On our way back from Strasbourg, France, we had a late flight out of a small German airport. The town, Baden-Baden, is known for its spas, so we decided to spend the afternoon at one of the more famous ones. This spa is nothing like anything I've seen in Canada. It had indoor and outdoor pools, jacuzzis, steam rooms, saunas, cold pools, loungers, etc. There was, however a catch; much of the spa was in a "clothes-free" section.
I know what you're thinking guys - I had the exact same concern that is running through your mind. What if "Raymond Jr" (RJ) doesn't cooperate and makes a spectacle out of me? Well, RJ and I talked it over and we agreed that since I couldn't wear my glasses , the risks were low, so we lowered our heart rate and entered the spa.
Armed with nothing more than a bright blue towel, we headed for a dimly lit sauna. The sauna was about half full with six people scattered around. It appeared that modesty lessens with age as the three 20-something women kept their towels wrapped around them, while the three 50 year olds, men and women, were giving every inch of their bodies the full sauna treatment.
As the afternoon progressed, I was getting used to seeing nude, fuzzy blobs, trying hard not to squint to bring them into focus. Much nearer to 50 than I am to 20, I found I was getting pretty open about dropping my towel for some heat or a dip in the cold pool. Perhaps getting tired of the fuzzy blobs, RJ decided to retreat into his shell and give me a new problem to worry about.
On our last visit to one of the saunas, I heard a couple whisper to each other in English. It was the first English I had heard and my friendly instinct was to blurt out a "where are you guys from?". Fortunately I bit my tongue and decided not to engage the naked couple in some chit chat. We (RJ and I), knew we weren't putting our best foot forward.
Maybe it's because we're too old to go skinny dipping down at the old pond. Or maybe we're just old enough to appreciate the freedom of it all. But I must say, Sue and I had a wonderfully relaxing afternoon. Sue embraced the whole environment and wasn't the least bit inhibited or distracted by her spa-mates It must be her German heritage. It's a shame we'll have to leave the continent to do it again.
At the end of the day, I was proud of how RJ behaved and I think he was proud of me.
(sorry, no pictures of this one :) )
No comments on this one yet, eh?
ReplyDeleteI expect there's been a lot of typing and then backspacing.
ReplyDeleteJoe, I expect you can tell a similar story or two?
I can't stop laughing yet. Maybe it is because Ray has masterfully put in words what every virile North American male would ponder if they entered that same spa. The sad part about getting older is that some of us look like fuzzy blobs to others even when they are wearing their glasses. Merry Christmas Sue and Ray
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