|
Thirty
naked Germans wearing nothing more than red Santa Claus
caps leapt into a Berlin lake for their annual Christmas
Day swim which they believe is good for their health. The
nude men and women, between the ages of 25 and 73, spent
up to about five minutes in Berlin's Oranke lake, where
temperatures were 34 F.
Members
of the club known as the "Berlin Seals" train year-round
for the cold water Christmas swim and they believe the dips
help them avoid illnesses. The tradition dates back to at
least 1980. The swimmers -- outnumbered by media photographers
drawn to the annual event -- built up their courage for
the dip by singing Christmas carols and sipping mulled wine.
|