“Should I?” in Switzerland

by Joel Bryant (United States of America)

I didn't expect to find Switzerland

The first thing you notice when stepping off the train in Lausanne, Switzerland is the air. Clean, crisp, rejuvenating (as I imagine all of Switzerland’s air to be). The next you realize that there are only two directions to go (which I also imagine is like most of Switzerland): Down, towards Lake Geneva, or up. My traveling companion and I were headed to “Steam on the Water” which is obviously down towards the lake. We were told it’s a great but no-frills inexpensive sauna, all adjectives I assumed from the name. Along the main road, with no business sign pointing the way, we saw a dirt walking path bear right off the pavement towards the lake leading to what looked like an encampment which could have easily housed either a radical cult. A bamboo fence barely cordoned off the property. A series of either hastily-built or converted-from-old-shed buildings ran along the ridge on the left. On the right was large airstream-style trailer with wooden steps leading up to it and another wooden path leading from it towards the iron grate dock jutting out onto the water. All seemed deserted. We made our way to the windowed office labeled Reservasion manned behind the desk by a Swiss who resembled Ernie from Sesame Street if he’d left NY, had some mushrooms and opened a spa in Switzerland. “Should we go in?” My partner asked. “We’re here.” I responded. Inside, we were greeted with stoned French-speaking “Ernie.” We paid the 30 francs for sauna access, rented towels (one for the sauna, one for the lake...At this time of year????), were given used knock-off Crocs and made our way outside. There were no instructions, no directions, no guides. The door to the changing room was locked and the men’s room had a sign but, oddly enough, no door, so we decided we would change in the dames bathroom stall. We put on our modest swimsuits, shrugged at each other as if to say “I guess this way” and made our way to the Airstream. What had seemed like a deserted horror film campground was actually a booming sauna, only we didn’t realize how booming it was because everyone was, obviously, in the sauna. As we opened the first door, we saw a dozen towels hanging on the rack and a myriad of Crocs and sandles along one side of the small entry room. We hung up our towels, took off our shoes and made our way into the cozy, communal Airstream spa filled with such obvious European-ness (comfortable showing skin and body hair) that it made my companion and I the “couple that doesn’t quite belong and why so many clothes?” We took a seat on our towels on the top bench of the sauna and immediately understood why 30 francs was such a good deal. The whole of the sauna was well-lacquered beautiful wood paneling with a colonial style stove pumping out the heat. However, one side of the Airstream was all windows where you could see the sun dancing off of the ripples of Lake Geneva. That glisten led across the water to the majestic ever-rising snow-capped Alps encircling the entire lake. As much as my breath was rejuvenated by the first clean crisp air of Lausanne, it was just as easily taken away. After 15 minutes of sweating it out in the sauna, we were encouraged in broken English to take a dip in the lake “as you’re supposed to do.” We nervously made our way to the iron grate dock, slowly lowered ourselves in the almost-freezing melted snow waters of Lake Geneva, dipped our head in for a few seconds, scrambled quickly up the ladder and back into the spa. It was horrible... But felt wonderful! 15 more minutes in the sauna, another quick dip in the lake and one more sauna trip. As we sipped almond milk hot chocolate in the reception area, staring out over the lake and marinating in our now-tingling relaxed bodies, I couldn’t help but smile. It’s always when you hesitate and think “Should I?” That’s when you definitely should...