How the Germans wash in the bath. What a German bath really is: features, steam ceremonies and secret highlights

One day in a German bath.

I am a native Muscovite. By profession an engineer. Having lived most of my life in crazy, but infinitely beloved by me Moscow, in last years I live in a tiny, according to our Russian, clean and tidy calm German city in the very center of Germany. I invite the public to get acquainted with my one day. There are 63 pictures under the cut.

Today June 25, 2015 I had a free day and, according to tradition, I decided to devote it to my favorite pastime - a bathhouse.
I have been addicted to this procedure since I was very young. Been there
Often in the famous Moscow Sanduny, Armory and Krasnopresnensky

In recent years, living mainly in Germany, I try to visit the local water park once a week with a solid complex of various baths.

I usually go to a standard 4 hour session, which at a cost
15€ grants disproportionately great opportunities than usual
Moscow public bath for the same price - about 600 rubles for 2 hours of a steam room with plastic bowls.
small digression
I hope, dear reader, will show indulgence to some not very high-quality pictures. they were made, for obvious reasons, in extreme conditions ...

So, waking up

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and sweetly yawning

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spanking in the bath for the bare essentials water procedures- why rub your face in front of the bath

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Now a quick bite than God sent

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,

My beech and tablet turn on simultaneously with the opening of my eyes ... and sometimes a little earlier - by touch ...
I usually start any day by checking mail and news on a couple of duty sites.
But the other day there was a very interesting debate on the Dozhd, which the media are talking about, but I have not seen them yet.
A bath is not a bath, but the gap must be filled.

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Time however! "Zigel-zigel, ah lu-lu!" Hop in my favorite shorts, lightly cover my belly with an alcoholic T-shirt
I grab my bright red bath bag with all my belongings, which certainly includes: a bathrobe, two large sauna towels, a couple of smaller ones, mittens, slippers, shower gel, etc.

Now quickly into the elevator and dive into the underground garage, where my "184 horses" are in the stall.

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The road is calculated by the minute.

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And if any nerdy blonde
or a couple of cyclists in love do not arrange a traffic jam, then I, almost without breaking the rules, will rush to the goal in 15 minutes.

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Another 5 min. will go to buy a card in a special machine
and an instant striptease in the men's locker room, in addition to which, of course, there is also a women's one, as well as "for couples".
On the way, I fasten the key with the chip on my wrist

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and already running I cross a picturesque courtyard with lawns and various reservoirs
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And exactly at 11.59 I fly into the "sauna-arena"! Phew, did it!
Little explanation 1 . In German public baths men and women take procedures together and ... completely naked! For the unprepared and highly spiritual horror, right?
But, as you know, it is not recommended to climb into a strange monastery with your charter ... so as not to get hit on your bare ass ... Therefore, once a week you have to shove spirituality away for 4 hours.
True, for especially shy ladies, several steam rooms are allocated twice a week for half a day, but, as a rule, these ladies prefer equality and do not enjoy such a privilege.
By the way, for some reason, such concessions are not granted to us men. Disorder, discrimination. Let's barozzo.
Little explanation 2 .
I raced headlong. I know by heart the schedule for giving steam to the attendant.
And since each time he uses different gadgets, this is important.

Having flown into a large, 50-person steam room resembling a circus arena, already filled at that time with 10-12 naked "spectators", I climb to the very top and make myself comfortable. According to strict rules ("Ordnung ist Ordnung"), a visitor to the steam room is obliged to sit on his own towel, which must be underlain, incl. and under your feet. Hygiene is above all.
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Exactly at 12.00, the attendant (or bath attendant) dressed in shorts and a T-shirt with a tub filled with water with various flavors solemnly enters the arena with the appearance of a bullfighter. After the obligatory briefing and explanations, he begins to gently pour from the ladle onto the stones of a huge round furnace installed in the center of the arena.

