"She's known as the Helen of the Caribbean," says Keys, our guide on an inland Segway tour. 'Just as the Greeks and the Trojans waged war over the legendary beautiful Helen, wife of the Spartan King Menelaus, the French and the English fought for years over this small island.'
In terms of tactics, the reasons for this long-standing feud are quite clear: St. Lucia's position, surrounded on all sides by other islands, as well as the 75 peaks it hosts in its 238 square kilometers, made it a dream for military tacticians , which has a great location with multiple vantage points. Yet this island - the only one in the Caribbean to bear a feminine name - has much more to offer 'Helen' than just its strategic advantages: its green and blue lushness, warm waters and blue sunsets are a seductress in itself .
Would I climb into a wooden horse for her with a load of sweaty, smelly soldiers? Probably not. However, I would like to repeat the experience of submitting myself to the service of the team at The Landings Resort and Spa.
My 17-year-old daughter, Phoenix, was beside herself with joy when she discovered this would be an important part of our trip. "I feel like I'm the kind of person who needs weekly massages," she enthused, as I internally cursed myself for the baby massage classes I'd taken her to as a baby ("pathetic rod making," an older relative). had said, shaking his head at me).
With a spa program designed with an emphasis on the health and wellness of women at every stage of life, from menstruation to menopause, and from infertility to imbalances, I was curious to see if The Landings could bridge the gap between her glorious youth and my middle age . while creating a mother/daughter experience that we could share and enjoy together. Ever since I read, when I was not much older than my daughter is now, by Anita Diamant The red tent I am fascinated by the idea that menstruation was once a time when women, with their cycles born of living in small communities, retreated together to rest and celebrate, and to pass down feminine wisdom from generation to generation.
The story continues
My daughter and I have a close relationship, something I like to attribute to my excellent mothering skills, but which, according to a study recently published in The Journal of Neuroscience, probably has more to do with nature. It shows that mothers and daughters have the strongest bond; stronger, it said, "than mother-son, father-daughter and father-son associations." We went to ballets, performances, bars, afternoon teas and sushi restaurants together. We scoured shoe sales, watched Netflix, made revision flashcards, and stayed up for hours talking. However, somehow we've never met for a spa or beauty treatment other than getting our nails done.
During our first conversation with Miss Majorie, the spa manager, we discussed our concerns, some of which emerged through her well-trained eye before we had even given them a voice. In addition to a treatment program with quality products from local brand KaKo Organic, which combines ingredients such as cinnamon and nutmeg, both grown on the island, our bodies were treated to scrubs with oils such as sandalwood, which combat hot flashes and stabilize the mood. and clary sage, which is thought to balance estrogen levels and lower cortisol. We were also recommended a variety of herbal teas, which we could continue to enjoy after we left St. Lucia. For example, Red Clover, which is believed to balance hormones, and Chasteberry, which is believed to relieve premenstrual and premenopausal symptoms.
There wasn't much tea drinking outside of the spa. As guests of The Landing's all-inclusive package, we swung shamelessly between blissful, bathrobe-wrapped beacons of well-being, to cocktail-swilling larrikins, covered in SPF and lounging on lounge chairs while choking with glee over memories of experiences from the past. Some days our bodies were temples; in others they were gin palaces.
Still, it's all about balance, something we quickly discovered we didn't need much on the Segways as they do all the work for you. However, Keys' knowledge of the medicinal uses of the plants we encountered dovetailed nicely with what we had learned at the spa. Carpenter's grass is also known for its ability to alleviate women-specific problems, as is St. John's Bush - and we were both quite impressed with the burgundy, scalloped 'leaf of life', which is so rich in nutrients that its uses are seemingly endless. (Although, after being warned about my "dull" skin at the spa, I can't deny that its beautifying properties were what was most appealing to me.)
The next day, we took part in a Caribbean dance class with another mother and daughter duo we were friends with. The Segway may have taken the legwork out of the jungle exploration, but our legs were working overtime here, and our dripping sweat was proof of that.
"You can wash off the sweat, but you can't wash off the sexy!" our instructor encouraged, as my daughter and I laughed with embarrassment and felt self-conscious as we mimicked movements that somehow seem uninhibited and liberating if you witness them at carnival. Worse still, my daughter asked the instructor to turn his back on us so we could better follow his movements, a request, she quickly realized in horror, which put his perky "wriggling" behind right in front of her.
Cocktails were definitely in order that afternoon.
Still, that-along with our jungle zipline adventure, which saw us hopping through the treetops at dizzying heights-was a reminder that staying healthy as a woman can be as much about laughing as it is about cringing. evoking the seriousness that so often accompanies feminine well-being.
"Dolphin music and irrelevant crystal shops," my daughter once snorted disdainfully, and when I think back to my disgust when Namaste started peppering Instagram, hashtagged by bendy women in expensive athleisure, I'd have to agree with her. There was early morning yoga, yes, but thanks to non-motorized water sports that were part of The Landings' all-inclusive package, our core muscles were also worked by stand-up paddleboarding; our shoulders, by kayaking; and our legs, by snorkeling among the corals in search of mermaid eggs in the hope of hatching our own siren at home in the bathtub.
There was also laughter in the spa, and the staff delivered feminine wisdom with enthusiasm and humor, rather than the hushed, reverent tones I've come to associate with so many Western spas and clinics. And this, I understand, is how it used to be: women gathered together without the men, not because they were inferior, ashamed, or unclean, but so they could sing and tell stories, some of which were probably quite colorful. . They collected herbs, not because they were witches, but because they had an innate understanding of how flora could be used to promote health.
Femininity has created unique bonds for generations of women, whether family members or friends, something that this Helena of an island, and this resort in particular, seem to be particularly adept at.
Essentials
Sarah Rodrigues was the guest of The Landings Resort and Spa and the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority.
Blue Bay Travel offers seven nights at The Landings St Lucia on a B&B basis in a one-bedroom villa suite with marina views and plunge pool. £1,849pp departing Gatwick on 30 May 2024 with British Airways; price includes return transfers and luggage included. A one-night stay at The Landings Resort and Spa costs from £380 per night, based on four (two adults and two children) sharing a two-bedroom villa suite with marina views, including breakfast, free non-motorized sports and daily activities. Spa treatments cost from around £52.
For more information, see stlucia.org
