Playground!

inside the baths: wonderful playground, architecturally and experientially. the walls invited you to touch them as the light poured down and in and through the complex, baffled or direct. sound of water pervasive, and low laughs and murmurs. windows onto blinding white mountainsides appreciated by winter sunbathers, steaming underwater entrance to outdoor pool, playing in views and substance of mountains and sunlight. cold pools and snow baths added bite to the experience, hot tubs, meditation rooms, a rough musical grotto and scented flower petal baths soothed it away. steam rooms from mild to intense, invisible bench nooks fading to black away from the one artificial light.

mmmm. excellent time.

timed the bus wrong getting out, leaving us with an hour and a half until the next ride down the mountain. after debate over the craziness of walking along a narrow mountain road we happily took off. rock-flavored snow and icicles, random turnings off the road, ice climbers, mountains veiling and opening up the road ahead... a sheep barn at the arbitrary bus stop, laying head-down a sloping road and looking at the sky, watching shadows stretch across a lonely field up the hill... bus ride down and food (best yogurt around) on the next train to the chapel - sticking our heads out the window into the blowing snow.