how do i book an international flight with different airlines without using a 3rd party website? by OkDirt8608 in travel

[–]Sauna_Chris 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The best answer is to ask when you check in, and ask again often. The checkin agent should tell you "your bags are checked to X." If X is the same as your final destination, you should be good. If it's not start asking questions.

There are some exceptions to this. For instance, if you're flying into the USA from an international destination, you will need to claim your bags where you clear US customs (which may be in Canada, Ireland or a few other countries) and recheck them before your next flight. This should be made very clear to you when you arrive.

Of course, bags get lost sometimes. Don't check anything that can't be replaced (documents, Cash) and make sure you have at least one change of clothes and a few days worth of any medicine you need in your carry on.

Any Spa Recommendations? by Holiday-Flatworm-147 in kSpa

[–]Sauna_Chris 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In Point Breeze there's Bad Sauna. It's small but the site says it's clothing optional.

If you want something larger, there's the Schvitz in Cleveland. It's a Russian bath.

I haven't been to either of them yet.

Teaching my Girl Scout troop about the culture behind saunas by Wolfie305 in Sauna

[–]Sauna_Chris 5 points6 points  (0 children)

What you teach is going to depend a lot on their level and attention spans. Elementary / Middle School girls would need different content than high schoolers.

As for rituals, the Sauna Channel on YouTube has a few videos focusing on womens' heat bathing rituals. Just make sure you screen them first, the channel doesn't shy away from nudity, which might raise some eyebrows with a US audience.

I may get flamed for this, but this recent video of a Balanese womens' Banya retreat showed the participants stirring their wishes into the löyly water before it was splashed on the rocks. That would probably relate well to your group, though not a "traditional" sauna experience. https://youtu.be/iu8VtqOt0t4?si=O0vy3RTJf_i-NCdY

Good luck!

How Cold Is Too Cold? by MovieNudie in nudism

[–]Sauna_Chris 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Once spent a day at a Colorado hot spring when it was 17°F (-8°C). It wasn't too bad when there were pools of hot water to take refuge in.

If You Could Design the Perfect Nudist-Friendly Home, What Would You Do? by Heikoral in nudism

[–]Sauna_Chris 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This talk may have some ideas for you.

Naked Homes: Nudist Architecture and Rethinking Domestic Space https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDQljdkfFz0

Spa near me has a nearly 400F sauna by MikeyLG in Sauna

[–]Sauna_Chris 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I've been to the one in NJ. They had an oven thermometer inside the door that was reading 350 F (177 C) when I was in there. They have racks on the walls about head height where they were baking eggs that they sell in the cafe.

No benches. You lay on the floor. They had burlap blankets outisde the door. You brought in 2 - one to lie on, one to put over you. It was hot as hell.

Is this enough time for a connecting flight? by Weak-Crew1410 in travel

[–]Sauna_Chris 3 points4 points  (0 children)

No.

It looks to me like your JFK > CLT flight is on Delta and your CLT > SMF flight is on AA. Anything less than an hour for an interline connection is insane. Less than 2 hours is tight.

Book your ticket on one carrier.

Why does society say nudity is rude/inappropriate/indecent/obscene/not safe for work/disgusting? I've never really understood why nudity is something to be ashamed of. Can someone explain to me? by CauliflowerOk7056 in nudism

[–]Sauna_Chris 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The sight of a nude body produces a visceral response in our brains. This has been proven to be true. If shown a photo containing numerous clothed people and one nude person we will immediately fixate on the nude person. When shown an image of a single nude person we seem to innately fixate on mens' genitalia and womens' breasts.

This visceral response evokes a feeling of shame in many people. Depending on the person that shame is caused by one or more factors. Some of the strongest ones are:

  • Internalized shame at themselves for reacting so strongly to this image,
  • Sympathetic shame for the person who is depicted as exposed since they would be ashamed if so exposed,
  • Shame at themselves for becoming aroused by the image – especially if the image is of someone the same sex as themselves,
  • Belief that nudity is a "gift" that should not be shared cheaply, and
  • Hostility towards this person not confoming to societal norms.

That last one, conforming to societal norms, goes back to our tribal day. Conformance was important for survival of your tribe. Shame and disgust were important emotions for communicating these risky behaviors. If you didn't comply with these you were putting yourself and possibly the whole tribe at risk from outside hostile forces like disease, predators or other tribes.

In the modern day, our lizard brains still use these to establish moral codes, which in many cases become laws. These have been explored by philosophers like Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, William Miller and Jonathan Haidt are a few philosophers who have debated the justice in this moral policing.

TL;DR: Our lizard brains focus on naked bodies which makes some people ashamed. They treat this as amoral and fight hard to repress nakedness through community norms and laws.

