Mainz Hallenbad/Schwimmbad

Summers in Germany are interesting.  There is about one month where it is hot, like in the 90's.  Usually it takes place in August, but this year it started early... in July.  It was so horribly hot and uncomfortable, mostly because it was muggy (until I insisted on a nice air conditioning for the front room).  Even being from California, I don't like the heat, much less the sun.  Therefore, I become a hermit when the sun comes out.  I burn easily, my skin is paper thin and so I soak in the temperature very easily, and I am just plain miserable.

My respite?  The Schwimmbads. They have them in almost every city, or at least one close by.  They are like community swimming pools, but there is just something so much cooler than the ones in America. It isn't just a medium size rectangle with water in it, with a tiny baby pool.  They pull out all the stops. Water slides, blow up shapes to climb on, slides and toys of all kinds, big grassy areas to lay on, lazy pools, etc.  There are even indoor swimming pools you can go to in the middle of winter.  Don't worry. I plan on it.

So, just for you Ruth, I'm going to be posting pictures the next couple of days of some of the times we went to the schwimmbads.  She has been trying for years to get me to enjoy their weekly "beach days" or days at the pool. I usually barter with them to stay behind and watch the babies while they took Xoe and Xanthe for me.  

Also, know that at one point, Xoe and Xanthe were going every other day, if not every day with their friends, or me, or Brian... anyone that would take them.  They were addicted.  And I'll admit, so I was I.  I tried to use every excuse to take the kids.  I even organized church groups to go with me (I'll post about that too.) So, here ya go, Ruth, just for you!  Can you believe it?  

(These aren't very good pictures capturing this place. There was indoor place here that Spencer loved with a cave and tiny slide and high dives... across the grassy area was a water slide, a huge blow up whale, Olympic swimmer-size lanes for practice... maybe I captured them from another time we went.)