Last weekend Adrian treated me to a spa package in Spa, a small town in Belgium, from which the word originates. To get there, I caught the train through the Ardennes, passing over rivers and watching the spring calves find their legs. I found most of the activity of the town of Spa to be centered around the main road. As it was a beautiful day, most people were eating and drinking out on the terraces of the cafes. While in Leuven, most cafes will proudly display “Stella Artois” signs to advertise their house beer, the most prominent beverage advertising here was that of “Spa water”. Looking down the beverage list, I discovered ten different types of Spa water on offer. I decided on a Spa citron to accompany my Tagliatelles fraîches aux truffes noires.

The town still retains the semblance of a nineteenth century sanatorium, with many couples walking through the classical parks for their daily constitutional. I visited the Museum of Water, finding the most interesting part to be the temporary exhibition of historical advertising posters proclaiming “Eaux minerales ferrugineuses” (iron-rich water), “tir aux pigeons” (shooting pigeons) and “trajet en 7 heures de paris” (journey in 7 hours from Paris). Those who came from France and Spain in their flamboyant costumes to partake in the water from Spa were called bobelins (perhaps derived from the Latin bibelus (heavy drinker)), which I believe now is used in Wallonia to mean “stupid and weird”.

On Sunday I caught my private funicular to the top of the highest hill to visit the Thermes de Spa. Nestled amongst the trees are some very picturesque indoor and outdoor baths. I began my relaxation in the outdoor baths, enjoying the feeling of weightlessness, as well as the contrast between the cooler air and the warm water. Eventually wandering back inside, I enjoyed a bubble bed before drying out in the dark and forest-scented relaxation room. My Spa weekend culminated in a Watsu – a water shiatsu massage. The therapist attached foam to my legs so that I could float effortlessly, and then gently whoosh me through the water while tenderly stretching and relaxing my limbs, leaving me feeling completely relaxed and rejuvenated by my Spa weekend.

On our last full day in Iceland we were given a choice between swimming in 4^oC water or 40^oC water. Adrian chose the former, and headed out to swim in the glacial melt between two tectonic plates in a scuba drysuit. I chose the later, and spent the day in the thermal waters of the Blue Lagoon Spa. Only in Iceland would they think of converting the effluent from a geothermal power plant into a place of relaxation and luxury.

Photo from bartpogoda

As Iceland straddles two tectonic plates, a mixture of sea water and glacial melt comes into contact with volcanic magma, which is then heated and quickly rises towards the surface. The Hitaveita Suðurnesja geothermal power plant opened in 1976, when they drilled 2000 meters to reach 243^oC fluid. Some of this fluid is passed underneath homes and roads to provide heading for 17 000 people. The rest of the fluid is used to drive steam turbines to provide electricity for 45 000 people.

This fluid is then cooled to 37-39^oC water and pumped into a 6 000 000 litre lagoon that is renewed every 40 hours. This fluid contains dissolved primary rocks from the interior mantel of the Earth. It contains 251 mg/kg silica, 7.643 mg/kg sodium, as well as potassium, calcium, magnesium, carbon dioxide, sulphate, chlorine, and fluorine. There are also unique filamentous and coccoid blue green algae that flourish in the warm salty water, giving the lagoon its eerie blue appearance.

The end result is extraordinary – pale blue milky water within jagged jet black lava rocks. The silica in the water coats all the rocks to smooth everything with a while glassy surface. They have buckets of silica mud for DIY facials, as well as a hot waterfall, steam rooms set into a lava cave and a white silica room, a sauna, and shallow areas filled with mud. One can also take a break from the baths and enjoy a light snack while wrapped up in a white robe looking out across the steaming water. I spent the day moving from one thermal activity to another, and left the Blue Lagoon warm to the core, completely relaxed and with glowing skin.

Photo from gudmunda