Los baños

Yesterday my two roommates here in Granada and I visited one of the two Arab baths in the city.  We weren't really sure what we were getting ourselves into, but we had heard rave reviews from friends who had visited them previously, so we thought we'd give it a try.  I can now say, without a doubt, that they are a highlight of not only my time in Granada, but my whole year in Spain.

The baths that we visited consisted of six heated pools at different temperatures, one cold pool in the center, massage stations, and a tea room on the side.  We were instructed to spend about 10 minutes in each pool, taking a dip in the cold pool between each warm one, and to visit the tea room as necessary.  This was all the information we were given before heading to the changing rooms then back into the baths.

Entering the baths was like entering an entirely different world.  The room was dark but for a few dimmed lights on the side, and the fully lit, elevated cold pool in the middle of the room.  I later told a friend who had visited different baths that day that the whole experience was like being in a womb: warm, dark, wet, and safe.

I didn't realize it before, but I needed that time away from the outside world.  I wouldn't trade this year for anything, nevertheless, it's hard to not feel like I am constantly being tested here.  Tested to see if I can understand what people are saying, tested to see if I can fully explain myself, tested to see if I can keep up with this culture entirely different from my own in the US.  There have been very few times that I have been able to completely relax and not worry about my ability to prove myself.

My situation may be unique, but I doubt I am alone in needing to escape every once in a while.  We work hard (and at times, play hard), and sometimes we need a chance to go somewhere where the outside world cannot reach us.  A chance to escape into a dark, safe place, where we can hide for some time.  And, afterwards, we will be ready to be reborn back into the world, fresh like when we first entered it.

Un beso.