waterloo

Last night I had the great opportunity to go to the “schwimm bad” or the indoor swimming pool. Julia was invited to go to a girls house for a tupper ware party and her husband was going to the pool. He invited me to go to the pool with him and his son. He speaks only German so this was a great opportunity for me to practice. The problem with my German is that I can only have small conversation if someone usually asks me questions, and I can essentially repeat them back like a parrot. I have a hard time forming questions that merit more than a one word or short phrase response. We arrived at the pool and I end up following this man around because I am not sure what the customs are in Germany for pool educate. Finally after some confusion about whether or not I already had my swimming suit on, I went to the showers. As I tried turning the shower knob for a while, nothing came out and I had to ask for help. He showed me that they were motion sensors and then it comes out. I had the temperature set to freezing cold so it was a nice present when I turned the shower, as let out a shreek as it hit my nice warm exposed skin. Then we made our way to the pool area. I went and dove in and swam some laps and then got out and sat next to him and some other people. They then asked me to go down this huge slide with them. This slide was like a huge water park slide. Not only was it huge, but for some reasons the German culture loves disco tech music and disco tech lights. This slide had speakers as you go down and disco lights that changed colors that made you want to dance as you slid down. I had never seen anything like this. The slide was so fun and fast, I felt like Napoleon from the movie “Bill and Ted’s excellent adventure”. I acted like I had never gone on a slide before. I was running up the stairs and was tempted to push the slow walkers aside. After I had gone down the slide about 13 times, no joke it burned a little hole in my swimming trunks because of the speed and number of times. I decided it was time for the hot tub. As I was sitting in there with some of the people we were with, I noticed the plethora of Speedos; every shape, size, and color. If there was ever a shortage and there was need for Speedos in another country, I think we could send the relief aid. My eye’s needed to be washed after we were in the hot tub and a very old rather large man, with a very selfish and small black Speedo decided to join us. I had a great time swimming and getting to know the people and they invited me to go next week again with them. No one I was with, wore a Speedo, but there is peer pressure to get one….so you never know, maybe I will have to put on one, because as Paul was all things to all men, I must be all things to all men, even if that means Speedo wearing.