Day 3

Today I was very happy to see my breakfast of bread, coffee and fruit. The quality is very good, the presentation on china (they have their own Kurotel brand) is very nice. Chargers are used. Fine napkins at dinner. A change of flower arrangement each morning. A smiling staff that gives you instructions on what supplements to take before and after your meal. There are 2.5 staff for each guest so you are waited on hand and foot. This morning I enjoyed a conversation with a couple from Amazonia - but unfortunately they left today.

What was my schedule today? Water therapy followed by water therapy followed by treadmill. Fango treatment which akin to a au natural organic version of a heating pad. Mud is harvested from the family farm - then sifted, boiled and treated with glyercin to form a thin rectangular 1/2 inch brick. The brick is placed in specially ordered German heating oven and you lie directly on the brick so that the heat and mineral content is absorbed into your back or whatever problem area you have. Very interesting.

Another massage. A facial. A consult with a doctor regarding my lack of sleep who prescribed velarium - a natural herb that promotes sleep. The doctor was so young and hip. Then a Kneipp sauna where you sweat for 7 minutes , take a cold shower and do this 3 times and rest for 2 minutes to stabliize blood pressure - it promotes circulation. Everything Kneipp is about contrasting hot and cold. About the treatment rooms - they are all white - everything from floor to ceiling is spotless and completely white. Greenish blue colored glass is used to let in some light as a design element but the whole look from the uniforms to the treatment tables, robes, linens - white white white and contemporary - ultra mod. There is a treatment called the navigator where you are escorted to a small room with one wall looking like ripples of water. Lie down on a water mattress and they cover your eyes, put a blankie over you, play water music and turn off the ligths. The mattress has a pulse to it -a slight vibration in the in the middle of the back which feels great. Another room has a "NASA" chair which you feel weightless - haven't tried that yet. The ceilings of these rooms have cool rectangular slices of light - not sure if it flurosecent but they are colored slices of green or blue or orange light which is pretty dramatic.

Then off to the family farm called Quinto do Alpha - this was the best part of the day.Our hotel manager was dressed in Gaucho garb and the overseer of the farm was there to meet and greet us and give us a tour. Totally fascinating. 5 years ago the family built a farmhouse and grounds by collecting and reusing all of the brick and wood used to build to make it look old - they wanted to have the Provence look with a Brazilian influence. Everything inside is old and has history to it. They collect silver, wine, antique riding equipment, antique farm tools, antique silver pieces. On the farm, there are horses, chickens, and cows. The cows are not eaten - only used for milk production which means the milk in the coffee is straight from the farm! They also sell the milk locally. So are the vegetables that we dine on - all the lettuce,tomatos carrots, etc are grown locally on this private family owned farm. All organic. They also have their own pharmacy for their farm animals on premise. How cool is that? This family doesn't own a business - they own an empire!

Dining in the farmhouse was great. They had an old fashion fireplace and a long plank table where 10 of is were seated and ate with real silverware. It was the best dinner yet - salmon with some sauce that I could have licked clean with my finger if there weren't so many people around. I thanked the chef and he was thrilled.
My report for the day.