Bathing suits are not allowed for sanitary reasons. I needed some convincing. It was time to experience a sauna in Germany. But I did it on my terms β in our small hotel in Dresden, over km from Stuttgart, where my chances of running into anyone we knew would be extremely low.
When we entered the sauna, there was only one other woman there. I was extremely relieved that we would have our space. The idea repulsed me. Although the idea is to relax and unwind, I kept my eye suspiciously on the door at all times. Ready to make a quick exit at first sight of any character I deemed unsavoury.
Basically anyone of the opposite sex. I just feel extremely uncomfortable being naked in the presence of strangers.
But despite being naked, there is nothing sexual about saunas in Germany. Staring is not acceptable behaviour and will result in a public tongue-lashing. Germans are much more comfortable with being naked than many of us are who come from North America. On several occasions, J. Let me think about that for a momentβ¦. Do I want to see his friends naked?
Do I want them to see me naked? Definitely not β the thought is utterly mortifying. When I asked J. This surprised me because most men I know in North America do not want their friends seeing their significant other naked. Being naked in Germany is not a big deal. The other interesting thing, although perhaps not surprising thing about German saunas are all the rules. Many Germans believe that you need to stay in the sauna at least 15 minutes to get all the health benefits a sauna offers.
