An entry in the TFS Travel Journal
(the day of rest)
We’re getting better at this travelling stuff; today was a designated day of leisure. (we slept great here, though we were awakened by a brief, but incredibly violent thunderstorm) We stayed in our room and on our deck (this hotel belongs in New Orleans — it’s a 3-story dull-red-brick building with much white trim and small balconies) reading until around 1:30 pm when we walked into town for lunch.
It was, as usual, hot and humid, so after seeing what the town had to offer, we went into the only air conditioned place and sat at the bar having a beer and tomato juice and watching the Belgian Grand Prix (which was really captivating the bartender) until we’d cooled off. We then went to a place that had a big rotisserie chicken thing out front, and had a chicken w/fries and a hamburger w/fries (meanwhile, everyone working there was also captivated by the Grand Prix — yawn). The chicken was pretty good, the hamburger was ok, though its content was a definite mystery.
We eased back to the hotel, enjoying an ice cream en route. Soon it was time to leave for our massages and facials. This spa is evidently a tremendous success, judging by its crowds (who go primarily for the network of pools, we think), but we were far from impressed. When, at 4:30, Milton asked where to go for his 4:30 massage, he was told that we had to shower first. When we said we had just showered in the hotel before driving over, the woman said that was their rule and then wouldn’t tell us where the massage was. Finally, she just walked away, and the manager appeared and was pleasant and helpful. Wendy, however, despite being assured of ready assistance, then wandered for 20 minutes through their steamy, sweltering labrynth before arriving at her destination. The massages were fine but brief, and the facials were quite nice, but it was all in such steamy settings that it was more debilitating than relaxing.
We returned home, luxuriating in the all-powerful air conditioning of the car for the 8-minute ride, and asked about room service. Of course, we were told NO. We then called the restaurant from the room and said plaintively that all we wanted was a salad and some cold vegetables; they obliged with a delicious salad and some rolls. We were then blessed with some nice breezes accompanyed by a heavy downpour which cooled things marginally. We continued relaxing and called it a night.