Lounging under the stars in the percolating effervescence of a huge, heated thermal pool, we are protected from the elements by walls of natural rocks and boulders at Spa Eastman. There is wind and frost in the air, and a few hardy snowflakes blow about in the rising steam. At the crest of the embankment, a massive bonfire warms us and sends woodsy fragrance our way. Magnificent. If only for this, it was worth the drive on the long and winding road that brought us here from Montreal.
The next morning at breakfast, I have an exciting revelation. It comes in the simple form of poached eggs with spinach and brioche-style kamut bread, softly cloaked in luscious hollandaise sauce. The surprise is in the purity of organic eggs and homegrown spinach, gluten-free bread and dairy-free hollandaise. The taste? Fantastic. I can hardly wait for tomorrow morning to have the same, or maybe a buckwheat crepe with fruit, molasses and cream of soy with almonds.
Inspired, I am ready for a short hike on a woodsy trail, to breathe deeply and clear the lungs of city sludge. I can fill the hours between the highly anticipated meals with the assistance of kinesiologists who evaluate and recommend Pilates classes, cardio-boxing, zumba, essentric workouts, or simply exploring the thermotherapy techniques of contrasting hot and cold baths and the infrared sauna for which Spa Eastman is renowned.