Cultural Differences at Hillcrest Pool?

What a great pool! If you haven't been there yet, Hillcrest Pool is across from Nat Baily Stadium at the bottom of Queen Elizabeth Park. I've attended both the deep water and the shallow water aquafit classes and what a fun workout! You can really make it as intense as you like; but you have to follow the instructor, not other participants, most are very elderly and don't seem to be moving much. As a 37 year old new mother, I wanna move! Out of my way ladies, make some waves! :)

The facilities are excellent, the change rooms clean and easy to use. There is even a baby cot, so you can have your wee one with you while you change. After the class, I like to lounge in the hot tub, capacity 70 people! What a great way to soak the Mommy arm and back aches.

There are some funny cultural differences in public pool behavior that need some getting used to. I don't know about the men's changing room, but some Asian ladies like to put their leg up and scrub their privates very vigorously, which, to me looks a bit painful. Personally, I like to treat my lady parts with tender care, it's not like I'm out working the farms with no pants on. I don't know, it bothers me to see this. What ever happened to "When in Rome, do like Romans do."? I've never seen non-Asians do that. I don't really feel comfortable saying to the lady across from me in the showers, "Uh, would you mind scrubbing at home?". It would be funny if suddenly there was a sign on the wall with a sticklady with her leg up in the shower saying: "Please no vigorous scrubbing of vagina in public showers."

I've also noticed signs up asking swimmers not to spit in the water?!!! I don't remember ever seeing this before at public pools. Is this a new thing? Hoarking phlegm in the water, yum! Isn't it obvious that one should consider the others when cleaning the pipes? Do we need a sign to remind us? Scary-weird. I've had friends tell me that they don't go to certain pools because the spitting is too prevalent.

One day I arrived in the changing room and saw a lady sitting on the bench cutting her toenails. The nail bits were flying all over the floor. I couldn't handle it and whispered to her: "You're going to pick those up, right? There are people here walking around bare foot. Maybe you should do that at home." Now, she happens to be Asian as well. I've never been to public pools in Asia, so I don't know. Is that normal? Are pools there more like private bathrooms there? Would someone please enlighten me? Is this common practice or just bad behavior by a few?