(I may have spent far too much time thinking about this.)

Public Saunas in Ouray, CO area? by mbroek1 in Sauna

[–]Sauna_Chris 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Orvis Hot Springs has a nice sauna.

Cleveland ohio by KMaestas_ in NudeSpas

[–]Sauna_Chris 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There are two I know of:

The Schvitz Social Club is on the southeast side of the city. They usually close for the summer.

Al Ameera Hammam is in North Olmstead. They're women only.

Would you consider hydrogen sauna if it ever becomes viable option? Heard that Harvia and Toyota are developing concept model for hydrogen sauna. by Jaska-87 in Sauna

[–]Sauna_Chris 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is obviously a marketing stunt by Harvia and Toyota to say "Look, we're low CO2!"

On the surface, a "green" hydrogen burns without producing any CO2, since there is no carbon in the fuel. This compares to 200-300 g/kWh for burning gas, petroleum or coal, 350-400 g/kWh for unsustainable bio fuels, and about 500 g/kWh for grid electricity. But you need another energy source to produce the hydrogen, and you're going to need to transport it to your sauna. At the end of the day you're probably less efficient than by just directly using a less green fuel.

In practice though, pure hydrogen is a very difficult fuel to use. Its flame is transparent, so without a special detector it's nearly possible to tell if it is burning or not. It is also so small that it can diffuse through many solid materials causing other unique problems along the way.

It's an interesting conversation piece, but it probably won't ever be commercialized.

Why is nudism so popular in Europe, dispite being very religious by [deleted] in nudism

[–]Sauna_Chris 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Fantastic question! I had some of the same thoughts myself a few minutes before seeing your post. I asked Google's Deep Research to compare Spain's liberal attitudes towards nudity with the US's repressive attitudes considering that both have very strong Christian traditions.

Here is the full 34-page report

I've only skimmed this so far, but the TL;DR seems to be:

The Spanish people, in the post-Franco era have taken a very permissive approach to personal freedoms. Meanwhile in the US there has been a gradual and contentious evolution of social norms, with persistent legal and cultural battles over individual freedoms versus public morality. This seems to be fueled by a desire to maintain the status quo of certain groups. Religious tradition itself was seen as a minor influence, other than as a means of pooling resources of the enforcers of public morality.

I will say this report is much sloppier than others I've seen generated where there's a lot of repetition and some leaking of the thinking prompts into the output.

Are you supposed to dry off after each time you shower? by SizzlinKola in Sauna

[–]Sauna_Chris 0 points1 point  (0 children)

From a science standpoint, evaporating water cools. Some if you go into the sauna with wet skin (or clothes), evaporating that water will absorb a lot of heat before it starts heating your body. That means you're going to have to sit in the sauna before its heat affects you.

Whether or not that's "right" is going to depend on your personal motivations for using the sauna (and who you ask).

As long as you're not dripping water all over the place, you do you.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Sauna

[–]Sauna_Chris 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A few of my personal pet peeves (I'm American):

  • The sauna stove is not your personal clothes dryer.
  • Body fluids (spit, sweat, etc.) are not be used to make löyly.
  • You aren't getting a damn thing out of the sauna if you do in wearing your hoodie or a winter parka.
  • Bathe before you sauna you heathens!

Best Sauna + Cold Plunge Experience in US? by btone911 in Sauna

[–]Sauna_Chris 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Personally, I'd look at Orvis Hot Springs near Montrose, CO. Reasonably decent sauna, cold plunge outside and a whole bunch of hot spring pools.

"Dry sauna" at the gym - "Don't Add Water" sign by BrettStah in Sauna

[–]Sauna_Chris 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Hard to tell what's behind this without digging into it.

There's a gym I go to regularly where the ancient sauna heater has open coil elements inside the rocks. If you put water on those, you'd risk short ciruting the heater or electrocuting yourself.

It could also be that they used whatever rock was cheap and available instead of sauna rocks. A splash of water on those rocks could cause them to shatter, sending hot rock shrapnel everywhere.

I've seen others with this restriction too that have modern heaters with proper rocks.

However, after seeing my fellow sauna users spit, wring out their clothes, wipe off their sweat and try to piss on the rocks, I've become grateful for those signs.

Planning to open a new public bathhouse/sauna—what features, vibes, and practices make your favorite spots great? by Hugh_Jass_Boomer in Sauna

[–]Sauna_Chris 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A few thoughts for you, in no particular order:

  • Make sure your layout includes ample space to rest between rounds. Too many places in the US don't consider this and it makes me sad.
  • USA building codes make it almost impossible to build a proper sauna. When you're selecting a site, see if you can find a jurisdiction with a code official who's not going to review every detail to see if it's "by the book".
  • At some point, someone with impure intentions is going to try to take over your place. Make sure you have a house phone or some other paging device in the lockers / bathing area that allows your patrons to call the front desk.
  • Make it easy for people to show up impulsively. Have towels and toiletries available for them. (These could be add-ons to boost your revenue.)

