Bathing experiences in Eastern Europe don't always go smoothly; I was glad to confirm I'm not the only one who thinks so.
Just after I mentioned Pology, one of the nicest looking online travel mags around; and we discussed bathing in Europe, the current issue of Pology features a great story on the Sandunovsky Baths in Moscow. Following the ups and downs of an experience in this famous Russian spa reminded me very much of my most recent trip to Russia: I wanted to take my mother to a beautiful bathing spot (I had visions of somewhere like the Gellert Baths in my head, after reading the guidebook) - but we too found that the cathedral-like marble halls of water were only for the men. My Mum's basic knowledge of Russian seemed to establish that we'd just been unlucky - possibly, that the locations change daily, and we'd just been one day out. Just the same, the experience of being involved with dozens of naked Babushkas flailing birch sticks around has definitely stuck in our heads: a travel moment you can't get by staying at home.
