herbal sauna

It has gotten very cold. I am wearing all my warm clothes, even my long johns and my fleece. A perfect moment to try the sauna. I have seen them advertised along the way. I don't know what to expect so I bring my soap just in case there is a shower.

The sauna is a little house on stilts. There are 2 tiny rooms and a large porch with a roof over it. Underneath the house, a man is burning wood in a big stove that heats a large metal tank filled with water. Into the tank, he puts cinnamon bark (lots of cinnamon bark), mint, basil, bay leaves. We go into the first room to undress and put on the sarongs that are provided. Then we step into the second room. A chimney from the metal tank below feeds into the floor here. Steam is billowing into the room and we cannot see anything. The man shows us where not to step. We sit in the steam. It is very spicy and strong on the eyes. After a while we take a break. We come out onto the porch. There is ginger tea waiting.We go back and forth until we are saturated with steam and herbs. It no longer feels cold outside.