Karolis, who inherited the steamy sauna from her grandfather, replaced the “steps” with steam gourmets | Business

The man first used the steaming sauna in Tolkiškės village, Trakai district, inherited from his grandfather at the age of 20 and has been doing so for 13 years. It is true that “commits” in this case is not an exact word; Karolis himself calls it a way of life.

K.Mikučionis is a professional masseur, but he also applies his trade in the sauna, both delivering brooms and performing wicker massages.

Next to the old steamy sauna there is a house where vacationers can spend the night. “The sauna is inherited and everything you see is my creation. This is what (points to the sauna) why you come, and here (points to the house) how to come ”, says Karolis.

There is also a pond next to the sauna, but Lake Vilkokšnis, which is a short walk away, is more tempting for a swim. Standing on the bridge, you can see how the Verknė river flows from it and eventually empties into the Nemunas a few tens of kilometers away.

Her grandfather taught Karolis to burn a steamy sauna. Its cooking lasts three hours, the stones are heated with embers. Later, when the coals are brought outside, something can be baked on them.

“Nine stone carts are used for our sauna, there are many. The stones are properly heated and then can be washed for five hours, ”he says.

K. Mikučionis says that people his parents’ age come here out of nostalgia, to remember their childhood, when this type of bath dominated the villages. Meanwhile, bath lovers flock to Tolkiškės like steam gourmets.

Smoke baths are the oldest type of baths in Lithuania and differ from the usual baths in the country both internally and externally. Externally, the building itself can be confused with any outbuilding, since it does not have a fireplace. Inside, naturally, there is little light inside, and after years of burning, humidity and time, the wood on the walls has darkened.

However, these exceptions hide the experience that nostalgic sauna lovers seek. Karol says that in this type of sauna the microclimate and the steam itself are special. You really won’t smoke on it; Regardless of the name, you will only smell it slightly, even when the sauna is not heated.

Old Construction – What You Have, That’s What You Do

The sauna itself is in its sixties. It was built by K. Mikučionis’s grandfather’s neighbor. As the current owner of the sauna says, he built it as he paid for.

“It just came to our attention then. I replaced the old floors, they were made of brick. What you have is what you do with it. Now it is exclusive because everything is saved. The neighbor did not pay or felt sorry for making the fireplace. If there was made a fireplace, it would have been a completely different sauna. That’s what they did, “he says.

The interlocutor says that he wants to maintain the authenticity of the sauna, so when renovating it, he avoids the usual solutions typical of modern saunas. The smoke sauna must remain as it was designed.

“Everything here has stayed the same, I just changed my shoulders and put the floor back on because they rot. I also change the stones because they shrink and burn. We collect stones from the river. They are more polished. It is necessary to collect black, because a red stone is not good for a sauna ”, adds Karolis.

The sauna is located on the territory of the Aukštadvaris regional park. After deviating from the asphalt road, it is necessary to drive more than a kilometer on a gravel road towards it. On the way to the farm there are not even clear signs, you have to rely on navigation.

The owner of the sauna says that it is not specifically hidden, all the more so that a lot of information about this sauna can be found on the Internet. He says you just don’t need a big advertisement for your steamy sauna; those who know what they are looking for go here. Recommendations are shared by sauna enthusiasts themselves.

This was not always the case. An old advertisement can still be found on the internet that this farm by Lake Vilkokšnis is a great place to organize theme evenings, bachelorette parties, bachelorette parties, birthdays, anniversaries. However, the owner says that he has already done so and is actually organizing a real sauna entertainment just for laid-back vacationers. Such a business model may not generate as much income as indiscriminate tourists, but K. Mikučionis is quite satisfied with it.

“I did it for families who come to enjoy the sauna. I am a bather myself, so I recognize the sight you need to come to the sauna sober, without any points, without guitars. Just quiet meditation ”, concludes the owner.

Buruburu and the Unknown Scythe

On the same farm, visitors can not only hatch: here Karolis sometimes organizes educational excursions on agriculture for children.

For people who grew up in the country, this may not be anything exotic, but the younger generation, according to the interlocutor, does not even always know what a scythe is.

It is not a problem and it is not a shame if it has already happened: the owner is happy to inform you about the various tools in the barn on the farm, which, like the sauna, was also inherited from the grandparents. With these tools, he himself trained in agriculture.

But the children, and certainly the most interesting specimens of the adults on the tour, are waiting to leave the barn outside. Here a flock of sheep graze. Where exactly is difficult to say because they freely walk where they like.

“Buruburu”: this is how the owner invites the sheep, who feed on bread right here.

Probably not alone, whether you are a child or an adult, you will not resist the urge to suck on fluffy sheep’s wool. But while it’s still on the animal, it’s not that easy to do. “Sheep are afraid of jerky movements, so don’t rush. If you want the sheep to come to you, you have to be at eye level,” Karolis shares tips on how to hug and pet a sheep.

A total of four breeds of sheep grow on the farm. In September, they begin to let the barn in. Not only is it warmer, but it also protects against wolves that have already done damage.

The sheep are sheared once a year, but the owner says he doesn’t even know how many kilograms of wool he cuts when he gives it away.

Sheep are raised on this farm for both meat and education. “I grow them like organic lawnmowers, they walk freely. As long as the barn can accommodate, we can raise, about fifteen sheep. It is a hobby that will not become a business. Education is more fun for me, a way to earn. experience, ”says Karolis.

The new litters on Charles’s farm basically support the herd financially. Pregnant sheep carry their young for five months.

“Mothers live all the time and children do not, because they ‘support’ their mothers. We buy bales of hay and to store them in winter I need at least a hundred euros a month. This is apart from my job, ”says the owner of the house.