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On diversity
Aug. 18th, 2013 07:19 pmMunich is a very diverse place. Anywhere in the city you see ppl from all over the world: Germans, other europeans, Americans, Arabs, Africans, Asians, etc. Be it a street (not necessarily south of Hauptbahnhof), a cheap supermarket or Dalmayr, a pub or a museum, a gym or a swimming pool. A swimming pool? We've been to most of them, and the patrons mix is usual, with slight variations. Once I heard a comment that there are too many foreigners in Michaelibad, the Turkish teenagers are very noisy, so a person making this comment prefers Cosimabad. That is true, but we don't mind Turkish teenagers yelling and jumping in to the water, so we use other criteria when choosing a swimming pool.
Today we've been to Naturbad Meria Einsiedl
We rode our bicycles to the swimming pool, it took us 30 minutes from our home, and most of the way was along the Isar. We were not alone - the bicycle stand was full, and every tree in the park had a bike or two chained to it. We had to walk for 5 minutes to find a tree to attach our bikes to.
Then we entered the facility. Julia told me that there must be a time machine attached to the gate.
The architecture of the changing rooms, paths, bridges, cafeteria, statues looked very dated. (I've checked in the internet and they write that the place was built 114 years ago).
But it was not just the buildings, it was the people. It was a warm Sunday afternoon, so the place was full. There were thousands of visitors inside the not too big park. And there was no noise! I did not hear children screaming, teenagers yelling, adults speaking loud. Everyone was silent or talking very quietly. Talking in German. There was no foreign languages in the air - no French, Russian, English, Spanish - the languages I hear very often in the streets or in other swimming pools. Not even Turkish! There were no Asian ppl, no Turkish, no African... I have no idea how it can be! Why?! Where has everyone disappeared?! Michaelibad and Prinzregentenbad may be?
Anyway, that lack of diversity was the only strange thing we noticed. Other ways it was perfect - two places to swim: a 50 meters warm (+20C) pool with water green of algae, and a channel with water flowing from Isar.
( Read more... )
Me trying to swim against the current in the channel. The water temperature is below +17C.
Today we've been to Naturbad Meria Einsiedl
We rode our bicycles to the swimming pool, it took us 30 minutes from our home, and most of the way was along the Isar. We were not alone - the bicycle stand was full, and every tree in the park had a bike or two chained to it. We had to walk for 5 minutes to find a tree to attach our bikes to.
Then we entered the facility. Julia told me that there must be a time machine attached to the gate.
The architecture of the changing rooms, paths, bridges, cafeteria, statues looked very dated. (I've checked in the internet and they write that the place was built 114 years ago).
But it was not just the buildings, it was the people. It was a warm Sunday afternoon, so the place was full. There were thousands of visitors inside the not too big park. And there was no noise! I did not hear children screaming, teenagers yelling, adults speaking loud. Everyone was silent or talking very quietly. Talking in German. There was no foreign languages in the air - no French, Russian, English, Spanish - the languages I hear very often in the streets or in other swimming pools. Not even Turkish! There were no Asian ppl, no Turkish, no African... I have no idea how it can be! Why?! Where has everyone disappeared?! Michaelibad and Prinzregentenbad may be?
Anyway, that lack of diversity was the only strange thing we noticed. Other ways it was perfect - two places to swim: a 50 meters warm (+20C) pool with water green of algae, and a channel with water flowing from Isar.
( Read more... )
Me trying to swim against the current in the channel. The water temperature is below +17C.
