Life is a bowl of cherries, an orange tree full of blossoms, or a field of poppies.
It is what we make it out to be.
What I thought was a simple spa turned out to be a boot camp holiday!
The last time I attended a trip was in Klagenfurt with Shiba after modelling in Vienna. But the exercise was left entirely up to us as the diet was so minimal, ranging from a stale piece of cardboard (I think they called it bread!) to a boiled potato and egg, sometimes a tiny piece of cheese, so upon my return home then, I got sick from malnutrition, can you believe? It complements my 'model' state of being; I have never been skinny or desire to be so. Very proud of my womanly, voluptuous body.
Thanks to Juliette's persistence, I booked the 'spa' holiday without investigating what it involved, apart from what she had told me: yoga, healthy food, two massages, no alcohol and a pool, with a hope of sunshine. It sounded good enough for me to make my reservation.
When I let myself go with the flow without too much thought, it is incredible where I end up, whether on holiday or in life. I spent 6 days and relatively 'early' nights with a group of twenty ladies (apart from a couple) who had gathered, leaving their families or jobs back home, to commence a new way of living at this spa. It was a boot camp, or so the ladies had Facebooked during their stay.
Now, what did the six days do for me?
On my last day in the countryside, before leaving, talking to Bes and Ama, some force gave me the strength to decide to stop smoking. Just like that! I had always said if I ever got a smoker's cough, that would mean I must quit the habit and somehow, with the effect of the Philosopher's Stone, brought a specific power to make that change. No need for patches, with the confirmation of how the universe works for you when you choose to live with a positive attitude and acceptance that unfortunate incidents may well happen along the way, but it will be as problematic as you decide to make it out or there is the choice to come up with solutions, knowing life is not a bed of roses, there are thorns along the way and how boring would it all be if everything went smoothly all the time! The power of mind over matter sounds enticing to me.
Thinking along the way, I used to have most of my cigarettes in 3 to 5 while I wrote my blogs, and I kept stopping to look for something else to do while writing. Then I remembered, oh! It's the damn ciggie. Well, done with that. Thou shalt not smoke.
We flew to Malaga airport, a very familiar scene since we spent many summer holidays of a month or two weeks in Marbella some fifteen years ago. Goodness, how time flies. Has it yet to reach anywhere? Haha. Where does time want to go as birds fly to reach a destination? Eternity, I presume.
How I lose track of what I begin to write is puzzling, too. Just shows how the mind drifts. So, getting back to Malaga airport, the in-spa team gathered a group of ladies flown in from various European countries to take the hour forty minutes bus journey to where we stayed: Monasteria de San Martin. Thought to myself, 'Well, I sure ain't going to no confessions here at the monastery' as religion is not one of my favourite subjects; I'm a God believer. Faith has been the most significant asset I have carried with me everywhere, through thick and thin. In all honesty, if it had not been for my big belief in God and his love, I could not have dealt with the hardships I endured, to come out of it a much healthier mind and body and a happier person than I could imagine possible. Just keep learning and moving on, holding tight onto the happiness gathered along the way because when I honestly found it, there was no letting go. Just working constantly to keep it going as a smooth engine.
Happiness is the utmost.
I could not help but have a strong feeling of being in boarding school again; although we did not sing hymns and carols twice a day, we had been handed a timetable of appointments throughout the days to follow. As in school, meals were served sharply on time, the ladies who had come alone found playmates by the end of the week, and the duos kept together. Observing how specific human patterns stay the same given that same situation at different ages was interesting. Juliette was joined by a friend from another city, which meant I had my own room and space for another discovery of the self. Generally, whenever I question anybody's manner of conduct, I hold on to those thoughts and reverse the situation by asking my own ways and reasons for allowing myself to doubt anyone's behaviour.
As Francois, my excellent therapist, used to say, 'Everyone has their own map of the world, and it differs, so don't judge, as you can only see things through your map.'
I had to get away one night during my stay to be picked up by Adelio, whom I met a couple of years ago on my last visit to Marbella. He picked me up at 10pm and drove to the nearest Puerto Sotogrande, where I broke my fast with a small bottle of bubbly. Breaking the rules is a bad habit I picked up at boarding school!
We sat at the bar of a restaurant in the port for Adelio to order his tapas while I sipped at my champagne when I noticed a group of locals singing and dancing outside. As I turned to watch in enthusiasm, a Spanish man stared at me from behind the glass wall with a naughty, welcoming smile. I smiled back and turned around to hear Adelio's boasting of all the women interested in him. When he went to the gents, the Spanish man entered the restaurant and approached me to ask if I would join them dancing, first in his native language, then in English. I said it would be a pleasure, but I would have to wait for my friend to return from the toilets before we did.
