Sauna Culture

Dudess · 13-01-2011 01:55AM

I don't think self conscious necessarily equates to immature - some people are happy to be naked in front of strangers, some people aren't. Neither are wrong, in my opinion.

dubtom · 13-01-2011 02:05AM

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

Never been into the whole sauna thing. Its very boring.

Not if there's 4 nubile ladies sitting across from you,naked, I'd need a towel tbh.

JupiterKid · 13-01-2011 02:10AM

Dudess wrote: »

I don't think self conscious necessarily equates to immature - some people are happy to be naked in front of strangers, some people aren't. Neither are wrong, in my opinion.

All well and good, but how do you account for people from here and thre UK having problems with being nude in a sauna on the Continent? That self-consciousness of one's own body comes from somewhere - usually through cultural diffusion via society, religion and mass media.

Ireland has an immature attitude to nudity. I stick firmly to that opinion. It's not "wrong" per se, but it IS regrettable.

NoHornJan · 13-01-2011 02:12AM

MadsL wrote: »

Ok, let me change the question. Should I have called these girls up on their 'cultural imperialism' calling the Austrians weird? Anyone think they were right to complain?

Ah that would be an Ecumenical question now!

df1985 · 13-01-2011 05:16AM

"Those women were in the nip!!"

SpatialPlanning · 13-01-2011 05:57AM

Have a look at a South Korean "jimjilbang". Now THAT'S a sauna!! Some of them are luxurious beyond belief! The stares are unsettling but they tend not to look twice at ginger pubes...

Cheeky monkey · 13-01-2011 06:17AM

I was in Berlin last January and did one or two days in a spa area where it was frowned if you weren't nude and have to say going nude is definitely more comfortable.

I don't really see where the shyness comes from because in my experience no one looks and in the case of the Irish I don't think anyone would want to look

randylonghorn · 13-01-2011 06:25AM

dubtom wrote: »

Not if there's 4 nubile ladies sitting across from you,naked, I'd need a towel tbh.

It takes 4 to get you interested? 0_o

Jeez, dude, high maintenance or wha' ... :pac:

I agree with this ...

JupiterKid wrote: »

It's Victorian puritanism crossed with religious prudery and is still deeply ingrained our psyche.

... but not necessarily with this:

JupiterKid wrote: »

Ireland has really immature, pathetic attitudes to nudity that the rest of Europe (excepting the UK) laugh at.

Cultures take time to change. Personally, I'd love if it did change ... I tend to go :rolleyes: quite often at some of the attitudes I encounter ... but I wouldn't go as far as to use words like immature or pathetic.

SpatialPlanning wrote: »

... but they tend not to look twice at ginger pubes...

Understandable, tbh! >_>

:pac:

chicken fingers · 13-01-2011 06:45AM

I consider it weird that you got yourself involved and argued alongside the staff there.
I mean, who are you!

Skuxx · 13-01-2011 08:02AM

I was in a sauna in the radisson in Helsinki, when I went in there was nobody else there and I just went in in my shorts as I thought that was the norm! About 5 minutes later 3 lads all bollock naked join me so I said fcuk it and whipped off the shorts! It's a way nicer experience and should definetly be how it's done over here!!

FlutterinBantam · 13-01-2011 09:20AM

alan1990 wrote: »

I was in a sauna in the radisson in Helsinki, when I went in there was nobody else there and I just went in in my shorts as I thought that was the norm! About 5 minutes later 3 lads all bollock naked join me so I said fcuk it and whipped off the shorts! It's a way nicer experience and should definetly be how it's done over here!!

:eek: You daring bollox!!! Legend.:rolleyes:

newmember2 · 13-01-2011 10:28AM

Are these same sex saunas?

The only ones in Ireland that I've ever worn shorts were the mixed ones.

starbelgrade · 13-01-2011 10:34AM

Three men are sitting naked in the sauna. Suddenly there is a beeping sound. The first man presses his forearm and the beeping stops. The others look at him curiously.

"That's my pager," he says. "I have a microchip under the skin of my arm."

A few minutes later a phone rings. The second man lifts his palm to his ear. When he finishes he explains, "That's my mobile phone. I have a microchip in my hand."

The third man, feeling decidedly low-tech, steps out of the sauna.

In a few minutes he returns with a piece of toilet paper sticking out of his arse. The others raise their eyebrows.

"I'm getting a fax," he explains.

Lumen · 13-01-2011 10:46AM

I've had this experience before with a work conference/jolly at a ski resort in Austria.

Regardless of being naked in the company of strangers, it is a little weird being naked with people you work with.

jester77 · 13-01-2011 10:52AM

Lumen wrote: »

I've had this experience before with a work conference/jolly at a ski resort in Austria.

Regardless of being naked in the company of strangers, it is a little weird being naked with people you work with.

Over here it's the norm. I remember the first time I went, little unnerving sitting naked in a sauna with your girlfriends mother. But no body cares and no body stares, even the changing rooms in most of the places are mixed.

