It is not that difficult, really.
Author Michele Hartley on About.com provided a nice overview on German nudist attitudes here in the article "Nude in Germany - German Nudists Bare All".
Here's some of the key points relevant to Nudist Beginnings readers:
"Nudism in Germany is not shocking, it is daily life. German nudists are everyday people like you and me. The first documented nudist camp was established just outside of Hamburg in 1904 by Paul Zimmerman,..." (Michele Hartley via About.com)That's so different from the United States nudist experience where nudism has growing acceptance but is still considered strange by many. Most American nudists keep their nudism private from coworkers and even family.
"Freikörperkultur (free body culture or FKK for short) has a huge following with campsites and vacations spots for the entire family. Germans don't mind nudity. It is accepted and sometimes expected, as in most saunas, where bathing suits are generally verboten or at least looked upon as an oddity." (Michele Hartley via About.com)It sure seems that Germany is a different way of life when it comes to body acceptance and freedom. According to Hartley, anyone can be clothesfree and not have to worry about being judged.
"Sunbathing in the nude is commonplace in the major city parks around Germany (including Berlin) and the beaches are very often clothing optional. Whole families (from Grandma down to toddler) frolic on the beaches naked." (Michele Hartley via About.com)Sure makes me want to consider visiting Germany someday. I'll certainly be looking into it further and reporting more here and on my nudist travel blog.
In this fun video segment, HamptonRoads.tv's Brian J. Clark goes to an American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) nudist conference. The event talks place at Whitetail Resort in Ivor, Virgina. See what the resort and a nudist conference are like.
Watch video
(Give it a few to load.)
This video provides a brief introduction to nudism and explains what nudists do while at a nudist destination.
The speaker asks questions about the nudist lifestyle to an American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) representative.
The video mentions AANR's 50,000 members.
50,000 is just the tip of the iceberg. Think of all the people in the US who are not members, either because of lack of awareness or interest in joining an organization.
Looking at the number of people at nudist beaches, there must be a significant number of people who enjoy the clothes-free outdoors regularly.
Of course "first-time" is a misnomer. If you can read this, you were probably born nude.
Hearing real stories about first-time experiences with nudism is both entertaining and a great first step for those interested in trying nudism.
Though second nature in many European countries and other parts of the world, trying nudism takes a lot of courage given the historical misperceptions in American culture. Reading real stories exposes the truth about the freedom of being naked outdoors.
This 14-page forum thread provides many insights into first-time nudist experiences, from experiences at resorts and beaches to how significant others react to their first-time.
View the post.
Nudist Day had an interesting post about a new South African nude safari and this should be very exciting news for nudist travelers!
At 95 sq. miles, Kudumanzi Nudist EcoPark is the largest nudist resort in the world! To walk across the property would take weeks. In reality, the accommodations are limited - only room enough for 16 or so people, but who can complain on nude safari.
The wilderness here is really wild. According to the Kudumanzi Nudist EcoPark website, wildlife includes the animals you'd only see in zoos in the United States: giraffes, kudus, rooiboks, zebras, crocodiles and all kinds of exotic birds. Visitors may even see cheetahs, but don't let the cheetah see you!
As stated on the website: "The area is also completely malaria free!" Nice! Nobody wants to catch malaria while naked on a safari.
More about the park:
"The NudistEcoPark™ is located in a protected Game Farm and Ecosystem and provides a perfect backdrop for Naturist and Nudist activities. It is also totally secluded and private, and will allow you unfettered nude roaming of a large Game Farm type environment." (Source: Kudumanzi Nudist EcoPark website)