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Thick panels of moisture-beaded glass seem, at first glance, only to separate one expanse of jungle from another. Here the verdant growth surrounding the house gives way to a steamy indoor thicket of immense potted ferns and creepers. Their lush greenery spills onto the terra-cotta tiled floor, stopping short of the edges of three oval-shaped pools which dominate the center of the room: tepidarium, calidarium, frigidarium.
Pause here, beside the door, to collect all the necessary accoutrements of a truly civilized bath, including a striped silk-and-cotton wrapper, sandals, three towels, a copper dish containing jasmine-scented soap, a soft cloth for soaping, a coarse-textured scrubbing glove, bowls for pouring water, combs, cosmetics, a mat for sitting or kneeling, a silver-backed hand mirror, and, last of all, a tiny crystal vial which, when opened, fills the humid air with the heady smell of crushed roses.
Along the two inner walls are steam tables, cream-colored stone slabs heated from beneath by some hidden mechanism. Relax here for an hour or two. Enjoy a cup of tea and an invigorating massage. Allow the rituals of water and cleanliness to refresh your spirit and body.
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