So, when Adelio returned, I asked if he did not mind us joining the gathering outside.
He answered: "No. They might not like it. They seem to know each other."
I said: "But we've been invited to do so."
Adelio was taken aback: "You're joking, right?"
I felt he would not believe me: "Really, the guy just asked me so."
He was stunned: "What guy?"
Anyway, we ended up uniting the jolly group of locals, and I got to meet the Spanish man's girlfriend, sharing a slice of their joy.
What amused me the next day back at the Monasteria were the ladies coming up to me and asking how my date went or whether I broke my fast in any way.
My idea of a boot camp was harsh. Still, this modern version of a monastery hotel, with the scent of orange blossoms filling up the air of the fountained courtyard, large-sized, airy rooms with duplicates of mostly Spanish paintings, and an outdoor pool in the green grounds, was the perfect place to totally get away from the city's noisy life. Mornings began with walks (as I don't jog, nor do I run) or yoga, followed by X training, two weekly massages and two long hikes around the Andalucian countryside. Although I had told myself to take it easy and, as always, not to lose the element of 'fun' in what I do, it was such a pleasure to attend every planned class noted in my personal timetable with the expertise of a staff of high calibre.
Our yoga instructor, Sofiya was a great teacher and each class differed to the one before, the day always ended with a restorative yoga lesson which I enjoyed immensely. On the last day, when we finished the class with a deep meditation, I got lost in time and found myself crying at the end of the session when the husband of the lovely couple patted me on the back with a comforting smile to say the class had ended, it brought me back to earth on how helplessly I had sobbed in owe, with gratitude for the life I am leading.
The two male trainers gave you that air of confidence and non-judgement about the level you went by and made the classes under the April sun challenging yet fun. We were put in groups of two, especially in Danny's one-off dance class, to move around and change partners after each move was completed. He practised with the tall, charming, sweet Toby as his dance partner. Everyone laughed and smiled; all of us ladies holding hands and dancing together reminded me of my mother's teenage album of black and white pictures of girls dancing slowly together, holding hands. Well, we did not have dance classes as such in boarding school, and I don't believe I had practised it as before, but it was great fun, and I enjoyed the company of the ladies all the way through to the end. It also made me reflect on how shy I used to be, as when we had a boys' school visit, I do not remember ever dancing with a boy. Oh! How we change. Thank God for that.
We had one 'lesson' with the knowledgeable nutritionist Lucille, who supervised our meals with great love and care. Lucille abruptly asked me of my date of birth at lunch as we were chatting, only to find out her dear sister, who had recently passed away, had the same birthday as me. I offered my hand of sisterhood to her from all my heart, such a gentle soul. Oh! And I must not forget to mention the very open-minded and cute hiking guide Jiddu, who looked like a Hollywood kind of action man, with a bright young mind and the sunniest of smiles, plus a great attitude towards life and his wisdom. It was an absolute pleasure to chat with him on our last three and a half hours of VIP hike (as four of us decided to take the less steep hills) to get to the top of the peak in Mirador del Castillon.
The chef, who carried a shy smile every time she entered the dining room to announce the menu, was so caring that on my last day, as I left a day earlier than the rest, I made myself a special healthy lunch box for my plane ride. The smiliest waiter, Carlos, was sharp and looked after us all with such attention to detail. And to top it off, Hallie was in charge of the organisation, and something was reassuring about her professional ways. She reminded me of American high school movies, especially the stunning cheerleaders with the perfect smile, hair, attitude, and a good brain on her shoulders. Her heartwarming text to me as I left early on a Tuesday morning brought tears to my eyes in the lonely cab drive back to Malaga airport. I cry at absolutely everything and anything that touches my heart.
All the exercise and healthy living, with the help of a few hours of spring sun absorption, brought a fresh glow to my face and an excellent tone to my body, getting me ready for my first evening back home, starting with a scorching date with Don Juan at one of my favourite London restaurants. You did not think that the four walls of a monastery would keep me from getting down to some naughty mischief elsewhere. Did you know?
Even though I learned from the receptionist on my last night that this monastery was built not long ago for hotel purposes, the thought counts. The place became a sacred memory of my days getting closer to the woman I grew to be; it was most empowering.
As for my chilly, hot date with Don Juan upon return, he blew me away with the liberty of his mind, combined ... Well, with all the rest of him. My detoxing days turned toxic in one night!
A delicious week, diviner than divine.
It is what we make it out to be.
What I thought was a simple spa turned out to be a boot camp holiday!