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After that, the attendant goes around the circle twice, fanning the bathers with a towel. Then the procedure is repeated again, after which, having recommended that visitors enjoy a couple more minutes, the attendant leaves.
Not everyone can endure these "couple of minutes". Even I, with my many years of hardening, somehow lost consciousness twice after such a procedure.
Leaving the steam room, I rinse under the shower and thump in artificial pond. Today the water temperature is +22. Charm!

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After a little splashing, I quickly move into a 120-degree Finnish sauna stylized in some kind of dugout

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With a wood-burning fireplace in which crackle behind the glass
dry logs.

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Here I spend another 15 minutes.

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Then I jump into a round ice font.

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Now it's time to catch my breath ... which I do, moving into the pool with hydromassage and sea ​​water heated to 36°C.

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But there is no time to sit especially - the attendant will not wait. Exactly at 11.30 he will enter a relatively small steam room, about 15 people, and this time he will treat visitors to menthol crystals, thanks to which the steam will immediately disinfect the respiratory tract. This procedure is especially beneficial in the snotty season.

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Well, that's all ... Half of the personal program is completed. Usually I make at least 6 visits, for which
to visit all 10 different steam rooms anyway, of course, is not possible.
Now for 15 minutes you can lift yourself up in a deck chair in the sun, and at exactly 11.59 ... Get up !!! Fanfares are calling to the arena!

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The next entry, unlike the first one, is interrupted by the bathhouse attendant by handing out a pinch of salt, which we rub into the body. In winter, salt alternates with honey.

After that, I, slightly catching my breath on the lawn in a sun lounger

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I wander into the next steam room. This is a round plastic box.
into which moist steam is supplied, due to which visitors sit as if in a dense fog.

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After surviving in this box for 10 minutes, I douse myself from a wooden tub with ice water

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and head under the huge palm trees to the relaxation zone,

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where, in addition to comfortable, relaxing chairs, there is a bed with a water mattress

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To this building I Lately I am somewhat wary. Once, having barely plopped down on him, I instantly passed out, and when I woke up I saw the discouraged and condemning looks of vacationers ... The fact is that my wife is sure that the turbines of a jet Boeing are just the chirping of birds, compared to my snoring. Probably lying - after all, I have never heard my snoring.

Next I will have a sauna in which drops of water are supplied to special evaporators. Multi-colored lamps are mounted in its ceiling that change the illumination of the steam room.

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Having faithfully served the legal 15 minutes in it, I dive into another font

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Well, now that compulsory program done, it's time to checkweigh

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Well, not bad -2.90 kg in 2.5 hours!
So I still have 1.5 hours left ... to rest from rest ...
It wasn't here! Time to run for relaxation-meditation. Action happens here

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It's not hot here at all. From somewhere, pleasant relaxing music is pouring from the speakers, and the attendant at this time, in an insinuating voice with German categoricalness, mumbles some spells ...
Hm ... here I also somehow meditated in earnest and with my snoring
slightly corrected the relaxation program for others ...
In our country, they would probably immediately push me in the neck, but tolerance flourishes here.
Well, sir ... however, there is time for business, and an hour of fun - it's time to refresh yourself ...

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I think healthy "diet" food from a well-grilled sausage with french fries will not hurt me now ... And, of course, a glass of cold beer by the fireplace ...
Relax in the jacuzzi after lunch

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Now you can walk around the complex

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And go to a small ancient dam on a small river.

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However, lunch grams pretty spoiled the result and it's time to evaporate the beer. For this, a small sauna with flavors supplied to a special container installed above the shadows is suitable, where in 15 minutes. I completely eliminate the consequences of my libation

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Well, everything is great now. There is still time to finally sunbathe in a sun lounger

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In winter, you can sunbathe in this terrible contraption

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pancake-like. True, this thing bakes "pancakes" for separate fee.
To finish, I myself do not know why, I climb into an infrared sauna with an ionizer.

