiful place to go. Thank you for the tour Anni ! 😉
Thanks Jay! :)
That is one beautiful lake!
Yea, it is!
Thanks for this great video, Anni! Sorry if you answered this earlier, but I could not find it in the comments: What is the little stove next to the cellar used for? Why are there decoy ducks floating on the lake near the shore? Do your grandparents hunt ducks? Is duck/goose/waterfowl hunting popular in Finland?
Thanks for watching Geoffrey! I am not sure, first I thought it is smoker, but maybe not. I should ask it from my grandpa. I think ducks are there because they scared real ducks away. Because they shit to the pier. :D And no, they dont hunt, but they fish! I think hunting mooses and deer is more popular in Finland, but some people hunt ducks too.
Neat! Thanks, Anni! Still early over there.
That's a really nice place ! ! !
Thanks for sharing your videos
Thanks for watching! :)
Looks like a really nice place! Thanks for the tour.
Thanks for joining my tour. :)
Great place! May have to save this in watch later, use it to see if I can make my own barbecue hut .
Good luck with barbecue hut! :D
Lovely kesämökki by the way👍🏻😎
Yes, it is awesome place!
You have to try Estonian mustard!!
Most enjoyable thank you
Thanks Keith!
so quaint and lovely..thank you.
Thanks for watching!
I love your accent. Hello from Tennessee, US.
Hello from Finland!
0 dislikes, people like your videos. Very beautiful place btw.
Im a bit sad becouse my grandpa sold our summer cottage about 15 years ago, it was also very beautiful place at a lake and there was even a long beach.
Thanks Trump Jong! :D Oh no, you should buy summer cottage then!
Anni Vuohensilta Ei oo rahnaa :) Kerran tai pari kertaa vuoteen on kyllä vuokrattu joku mökki.
Exactly the vacations I had with my finnish friends two weeks ago. Already miss it ;)
Great, then you have experienced perfect Finnish vacation. :D
Yep, it was so amazing! You really don't want to go back home after :P
Wow! It's so beautiful!! ♥️
Thanks Karen! :)
Hi Anni! The buildings are so cute! Which one do the kitty cats sleep in?
Hi! My grandparents dont have cats. :D
Anni Vuohensilta Wait, so who does the Nelli belong to?
I have two grandmother and Nelli lives with my father´s mother and the mother´s mother owns the cottage. :)
thank's for making one solo.
Awesome job... Love these videos.
Thanks!
Super jealous; you guys have got it made!
Thanks! :D