Originally Posted by
HobokenFlyer
I would like to point out that it is not just the sauna in Germany. I was in the Hyatt in Cologne and they have a pool. The locker room and shower facilities of this Hyatt were CO-ED and there was a full naked women showering with a naked man in the locker room (the sauna and steam were in this area). The pool was textile though.
I have been to a therme outside Nuernberg and was exposed to the naked sauna and the co-ed locker room (with stalls if you wanted to change in private); but most of the people (men and women) were changing out in the open. Most of the people who used the stalls were families where young children were a little shy.
So, now I expect in Germany that you may be exposed to co-ed changing facilities more often than not.
I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience in a naked spa situation at Casa Velas Boutique Hotel this past year. Showering and saunaing with just men in a clothing optional situation was new to me as an born an bred American. I know that if I had the desire, I would have been able to do the same with my 'wife' or 'girlfriend' and then who knows from there. As a gay man, I happened to be enjoying the spa services with some men we met beforehand and had no problem with the nudity aspect, as it was actually a little intriguing and invigorating for all of us. There was no partner swapping or anything like that, it was just nice to be free and accepted in every way.