Today, I went on an excursion with five girls and the priest from l’Aumonerie to visit St. Maurice, the oldest abbey in the world. It was built in the early 500s, and there are still remnants of the original framework of the building. Giovanni, the priest, gave us a private tour of the monastery, showing us the sleeping quarters, the tunnel with the water source that flows under your feet, the old crypts and frescas, and some prized treasures – chests of gold, silver, and gems, intricate bronze crosses, statues, and figurines. The rooms were rich with history and character, and he gave us a wonderfully detailed description of the significance of each religious symbol that graced the monastery. For instance, you often see two doves drinking from the same source of water and a serpent that wraps around the perimeter of the birds but cannot access the source. This signifies a closeness with God and is used many times in religious artwork from the Middle Ages. The Tree of Life also plays an important role in religious relics, as it is even incorporated in some drawings of the crucifix. The square crucifix with the clover-shaped ends is characteristic of the Tree of Life. You can see this style of artwork in chandeliers, columns, paintings, and mosaics. 
After having eaten lunch in the monastery, we took a lovely walk along the Rhone and profited from the beautiful autumn colors and the vast mountain. We finally reached the thermal baths after our hike, which are therapeutic outdoor pools that receive water from a natural underground source. Since the water is from a natural source, it is full of minerals that are excellent for the skin and aid in removing the everyday toxins that our bodies absorb from daily pollution. The source provides water at about 65-70 oC (149 - 158 oF), and the bathing facility must cool off the water before it is cool enough for human skin (the water was at least 80 oF when we were swimming). It is quite a sight during night time, because it was about 40 oF outside and you could see the steam rising from the pools into the night sky. They had water jets in the pool where you could lay down and the bubbles would massage your whole body. There were also Jacuzzi areas, jets of water for the back, the head, the feet, the legs, etc. They also had a giant cascade of water (like a mushroom) where you could go under and surround yourself with the sound of the waterfall. The favorite activity was the whirlpool, where a current of water would push you in a circle along a wall, and we played many games here – holding onto the railing and resisting the current, traversing the pool with our feet on the walls and our backs to the center, jumping over each other, doing flips, and jumping up and down as the current carried us round and round. It was the most fantastic sensation to be immersed in the warm water and then to jump high into the cold air.
In addition to the outdoor facilities, they had wonderful saunas and relaxation rooms. The first one we visited was a Turkish hamam, which is a wet sauna filled with the smell of essential oils – it is heated to about 60 oC (140 oF)with so much humidity that you cannot see the person sitting next to you. It is basically like sitting in a cup of chamomile or jasmine tea. You walk in and can barely breathe, and there is a small fountain in the center where you can drink cold water. You then sit on the bench and let the oils penetrate your senses and your skin; I have to say that this provided the perfect atmosphere for meditation and reflection. It is the combination of a tropical rainforest and the continuous burning of incense. The scent of the oils takes over your olfactory senses and forces you to really concentrate on taking full breaths. Ten minutes in the hamam, and you feel rejuvenated and detoxified.
Afterwards, we went into two different saunas – the first was heated to 85 oC (185 oF), which was very very hot, and they had different oils permeating the room. The next sauna was 30 degrees cooler, but still pretty hot. (If you spend too much time in these saunas, you start to cook like a pizza.) Because it is important not to overheat the body, they have showers and a pool where you plunge into cold water (about 10 oC - 50 oF - or so). They also have what is called a “nuit polaire,” where you put on these plastic sandals and walk into a room dripping with ice and snow. You can throw snowballs and drink fresh, cold water. The facility also provides relaxation rooms with different types of lighting; one room uses only white light with a gradual change to red, yellow, green, and blue, depending on the timer. There is also relaxing music and an explanation of the colors and how they affect the body. After that, there is a blacklight room where you lay on beach cots and listen to more relaxing music. Overall, the cost is about 20-25 CHF for 3 hours of massages, swimming, therapeutic lighting, and saunas with essential oils. I think I am ready to take my exam on Monday after having completely eliminated my stress. What an excellent end to the day.
After having eaten lunch in the monastery, we took a lovely walk along the Rhone and profited from the beautiful autumn colors and the vast mountain. We finally reached the thermal baths after our hike, which are therapeutic outdoor pools that receive water from a natural underground source. Since the water is from a natural source, it is full of minerals that are excellent for the skin and aid in removing the everyday toxins that our bodies absorb from daily pollution. The source provides water at about 65-70 oC (149 - 158 oF), and the bathing facility must cool off the water before it is cool enough for human skin (the water was at least 80 oF when we were swimming). It is quite a sight during night time, because it was about 40 oF outside and you could see the steam rising from the pools into the night sky. They had water jets in the pool where you could lay down and the bubbles would massage your whole body. There were also Jacuzzi areas, jets of water for the back, the head, the feet, the legs, etc. They also had a giant cascade of water (like a mushroom) where you could go under and surround yourself with the sound of the waterfall. The favorite activity was the whirlpool, where a current of water would push you in a circle along a wall, and we played many games here – holding onto the railing and resisting the current, traversing the pool with our feet on the walls and our backs to the center, jumping over each other, doing flips, and jumping up and down as the current carried us round and round. It was the most fantastic sensation to be immersed in the warm water and then to jump high into the cold air.
In addition to the outdoor facilities, they had wonderful saunas and relaxation rooms. The first one we visited was a Turkish hamam, which is a wet sauna filled with the smell of essential oils – it is heated to about 60 oC (140 oF)with so much humidity that you cannot see the person sitting next to you. It is basically like sitting in a cup of chamomile or jasmine tea. You walk in and can barely breathe, and there is a small fountain in the center where you can drink cold water. You then sit on the bench and let the oils penetrate your senses and your skin; I have to say that this provided the perfect atmosphere for meditation and reflection. It is the combination of a tropical rainforest and the continuous burning of incense. The scent of the oils takes over your olfactory senses and forces you to really concentrate on taking full breaths. Ten minutes in the hamam, and you feel rejuvenated and detoxified.
Afterwards, we went into two different saunas – the first was heated to 85 oC (185 oF), which was very very hot, and they had different oils permeating the room. The next sauna was 30 degrees cooler, but still pretty hot. (If you spend too much time in these saunas, you start to cook like a pizza.) Because it is important not to overheat the body, they have showers and a pool where you plunge into cold water (about 10 oC - 50 oF - or so). They also have what is called a “nuit polaire,” where you put on these plastic sandals and walk into a room dripping with ice and snow. You can throw snowballs and drink fresh, cold water. The facility also provides relaxation rooms with different types of lighting; one room uses only white light with a gradual change to red, yellow, green, and blue, depending on the timer. There is also relaxing music and an explanation of the colors and how they affect the body. After that, there is a blacklight room where you lay on beach cots and listen to more relaxing music. Overall, the cost is about 20-25 CHF for 3 hours of massages, swimming, therapeutic lighting, and saunas with essential oils. I think I am ready to take my exam on Monday after having completely eliminated my stress. What an excellent end to the day.
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