Unexpected Beauty

“Bliss” is the perfect word to describe Susan McKee’s trip to the Oberoi Resort on Mauritius as she depicts in her article, ”Delicious Mauritius: Sugar Plums and Coconut Therapy.” The perfect get-away for the ladies and relieve some stress. As McKee mentions, this trip will help you escape from reality, thanks to the atmosphere and location.

It must have been the coconut. After the most delicious massage I’ve ever enjoyed, I awoke covered with curly white aromatic shavings like a giant macaroon.I had fallen asleep as my petite masseuse administered the “paillasson” at the spa in the Oberoi Resort on Mauritius. The therapy involved the entire coconut -- first, a full body scrub with the husk, then a peeling with the soft, white interior and finally, a rub with scented oil.

Mauritius is all about retreating from reality. First of all, it’s an island nation -- one of those places that will cause your friends to stare at you blankly as they try to place it on the globe. (Hint: look for a small island that’s south of the equator and east of Africa.) Nobody from back home is likely to run across you accidentally when you’re surrounded by the Indian Ocean!

Flowers are everywhere on the island: frangipani, bougainvillea, jacaranda, orchids, hibiscus, anthurium. Every time I returned to my room at the Oberoi Resort, the maid had rearranged the towels and folded the clothing I’d discarded on the rattan couch -- then carefully placed fresh flower blossoms in the folds.

Expeditions around the island are many and varied. I enjoyed an afternoon at Pamplemousses gardens, had lunch barbecued by my captain on a boat trip to a picturesque cove, drove a bit along the Tea Route, visited a sugar plantation and took an underwater trip on a mini submarine. The island is volcanic, so the topography is varied. There are steep jagged peaks inland and deep gorges with plummeting waterfalls. At Black River Gorge National Park, the resident monkeys begged treats from visitors.

Spa Relaxation In Las Vegas

When you think of Las Vegas, you don’t necessarily think of relaxing in regards to spas, but Kelly Westhoff in her article, “Las Vegas Spas: Why Gamble When You Can Relax,” gives detailed information of the spas, the best places to go, and the surprising relaxing day you can get while in the city of sin. A good, traditional thought Kelly Westhoff made in her article was that Las Vegas was “accustomed to breaking humans down than putting them back together.” A very true, and expected act of Las Vegas, but in this article we learn differently.

I was surprised, though, by just how many spa experiences I had to choose from. For example, upon checking in to my suite at the Palazzo, I found a 30-page spa menu waiting for me in my room. The menu listed fitness classes and beauty services available at the Canyon Ranch Spa inside the hotel.I could have signed up for a Pilates class or a rock-climbing session. I could have analyzed my body fat, met with a nutritionist or ordered a gourmet lunch at the spa café.

The women’s locker room was more than I imagined. It was spotless and decluttered. Gentle sounds of a bubbling brook piped in overhead. Beyond the lockers were private showers plus sink space with lotions, deodorants and hair dryers. As soon as I saw the lounge, I wished I’d arrived sooner. The lighting was soft. The walls, carpet and furniture were various shades of chocolate, ivory and teal. Pitchers of cucumber water stood ready and magazines were spread throughout the space, just waiting for someone to come along and flip their pages.

For the next day, I booked the “Sole Rejuvenation,” a 50-minute foot-focused rub down. Knowing that I would have access to everything in the spa, I picked an earlier time so that I could linger in the saunas and steam rooms.
Nobody has ever rubbed my feet the way my foot masseuse did. Oh, it hurt so good! As I squirmed, she told me, according to Eastern reflexology charts, which of my internal organs she was manipulating.

At the end of that session, instead of heading for the women’s lounge, I relaxed in the co-ed space. I lounged in the Salt Grotto, a warm tiled room filled with sea-salt mist. I moved on to the Wave Room, where I tipped back in a zero gravity chair and was mesmerized by the sounds of dolphins and visions of dripping water overhead.