Your fitness soars here! Singer Petri Laaksonen’s cottage features over 200 steps
Finnish singer Petri Laaksonen has learned to paint at his island cottage and, for his guests’ sake, has cut back on throwing water on the sauna stove.
My cottage is located...
...in the Turku Archipelago, where I spend time either alone or with friends. It’s funny that I get more visitors there than at my home. My cottage sits on an island just a short ferry ride away. Built in the 1960s, it’s a round-log cabin right by the water. There’s also a small sauna only a meter from the sea and a granary made of logs that are 124 years old. The plot is mostly rocky, and the changes in elevation make it especially appealing.
As a cottage-goer, I’m...
...someone who loves silence and peace. Otherwise, I’m quite a busy bee, always finding something to fix or paint—not to mention cutting firewood by hand! It’s a real workout hauling logs down the slope and splitting them by the shore with an axe, but I do enjoy it.
My favorite cottage activities...
...are spending time in the sauna and swimming. I love a good, hot steam. Sometimes people try to take the ladle away from me, but I do try to be considerate. Secretly, I sulk and wait politely for them to go for a swim! The sauna is also great for conversations. We might stay in there for quite a few hours.
My most memorable cottage moment...
...also involves the sauna. After my mother’s funeral, two friends and I went to the cottage. It was a cold, rainy June evening, and we sat quietly in the sauna, surrounded by nature. It was the perfect place to be at such a big turning point in life, leaning on one another.
The most challenging thing at the cottage...
...is waiting for the warm summer weather. Our summers are so short that it’s odd if I still need heaters in July. I love it when it’s nice and warm.
The loveliest thing at the cottage...
...is its natural beauty and getting to watch the birds. There’s a solitary swan that clearly wants company and comes to put on a show. I sometimes talk to it. There are also many other waterfowl and small birds. I really value nature’s beauty and abundance—except for mice, which I can’t stand!
The best thing about the cottage
Sound: The never-ending life of the sea.
Dearest spot: The sauna terrace and the upper terrace on the rocks.
Newest addition: The kitchen countertops and the bar cabinet.
Weather: Clear skies or rolling thunder.
Scent: That the composting outhouse doesn’t smell at all.
Favorite object: The kitchen chairs my mother restored.
Favorite drink: A glass of good red wine or Lidl’s Saskia sparkling water.
Cottage attire: Completely unglamorous!
