China, Asia, Climbing and Fixed Gear Bikes

Today we did a relaxing day at the thermal spa in Fuerth. They have natural thermal water in pools and jacuzzis of different temperature. They also have a huge sauna area. In Germany sauna is usually for both sex together and naked. For Julien it was the first time to experience this in a public sauna. Naked people going outdoors and across a yard into a wooden hut that is heated up to 100 degrees Celsius by a stove covered with stones. Men and women of all ages each sitting naked on their own towels on different levels of the wooden benches. Then waiting for a spa employee to come and pour some water with fragrance onto the hot stones on the stove. That extra moisture makes you really feel the heat and start sweating. Then the spa employee uses a towel to shake some of the hot air into each persons direction. After 15min people can leave the sauna. Then you see these naked steaming people walking barefoot in the snow, putting some snow on their naked bodies or just doing a dip in a cold outdoor pool. This ceremony that happens about every 30min is called „Aufguss“. The best Aufguss is the salt-Aufguss. After everybody is sweating in the sauna everybody has to go outside and receive 2 handful of salt and then rub that all over their bodies. Then go back into the sauna for the second half of even more sweating. After that the skin feels so soft it is amazing. But after you enjoy an Aufguss you have to rest a little bit. And then you can go back into a different sauna. So we spent about 7 hours there and were exhausted from all the relaxation.

I am getting so Chinese. Today a couple came out of the sauna steaming hot. He put snow all over her face and on her shoulders and back. She complained because of the coldness, she said that she does not feel well and then fainted. Her naked body fell out of his naked arms right to the ground. And what did I do? I walked past thinking „such an idiot, he should not have done that“. I did nothing. Like the Chinese in China. They come and look what is going on – but nobody helps. It is none of their business. They do want to know what happened to tell their friends later about what they saw, but not get involved and help some stranger. I could not believe that I did not help her. I was educated in Germany and we are obliged to help strangers.

In the evening we met Andi who was visiting his parents. We went to Herzogenaurach for some drinks. It was nice to see him and hear about his ideas for his PhD.