The age of long vacations through the developing world seems to have passed for Mike and I. We can’t afford either the expenses or the time, and we feel too old to go to super-hot places in summer, when the kids are off school. Oh well – we had fun while it lasted.
So for the last couple of years we’ve been taking short trips to the wine country. Last year we went to Napa, the Russian River and Mendocino, and this year we went to Sonoma ant the Lake County. I had a great time. Mike less of one as he didn’t really wine taste and had to drive a lot (he’s tired of driving) – but we both, at least, got to relax.
Author: marga (Page 90 of 158)
I know quite a bit about the Bible, having been a consumed Christian in my childhood, but there is always an opportunity to learn something new. This new piece of knowledge came from my friend Lola, a former Egyptian archaeologist, who has been learning about Ancient Rome recently.
As you may remember, the Bible talks mentions that when Jesus was dying on the cross, he was given a sponge with vinegar when he said he was thirsty.
Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:28-30)
At first sight, this seems like an incredibly cruel move, giving vinegar instead of water to a dying man. But it’s even worse than you can imagine. What Lola has discovered was that in the ancient world people used sponges wet with vinegar to wipe their butts. So that the insult given to Jesus was a much greater one than previously imagined.
Anyway, I thought this was an interesting tidbit that is *never* discussed (at least to my knowledge).
I’m not a spa person. Indeed, my first and only experience with a spa took place last year, when Mike and I took a mud bath in Calistoga. Mike wasn’t thrilled with the experience, because the “mud” was actually pit moss, but I found it very relaxing. As I planned our vacation for this year, I wanted to incorporate a spa treatment as well – but I wanted something different. That’s when I came across Osmosis Day Spa and its cedar enzyme baths. I must admit, on the pictures, at least, the enzymes seemed sort of “muddy”. They weren’t, but I had an amazingly relaxing experience – Mike did not.
You start your treatment by changing into robes (you can wear a swimsuit or not, as you like), and then going into a small “tea room”, opened towards its small Japanese garden. Here, drink a nicely blended aromatic tea, while you wait for the baths. The garden itself is very cute, with a little fountain and a bridge, and Mike took delight on watching the very big red dragonfly. I just started to relax.
We seemed to be there for quite a while before we were taken to the room with the cedar bath. The small room has a large “tub”, big enough for two. The attendant has already molded seats into the cedar enzymes, so that you can lay down at an angle and have some back and neck support. You take off your clothing and get in (note, if you are shy, wear a swimsuit, as the attendant is there when you get in and out) – then the attendant pours the warm cedar dust on you.
The substance on which you are “bathing” consists of a mixture of cedar chips, rice bran and plant enzymes. It has the consistency of very fine sawdust. It’s very warm – something I liked, even in a hot morning like that one. You then lay there for 10 to 20 minutes (it seemed more like 10 minutes to me), while the attendant places cold towels on your forehead and gives you sips of water.
The tub is facing a window overlooking their patio, but all you can see from the tub are the top of the trees in the distance – a much nicer view than the one of pipes we had at the mud baths last year.
I found the cedar bath profoundly relaxing. I loved the smell of the cedar and was perfectly comfortable being surrounded by it. Though it was hot, I never got too hot. Mostly, I let my thoughts drift away. My only complaint was that we were not there for longer – five more minutes would have been good.
After the bath, you brush off the excess cedar dust from your body. This is a long and annoying process, as those chips seem to have gotten everywhere. You do this on the patio outside. Afterward, you shower off what remains (they have a combination soap/shampoo – I’d expected something a bit nicer from a spa), and put your robe back on. They then lead you to a room upstairs with two thin mattresses on the floor. You lie on them while you listen to music through headphones. The music in question is supposed to synchronize your brain hemispheres – I kid you not. That new age bullshit does nothing for me, but I found the half an hour I spent lying there, with nothing but the music and my thoughts to be very relaxing as well. Mike, as you could expect, fell asleep.
After that, you change back into your clothing and that’s it. I’d read in their literature that you were invited to visit their Meditation garden – but nobody directed us towards it. Indeed, the attendants sort of disappeared after they left us in the “music” room – I thought they’d at least show up to get a tip.
Our treatment was at 10:30 AM, I did notice that the spa became much busier by the time we left (near 12 AM) – so it may be better to schedule your treatments early in the morning.
In any case, I had a very nice and relaxing time and I’d do it again – albeit, not with Mike, who was just not into it.
Osmosis Day Spa
209 Bohemian Hwy
Freestone, CA
(707) 823-8231
http://www.osmosis.com/
sent to his campaign by e-mail
I’d like Senator Obama to know how disappointed I am about his cowardly vote on the FISA bill. I don’t know if he believes it should be the prerogative of government to illegally spy on its citizens, or if he thought voting for the bill was politically expedient. In any case, I am disgusted at him. Even McCain had the decency to distance himself from that bill.
Why should anyone who believes on the constitution vote for Obama?
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