Las Trincheras

We are back from our little randevous. It was interesting to say the least but nice. The hubby enjoyed the gifts. he's happily wearing the ring and yesterday I saw him struggling with the organizer. There's got to be electronic hope for him somewhere.

Now Las Trincheras the place we went is a place where they have aguas termales (hot water springs). It's a spa based around a volocanic spring. So they discovered this place where thermal hot water is springing from the earth. They developed it, and built a spa on the facilities. That's all good and well. Many people have told us about the place and we were quite interested in seeing and utilizing it. In my mind, I had envisioned that it was like Sulfer Springs in St. lucia. For those of you, who have been there, know what I'm talking about, for those who haven't. Sulfer springs is a semi-active remains of a volcano on the island of St. Lucia. It is a popular tourist and local attraction. You can go there early in the morning before the sun rises and the water is warm and bathe in the small natural sulfer pools. As the day heats up, so does the water. There are suppoesed to be lots of healing properities in those waters.

So hearing so much about Las Trincheras, I thought it was something like the natural environment of Sulfer Springs. We took a cool 2hr drive from Caracas to this small town. arrived and was checked into our hotel..... huummmm, definitely not 4 star rating, but it will surffice. The hubby, knowing the condidtions of facilities outside of Caracas, booked us for one of the executive rooms. Well let's just say it was about the quality of a Days Inn or less. So that was the first impression, but we still moving along. Now comes the tour to famaliarize us with the facilities.

We walk out to the thermal pools and first thing I do is look inside and say, naah..not dis Bajan woman ein gettin in dem waters. The hubby looks at me and shakes his head...we continue on as the guy is showing us and explaning all the facilities offerings. Tour finishes and we go back to the room.
Me to hubby...."boye, I ein know if you can convince me to get in dat pool atall"
hubby--"Camp, just give it a try..it can't be that bad"
Camp---- "I not going to bathe in that dirty water"
Hubby---"Camp, de water not, dirty, it's the sulfer and algae that make it look so"
Camp--" I ein convinced, but we'll see tomorrow"

Well, obviously hubby like he ein know how Bajans is, he ein know how scornfull we is. we doan bade in nuh kinda water dat we can't see de bottom, and this water yuh clearly couldn't see de bottom. All i see is a whole lotta moss and all kinds ah thing floating in the water and people dey bathing cool and comfortable. I wasn't feeling that at all. But I figure, that hubby made de effort and ah can't let he down so. plus the place did pack out wid people.

So next morning, we set out early to check out de scene, figuring that since the waters suppose tuh be natural and all, that when night come, de pools empty, dem got time to rejuvinate and the next day should be better. No such thing. The hubby convinced me to just get in for a little while and if we don't like it, at least it won't be an effort lost. So we did. I must admit, that when we got into the water, it was nice and warm, I wasn't feeling the moss covered rocks at the bottom, but the water felt nice. We swan about for a bit, me always keeping my head above water. All the while I'm commenting to hubby, this water dirty, he saying no it's not. I complaining, that I don't smell no chlorine or other purification elements. How are they keeping it clean, he telling me don't worry. But worried I was. There were three different pools at different temperatures. and one with jaccuzi like spouts to hit target areas of the body. there was also a steam room, and lodo (mud) pool. I actually liked the mud pool, maybe it was the child in me surfacing. you dig mud/sulfer from this natural mud spot where the water is quite hot. you were advised not to stay in the pool, but just dig the mud, sit on the sides and put it on. let is dry and then rinse off.

In between, there was a day spa, so we took in some of the offerings, massages and the likes, chilled a bit and took a second round in the pools the evening. I had already told hubby to cut the stay short, cause I not swimming bout in dirty water for 3 days. But there is a savior out there. Monday night, we looked out and saw them cleaning the pools..... huummm how interesting. So we went to investigate. What we found out is that the pools are cleaned twice a week, Monday and Thursday, they drain them completely, clean them and refill them from the main water resovior that is actually tapped into the volcanic vein in the earth. We had figured out that much, as our room was located above the main resovior. Water so hot, steam coming off all day and night long... it was a huge storage area and the main volcanic sulfer bed. We could look and see the water rising directly from the earth at various points. the water was also very hot and may I add clean. Also they dug a well and tapped directly into the water source in the earth. The pools also have volcanic beds, but what they did was to enhance the water supply, thust filling them from the main resovior and regulating the temperature, to accomodate the public. Neat idea. We watched the process for a while and cahtted with the workers about how its done. The process of refilling the main resovior from the well takes about 2 days.

So, next morning, we were welcomed to fresh hot water. Oh boy what a difference. You can see the bottom of the pools, you can see where the water is actually coming up from the earth and the water feels fresher and much hotter, so then I felt more comfortable swimming around. Although Monday was a quiter day, Tuesday was full of activity as the regulars probably knows that the water gets replinished on Monday nights. Also all the gereatrics were out and about in full force, seeking healing for their arthritis, and whatever else ailments they might have.... Anyhow, we enjoyed our stay, knows know that if we go again it will be from a Tues to Thurs or Fri and Sat, as that's when the water is cleaner and fresher. But it was all good and a anniversary/birthday well spent.