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Nafig it is necessary, I still have not figured it out, but if it's worth it, I have to try it.
Well, now, like everything, it's time to take a shower and get out.
The machine at the exit meticulously counted the time 4:05,

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groaned grumblingly, like, well, what to take from them - from foreigners, and opened the turnstile for the exit in front of me - so be it, get out of here.
If I had been late, he would have demanded another 2€ from me. Those. for 17€ I could hang around here all day from 10 am to 10 pm. Sometimes I get stuck like that. At the same time, the ticket to the sauna includes other parts of the water park: various pools, an artificial river, slides, paddling pools, etc.
In addition, nightly celebrations are periodically held in the sauna complex: bonfires are lit, sausages and steaks are grilled, beer flows like water until late at night. In general, people walk purely in German.

Now I'm back in the car

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On the way home, you need to drop in for a while in the old part of the city
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There is always a problem with parking. I know of only one place where you can leave your car for free for half an hour, but there are only three parking lots and today they are all busy. So I leave the car in the parking lot.

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and then legs...

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Well, now it's time to head home.
Evening

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Therefore, I choose a bypass road, otherwise you can drag yourself for 25 minutes.
On the right is one of the city's "boardeles".

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And this is a car dump, where you can throw away an old car for free ... or an unnecessary fighter jet

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Well, the industrial zone is over. This is also a city

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Another minute and I enter my area

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Well here is the house.

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I recently learned that our house is a little younger than the Moscow "Khrushchev".

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They're just following him.

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By the way, this three-entrance house with a garage and lawns is served by one person.
And this is the famous German garbage dump with colorful containers

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Any German baby who barely screamed "mom" will answer without hesitation that blue is for paper and cardboard, green is for biowaste, a yellow bag is for packaging, and black is for everything else.
Bashfully turning away, I pass by my bike, which I have been promising to pay attention to for half a year, but for some reason I sneak into the garage every time

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Well here it is at home

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We've been lucky with the weather this summer though.

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However, it's good to be distracted by the surrounding landscapes, I'm waiting for LJ (by the way, add me as a friend), FB and other time wasters.
In addition, you need to think about where to rush on Saturday or Sunday. Lately I have taken it into my head to go around the surrounding castles.
ABOUT! Bravo! Inet safely ate the rest of the day.
It's time for the bainka

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I hope I didn't get too tired.

German baths in Moscow in the classical sense are not common. As for sanariums, this novelty of the bath market is finding more and more admirers.

What is a sanarium

Sanarium is a type of sauna invented in Germany. It is characterized by a combination of more gentle indicators of temperature and humidity in comparison with other types of baths.

The air temperature in such a sauna does not exceed +60 degrees, and the humidity is no more than 45-50%. Thus, a very mild and pleasant climate is created in the sanarium, reminiscent of the atmosphere of a tropical forest.

IN Russian bath, Turkish hammam or Finnish sauna can be difficult to stay for a long time even for a healthy person. In addition, there are big lists contraindications. The creators of the new German sauna tried to minimize the number of restrictions on visiting it.

A sauna operating like a sanarium is not recommended if:

pregnancy;

Critical days;

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;

Respiratory tract diseases during exacerbation;

problems in the central nervous system;

epilepsy;

Malignant tumors.

In modern high-tech saunas, which certainly include sanariums, air temperature and humidity levels are regulated using a control panel. Having created the most comfortable conditions for yourself, you can stay in such a sauna for up to 30 minutes, in contrast to the recommended 10-15 minutes for visiting a standard sauna.

The aromatherapy procedure in the sanarium, which is very popular in any baths, is also automated. This sauna is equipped with a special unit equipped with an ultrasonic essential oil spray generator.

Another possibility of this bath is color therapy. Special lamps are mounted in the walls and ceiling of the sanarium, which alternately emit white, yellow, red, green and violet light. This smooth change of lighting creates an unusually positive feeling, and on a chemical level, it stimulates the production of endorphins. In addition, sanarium saunas are equipped with stereo music systems with an extensive repertoire. Of course, both light and music can be adjusted or turned off completely using the remote control.

In terms of health benefits, this German sauna is on par with other types of baths:

Has a positive effect on metabolism;

Helps cleanse the body;

Helps fight viral infections;

Trains the cardiovascular, circulatory, respiratory and endocrine systems;

Regulates the work of the nervous system;

Eliminates pain;

Improves blood circulation in the limbs;

Helps with sleep and appetite disorders;

Restores strength;

Prepares skin for subsequent spa treatments.

