oh baby, i can barely move.

i have never been so relaxed in my life. i can not even imagine any sudden movements anytime in my future. the thing is, 3 hours in a spa will do that to you i guess. when we heard about this deal, $30 for three hours that is, we couldn´t pass it up. one hour on a bus ride to san sebastian, and a world of relaxation opens up to you.

it goes like this.

you walk along the coast of cantabrica and observe the sand and waves as you do so. you enter la perla (the pearl, aw, how nice). you descend. hello spa. you talk to the lady who looks up your reservation. that´s the simple part to explain.

you go in this nasty little part with wet ground and tiny dressing rooms and ladies hosing off the ground and strange rows of lockers that are hard to figure out.

then, paradise. there is a room with various spa activities to choose from. everyone is wearing a swim cap and looks like a bunch of aliens wandering around. there is this huge pool. it´s luke-warm, there is mist coming up. there are about 15 stations, each with a jet massage for a different part of your body or at varying pressures. you know, legs, abs, shoulders, feet, etc. there are strange submerged water bikes and weight machines. and people just float around to different stations.

then there´s the other big pool. it´s slightly warmer. not quite hot tub, but getting closer. there´s a little waterfall to massage your shoulders, then my favorite. you lay down in this section where you rest your head. the bubbles surround the rest of your body and push you up. so you are laying down and the jets keep you in a flat position. and you just lay there and almost fall asleep. when you open your eyes, they burn really bad of the seawater. but a small price to pay. then you go to the little whirlpool section within the large pool. it fits three people and you hold on with your arms and it pushes your legs up. i had a hard time manuevering this one because my legs kept sinking. then there are little seats, and it alternates between a bubbles seat and a seat with jets. aliens are surrounding you with their matching blue swim caps. there are a few couples displaying much affection for each other. all is calmer than calm.

then there are heating beds. you pull a lever, they heat up, you lay down, and you have a view of the beach.

then the hot tub. it´s normal, but it´s huge and it also looks right out onto the beach. i can still feel the warmth and the jets. sigh. what a strange experience. i guess i never really thought i would be at an alien spa in san sebastian, looking at the beach, in spain. my life is so out of the ordinary right now. how is this all possibly happening to me?

the amelie soundtrack is so incredibly beautiful that i cannot comprehend it. it gives me the chills. yann tiersen is a genius.

i´m going to go read sur, a spanish short story. homework cannot be abandoned forever i guess. less than 25 days until i return. time is flying by.