culture shock, part 118

[jay]

The Hotel Platzl here in Munich has a top floor sauna/gymnasium for the use of guests... it has a steam room, sauna, cold plunge, foot washes, tanning booth, showers, lockers and exercise equipment in various rooms (the latter bombarded with German MTV-like videos). It is lovely, done in tile and in a Turkish style. No street shoes are allowed inside.

So, this morning after breakfast I went up for a workout...

... wondered where the men's and women's lockers were, and bathroom, and wondered if I'd wandered into the wrong side. Er. There's only one locker area, and users often exercise in the nude, going from equipment to shower to sauna in nothing or just a bathrobe. Men and women share the same facilities.

Given the social norms at home in California, this wasn't particularly alarming, except that I didn't know these other people... I kept on my T-shirt and shorts (chuckle).

Comments

[tenacious-snail.livejournal.com]

mmmm, sauna and cold plunge. Maybe I need to go to the gym tonight?

my culture shock in a European train station: two restroom doors, clearly marked for Men and Women, both opening into the same room.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Two restroom doors. How fun. :)

My uncle once told me about being in a bathroom in Japan years ago -- like the '60s -- and using the urinal, looking up to find the face of a woman in the mirror over his shoulder, and watching her put on lipstick as he peed. I have no idea how usual shared bathrooms were, there and then, but I can't imagine it was common or expected.