Sunday, November 23, 2008

Steam baths to waterfall spray...

Today was a wonderful day.

At 9am I went to a Steam Bath treatment. This involved sitting upright in a chamber, locked in, with only your head sticking out. Much like a magicians lovely assistant before she gets sliced into pieces. You sat this way while your chamber filled with steam for about 5 minutes, then you were released and walked to a basin filled with icy cold water and a towel. You took the towel from your right foot up your leg and to you chest, repeated on the left side, then both legs up to your chest, then left the left side again, this time including the arm, then the left side and arm, and finally you open the towel and rinse your back, each time returning the towel to the basin. Then you returned to the chamber for another 5 minutes followed by another rinse with the towel. This water repeated a total of 3 times, on the final rinse they dumped the entire contents of the basin over you. After the 4th session in the chamber you were led to a reclining tile chair, the seat of which was filled with cold water. You sat in the chair rubbing your lower stomach in a clockwise direction (in order to stimulate the bowels), while someone spalshed cold water all over your body. Then you returned for the final steam session after which you were sprayed with ice water shot through a pressure hose as another sort of massage. Then you were done. Afterward I was a little lightheaded and my arms felt like I had spent an hour lifting weights (not that i know what that feels like) but I also felt very rejuvenated...all for $2.75

After breakfast I rented a bike for $5 and rode 20k through a route that passed several waterfalls, ultimately ending at Pailon del Diablo, but not before getting caught in a downpour. Pailon del Diablo was the biggest on the route and in order to see it you had to hike down the mountain. It was really breathtaking and I think I finally realized exactly where I was. It was the ultimate end of my trip.

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