When we’d looked at the forecast a week earlier, we were worried whether we would get outside at all – it called for rain virtually every day we were here.
Now here we are nearing the end of our trip, stiff from three solid days of hiking, very much ready for a rain day.
Nature has provided:
Late wakeup and then off for our usual breakfast, this time augmented by some freshly-baked pastries:
My wife has a spa appointment, so the kids are mine this morning. But how difficult can that be? I just need to drop them off at kids club, after all. Or so I thought.
We went to Passworld for a 10 am start – only to discover that the door was open, but no one was home.
We gave the G.O another ten minutes to get in, without result. A brief text exchange with the manager revealed that a school group of 60 students was visiting this morning. Passworld would be closed, but our children would be welcome to join the larger group instead.
Neither of our kids were particularly interested in joining 60 students who all knew each other. I can’t say I entirely blamed them.
To be clear, I’m fully on board with Club Med partnering with nearby schools and building ties with the local community. I just wish it wasn’t at the expense of their regular programming, particularly when we already had to skip a day of Passworld due to short-staffing.
But – the manager promised that Passworld will be re-opening at 3 pm today after the school group leaves. So that’s something, at least.
And to the kids credit, they rallied and agreed to go to the pool. Which was a good thing, as I’d dressed in a robe and bathing suit almost an hour ago with the expectation that I’d be able to drop the kids off and head off to the pool on my own.
The kids mostly hung out in hammocks and read while I used the steam room, then we bounced the beachball around for a while before the kids started a spirited game of splash battle. (I retired to the steam room for that one.)
Ultimately the pool held their attention right up until it closed for lunch at 12:30 pm. We left to get changed, and then headed off for lunch.
My wife had a great spa trip. In additon to the treatment rooms, the spa consists of a large sauna, outdoor hot tub, cold tub and loungers as well as an indoor relaxation lounge with tea station. Depending on how busy the spa is it is possible to buy a day pass that allows you access to these amenitites.
Photo Credit: Club Med Charlevoix
The spa is open for two periods each day and – as my wife had a late morning booking – they recommeded she arrive early to make use of the facilities before her treatment.
My wife opted for the “spa favourite” service – an ancestral Indonesian massage which started with 5 minutes of meditation and breathwork before moving into a traditional massage. She found the meditation really helped her focus before the massage and definitely intends to try it herself going forward.
Fried chcken and mashed potatoes for lunch today:
Then off to the Lounge while the kids get a bit of screen time. The rolling clouds gave the forested hillside a moody, atmospheric feel:
And the rain, rain, rain came down, down, down. After a time, tea was served:
We’d hoped that the kids would be able to resume kids club by 3 pm, but unfortunately it was pushed back to 4 pm. But at least they got to go back this afternoon even after the lengthy visit from the nearby school.
Chacuterie was served:
Then it was time for one last glance over the cloud-swept hills:
Then we took the kids to dinner.
Sous vide beef with bernaise sauce tonight:
The kids were hoping to head back to the kids club this evening, but it was not meant to be – the pirate performance is on again tonight, and the G.O for Passworld is playing the lobster. They would have gotten only about 45 minutes before the talent show, though, so it wasn’t too great of a loss. Still frustrating, but we’re hopeful they get one more session tomorrow.
Time for the talent show – and it wouldn’t be Club Med without a high-altitude circus act:
One of the acts that stole the show was a “bad magic” act in which the two presenters did a range of silly “tricks” including passing the flashlight from one phone to the next, and using their “levitation powers” to raise the lid of a step-on garbage can. It was very silly, but hilarious.
The guitarist was excellent:
As was the second acrobat:
The magician also made an appearance, and brought our son up to the stage for a card trick. This was proper magic, and very well done.
The show ran until just after 10 pm, at which point it was time to call it a night. We’re going to make the most of the last of our resort time tomorrow, and then we’re off to Quebec City.