Monday: Nordic Spa

When our trip to the Azores was cancelled due to storms, Don worked hard to find a way to enjoy the highlights of what we would have done. His top priority was finding hot springs within driving distance of home. 

The result: the Nordic Spa in Chelsea. 

I have no idea why it took a Google search to find out this oasis exists. Last summer we spontaneously ate dinner around the corner from the spa. On this trip, everyone we spoke to about it starting with the border control agent to our front desk to random strangers all knew about it. It is a mere fifteen minute drive from Parliament Hill.

Unsure how long to allow, we asked said strangers for advice. The time to allow ranged from a couple of hours to six hours. We knew we wanted to be there after dark to look for stars. 

We ended up spending 7 1/2 hours at the spa.

The spa is $99CAD ($75) plus tax. There are timed entrances, but once in you can stay as long as you want. The price includes locker, towel, and bathrobe. Unlike others we have been to, this was for adults only.

It is a cell phone free spa, unlike the one we went to outside Melbourne, hence no pictures inside the spa.

We spent much of our time comparing the experience to Melbourne's Peninsula Hot Springs. To be honest, nothing will ever be able to compare with that experience. Last year I went to one in Spa, Belgium. A decade ago we went to a Laugarvatn Fontana geothermal spa and the famous Blue Lagoon in Iceland with Ashley a decade ago, but the one in Melbourne felt magical. It was much larger than either geothermal spas in Iceland, and much less touristic. We met people from around the globe. That day felt we were disconnected from earth as we hopped from pool to pool, each one with its own personality, with a gentle breeze and birds singing. The one in Melbourne felt more natural. The one in Ottawa felt forced.

Someone described the Nordic Spa as a garden spa, a phrase we will have to search on in the future. We wanted a geothermal spa like in Melbourne, versus one that focuses on massages and mud baths.

Who knew there were so many different types of spas? 

The Nordic Spa boasted several types of saunas: Aromatic (the coolest spa), Finnish, Meditative, Turkish, Telluric, Intense Heat (up to 212 degrees Farenheit), Ritual (with shows several times a day), and Steam.

Discovery Arboreal Treatment: sage and peppermint reminded us of the Native American smudging ceremonies. This was one of the ritual steam baths. It filled up quickly and we ended up near the top, a rookie mistake as the heat rises. I lasted less than half of the 16 minute program.

There was also a towel dance in an Artisan Meditative program that was shorter than the discovery arboreal treatment we went to. Our artisan danced to Billy Joel's Vienna and something calmer. I thought of Aimee as she wielded her stiff towel as if it was a flag.

Some of the areas were deemed silent, others social. I enjoyed the silent ones when my inner librarian could shush people who dared to talk. The panoramic area with views of nearby Ottawa were social. They were a reminder that we were not that far away from the capitol. 

We need not see nearly as many stars as we expected.

It was odd eating dinner wearing only a bathing suit and a robe. Even odder that everyone else was doing it, yet the servers were dressed in street clothes. By odd, I mean uncomfortable. We were allowed to stay as late as we wanted, but once we changed and returned to our cars our time was up. Fortunately the food was not overpriced. In addition to a sit down restaurant, they have a couple of bars serving a limited menu. 

I was surprised by the amount of alcohol in the hot tubs. The combination felt unsafe. The drinkware looked like glass, but was nice plastic. Everything I read says drinking alcohol in a hot tub is a bad idea. I'm surprised there were not warnings to that effect.

We noticed some international people, but did not talk to as many people as we did in Melbourne. Either the vibe of the place was different, or my personal vibe was different. With all that had happened that month, I wasn't interested in talking to people. Though I did talk to a few Ironmen athletes. I asked them how they did. The fast ones said the rain did not impact them (it didn't start until 3), the slow ones said it did, but they enjoyed themselves anyway. 

The people enjoying the spa were vastly white. Only a few Black people, and even fewer Asians. There was a wide variety of ages from barely 18 to much older than us. Don later commented that explains why the white woman working at our hotel raved about the place, but her Black colleague gave a much more tepid response. I thought it was a female vs. male response, but race is also a huge factor.

The spa offered many places to simply relax. Chaises. Hammocks. Giant swings. Shady spots. Sunny spots. Inside. Outside. A wide variety. Though cell phones were not allowed, e-readers are encouraged. Many people brought books. I'll bring a book next time, but maybe not a library book in case it gets wet. I did see one person hover around the pocket of her robe looking at her cell phone. I was glad to leave mine in the locker. Even happier that at the end of the day there were no crises from the outside world. It was as if they knew I needed a break.

Don brought an underwater camera with him, but we forgot to use it. It would have been fun to have a couple of pictures from inside the spa.

I did ask a couple of people what the place is like in other season. I've heard it is more popular in the winter than in the summer. We heard raves about going in the winter. Staff is more on top of swapping robes and towels so you don't freeze to yours. They come around with hot drinks. Plus, you can see the steam coming off the water. I think we are going to aim for late fall rather than deep winter. If it happens, I'll write about it.

The biggest question people asked us: why Ottawa?

Though I love Ontario, it was a consolation prize from the Azores.