German public baths - features and rules of visiting. german sauna

01.10.2019

I am a native Muscovite. By profession an engineer. Having lived most life in crazy, but infinitely beloved by me Moscow, in last years I live in a tiny, according to our Russian, clean and neat, 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€ provides disproportionately greater opportunities than the usual
a 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

and sweetly yawning

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I spank in the bath for the minimum necessary water procedures - why rub your face in front of the bath

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Now a quick bite than God sent

4.
,

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.

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 the 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.

The road is calculated by the minute.

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.

Another 5 min. will go to buy a card in 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 treatments 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.
12.

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.
After flying out of the steam room, I rinse under the shower and thump in an 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 as 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 go into a relatively small steam room, about 15 people, and this time he will treat visitors with menthol crystals, thanks to which the steam will immediately disinfect Airways. This procedure is especially beneficial in the snotty season.

20.

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 recent times 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 the mandatory program has been completed, it's time to make a control weighing

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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 there! Time to run for relaxation-meditation. Action happens here

30.

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 a 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 it away not for free old car... or an unnecessary fighter

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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 yelled "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.
O! 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.

General German baths without complexes...

For a long time I have already read the story of V. Soloukhin about how, back in Soviet time he visited a German public 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 the 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 synthetic in a humid and hot environment evaporates 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 - a lounge area, water slides 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.

On the banks of the Rhine and Oder there are many bath and water complexes. Lovers of sports swimming, fans of steep water slides, and connoisseurs of real steam will like it here.

Bathing suits are not allowed!

Many health and entertainment facilities in Germany are built in areas where thermal waters come to the surface. This means that they can not only accept water procedures and take a steam bath, but also enjoy the healing underground water.

“German bath and water establishments are usually divided into two zones,” says my friend from Germany Manfred. - In the part of the complex where the pools and water slides are located, it is necessary to be in swimming trunks and swimwear. In the sauna and steam bath area, both men and women are completely naked. You are only allowed to wrap yourself in a cotton towel.

The fact is that German lovers of "real steam" are firmly convinced: in rooms with high temperature and high humidity the use of synthetic materials is unacceptable. Swimwear and swimming trunks, in their opinion, can become sources of dangerous fumes that will negate the therapeutic effect of the sauna. Of course, there can be no question of entering the steam room in rubber slippers.

In the bath - the whole family

In Germany, unlike Russia, baths are not divided into men's and women's. “In our country, a bath is an important part family vacation explains Manfred. - Parents often come here with their children. In this situation, "special" men's and women's baths would be simply out of place. However, some bathing complexes still arrange a special “women's day” once a month, when men are not allowed to enter the institution.

There are some prohibitions in German saunas and steam baths on other days as well. For example, it is not allowed to touch a wooden surface with hands and feet. To visit the steam room, you must have a special towel, the length of which is about two meters. You can sit or lie on this towel.

Bergisch Gladbach. Unusual sauna. Photo: Photo by the author / Ilya Brushtein

During the visit to the sauna, silence must be observed so as not to interfere with other guests enjoying bath procedures. And finally, it is necessary to come to the beginning of the “aufguss” in time in order to calmly take your place and wait for the beginning.

Bath ceremony in German

The term "aufguss" literally means "watering, pouring". During this procedure, an employee of the bath complex pours water over the stones of the steam stove with water from essential oils(orange, honey, eucalyptus, mint, etc.). And then he begins with zeal to disperse the steam on the ceiling, and also fan the visitors.

German aufguss is a whole show. The bath master is not only responsible for excellent steam, but also does not forget to communicate with guests, tells them jokes and anecdotes. Saunas are often equipped with musical installations. Therefore, aufguss differ not only in aroma, but also in musical accompaniment.

To control the movement of air currents, the masters of bathing ceremonies use not only ordinary towels, but also flags, special giant fans and even bags filled with hay, filling the sauna with a refreshing and intoxicating aroma...

The duration of an aufguss is usually six to twelve minutes. During this time, it is not customary to leave the sauna and move around it, so as not to let off steam and not interfere with the ceremony.

However, if someone's health worsens, go to Fresh air before the completion of the ritual, of course, you can.

