Into the Pool

Tuesday, May 14, 2013 – Into the Pool

I knew I needed some real relaxation after my busy week in New Mexico and the inundation of family activities when I returned.  The solution?  SpaWorld, the 24-hour Korean spa in Centreville.  In case you’ve never been there, the best way I can describe it is a water-park for adults, plus a meditation center with interesting food.  My favorite part of the multi-sensory experience is the pool area.  There are actually two pool areas, one for women and one for men, because there’s a no-clothing policy.  It made me a little uneasy on my first visit a couple of years ago, but I quickly overcame my self-consciousness.  It’s liberating to leave your vanity behind for a few hours. 

Obviously, no photos are allowed, so I’ll just mention a few of the features that I particularly enjoyed.  In the pool area, there are multiple pools, with the water maintained at different temperatures.  The main pool, at a comfortable 90 degrees, features water jets at various levels, allowing you to target shoulders, lower back, legs, feet, etc.  It feels like you’re getting a massage, and I emerged from the pool with a sense of total relaxation. 

Then it was on to the poultice room.  In this large open area shared by men and women, everyone wears the baggy shorts and top (in a particularly hideous shade of mango) that you are given when you enter the spa.  In the poultice room, I had my choice of several therapeutic chambers, small rooms that supposedly provide various health benefits.  For example, a short stay in the Amethyst Gem Room will help remove toxins, improve blood circulation, and cure certain geriatric diseases.  I can’t validate this claim, but I enjoyed my five minutes in the 151 degree domed chamber, which was lined with a multi-colored stone mosaic.  I skipped the Red Clay Ball Room because it hurt my feet to walk in.  I was tempted to try the Salt Room, despite its 163 degree temperature, because it claimed to break down cellulite.  It felt surprisingly comfortable once I was stretched out on the floor mat with my head resting on a wooden support.  I ended with a quick but refreshing visit to the Blue Onyx Ice Room, a frosty ice-lined chamber. 

Then it was time to sample the Korean cuisine.  With a juice bar and a restaurant, SpaWorld offers plenty of options.  Unfortunately, about two-thirds of the menu was off-limits because the dishes were clearly labeled as spicy – Koreans are immensely fond of crushed red pepper – but with careful ordering, I was able to enjoy a complete Korean meal.  I love the Korean tradition of serving several small dishes to accompany the main course.  Along with a plate piled high with an udon noodle and vegetable stir-fry came with a comforting bowl of miso soup; a small dish of crispy pickled vegetables; a sesame-garnished dish of marinated green beans and fried tofu; some cubes of something gelatinous that was an unappetizing shade of gray but tasted delicious; and the requisite bowl of kimchi, the very hot pickled cabbage, which I avoided. 

Before I ventured back into the outside world, I spent an hour or so curled up in one of the spa’s comfortable chairs, leafing through magazines (there is a selection in both Korean and English) and savoring the sense of serenity that my visit to SpaWorld had engendered.