Chocolaterapia

When it comes to spas and massages, I am an addict. I take advantage of every opportunity to receive a cheap and much needed massage. In fact, after carrying my overly heavy backpack for the last year, I have some shoulder issues. The masseuse in Buenos Aires even told me that I need to take some anti-inflammatory medicine to reduce the swelling in my right shoulder. Every month, I try to dump something from my backpack, but to no use since I think it still weighs the same.

When I learned that Salto on the North West side of Uruguay comes complete with an abundance of thermal springs, I had to journey out there. However, these springs did not turn out to be similar to the ones I had experienced in Guatemala and Nicaragua; surrounded by a beautiful setting. Instead, tourists flooded the thermal spas and my view was often of overhanging bellies wading around in concrete enclosed pools than of any nature. Yes, the water was warm, some pools even quite hot, but the ambiance just didn't create the relaxing scene I had hoped to encounter.

To get away from the overcrowded pools swimming with bacteria, I took advantage of a chocolaterapia. For $40, a woman exfoliated me with chocolate liquid containing specks of chocolate bits. Then I showered. Next she covered me in chocolate, wrapped me in saran wrap, and I fell asleep for 30 minutes while the chocolate did whatever it was suppose to do to my skin, I think nourish and replenish it with minerals. Then I showered again. Finally, the woman rubbed some rose cream and asked me not to shower for at least 20 minutes to let the cream soak in. I can't say that it was the most enjoyable experience, but my skin did feel hydrated afterwards. I have plans to hit more thermal spas before this trip is over.