Geriatric Schwimmbad

We are lucky to have a big swimming pool right around the corner from our house.  Actually, there are several pools in the complex: a kids pool with a slide, a little kids pool, and a huge pool for "swimmers".  I love that, because it means I don't have to weave my way through kids if I want to swim laps.

Vilseck Pool-- empty.  Imagine 50 little heads gliding across the water. 

However... this morning I went over to the swimming pool around 10 hoping it wouldn't be crowded yet, and it was FULL of old people.  I'm talking 50+ people in the "swimming" pool, and over half were senior citizens.  That confirmed my suspicion that our town is all retired people (excluding military folks).  I guess in the summer they just flock to the local swimming pool.

The other funny thing is that they were all swimming laps, but not a single person was swimming with their head under water.  Not a single one out of 50!  It's kind of like the idea of going for a walk with your friend, except in the water.  They are in little groups and just paddle their way from one end to the other, with their hats and sunglasses on.  Back and forth.  Some of the people who were particularly old were even wearing flotation devices around their waists.  The whole scene made me laugh.

Needless to say, I felt out of place swimming normal freestyle through the pool.  They must have all thought I was crazy for swimming under the water.

[Oh!  And you'll notice there are no pool chairs around the edge of the pool.  I guess Germans don't sunbath like that.  Instead, there's a "lawn for sunbathing".  See below.]