The Edinburgh Floatarium ... birthday adventure!

I specifically told David not to get me anything for my birthday, and I meant it. We have accumulated enough "stuff" during our year abroad, not to mention the fact that whenever we move home, we'll be bringing a brand new PERSON with us. Nonetheless, David was a bit naughty this year and surprised me with an appointment at our neighborhood Floatarium.

What, your neighborhood doesn't have its own Floatarium? (she said, laughing haughtily). Hee hee. I first read about this bizarre spa treatment in the 44 Scotland Street novels by Alexander McCall Smith, and I was excited to find out, when we first moved here, that the Floatarium not only existed, but was right down the street. Living the past year on a student loan, however, meant that we don't exactly have the budget for such luxuries.

Lucky me, however, got to enjoy an hour-long birthday float. Yep, that's it: a float. It's basically a pod in the basement of an old stone building that is filled with about a foot of warm (body-temperature) mineral-enhanced water. It's extra floaty -- not that I would have had trouble floating, especially with this baby weight, but those of you who say you don't float would have no problem in this salt water.

After several minutes of lying in the darkness with yoga music playing, you start to lose touch with your senses. You don't even realize you are wet, and it feels more like floating in space than floating in a pool. I tried to meditate or whatever, but being that it was my birthday and I was extra-excitable, my mind never fully zoned out. At least I don't think. Come to think of it, it definitely didn't seem like I was in there a full hour, so maybe I was all floaty-high after all.

I have to say that it was the perfect thing to do in your third trimester of pregnancy. My joints had been a bit achy, and I felt brand new for about 24 hours after the float. Might have to return before this baby makes his escape...

Anyway, here's the extra funny thing: I'd actually stopped by the Floatarium the day before my birthday and bought a gift card for David for our anniversary (despite the no presents rule). The woman at the counter totally knew that I'd be coming in the following day for a surprise birthday float, but she didn't give away a thing! Nor did she give away to David the next day that he had a similar surprise coming his way.

How cute is that? We got each other the same thing! It's like Gift of the Magi, except without the whole tragedy part or twist ending. Which I guess makes it nothing like Gift of the Magi, but who cares? It's still funny.

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