Special aufguss are also held, during which guests are given ice cubes, massage salt, various creams, lotions and other “auxiliary substances” ... All this helps to better open the skin pores and fill the body with energy.

Often, after aufguss, steam lovers are offered to drink hot tea, juice or lemonade, taste ice cream or fruit. These "offerings" do not need to be paid extra. They are included in the cost of visiting the bath complex.

In German baths, aufguss are held strictly according to the schedule, for example, at the beginning or in the middle of each hour. At the entrance to the bath complex, there is always a “Aufguss plan” for today. In large and crowded establishments, these rituals are simultaneously carried out in several saunas at once.

Saunas for every taste

Bergisch Gladbach. Cafe in the sauna courtyard Photo: Photo by the author / Ilya Brushtein

Many bath complexes in Germany are truly unique. For example, there is an impressive planetarium sauna equipped with a dome of the starry sky. You can warm the bones and at the same time listen to a lecture on astronomy.

The sauna-beer hall is popular, where in a “warm” atmosphere they not only hold a bathing ceremony, but also treat them to beer. Non-alcoholic, of course.

Another attraction is the sauna-bakery, where, after the end of the ceremony, the bath master, who performs the duties of a baker, offers customers refreshment with fresh pastries.

In the federal state of Baden-Württemberg there is a sauna-cinema, where big screen Informative documentaries are shown throughout the day.

A sauna-aquarium was also built here, in which you can watch the movement of fish through the glass.

“Many Germans visiting Russia speak with enthusiasm about the Russian bath, about soaring with birch brooms. We believe that the Russian bath helps to understand the soul of Russia, - says Manfred and adds: - I think that Russian tourists in Germany should also visit our baths and discover Germany in this way.

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 special kind 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 zone. 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.

All my friends who visited Germany and visited the public sauna were shocked...
With public saunas in Germany, the story is like this. After the locker room (cabin) and shower (separately), you in a bathing suit get to the SPA, where there are many pools with different temperatures, color and composition of water, under the roof and on the street. From this part there is usually a door to the Sauna complex. Entering there, you need to take off your swimsuit / swimming trunks in the common (!) locker room, wrap yourself in a large towel or bathrobe (should be with you) and stomp into one of the saunas. After taking off your slippers and going into the sauna, you need to: find a free place, lay your towel under your ass and under your feet. It is believed that your sweat should not fall on government benches. In a wet sauna, you don’t need a towel under your feet, or you don’t need it at all. Many visitors do not cover themselves with a towel at all. Appearing in a sauna in a bathing suit leads to meaningful looks. In addition, the sauna staff may come up to you and say that it is not supposed to be like that. Take it off, right now.
Inside the sauna, at different heights from the hearth, beds are arranged in 2-3 rows. The sauna employee pours water on the heated stones, pumping air with a towel towards the visitors who are located on the beds. In some saunas, birch brooms pre-soaked in boiling water are used instead of towels. This procedure is loved by many, the schedule of this process, which is called aufgus, is posted in a conspicuous place, and by the time it starts, a significant number of people who want to take a steam bath gather on the floors.

Flavoring is often added to the water, before the procedure, the sauna employee gives brief information about the supplement, tells how to behave during the procedure and after it. After aufgus, sauna visitors receive various substances for rubbing into the skin - honey, salt, and so on. In addition, the complex is usually equipped with 1-2 small indoor or outdoor pools, where after a sauna (and a short visit to the shower) you can also plunge naked.
Ordinary visitors to German saunas are people over the age of 30, there are young couples. Sometimes they come with children, it's kind of a tradition. The Germans often go to the sauna with the whole family or in the company of friends or colleagues. They walk around without embarrassment, freely swinging the upper (secondary) or lower (primary) - who has what - signs of sex ...
After talking with compatriots about German saunas, you understand that nudity is taboo in Russia. Nude body is automatically considered pornographic. And it is completely unacceptable if people of different sexes are naked, and even children are nearby. Even people who are by no means of a puritanical upbringing, having learned that saunas are common in Germany, roll out their eyes in surprise: "Is that true!?" and, as a rule, fukat and resent ...
How do you feel about these saunas? Would you like to steam up there? Would you take your children there? Would you hesitate to come there with friends or colleagues? Or even have the experience of visiting them? And what is your reaction?

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