Sunday 5 June
Rain forecasted.
QB prevaricated about having a mud treatment at the Term,excelsior. Went not to miss the experience.
QB added the following:
"With considerable procrastination, signed up for a spa mud treatment (as opposed to a medical mud treatment for liver and kidneys) at Montecatini Excelsior Terme. Jeff walked me in to prevent a craven turn of tail and waste of money.
Escorted into a long treatment room containing a massage table, a bathtub and shower. Removed all clothes and put on a shred of paper with strings that might generously be described as a "thong." (Not by me)
Flopped on table, eyes and face were smeared with goo. Covered with salt like salt-baked chicken, or bacala, then scrubbed with sandpaper (maybe a loofah). Then ordered by mostly nonEnglish-speaking person: "bath."
Oozed into a typically Eurotepid (probably an EU reg.) jacuzzi bath until prune like. It emptied itself and I was told "mud."
Back to table to be slathered with special thermal mud. Much hotter than the bath. Photo of bucket 'o' mud exists. Other photo suppressed by censor. Roasted in mud covered with plastic tarp for some time. Like clay pot chicken. After mud, told "shower." Given supermarket sponge and entered cheap Euroshower to rinse. Mud surprisingly difficult to remove.
Then even tepider bath to remove rest of mud and "relax." Rose prunelike from bath. Back to table for final slather with pleasant smelling grease. Brief massage of legs, back. Short rest, then done.
Mud still stuck to toes."
–––––
Funicolare to Alto Montecatini:. Perched high on a hill of course.
http://www.welcometuscany.it/tuscany/pistoia/montecatini-alto-high-town-funicolar-station.htm
A ride up to the old town. Medieval of course. Two churches of three 12 th to 15 th century. Massive hills and many other Sunday tourists.
Dinner in the main square. People watching more than cuisine. QB ordered a negroni.
Boog's Blog 