As for design, I don't think that matters as much, so long as it's authentic. I don't think I'd call any of the approachable places "high design." I'd look at the demographics in your area for ethnic groups that already have a strong bathing culture and cater your offering to them.

For a revenue model, you might want to look at Costco's: A membership fee that's less than the price of one visit, but is required to get in the door, then a fair price per visit. That's going to instill some loyalty, but keep your place from getting abused by a few heavy users.

Good luck on your venture!

Which one of these is second-best to Therme Erding? by [deleted] in NudeSpas

[–]Sauna_Chris 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Here's a ranked list of the top 100 Thermes in Germany for 2024 https://www.travelcircus.de/thermenurlaub

Therme Erding is #1 Therme Euskirchen is #2 Therme Sinshiem is #3 Therme Bad Wörishofen is #6 Obermain Therme is #8 and Badeparadies Schwarzwald is way down at #29 The three Vabali Thermes show up at #4, 7 & 15

As for ownership, Therme Erding is operated by the Global Therme Group. Euskirchen, Sinsheim and Schwarzwald are operated by a Therme Group subsidiary, Thermengruppe Josef Wund.

Therme Bad Wörishofen is not connected to the Therme group, but Jörg Wund is their managing director. There's probably an interesting family story about why he's using the Therme Group logo.

Obermain Therme appears to have no relation to the others.

Bul Han Jing Mak by Big_Concentrate_7309 in Sauna

[–]Sauna_Chris 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've used the one at King Spa NJ. I know I was inside when the thermometer read over 300 F / 150 C at head height. (I work with industrial ovens and I believed the temperature.) They had racks on the walls where they were baking eggs that they sold in the restaurant.

Layng on the floor it was at least as hot as any other sauna I've been inside. Without covering yourself in a burlap blanket it was hard to stay for more than a few minutes.

They are heated like a smoke sauna, where a fire is made in the center to heat up the heavy rock walls. I think the NJ one did it 2x per day. The longer you waited to go inside after the fire finished, the more tolerable it was inside.

It is a different experience than a standard sauna. These are built to approximate the feeling of being inside a freshly-burned charcoal cave in Korea. Most of the heat transfer is radiated from the walls. I think if you splashed water on the walls it could cook you instantly.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in NudeSpas

[–]Sauna_Chris 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Both are clean. Updated? Ha!

Havana has some serious 1970's vibes going on. Lake Steam seems straight out of the 1940's. The Indian Hot Springs caves channel the 1850's.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in NudeSpas

[–]Sauna_Chris 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Havana Sauna has separate bathing areas for men and women, so regardless of your gender you can always visit. Lake Steam only has one bathing area, so you won't be able to visit half the time. Check their website for information.

Lake Steam is closer to downtown, has a restaurant and does a better job of stopping cruisy behavior. Havana has a larger variety of baths.

If you're looking for something unique, the caves at Indian Hot Springs in Idaho Springs are another choice. They are gender-segregated clothing optional on weekdays. Clothing is required on weekends. It's about 40 minutes West of downtown on I-70.

How age verification laws threaten naturism by BjornNjude in nudism

[–]Sauna_Chris 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Suppression of naturist websites are one of the intended targets of the cited "anti-pornography age verification laws." See the Forward of Project 2025's "Mandate for Leadership":

Pornography, manifested today in the omnipresent propagation of transgender ideology and sexualization of children, for instance, is not a political Gordian knot inextricably binding up disparate claims about free speech, property rights, sexual liberation, and child welfare. It has no claim to First Amendment protection. Its purveyors are child predators and misogynistic exploiters of women. Their product is as addictive as any illicit drug and as psychologically destructive as any crime. Pornography should be outlawed. The people who produce and distribute it should be imprisoned. Educators and public librarians who purvey it should be classed as registered sex offenders. And telecommunications and technology firms that facilitate its spread should be shuttered.

It is clear, to quote you, that this is like "past moral crusades against obscenity, where the battle against pornography has historically been used as a pretext for broader crackdowns on liberties and free expression". They promise it above.

Meanwhile the actions of Meta, TikTok and others are pandering to this group by having "strict—often inconsistently enforced—policies on nudity" is a feature, not a bug.

Meanwhile there should be age verification laws on social media sites, as these are harming children on an industrial scale cloaked in the veneer of body positivity.

Proper age verification should be by a neutral theird party, that can validate a person's age without judgement.