Friday, July 12, 2013

A Day at the Spa in Norway

Okay so today I was in the spa having just gotten my assigned locker key, slippers and robe as I was told to go down the candle-lit hallway and turn right to enter the women’s dressing area to disrobe. I walked slowly down the hall enjoying the aromatic scents of candles and oils in the spa. I turned right as instructed and saw a wall of frosted glass. I did not see a door. I did not see a door bell. I did not see a door handle. I did not see a door knob. I simply saw a wall of frosted glass.

Since my Norwegian is rusty <<wink>> I thought I should just keep looking rather than go back to the front desk and ask. I looked and looked and saw no way in. I slowly stepped closer to the frosted glass wall to see a sheet of frosted glass glide open before me. Viola! I had a tiny little celebration in my head as I strode proudly into the dressing room.

I got undressed and put the assigned robe on and then put all my belongings into the assigned locker. I locked the locker with my assigned key and proceeded out of the magic wall of frosted glass. I sat briefly in the hallway of candles and oils awaiting Sylvia, my assigned esthetician. Sylvia approached me with a saunter and a most beautiful smile and then she proceeded to whisper my name softly in the hallway. I have never heard my name expressed in such an emotive manner before. I nodded yes and followed Sylvia into the special room where she would be giving me my facial. She went through all the rigors an esthetician goes through to prepare herself and then my face, for what was to come. Turns out what was to come was one of the most relaxing facials I have ever gotten. I felt almost drunk as she massaged my neck and shoulders, my head and ears. As the mask worked its magic on my skin, Sylvia worked hers on my muscles.

I actually became so relaxed that she said, “I do not have another client after you so feel free to enjoy your time in this room – and she exited.” Well, well, well, little did Sylvia know that I and my sleep-deprived body and mind would take her offer to heart. I fell asleep.

I was awakened by a knock on the door. It was Sylvia asking me if I was ready to leave. Ooops.

I slowly got up from the table and put the robe back on. I walked down the long candle-lit hallway to the magic wall of frosted glass. The wall opened before me and I proceeded to the showers – which by the way, have no curtains.

As I am taking my long, hot shower, a woman enters my shower and through the steam I see it is Sylvia. She is crying out, “Madam, you have left your towel and your glasses in my room.”

Well, good thing I am a confident healthy girl because that might have made for an uncomfortable moment for some. As the hot water pours over me, I ask Sylvia to simply put my towel and glasses on the seat in the dressing area and I will get them after I am done with my shower.

So at this stage I am feeling quite relaxed and most at peace. Everything is right with the world. This facial and my nap, not to mention the long rest with the lavender mask have changed the course of my life. I kid you not...at that point, I was feeling totally one with the world.

I slowly dry off and dress in a state of dissociation from reality as I saunter down the candle-lit hallway smelling the most powerful aromatic candles and oils.

As I reach the end of the hallway I see a frosted glass wall and I stride briskly, confidently, and intently toward it to exit. BAM! I am talking a POW!, ZOWIE!, BLAMO! kind of BAM!

I ran smack-dab, face-first into a not-so-magic wall of frosted glass only to learn that the CLEAR glass wall at THIS end of the hallway is the exit.

My pug nose gets the hit worst of all, even though the pain is amply shared by my forehead and chin. Yes, SPLAT into the frosted glass my newly minted face went. Needless to say, I was awake for the first time in days. Nothing like a little embarrassing comic relief accompanied by serious to severe pain to wake a girl who hasn’t slept for days (and to keep her ego in check I might add).