Yesterday for the first time I went to a German beach. I've been to other beaches in Europe, but only in short visits since I always come here during winter, but I had never actually seen how things work during the summer and, I confess, I was amused.
Upon arrival I saw some curious things. Yes, I know I'm not in a tropical country and the beaches are different. But, like said Jack the Ripper, "let's start by parts". First, the beach itself. Upon arrival I noticed that the sea has no waves. Those who understand the oceans and their levels know what a sea level 1 means: no waves, just like a lake. The sand is white and fine but with several stones in the middle. Instead of shells at the water's edge, just pebbles and lots and lots of seaweed. To reach the deepest part, one has to cross a true carpet of marine algae in all its shapes and colors. It is so shallow that one needs to walk a lot until a place where one can be submerged up to the neck. The water is clear and cold but, oddly enough, less cold than the water from Ipanema beach, and a heavy traffic of ships and tourist boats cross the horizon. There is even a specific touristic route that connects seven countries with Brick Gothic buildings through the Baltic Sea: Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
In Germany people deal differently with the body. In my opinion, in a much healthier way. A body is a body and that's all, to show it doesn't mean anything, and they cope very well with the nude. Here, especially in the former eastern side, it's very common to find the "FKK" warning at the entrance of the beaches. "FKK" means "Freikörperkultur", the literal translation is: free body culture, or, as we say in Brazil, nudism. But differently from what happens in the southern hemisphere, the "FKK" beaches here are not isolated, they are beaches where everyone goes independently if they practice or not nudism. While I believe it is very healthy to deal with the body in this way, personally I can not be naked in public, and I confess it is strange to dive in and out of the water and find yourself face to face with a naked person in front of you. But the ease with which the Germans deal with it leaves us also comfortable with the situation. Unlike what occurs in the Brazilian coast, the beaches here are not a flirting site. Maybe that makes this relationship with the body even more free and happy. Children, young and old people, with or without swimwear, spread by sand.
The sun, merciless on top of the 40 ° C gave no truce and the sand was filled with sunshades, fabrics forming fences around "someone's" part of sand, tents (yes, camping tents) and Strandkörben (literally "beach baskets"). Here, the options to be protected from the sun are more numerous. No, do not think that this is because they have very white skin, for they don't use sunscreen. Incidentally, I saw only a couple using sunscreen in them and their children, in general,they throw themselves in the towels and roast in the sun without any protection. I, with my photophobia and hypersensitivity of the skin to the sun, was hidden inside my "beach basket" watching the hours pass and the size of the redness of the skin of the people improve. Some were already so red I could only think: "oh, it hurts." But what most impressed me was the lack of care for young children. Several people without protection or a simple sunshade with 1 year old children already red after just a few minutes under the sun.
The "beach baskets" are very interesting and practical inventions. At first, just looking, I thought they were uncomfortable for their hard looks but the truth is otherwise. Made of wicker, these chairs provide a real shadow that truly protects. They have pillows to sit and lean, supporters to feet and can move their coverage to make them more open or closed. If it is windy (the wind here is very fresh), they protect without smother. One can also adjust the internal structure so that one can lie down or sit. And, to sunbathe on them, just turn them towards the sun. Really very interesting.
Another thing very curious for those who are accustomed to coconut water, Mate Leão Biscoito Globo, pies and a whole host of food products (and non-food products) being sold on the beach, is not that there are no hawkers in the sand because we know that this is characteristic of the Brazilian beaches, and mainly Rio's beaches, but the fact that it's Germany and I hardly saw anyone drinking beer. I imagined people enjoyed the beach drinking beer, although here, they do not need an excuse for that. But during the whole day, I saw just one guy drinking beer. Mostly I've seen children eating popsicles (so far, so good) and people drinking coffee. That's right: coffee on the beach! In the trailers where they rent the sunshades, fabrics, tents and "beach baskets," there's also coffee. How about a cappuccino in the sun? Or a Late Macchiato accompanied by Currywurst (sausage with curry sauce)?
If anyone says that Germans don't go to the beach because they don't have good beaches, I can say that it's not true. The German beaches are beautiful. We just need to learn to admire the beauty of a geography different from ours, but no more or less beautiful. They are beautiful and the Germans enjoy them. In their way, the way they deal with everything that involves a trip to the beach, they know very well how to take advantage of them. It was a very interesting, entertaining, educational and above all, quiet experience.
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