The last time I attended a trip was in Klagenfurt with Shiba after modelling in Vienna. But the exercise was left entirely up to us as the diet was so minimal, ranging from a stale piece of cardboard (I think they called it bread!) to a boiled potato and egg, sometimes a tiny piece of cheese, so upon my return home then, I got sick from malnutrition, can you believe? It complements my 'model' state of being; I have never been skinny or desire to be so. Very proud of my womanly, voluptuous body.
Thanks to Juliette's persistence, I booked the 'spa' holiday without investigating what it involved, apart from what she had told me: yoga, healthy food, two massages, no alcohol and a pool, with a hope of sunshine. It sounded good enough for me to make my reservation.
When I let myself go with the flow without too much thought, it is incredible where I end up, whether on holiday or in life. I spent 6 days and relatively 'early' nights with a group of twenty ladies (apart from a couple) who had gathered, leaving their families or jobs back home, to commence a new way of living at this spa. It was a boot camp, or so the ladies had Facebooked during their stay.
Now, what did the six days do for me?
On my last day in the countryside, before leaving, talking to Bes and Ama, some force gave me the strength to decide to stop smoking. Just like that! I had always said if I ever got a smoker's cough, that would mean I must quit the habit and somehow, with the effect of the Philosopher's Stone, brought a specific power to make that change. No need for patches, with the confirmation of how the universe works for you when you choose to live with a positive attitude and acceptance that unfortunate incidents may well happen along the way, but it will be as problematic as you decide to make it out or there is the choice to come up with solutions, knowing life is not a bed of roses, there are thorns along the way and how boring would it all be if everything went smoothly all the time! The power of mind over matter sounds enticing to me.
Thinking along the way, I used to have most of my cigarettes in 3 to 5 while I wrote my blogs, and I kept stopping to look for something else to do while writing. Then I remembered, oh! It's the damn ciggie. Well, done with that. Thou shalt not smoke.
We flew to Malaga airport, a very familiar scene since we spent many summer holidays of a month or two weeks in Marbella some fifteen years ago. Goodness, how time flies. Has it yet to reach anywhere? Haha. Where does time want to go as birds fly to reach a destination? Eternity, I presume.
How I lose track of what I begin to write is puzzling, too. Just shows how the mind drifts. So, getting back to Malaga airport, the in-spa team gathered a group of ladies flown in from various European countries to take the hour forty minutes bus journey to where we stayed: Monasteria de San Martin. Thought to myself, 'Well, I sure ain't going to no confessions here at the monastery' as religion is not one of my favourite subjects; I'm a God believer. Faith has been the most significant asset I have carried with me everywhere, through thick and thin. In all honesty, if it had not been for my big belief in God and his love, I could not have dealt with the hardships I endured, to come out of it a much healthier mind and body and a happier person than I could imagine possible. Just keep learning and moving on, holding tight onto the happiness gathered along the way because when I honestly found it, there was no letting go. Just working constantly to keep it going as a smooth engine.
Happiness is the utmost.
I could not help but have a strong feeling of being in boarding school again; although we did not sing hymns and carols twice a day, we had been handed a timetable of appointments throughout the days to follow. As in school, meals were served sharply on time, the ladies who had come alone found playmates by the end of the week, and the duos kept together. Observing how specific human patterns stay the same given that same situation at different ages was interesting. Juliette was joined by a friend from another city, which meant I had my own room and space for another discovery of the self. Generally, whenever I question anybody's manner of conduct, I hold on to those thoughts and reverse the situation by asking my own ways and reasons for allowing myself to doubt anyone's behaviour.
As Francois, my excellent therapist, used to say, 'Everyone has their own map of the world, and it differs, so don't judge, as you can only see things through your map.'
I had to get away one night during my stay to be picked up by Adelio, whom I met a couple of years ago on my last visit to Marbella. He picked me up at 10pm and drove to the nearest Puerto Sotogrande, where I broke my fast with a small bottle of bubbly. Breaking the rules is a bad habit I picked up at boarding school!
We sat at the bar of a restaurant in the port for Adelio to order his tapas while I sipped at my champagne when I noticed a group of locals singing and dancing outside. As I turned to watch in enthusiasm, a Spanish man stared at me from behind the glass wall with a naughty, welcoming smile. I smiled back and turned around to hear Adelio's boasting of all the women interested in him. When he went to the gents, the Spanish man entered the restaurant and approached me to ask if I would join them dancing, first in his native language, then in English. I said it would be a pleasure, but I would have to wait for my friend to return from the toilets before we did.
So, when Adelio returned, I asked if he did not mind us joining the gathering outside.
