Pretty Pool Pix (plus attitudes to water: East and West)

As some of you know, my toddling years were spent in SE Asia. And when we returned to England (I was about 5 or 6 years old) I was enrolled at the local village school. When summertime, and thus swimming-time, rolled around, I was so surprised that many of the local British children were frightened of water. How could this be? To me, and my friends and cousins in SE Asia, water was the most brilliant, fun thing around! Because we'd frolicked in it very naturally, all our young lives. 

Water is just not a big deal in the UK. Obviously, this is largely climate-related. It's rare to find swimming pools, because they have to be either heated, and/or indoors (both very expensive). And even when heated, outdoor summer pools can be an inhospitable, toe-numbing endurance test! Except for the very brave, outdoor swimming is also seasonal - maybe 3-4 warmer months per year if you're lucky. Indoor, pay-for, municipal pools are year-round, but are often a noisy, grubby, crowded, chlorine fug; for practical exercise, not relaxation! The concept of being in water plus daily calm or fun, is just not a thing in Britain.

But my love of water hasn't wavered since tropical childhood. Be it the ocean (both on and below the waves now!) or pottering at a man-made pool. It's not just the activities, but also the light, colour and sound of water which are so appealing. And it's great to be back in SE Asia, where so many places have swimming pools. Here are some photos of them I've taken over the months. I haven't swum in all of them! :)

Click Any Photo for Slideshow  

More reading on this Blog:

Beach life in England...

* English-learners: 'pottering' is an informal British English word, meaning 'doing relaxed, insignificant activities' or 'doing nothing in particular'.