A massage would be relaxing
I have spent the entire day, or at least a good portion of it, getting my hot-stone treatment at our local thermae spa in bath.
I went for the first time back in July for my birthday with kB, and now we both thought it would be a nice pre-christmas present to go again during my week off on annual leave.
So we did.
Of course this was the same time that the snow weather comes to britain and the temp gauge in my car doesn't climb above 1 degree. I was hoping the whole thing wouldn't have to be canceled due to weather but as the 'snow storms from hell' didn't materialise I crawled over to kB's and we set off on schedule.
It was good we were delayed as in effect the weather conditions were not very conducive for window shopping. Window shivering maybe! But we arrived at 09.55 and nipped to the spa to begin 6 hours of pampering.
I tell you the rooftop pool (spa's set over 5 floors) was amazing. Given the temperature of the air (probably in minus figures after you factor in the wind-chill) to swim in a heated pool and look out over Bath and chat about stuff was the best.
We had this joke about the Bath snow, how it's regulated under the 'Bath shield' so that all you get is a picture-postcard dusting of the stuff, perfect for the photographs and postcards of the place. You aren't saddled with tons of the stuff that causes chaos. We reckoned it was rich person's snow, affluent snow, WASP snow!
For those not in the loop, Bath is a city which is EXTREMELY affluent. We always joke at how anyone not earning 40,000 a year needs either a day-pass or a special permit to live/visit it. Otherwise you get arrested. It's kinda like a rich ghetto.
We then relocated (quickly cos it's outdoors and frigidly cold!) to the steam pods. Big pods like sci-fi fusion reactors. Of the 4 pods 1 was offline but the other 3 were working and we got very hot and talked about everything some more. And made comments on the other bathers some of whom were very annoying/rich/pampered/clueless/all of the above.
The only down-point of the trip was the timing. We had our first treatment at 13.15 but we had to squeeze in lunch beforehand and with the time 11.30 we couldn't figure out what to do. Lunch started at noon so we decided to have another steam session, come back and have lunch (lovely food, healthy and accompanying jasmine tea!) and then relax in the underground pool before our treatment.
Kraxon stove is its name, basically they seal you in a 1 man booth and pump in hot air over hay to detox your skin. It's German apparently, me and kB had a good laugh about that one; Germans pumping hot air into enclosed spaces. You had to be there.
They then take you to recover on a special lounger section with free herbal tea and big cuddly throw-blankets. After you have we returned to have the main treatment. 80 minutes long (apparently) and involving hot stones, oil, facial, head massage, and body massage of your choice. I chose to have my back and right shoulder worked on.
The lady in question was great, I actually fell asleep halfway through and she had to gently shake me to tell me to turn over onto my belly! Then she worked my back with a mix of oil, hot stone and massage. My back feels so nice as I type this! I really, really don't want to shower even though my hair has more oil in it than a used chip-pan.
Afterwards they take you back to the loungers to slump for a while longer then we have to return to normality and get dressed and go. 6 hours have gone in an instant. Expensive day but soooooooooo worth it.
After we left, back in the bitter cold, we nipped to Cafe Rouge and had tea before getting the bus back to the carpark and back to Bristol.
I so wish I could do this every day! Be a lady of leisure and have treatments. They are soooooooooo enjoyable!!!
I'm now planning what I want to try in 2011.
I went for the first time back in July for my birthday with kB, and now we both thought it would be a nice pre-christmas present to go again during my week off on annual leave.
So we did.
Of course this was the same time that the snow weather comes to britain and the temp gauge in my car doesn't climb above 1 degree. I was hoping the whole thing wouldn't have to be canceled due to weather but as the 'snow storms from hell' didn't materialise I crawled over to kB's and we set off on schedule.
It was good we were delayed as in effect the weather conditions were not very conducive for window shopping. Window shivering maybe! But we arrived at 09.55 and nipped to the spa to begin 6 hours of pampering.
I tell you the rooftop pool (spa's set over 5 floors) was amazing. Given the temperature of the air (probably in minus figures after you factor in the wind-chill) to swim in a heated pool and look out over Bath and chat about stuff was the best.
We had this joke about the Bath snow, how it's regulated under the 'Bath shield' so that all you get is a picture-postcard dusting of the stuff, perfect for the photographs and postcards of the place. You aren't saddled with tons of the stuff that causes chaos. We reckoned it was rich person's snow, affluent snow, WASP snow!
For those not in the loop, Bath is a city which is EXTREMELY affluent. We always joke at how anyone not earning 40,000 a year needs either a day-pass or a special permit to live/visit it. Otherwise you get arrested. It's kinda like a rich ghetto.
We then relocated (quickly cos it's outdoors and frigidly cold!) to the steam pods. Big pods like sci-fi fusion reactors. Of the 4 pods 1 was offline but the other 3 were working and we got very hot and talked about everything some more. And made comments on the other bathers some of whom were very annoying/rich/pampered/clueless/all of the above.
The only down-point of the trip was the timing. We had our first treatment at 13.15 but we had to squeeze in lunch beforehand and with the time 11.30 we couldn't figure out what to do. Lunch started at noon so we decided to have another steam session, come back and have lunch (lovely food, healthy and accompanying jasmine tea!) and then relax in the underground pool before our treatment.
Kraxon stove is its name, basically they seal you in a 1 man booth and pump in hot air over hay to detox your skin. It's German apparently, me and kB had a good laugh about that one; Germans pumping hot air into enclosed spaces. You had to be there.
They then take you to recover on a special lounger section with free herbal tea and big cuddly throw-blankets. After you have we returned to have the main treatment. 80 minutes long (apparently) and involving hot stones, oil, facial, head massage, and body massage of your choice. I chose to have my back and right shoulder worked on.
The lady in question was great, I actually fell asleep halfway through and she had to gently shake me to tell me to turn over onto my belly! Then she worked my back with a mix of oil, hot stone and massage. My back feels so nice as I type this! I really, really don't want to shower even though my hair has more oil in it than a used chip-pan.
Afterwards they take you back to the loungers to slump for a while longer then we have to return to normality and get dressed and go. 6 hours have gone in an instant. Expensive day but soooooooooo worth it.
After we left, back in the bitter cold, we nipped to Cafe Rouge and had tea before getting the bus back to the carpark and back to Bristol.
I so wish I could do this every day! Be a lady of leisure and have treatments. They are soooooooooo enjoyable!!!
I'm now planning what I want to try in 2011.