He answered: "No. They might not like it. They seem to know each other."
I said: "But we've been invited to do so."
Adelio was taken aback: "You're joking, right?"
I felt he would not believe me: "Really, the guy just asked me so."
He was stunned: "What guy?"
Anyway, we ended up uniting the jolly group of locals, and I got to meet the Spanish man's girlfriend, sharing a slice of their joy.
What amused me the next day back at the Monasteria were the ladies coming up to me and asking how my date went or whether I broke my fast in any way.
My idea of a boot camp was harsh. Still, this modern version of a monastery hotel, with the scent of orange blossoms filling up the air of the fountained courtyard, large-sized, airy rooms with duplicates of mostly Spanish paintings, and an outdoor pool in the green grounds, was the perfect place to totally get away from the city's noisy life. Mornings began with walks (as I don't jog, nor do I run) or yoga, followed by X training, two weekly massages and two long hikes around the Andalucian countryside. Although I had told myself to take it easy and, as always, not to lose the element of 'fun' in what I do, it was such a pleasure to attend every planned class noted in my personal timetable with the expertise of a staff of high calibre.
Our yoga instructor, Sofiya was a great teacher and each class differed to the one before, the day always ended with a restorative yoga lesson which I enjoyed immensely. On the last day, when we finished the class with a deep meditation, I got lost in time and found myself crying at the end of the session when the husband of the lovely couple patted me on the back with a comforting smile to say the class had ended, it brought me back to earth on how helplessly I had sobbed in owe, with gratitude for the life I am leading.
The two male trainers gave you that air of confidence and non-judgement about the level you went by and made the classes under the April sun challenging yet fun. We were put in groups of two, especially in Danny's one-off dance class, to move around and change partners after each move was completed. He practised with the tall, charming, sweet Toby as his dance partner. Everyone laughed and smiled; all of us ladies holding hands and dancing together reminded me of my mother's teenage album of black and white pictures of girls dancing slowly together, holding hands. Well, we did not have dance classes as such in boarding school, and I don't believe I had practised it as before, but it was great fun, and I enjoyed the company of the ladies all the way through to the end. It also made me reflect on how shy I used to be, as when we had a boys' school visit, I do not remember ever dancing with a boy. Oh! How we change. Thank God for that.
We had one 'lesson' with the knowledgeable nutritionist Lucille, who supervised our meals with great love and care. Lucille abruptly asked me of my date of birth at lunch as we were chatting, only to find out her dear sister, who had recently passed away, had the same birthday as me. I offered my hand of sisterhood to her from all my heart, such a gentle soul. Oh! And I must not forget to mention the very open-minded and cute hiking guide Jiddu, who looked like a Hollywood kind of action man, with a bright young mind and the sunniest of smiles, plus a great attitude towards life and his wisdom. It was an absolute pleasure to chat with him on our last three and a half hours of VIP hike (as four of us decided to take the less steep hills) to get to the top of the peak in Mirador del Castillon.
 |
| The peak at Castillon |
 |
| Childhood memories of poppies |
The chef, who carried a shy smile every time she entered the dining room to announce the menu, was so caring that on my last day, as I left a day earlier than the rest, I made myself a special healthy lunch box for my plane ride. The smiliest waiter, Carlos, was sharp and looked after us all with such attention to detail. And to top it off, Hallie was in charge of the organisation, and something was reassuring about her professional ways. She reminded me of American high school movies, especially the stunning cheerleaders with the perfect smile, hair, attitude, and a good brain on her shoulders. Her heartwarming text to me as I left early on a Tuesday morning brought tears to my eyes in the lonely cab drive back to Malaga airport. I cry at absolutely everything and anything that touches my heart.
All the exercise and healthy living, with the help of a few hours of spring sun absorption, brought a fresh glow to my face and an excellent tone to my body, getting me ready for my first evening back home, starting with a scorching date with Don Juan at one of my favourite London restaurants. You did not think that the four walls of a monastery would keep me from getting down to some naughty mischief elsewhere. Did you know?
Even though I learned from the receptionist on my last night that this monastery was built not long ago for hotel purposes, the thought counts. The place became a sacred memory of my days getting closer to the woman I grew to be; it was most empowering.
As for my chilly, hot date with Don Juan upon return, he blew me away with the liberty of his mind, combined ... Well, with all the rest of him. My detoxing days turned toxic in one night!
A delicious week, diviner than divine.
Amazing experience! I'd wish you lots of pleasure, but i already know you'll find it. Smiliest Carlos.
ReplyDeletePleasure is my treasure ... Good heading for a blog!
ReplyDeleteSmiliest Haldita