I know I’m not alone in the feeling that we always need to be ‘on’. That as a mother, a wife, an employee, a business owner and even just a contributing member of society frankly, I have a lot of people asking me to do things daily and I’m not always good at setting those boundaries on where to say no. I’m working on it but it’s still just that…a work in progress. So once in a while I need to pause, talk a deep breath, slow down and recharge.
Relax & Recharge
Recently I had the opportunity to go to Thermea for the day and bring a friend, for a day of relaxing and recharging. I asked my friend Heather to join me as she is an amazing friend, mother and well person but also because she just recently had her second baby (Eden) and I figured who better to enjoy a day of relaxation then a mother of a newborn and three year old!
I honestly believe that ‘me time’ is vital for all of our mental health and we can not be the amazing mothers, partners, and people to others if we don’t make the time for ourselves once and a while. I love Thermea for this because when you go there is no schedule. Your phones are put away in your lockers, and you can just…be.
Go Early
I came early to the take some pictures before the other guests arrived and to have a little tour from Janis around the site. While I had been to the spa a few times before I still found out some great tips that I wouldn’t have thought of during my chat with her.
Like the fact that the small Barik sauna is a great one to sneak into if you are with a group of friends that you might want to chat with. As its smaller it usually doesn’t get as crowded and if you are in there by yourselves you can catch up for a few minutes as most of the spa is a whisper or no talking area. (Full disclosure…I’ve been shushed a few times here so this is a great tip for me!)
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Also as I’m a fellow curly haired girl, Janis shared her tip of adding extra conditioner to your hair when you shower at the end of your visit and then going back into the Vaporo sauna and letting the steam give your hair a salon-like treatment! This is a must for my winter visits when my hair is very dry.
Enjoy the Thermal Experience
If you have never been to Thermea you can enjoy the thermal experience daily until they close at 10p.m. This includes 4 baths (hot, cold and temperate), 4 unique saunas, outdoor and indoor relaxation areas, along with a restaurant with outdoor patio and lounge. Plus you can also add a massage or body treatment to your day but these need to be booked in addition.
The first time I went to the spa I was apparently still pretty freshly post-partum as I wasn’t thinking clearly and drove all the way there, checked in and was in the change room with my sister in law when I noticed everyone was putting on bathing suits…obviously right?! We are about to go into communal baths and saunas. But yeah I hadn’t thought to pack a bathing suit!! So I excused myself and drove quickly to the nearest store that sold them and bought two (just in case). Everything was wonderful once I got back and was able to enjoy the day but don’t be me…REMEMBER your bathing suit! Bathrobes you can bring or rent on site but a pair of sandals, water bottle and a bathing suit are a must!
My favourite sauna is Finlandia (the finnish sauna…which I read incorrectly the first time and assumed it was the sauna you FINISH at!) as they offer the Aufguss ritual throughout the day, as well as infusions of single scents on hours between the ritual.
Thermea’s description of what this ritual is, is that Aufguss is German for infusion. This ritual renews the technique of vaporization and heightens its effects by using water enriched with natural essential oils. When the water is poured onto the heated stones, a burst of steam with health-enhancing properties is released. The Sauna Meister directs the hot and scented steam toward the guests, using the different rhythmical movements of a towel.
It smells wonderful and the ‘sauna meister’ is incredibly talented with their dance movements using the towels to move the scents around the room. I highly recommend catching one of them on your next visit. If you can’t handle the heat, grab a seat on the lower benches and NOT at the top for this one as it definitely gets hot during the performance. They usually break for a bit to pass around bowls of ice to cool you down but if you can grab a bottom seat for your first time, do it!
Cool Down
After you’ve gone through 5-15 minutes of heat you are suppose to cool down during a thermal cycle so there is the cold pool you can walk through or even walk under the cold water fall (something I have yet to be brave enough to do although I think would feel amazing in July/August!).
And Relax
Once your bottom has cooled down again you can relax for a bit before starting the cycle all over again. This is were having a book to read is great if you are by yourself or stop at the relaxation area to grab a nice herbal tea or infused water and sit down at one of the fire pits with a friend.
When you want to chat a bit more with your friend taking a break to grab a drink or something to eat at their restaurant is always a great option. Your credit card is attached to your wrist band so you don’t even need to go back to your locker.
This is definitely the perfect spot in Winnipeg to take a day off to recharge.
Macaroni Kid Winnipeg is so excited to announce in honour of Mother's Day and all of us needing a chance to get away for awhile to relax, we are giving away a Thermea Experience for Two!
This includes:
2 access to Thermal Experience
Rental bathrobes
Wine & cheese
Value 175$ for 2 people!
Want to spoil someone special in your life? Buy a Gift Certificate to Thermea ONLINE
Contest ends Monday May 20th at 11:45PM. Winner will be announced and contacted Tuesday May 21st
**The fine print: No purchase necessary. Participants in the giveaway must be of legal age in order to participate. Void where prohibited by law. By registering, you will receive a weekly e-newsletter from Macaroni Kid East Winnipeg. You can UNSUBSCRIBE at ANYTIME. Winner of the giveaway will also be required to answer a skill-testing question.