German style vaping

The vaping procedure in Germany and some others neighboring countries differs from the generally accepted in the world not by the design of the baths in which this happens, but by the approach to the process itself.

Saunas or, as the Germans themselves most often call their public baths, baths are usually part of water complex or a water park with various sports and entertainment pools, attractions, restaurant area and spa rooms. For each middle city there are 5-10 such establishments.

Steam rooms in these baths are not divided by sex, age or any other sign. In all saunas, even sanariums, even ordinary ones, men, women and children are steamed at the same time. Moreover, a rule has been established everywhere, sometimes confirmed by a special sign, that one should be naked in the sauna room, maximum in a towel. Perhaps it's all about habit, but no one considers joint sweating erotic. Looking at each other, and even more so getting to know each other while taking bath procedures, is considered the height of indecency.

It's funny, but some 300 years ago, foreigners, including Germans, were deeply amazed at the Russian bath tradition of washing male and female together.

For example, the German scientist and traveler Adam Olearius, who served in the 17th century as secretary of the Schleswig-Holstein embassy in Russia, described his impressions in his Description of Muscovy as follows: and rub my body with heated birch brooms, which I could not stand, then, when from such heat they turn all red and exhausted to the point that they are no longer able to stay in the steam room, they run out of it naked, both men and women, and bathe cold water, and in winter they wallow in the snow, rub their body with it, as if with soap, and then, having cooled down in this way, they again enter the hot bath.

Anyone who has ever been in a sauna knows that being there in any kind of clothing is sheer torment. However, since Catherine II forbade women and men to enjoy bathing procedures at the same time, washing together in public institutions we never returned. Nevertheless, those who wish to visit saunas in German, that is, without gender division, can use separate rooms with steam rooms, pools and relaxation areas in almost any bathhouse in our country, designed for relaxation in any composition.

For a long time I have already read V. Soloukhin's story about how, back in Soviet times, he visited a German common bath and was impressed.

About the topic of German washing with an erotic bias without complexes and without anything at all, see below

Many Russians visiting Germany face serious cultural barriers that separate our countries. The mentality of the Germans is very different from the Slavic. This is explained and cultural traditions, and freer European views. The strongest culture shock among Russians is caused by german saunas and baths...

Joint baths and saunas

Almost all saunas and baths in Germany are shared. This means that men and women, children and old people - all bathe and wash together. The main problem for Russians is that it is supposed to be done completely naked. Neither the steam room, nor the washing room, nor the pool will let you in a bathing suit or swimming trunks. Rubber slippers are also prohibited.

The Germans believe that any synthetics in a humid and hot environment evaporate dangerous chemical compounds. This not only harms the person wearing synthetic swimwear, but also those around them. You will simply not be allowed into the German sauna in a bathing suit (or swimming trunks if you are a man).

Even if you embarrassingly cover up "causal places", they will look at you in surprise, as if you were a strange person. The Germans are not at all ashamed of their nakedness. Teenage boys can safely swim next to the naked mothers of their classmates, and no one sees anything indecent in this.

Etiquette in German saunas

Men, women, children, the elderly - all bathe naked in the same room. In rare cases, some establishments arrange separate days for swimming, but this can only be once a week. On all other days, please cast aside false shame!

If you enter the washing room in swimming trunks, you will be reprimanded and shown to the door. So those wishing to visit the German sauna should tune in to the nudist mood and, above all, get used to their own nudity. Russian people, who are much more shy by nature, have difficulty accepting such orders. Some, even after living in Germany for many years, simply avoid visiting saunas.

But the fact is that German friends or even business partners can easily invite you to a home sauna. And in this case, you will have to strip naked and bathe along with everyone. At the same time, you should behave adequately: do not blush, do not cover your most intimate places and, of course, do not stare at the figures of those around you.

