Remember this photo from a few weeks back?
The Balmoral Hotel stands majestically at the east end of Princes Street. It appears to cover an entire block. This is the place where I met our first Scotsman, Mr. Nicholl, who was playing the bagpipes dressed in his kilt, greeting guests as they arrived at the hotel.
Built in 1902, it was and is one of the great hotels in Scotland. The name 'Balmoral' means 'majestic dwelling' in Gaelic.
Some famous people who have visited this hotel are Sophie Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, Paul McCartney, the Queen Mother, Debbie Hannah and Angela MacPherson.
Another interesting guest was J.K. Rowlings. She finished her very last book "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" in this hotel in Room 652 in 2007. The room has now been renamed 'The J.K. Rowlings Suite" and you can book it and stay for 1000 sterling pounds a night.
Come on...you only live once?
No we didn't book the room either but we are going to Afternoon Tea in the Palm Court at the Balmoral Hotel. A treat that I love. I wore my kilt especially for the occasion.
A table for two please.
Happy are we. Beautiful surroundings and I always feel pampered and spoiled by a little something decadent like Afternoon Tea.
A beautiful atrium type setting with lovely decorations and wonderful, comfortable seats.
Sandwiches with the crusts cut off. My Meme used to do that for us as children, and since I didn't care for the crust, I loved it.
Egg salad, smoked salmon, curried chicken, cream cheese and cucumber, and ham and cheese sandwiches for two.
Parsnip and apple soup. Don't turn up your nose until you try it.....yummy.
Our very social and delightful server straining my tea.
Now for the good stuff....
Lemon sponge cake, spiced plum mousse, a brownie (that tasted like a piece of fudge), fruit cake and Italian nugget cake.
But don't forget the scones.....they are Afternoon Tea to me!
For a few sterling pounds more you could add Champagne to your Afternoon Tea.
No thank you.
We spent about two hours at the tea. Chatting, laughing and enjoying some quiet time just Deb and I.
My 'Random Act of Kindness' is included in this story. When we told Anne, our host (where we are staying in Edinburgh), that we were going to Afternoon Tea to treat ourselves, she gave Deb and I gift certificates for a Spa afternoon at the Sheraton Hotel!
How generous and kind is that?
So after tea, we headed down to the west end of Princes Street and made our way to the Sheraton.
The spa experience is called the "Escape At One.'
It lasts for three hours? How can I possibly be still for three hours? By the end I could.
It is a heat and water treatment that you enjoy at your leisure. They suggests the order of which you do them and how long you will stay in each treatment for optimal results.
Bathing suits and robes, as well as flip flops are provided. Unfortunately, photos inside the actually steam baths would never show up...lol....here are just a few shots and I will share the rest.
We started with a Tropical Rain Forest shower. Followed by a visit nto a Laconium warm room. Not too hot, just a gentle dry, on comfortable seats. About 20-25 minutes.
The focus is on hot and cold. Here is the crushed ice that you smear on yourself between the heat treatments to cool off. It is exhilarating. As well as necessary to put the fire out!
After drying we are off to the Bio Sauna to help soothe our sore muscles. You have a choice between the very hot Rock sauna, which you pour water on the stones to make it hotter. Ahh no...
We like the Bio Sauna that was a little less hot and more comfortable.
Between the treatments, we rest on these Tepidarium ceramic heated lounge beds. Resting is required between treatments to allow them to work but I would suspect to cool down as well.
We could and almost did fall asleep in these beds.
The steam baths that we went into next were called the Hammam and the Aroma Grotto. These two cleansed our bodies. Fifteen minutes max in each one. They smelled delicious. Camomile scented in the Aroma Grotto. I believe it was great for my asthma....which has been not so great since we arrived in Europe.
I have never been in a steam bath. That is serious business. Very, very hot air to breathe and your skin feels like it might be on fire.....did I stay too long....I don't think so?
(Note: the next day my skin felt soft, and smooth.)
After you have completed the hot water treatments you cool yourself down in the Cold Fog shower. The 5 jets of water spray you with warm and cold water at the same time! It will lift our spirits.
Oh yes it did.
After resting again for about 20-25 minutes we immerse ourselves in the rooftop Hydropool. Oh yeah.
A very invigorating experience with jets that whip up the water in pools that are outside.
It is meant to rebalance your body's essential core.
That was probably the very best experience of the whole spa treatment.
Wow is all I can say.
What a fantastic day and we were so thankful to Anne for this incredible gift.
WE LOVED IT!
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