Activarium

imagine the activarium (link)
my favorite german place

warm salty pool, outside
everyone lounging, barely swimming
mostly floating
kids playing, wearing water wings
visiting in many languages
steam swirling and rolling into the gray sky
the German winter is always gray and wet

inside the locker room, everyone all together
bare butts of all kinds
some saggy, too tan, little boy bottoms, perfect, shaved, tatooed
all busy
saunas, foot baths, showers, swim suits on and off

walk outside,
under a cozy robe
log cabin sauna
20 people sitting on towels, all nude
"guten tag," another couple enters the hot room
"guten tag" everyone together
then quiet
dark with light from under the bench
a fire stoked in the fireplace
10 minutes is enough
it's hot

stepping out of the sauna
steaming bodies, appears to be on fire
sweat disappears off skin
cool off with fake snow or a dip in the cold tub

men strut by, towels swung over their shoulder
letting it all hang (if you know what I mean)
what are they talking about?
I'm happy to not know, that way I make it up

lounge some more
recover from the sauna
nude knitting (not kidding!) and napping,
robes of every color, some with hoods and matching socks.
lounging with the salt lamps, orange tinted light
always in the quiet
so civil
so relaxed

or at least I am. I wish to take the activarium home with me.