Where can you hide

Sauna in Germany is divided into 2 zones. The first is actually a washing room and a steam room. They are called Textilfrei, which roughly translates to "no clothes zone". In the rest of the rooms there is a lounge area, waterslides and a bar - you can walk modestly wrapped in a towel or swimming trunks. By the way, not all Germans do this. Many continue shamelessly walking around in what their mother gave birth to. Not every Russian is able to accept, let alone understand this.

The most pleasant

The very procedure of bathing in such places is very pleasant and relaxing. In public saunas, you can not speak loudly and in general make any noise in any way. This may allow other guests to enjoy their stay. You can sit or lie on the shelves only on special bath towels which are 2 meters long. You can't touch wood with bare skin. It's not hygienic.

Coming to the beginning of the "aufguss" - pouring stones - should be on time. It is important. During aufguss, a sauna employee pours water with honey, eucalyptus or orange aroma oils on the stones and diligently disperses the steam. At the same time, he entertains visitors: he tells them jokes, jokes. It is impossible to leave the hall at this moment, so as not to release precious steam. You can only leave if you feel bad.

Then you can start swimming. In some saunas, pleasant music is turned on during aufguss, salts, creams or ice cubes for the skin are distributed free of charge. After the procedure, you may be offered a cup of tea, fruit or ice cream. All this is already included in the price of the entrance ticket. Aufguss in saunas are held on schedule, so it is customary to come to them on time so as not to disturb the special beauty of the ceremony.

The well-known blogger zazerkaliya told LiveJournal about how to still go to the bath, but not lose your own dignity. The post is interesting at least because it is written brightly and convincingly.

As you know, the Germans go to the sauna to bathe together - men and women. Naked. Last year, in Austria, a grouchy Austrian asked me and my girlfriend to leave the sauna because of our swimwear. Rather, he offered to undress. Here is such an intolerant man caught, if Arab women in burkinis came, he would not utter a word, for sure. But to hell with him. We then came for fun, we did a tolerance test, so to speak. In a tolerant Europe, there should be an intermediate option in the common sauna between burkini and naked all together.

No, the Germans do not provide an intermediate civilized option. In last year's post about the Austrian sauna "They told me to undress in the Austrian sauna" there were more than a thousand comments, and a third of them wrote angrily that they say this is their tradition and they don't like it - don't go. Unbelievable, but true, a third of those who spoke in such a way, what flexibility of opinion! If you are so flexible, when you come to the UAE, you immediately put on white clothes without panties, as is customary there, and wrap your women in black burkinis? No, do not put on and do not wrap. And when do you come to Africa to see wild tribes? Do you also wear loincloths like them? Traditions? And when you visit Asians, do you immediately start eating all the rubbish that they eat and chew? Some of them still offer their wives to the white master. How are you? Traditions.

So why are you ready to take off your underpants and your women in a German bath and go to a common sauna? Because the traditions are Germanic? What flexibility of consciousness however! That is, you put yourself above Africans and Asians, which is not an honor for you to sink to their level, but below the Germans, who, in obedience to their traditions, are ready to take off their panties for themselves and their women. Well, it's your choice. My choice is to believe that these traditions are savage. What prevents making separate saunas and not forcing women to humiliate themselves by steaming with other men in saunas is not entirely clear. Tea is not medieval. There are enough resources. Water and firewood, as in the Middle Ages, when the whole family washed with neighbors in order to save resources, there is no need to save.

Ski resorts gather skiers from all over Europe - and southern, where to bathe in common saunas wildness, and northern, where it is, as it were, the norm. So why not make separate steam rooms at international resorts, and not impose your habits on vacationers, half of whom are not Germans at all?

I am now in Tyrol, in the Dolomites, which used to belong to the Austrians. Geographically, this is Italy, although the locals consider themselves Austrians, but most of guests here are Italians from all over Italy. Full of Russians, of course, and other nationalities. What is the problem with making separate saunas? What nafig traditions, if these traditions everywhere in the world have outlived their usefulness two centuries ago.

