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nwhikerI recently got back from Iceland. Iceland, with geothermally heated water available, and a social goodness in mind, has swimming pools in just about every town larger than 4 people (OK, maybe not THAT small of a town, but still, really small ones). The cost is minimal and the facilities are, on average, excellent.
All the pools we visited were outside (a few had incredible views from the water), and in addition to a swimming pool there were hot tubs (there was also often a freezing cold tub, but only myidiotdarling son chose to avail himself of that. Once. For a very short time). There is truly something wonderful about being in warm or hot water when it's very cold and raining and windy!
But here is more what I wanted to to talk about. The process of getting into the pool.
Locker room. Get naked. Take towel and bathing suit, leave near shower area. Take soap shower. NAKED. In a big room with lots of other showers and often other PEOPLE (women, of course, but PEOPLE). Squirm into bathing suit (on a wet body, such fun!). Go to pool, typically without the towel. Swim/soak. Go back to shower. Take soap shower, again NAKED. Dry off in shower area, walk back to locker room, FINALLY with a towel, and change.
Linnea, as a 15 year old, about DIED every single time. She is at that age, and I think skirted the naked shower requirements a bit (pull down bathing suit, wash crotch, pull up bathing suit type stuff.)
I was, to my ever lasting shock, completely ok with this. Not comfortable, but the reading I'd done was pretty clear that Icelanders are used to being naked around people of the same gender, and don't really care and... that was born out by my experience. I would never EVER dream of getting naked in a locker room here in the US, but I cannot quite put my finger on why this really truly did not bother me at all. Maybe because everyone was there, young women, old women, little girls, older girls. I dunno. It was great.
The only times I was, I'll admit, a lot self conscious was when pulling on my bathing suit while already wet from a shower. I'm sure there is a way to do that elegantly, but 7 years of competitive swimming never taught it to m, and I certainly haven't learned since!
And for the record, I'd move to Iceland in a heartbeat.
All the pools we visited were outside (a few had incredible views from the water), and in addition to a swimming pool there were hot tubs (there was also often a freezing cold tub, but only my
But here is more what I wanted to to talk about. The process of getting into the pool.
Locker room. Get naked. Take towel and bathing suit, leave near shower area. Take soap shower. NAKED. In a big room with lots of other showers and often other PEOPLE (women, of course, but PEOPLE). Squirm into bathing suit (on a wet body, such fun!). Go to pool, typically without the towel. Swim/soak. Go back to shower. Take soap shower, again NAKED. Dry off in shower area, walk back to locker room, FINALLY with a towel, and change.
Linnea, as a 15 year old, about DIED every single time. She is at that age, and I think skirted the naked shower requirements a bit (pull down bathing suit, wash crotch, pull up bathing suit type stuff.)
I was, to my ever lasting shock, completely ok with this. Not comfortable, but the reading I'd done was pretty clear that Icelanders are used to being naked around people of the same gender, and don't really care and... that was born out by my experience. I would never EVER dream of getting naked in a locker room here in the US, but I cannot quite put my finger on why this really truly did not bother me at all. Maybe because everyone was there, young women, old women, little girls, older girls. I dunno. It was great.
The only times I was, I'll admit, a lot self conscious was when pulling on my bathing suit while already wet from a shower. I'm sure there is a way to do that elegantly, but 7 years of competitive swimming never taught it to m, and I certainly haven't learned since!
And for the record, I'd move to Iceland in a heartbeat.
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