Lynn:
As a couple that has been together for two decades, when it comes to celebrating anniversaries, sometimes we do very little and sometimes we make a big deal out of it. We had a wedding in the mountains the weekend before our anniversary this year, so we decided to go for it and stay in the mountains a bit longer to extend the celebration to include some treats for ourselves. Andre had been talking about a Japanese Spa for a few years and so I decided to give it a quick research and booked us a spa package- an hour long soak in the salt water hot tub, with cold immersion therapy, followed by a one hour couple’s massage.
The spa resort itself was up on a mountain, surrounded by lush greens and felt very secluded. Being nudists, we were pretty excited about the private soak so we could enjoy it the way we always do- one with nature. The hot tub itself was completely private, but was open above and facing down the mountain, so we were able to take in the view while enjoying saké, the jets of the tub and each other’s company. Every 15 minutes, we would robe up, flip flop our way over to the also fully enclosed cold therapy station- just 2 huge showers that dumped freezing cold water for as long as you could bear it. It was the best kind of torture, as water therapy tends to be. The most enjoyable part of the time for me was just enjoying private conversation in such a beautiful space- it is nice to have uninterrupted conversation with a favorite friend and the experience was nourishing for the body and the soul.
The beauty of being naked outdoors is restorative.
Andre:
There is a beauty to having a space to yourself. The fact that we got to spend the time nude was so enjoyable. Most spas don’t have the space to have co-ed spaces that are nude friendly, and I was thrilled that this place didn’t segregate us for our soaks. This allowed for Lynn and I to enjoy the intimacy and the relaxation that we so needed. Part of it was the joy of conversation, the other part was just seeing each other with big smiles and the joy of the moment we were sharing. We did not get sexually intimate, that was a specific thing that would have been a disrespect to the establishment that provided us such a great space. Plus they had it in their signage that sexual acts in their soaking pools was frowned upon. It doesn’t mean we weren’t turned on. There is a time and place for all those things, and as tempting as it was, this just wasn’t the place.
Lynn:
We finished up our time with a massage- not super relaxing since both therapists were really digging in, but you know, it is that good pain.
The time there felt serene and life-giving. It rejuvenated muscles and hearts and I am very thankful for taking the time to have some beautiful moments with Andre and reflect on and celebrate the amazing life we have together. We took a little time to dream about the future- our wants, our goals and making plans to get there. I always come away from time with Andre feeling refreshed and very much in love with this human that I chose to do life with so very long ago, not realizing then how very lucky we are. So we celebrate our love, our friendship and our future.
Andre:
I feel experiences like these are great ways to get introduced to being nude outdoors more easily. The environment alone is crafted for you to feel safe and comfortable in your own skin. A good skinny dip is always a great first step or couple steps to getting used to being nude outside of your home. This place did offer group rentals and you could enjoy it with more that just your significant other. I am starting to see more “bathhouses” or “soaking spas” starting to show up around the country when we travel. This alone is encouraging to see that co-ed nudity and soaking are an enjoyable experience. I will forever be on the hunt now for the next time we get to soak together in a spa environment.
Cheers to the next adventure, naked and together!
