The Tranquil Harbour
Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver
As we walked, the dark waters from the harbour lapped playfully at the sea wall and a cool autumn breeze licked at our faces. The waterfront was ablaze with intense hues of orange and red, with cheeky maple leaves cartwheeling across our path and the dazzling sun sashaying downwards, taking the temperature with it. A little shiver tickled the back of my neck, and with the evening chill fast at our heels, we hurried back to the warmth of the hotel.
Leaving the brisk ocean air at the door, we basked in the warmth of the lobby with its crackling fireplace wrapping its heat around us like a cashmere scarf. An extraordinary feeling of contentment permeated our bodies touching all of our senses, and feeling the slightest bit woozy from this intense satisfaction, we perched for a moment in the lobby's quaint bamboo garden to contemplate what other heavenly pleasures awaited us inside.
Barely 10 minutes had passed before the man from concierge returned to the hotel, hair glistening ever so slightly from the misty drizzle outside. In his hand, he triumphantly held up my coat that I had left at Robson Street whilst shopping earlier that day. With the warmest of smiles, he handed me the coat that I had cherished for years, neatly folded and perfectly dry. I could not remember the last time I had encountered such kindness, and overcome with appreciation, I hugged this man as if he were my best friend.
As if afloat on a gigantic white marshmallow, we lay on the enormous king sized bed and let the dark chocolate and caramel tones of the room swirl around us. Sprinklings of gold glittered cordially and despite the expansiveness of the room, we felt incredibly cosy and snug. And as we lay there, totally at peace, an immeasurable amount of happiness filled our hearts and we sailed blissfully into the rest of the night.
With one deep breath, the fresh smell of the Pacific Ocean filled my lungs, invigorating every cell in my body. The warmth of the sun caressed my face, and I could hear the waves crashing gently on the side of the boat. Suddenly, a gentle voice called my name, and when I opened my eyes, I was back at the Market restaurant. The waiter had come to check if my tuna tartare was satisfactory. Satisfactory? It was sensational; so exceptionally fresh that it had whisked me away to the beautiful place it once came.
The day began with an explosion of flavours at the Ginger Juice Bar. The zesty tang of orange and mango performed a gymnastics routine in my mouth, juggling silky batons of soy milk and frozen yoghurt. I watched dreamily as the early morning sun rays danced frivolously on the deck, whilst beside it, the pool glistened invitingly. And with a crisp breeze skipping joyfully in from the harbour clearing my mind, the day was off to a sterling start.
Under the water, everything went all warm and fuzzy. Like a floppy rag doll, I let my head bob up and down to the muffled beat of classical music and watched my hair float in all directions like some sort of bizarre coral formation. Feeling utterly relaxed in this gigantic hot water bottle of bliss, I happily lolled about in the pool watching the world go by; the rest of the day could wait.
The afternoon at CHI, The Spa was more like a trek through the mystical mountains of the Himalayas. Inside, dark wood dominated and the soft ringing of Tibetan singing bowls reverberated in the air. A fireplace flickered cheerfully in the corner as the soothing scent of sandalwood circulated the room. Feeling miles away from the city, and for that matter, the Earth, I surrendered to the deep calm of the spa and let the lush Mountain Tsampa Wrap heal me from head to toe.
