It's like a vacation, but you don't go anywhere.
Between adopting a cat, the rising cost of travel, and family planning a visit, I decided to take the past week off to decompress and relax. Granted I still ended up cleaning a bunch and working on going through my deceased parent's stuff, but I still spent a few days doing absolutely nothing.
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| This was a good lunch! |
It was nice to have a week to "do nothing" at home. I played with the cat, tackled a few projects I hadn't had time for, read a lot, and enjoyed taking day trips to different small towns within an hour or so from my house.
Saturday and Sunday were the "quite days". I had an obligation Sunday night, so I stuck around the house and had my annual rewatch of Steven King's "Rose Red" (it takes place on Memorial Day weekend). My cat enjoyed the attention and I picked up a bunch of books from the library.
Monday was an "adventure day". Since it was Memorial Day, I wanted to do something to honor (or at least think about) those who gave their lives serving the country. I opted to visit Winchester, Virginia.
I stopped first at the battlefield. It's not a part of the National Parks like Manassas and Gettysburg. It is instead managed by The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District. The visitor's center is right off 81 and there are several miles of trails to explore. They also have a strict rule that discourages treasure hunters trying to find Civil War relics.
After visiting the visitor's center and walking around the battlefield to see some of the monuments, I decided to head into the historic district to find a place for lunch. In most of the smaller towns in Virginia, shops and restaurants tend to close on Mondays to give staff and residents a break from the more crowded and lucrative weekends. Though a lot of places along the outdoor walking area were closed, I was still able to find a few restaurants open and a few shops to visit (including a book store). I also popped into the museum in town, but didn't have enough time to look around properly. I hope to go back as the museum has a lot of Civil War graffiti that's been preserved.
I managed to get home before the Memorial Day weekend traffic really kicked off (it helped that I was able to drive the backroads home). The cat was fed dinner on time.
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were "chore days". Yes, I still was able to laze around a bit, but I also wanted to get the house ready for my family to visit and run a few errands. Wilhelmina had a follow up vet appointment to check her ears (all clear of infection - thank goodness) and I finally got my second set of car keys (it took about an hour and half for them to be programmed - whatever that entails).
I also took the opportunity to try one of the Korean spas nearby. The closest (and most recommended) is Spa World, which I still haven't been to (though Groupon does have a sale). The other spa nearby is King Spa, which has an outdoor pool. They were having a weekday walk-in special that I took advantage of.
I loved going to King Spa. However, there were new experiences for me - at least in the United States. Nudity is mandatory in parts of King Spa. The sexes are separated, though I'm not sure what their policy on gender identity is. I didn't mind this as I'd been to an onsen in Japan when I was 11. The nudity is only required in the shower and bath area.
Bathing suites are required for use of the indoor and outdoor blade pools. The blade pools are amazing. Water pressure is used to message different parts of the body with areas to stand, sit, and lay down. There are also a few hot tubs.
The other areas of the spa include the saunas. You have to wear the spa's uniforms to enter the saunas. King Spa has ten sauna rooms for you to choose from. I tried all, but the ice room since it was closed the day I went. I especially liked the Bul Han Jing Mak room. It was the hottest sauna at 390 degrees Fahrenheit and I couldn't stay in very long, but it was a great experience.
Also at King Spa (and other similar Korean spas) are relaxing areas and a restaurant. I thought the restaurant was a little overpriced, but not bad. I was able to finish one of my library books while in the relaxing area. People bring books, knitting, and even laptops to the relaxing area - just leave them outside the saunas.
Once my family arrived, things ramped up. We went to Middleburg, Manassas, and back to Winchester to see the small towns and do some shopping. We spent a lot of time in one of the toy stores in Middleburg selecting baby shower gifts for one of my cousins who is about to have their first child.
On Saturday, we went to the Cox Farms BBQ. In the late Spring and Summer, Cox Farms is a great place to take small children. They have tons of play areas, opportunities to see the farm animals (they have goats, chickens, and a llama), and have good food. On Saturdays, they also have a band playing during the BBQ lunch.
As my staycation draws to a close, I'm happy with the mix of quite time and adventure. Sometimes it feels like I need a vacation from my vacation, but this experience didn't feel like that at all. There are a lot of small, but fun things to do within an hour or two of my area and it was nice to explore some of the places I had never been to before.
10 out of 10 I would recommend a staycation.
Especially since the money is tight right now. Yeesh...
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Until next week.
