Starting to Wind Down....Sort Of
Last full day of vacation:
There is nothing that demonstrates the difference between the American and European mindframe than the hours of the hotel fitness center. In the United States, if a hotel gym isn't open 24 hours a day, it's usually pretty darn close. They recognize that many who regularly workout want to accomplish this task prior to the beginning of their work day while others enjoy a run or weightlifting after a long day of wheeling and dealing. Thus, providing flexible fitness center hours makes for happy guests.
This is not the case here in Croatia. At home, Bob and I are regular morning attendees at our local gym and similarly when we travel, we like to get up early, workout and then begin the day. Here, no fitness center opened before 8 am. This was less of a problem for me because on hiking days, I was saving all my strength and energy for whatever Kilimanjaro-like mountain layed ahead of me that day but for Bob, this became an issue.
On one morning when we were beginning our hike a little later than the crack of dawn, we decided to ask if we could use the gym prior to its opening. We went to the front desk, made our request and the hotel clerk made such a face that you would think we were speaking another language--which in theory, we were, figuratively and literally.
She said that no one had the key except house cleaning and they wouldn't be in for another hour. I had to tamp down my American crazy, because I found this hard to believe that no nighttime staff had a master key to everything--even the fitness center. What could be in there that only a few lucky people had acces to the treasures? A couple of dumbells or a few sweaty mats? Bob did not tamp down his crazy, and persisted in his efforts to convince her to open early. Ultimately, she agreed--probably to get rid of him.
The opening time however, pales in comparison to the gym rules. In the United States, they are based exclusively on the overarching goal to avoid litigation, such as "No one under 16 should use equipment without an adult present," or "Use equipment at your own risk." In Croatia, the rules are far more personal. In our hotel in Split, such rules included (these are exact quotes):
"Wear clean clothes and shoes during workout,"
"Do not stare the others and do not yell,"
"The gym is a place for a workout and not for a stroll and we are asking you kindly not to do workout without clothes on or semi-dressed,"
"Use deodorant" (my personal favorite), and last, but not least, Bob's favorite,
"Be decisive and do the workout regularly."
Happily, no one monitored our compliance with the rules, which is a good thing because we violated a few......
On to Frankfurt today and home tomorrow!!
There is nothing that demonstrates the difference between the American and European mindframe than the hours of the hotel fitness center. In the United States, if a hotel gym isn't open 24 hours a day, it's usually pretty darn close. They recognize that many who regularly workout want to accomplish this task prior to the beginning of their work day while others enjoy a run or weightlifting after a long day of wheeling and dealing. Thus, providing flexible fitness center hours makes for happy guests.
This is not the case here in Croatia. At home, Bob and I are regular morning attendees at our local gym and similarly when we travel, we like to get up early, workout and then begin the day. Here, no fitness center opened before 8 am. This was less of a problem for me because on hiking days, I was saving all my strength and energy for whatever Kilimanjaro-like mountain layed ahead of me that day but for Bob, this became an issue.
On one morning when we were beginning our hike a little later than the crack of dawn, we decided to ask if we could use the gym prior to its opening. We went to the front desk, made our request and the hotel clerk made such a face that you would think we were speaking another language--which in theory, we were, figuratively and literally.
She said that no one had the key except house cleaning and they wouldn't be in for another hour. I had to tamp down my American crazy, because I found this hard to believe that no nighttime staff had a master key to everything--even the fitness center. What could be in there that only a few lucky people had acces to the treasures? A couple of dumbells or a few sweaty mats? Bob did not tamp down his crazy, and persisted in his efforts to convince her to open early. Ultimately, she agreed--probably to get rid of him.
The opening time however, pales in comparison to the gym rules. In the United States, they are based exclusively on the overarching goal to avoid litigation, such as "No one under 16 should use equipment without an adult present," or "Use equipment at your own risk." In Croatia, the rules are far more personal. In our hotel in Split, such rules included (these are exact quotes):
"Wear clean clothes and shoes during workout,"
"Do not stare the others and do not yell,"
"The gym is a place for a workout and not for a stroll and we are asking you kindly not to do workout without clothes on or semi-dressed,"
"Use deodorant" (my personal favorite), and last, but not least, Bob's favorite,
"Be decisive and do the workout regularly."
Happily, no one monitored our compliance with the rules, which is a good thing because we violated a few......
On to Frankfurt today and home tomorrow!!
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