BizzyC · 13-01-2011 10:53AM

I dont see the big deal, if you want to be naked be naked, if you dont then wear a swimsuit.

The only saunas I've ever been in require you to shower and clean off pool water before entering the sauna.

sbsquarepants · 13-01-2011 01:27PM

I wouldn't have a problem with it i don't think. I always feel that blokes who won't leave the shower in the gym or whatever untill they've wrapped up in a towel are a bit suspicious!
My missus on the other hand thinks it's gay for men or women to walk around naked in a changing room, go figure!
Don't know how i'd handle a unisex one though, i don't think i'd have the mental strength to stop my eyes wandering. Sure even on the beach i get the occasional surprise semi when some topless hottie wanders by, sometimes i think i'm too hetero for my own good:D

LizT · 13-01-2011 01:31PM

Even if it is the culture, some people will just never feel comfortable being naked in front of complete strangers. Most of us wouldn't actually.

Having said that, I find it hard to believe that if they wore their swimsuit, someone would have asked them to remove them. At most they probably would have gotten a few dirty looks!

Lumen · 13-01-2011 01:34PM

lizt wrote: »

Having said that, I find it hard to believe that if they wore their swimsuit, someone would have asked them to remove them.

I would. I think it's a hygiene thing, like burkinis in swimming pools.

orourkeda · 13-01-2011 01:36PM

they should have just got their fannies out

prinz · 13-01-2011 01:37PM

My OH much prefers it over here tbh. She has used them both on the continent, where she was used to that 'culture' and Ireland and prefers being permitted to wear something. Different strokes for different folks.

LizT · 13-01-2011 01:41PM

Lumen wrote: »

I would. I think it's a hygiene thing, like burkinis in swimming pools.

Elaborate.

jester77 · 13-01-2011 01:45PM

lizt wrote: »

Even if it is the culture, some people will just never feel comfortable being naked in front of complete strangers. Most of us wouldn't actually.

Having said that, I find it hard to believe that if they wore their swimsuit, someone would have asked them to remove them. At most they probably would have gotten a few dirty looks!

You would get kicked out of most saunas here in Germany if you were to wear clothes into it. It's unhygienic wearing clothes in, you are meant to be freshly showered and have a towel under you to soak up the sweat plus you would not want to be in one of 80+ degree saunas wearing something especially when they start an aufguss

Stark · 13-01-2011 01:52PM

lizt wrote: »

Even if it is the culture, some people will just never feel comfortable being naked in front of complete strangers. Most of us wouldn't actually.

I feel more comfortable with strangers myself actually. Have no problem getting naked in front of people I'm not going to see again. The thought of being naked with a family member though would freak me out.

ejmaztec · 13-01-2011 01:52PM

lizt wrote: »

Even if it is the culture, some people will just never feel comfortable being naked in front of complete strangers. Most of us wouldn't actually.

Having said that, I find it hard to believe that if they wore their swimsuit, someone would have asked them to remove them. At most they probably would have gotten a few dirty looks!

Link?

LizT · 13-01-2011 01:55PM

ejmaztec wrote: »

Link?

You want a link to say most people wouldn't feel comfortable being naked in front of strangers?

I'm just going on my experience and my friends'. Most of them say they wouldn't feel comfortable being naked in front of strangers.

Blazer · 13-01-2011 02:00PM

Over in Poland at the moment and it's the norm over here...
Got a bit of a surprise when I walked into a sauna and there was a bollix naked chap there....apparently the mate, who was already in there told me that most polish/german do it and he'd even seen some birds in there....
of course none around when I'm there

but then again guaranteed I'd be standing there at attention if they were

and feeling like a complete pervert

2ygb4cmqetsjhx · 13-01-2011 02:27PM

Went to visit a friend on mine in finland a few years ago. Shes a local ya see. She decided we should go to a traditional finnish sauna. It's a strange thing. Went to the sauna. Not being in the nip was considered weird. People drink beer at the sauna and then go outside in the snow. Was strange seeing her naked actually. But she didn't even bat a eye lid at the thought of me seeing her naked.

So I'm sitting there wondering is having an erection allowed!

sbsquarepants · 13-01-2011 02:49PM

Patrick Bald Sunroof wrote: »

Went to visit a friend on mine in finland a few years ago. Shes a local ya see. She decided we should go to a traditional finnish sauna. It's a strange thing. Went to the sauna. Not being in the nip was considered weird. People drink beer at the sauna and then go outside in the snow. Was strange seeing her naked actually. But she didn't even bat a eye lid at the thought of me seeing her naked.

So I'm sitting there wondering is having an erection allowed!

This coming from a man with 3 testicles!:D

Lumen · 13-01-2011 02:53PM

lizt wrote: »

Elaborate.

French Muslim woman wearing 'burkini' banned from Paris swimming pool

"...the lifeguard was just enforcing a rule that applies at all French public pools. Women must wear swimsuits and men must wear brief trunks rather than shorts, which are said to be more likely to harbour bacteria. "

Sauna Culture

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