By the way, the owner of my house, which I rent here in the Dolomites, told a funny story about how Americans came to rest in it. They asked where the thermal complex was, the hostess told, but warned that the saunas were shared there. The Americans did not understand her and asked her five times what she meant. Then, judging by their reaction, they did not understand or simply did not believe her. When they returned from the thermal complex, they excitedly told her that they were shocked by such a disgrace that naked men and women were steaming together. The Americans were shocked by this circumstance.

Yes, how to get into these cherished saunas after skiing in the mountains and not naked in front of other people's men and aunts? I wrapped myself in a towel. I just took a few towels to make a bed, as expected, and turn around with a second towel. I was ready to send three letters in Russian, literally, if some bastard intolerant of my towel would speak out that my towel interfered with her. They looked, but remained silent. But, to be honest, it's me again, for the sake of the experiment.

The sauna filled with naked men and women did not give me any pleasure. You have to be born German for this to be the norm. And yes, they look at women in the sauna, look at them. Do not tell fairy tales that in German saunas men suddenly turn into amorphous creatures and other people's boobs cease to excite them. On colorless German women and saggy everything that can sag, of course they don’t care. And on our girls, in full juice, they even look in the pool. And if our girls came naked to the sauna, everyone would be there. But our girls don’t humiliate themselves like that and know their worth - they don’t run around naked but in German saunas, which I wish you too.

A feature of the baths in Germany is that they do not distinguish between men and women, that is, in public baths, visitors of both sexes wash together.

Baths in Germany

It is not known for certain who exactly introduced such rules for the bathing behavior of the Germans. However, the inhabitants of Germany are satisfied with everything, a similar state of affairs in local residents does not cause embarrassment and embarrassment. However, this order of things applies to the sauna. The Germans explain that these rules are due to concern for the health of customers, since being in swimsuits made of synthetic material contributes to the release of sweat. And this, in turn, contradicts elementary hygiene standards and greatly affects the state of women's health.

As a rule, in Germany there are public baths and full-fledged spa centers. The latter are entire complexes of several thousand square meters, each centimeter of which is a useful area for recreation. There are swimming pools and saunas for every taste, rest rooms and restaurants. In this regard, a visit to the German bath stretches for several hours.

The cost of services is acceptable for the general population, which increases the popularity of such a pastime. The German bath is considered a special kind of cultural leisure.

Rules of conduct for a sauna in Germany

The traditional rules of conduct in German baths and saunas differ from those generally accepted. Before entering the sauna, visitors see a sign, according to which the entrance to the room is possible only naked. The German sauna requires a full opening for the beneficial effects of steam on the body. This confuses many tourists, so they often immediately leave the idea of ​​visiting a German bath. However, it should be said that one should not rush.

Such a rule does not mean at all that you must leave all your clothes when entering the steam room or sauna. This is true for synthetic clothing, that is, swimwear for women and swimming trunks for men should be left at the entrance to this area. Of course, covering yourself with a towel is absolutely not forbidden.

There is an unwritten law in the German sauna: sweat from the body must not fall on the boards of the shelf. In order not to cause indignation among other visitors, when approaching the wooden shelves, you will have to take off your swimsuit and swimming trunks. However, especially shy customers can stay in a towel and sit on something else, and not on the boards. It is worth being prepared for the fact that the women and men present there will begin to look with pity at such a visitor or visitor.

The opinion that German saunas are a hotbed of debauchery is erroneous.

According to the culture of behavior, getting to know the opposite sex, as well as considering each other while taking bath procedures, is the height of rudeness and bad manners, so saunas cannot collect languid longing looks.

In addition, saunas and steam rooms in Germany are predominantly dimly lit. In combination with steam, this creates a natural veil from prying eyes. Thus, it is not so easy to see something. It is worth noting that the shower after the steam room for men and women is still provided separately.

As a general rule, people who enter public baths in Germany are only shy at first. Then, after relaxing in the sauna, comes the desire to plunge into the pool. Forget gender differences.

In fairness, it is worth noting that separate baths still exist. To do this, public baths allocate special watch or even days that are not so easy to hit. After all, the Germans are a nation of straightforward people who do not tolerate sentimentality.