spA : BOTA BOTA ; LIghTs : MOMeNT FAcTOry ; zIpLINe : MONT TreMBLANT |
ShipS in city harbourS tend to evoke images of industry and commerce : big vessels hauling all manner of cargo ; smaller boats packed bow to stern with commuters , sightseers and pleasure cruisers . But at least one ship presents an intriguing alternative .
Moored at Montreal ’ s Old Port , Bota Bota moves its patrons “ between two water worlds .” It ’ s a serene Scandinavian spa with hot and cold pools — plus saunas , steam rooms , and even yoga and pilates classes — on the bustling banks of the St . Lawrence River .
Bota Bota is the brainchild of the Émond family . “ We [ my dad and I ] were looking for a place to have a spa by water ,” co-owner Geneviève Émond says . “ It ’ s urban , but it brings the sense of being outside .” In this case , that means views of the geometric Habitat 67 housing complex , historic Old Montreal and more .
Montreal-based Sid Lee Architecture executed the Émonds ’ vision , turning the
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vessel — formerly a commuter ferry and later , a showboat with live theatre — into a unique spa environment .
The design is intrinsic to the experience : The deepest bowels of the boat , where I change into my bathing suit , are darker , and foster an introspective state . It gets brighter as I ascend — up past the treatment rooms ’ illuminated 678 portholes , and then to the top two levels , where sunlight floods through floor-to-ceiling windows .
It ’ s in the clear light of day that I begin the water circuit , first relaxing on the Sunshine Deck , then moving to the sauna , where my pores dilate and my blood pressure rises . After that it ’ s whoosh — into the cold plunge pool , heart pumping , pores closing up . Finally , I wind down on the Middle Deck , my heart rate gradually returning to normal .
It ’ s a rejuvenating journey that I repeat twice more . At Bota Bota , I may be in port , but I ’ m hardly anchored . Like the river , I ’ m flowing free .
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Fall FoR the FolIage
The vast canvas of Quebec ’ s Laurentian region is especially splashy when autumn coaxes brilliant colours from the mountainside maples , oaks , birches and basswoods . Famed Mont Tremblant boasts particularly stunning scenery : Take a gondola ride to the summit and its panoramic vista , or hook up with a zipline tour for even more exhilarating views .
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CAA MANITOBA FALL 2016 33 |