Nomads Notebook

MARY: My dear friend Mike Smith, whom I have had the fortune of knowing for forever and a day, told me a wonderful story about his first dog: a loyal Airedale named Jim Jim.

Seems Mike was a toddler at the time, a little fellah in a family of many children with a mother who loved them deeply, but who was a lady who simply had too little time. The small boy Mike was fascinated with road construction vehicles, including a steam roller that coulda made mincemeat outta him if someone wasn’t looking.

One day, curiosity proved too much, and little Mike wandered out into a NJ street to have a closer look at the steamroller moving ominously towards him. Mike’s mother looked out the window to see the loyal Jim Jim running towards the street, dragging the doghouse he was tied to at the time and had dragged off its foundation in the solid attempt to save little Mike from the flattening power of that steam roller.

Mike lived, I am happy to report. And Jim-Jim saved him, barking and fussing and creating enough noise to make a steamroller operator step on the brake when noticing a half-crazed animal nipping at a big wheel, despite the consequences.

So one day, when Doug and I were minding our own business, seated at O’Connell’s, a favorite Celtic restaurant in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, we asked for an Australian Shiraz.

We were served one called Jim Jim.

It is one of the best on the planet.

We both like dogs so much. And, when visiting http://www.jimjim.com.au/, we are greeted with the sound of a dog who is loved, an animal who eats the grapes when it is time to harvest, a sweet canine who tells the growers, “Get with it. It is time to make it into wine.”

Dear Jim Jim. As Mike says, “now being channeled by a Shiraz near you.”

Get it. It is loyal, robust, and fab.

“You will always find an answer in the sound of water,” wrote Taoist Chuang-Tse.

Especially if you are a German prisoner of war, with the “misfortune” of being sent to the mountains of North Carolina, to work near, and soak in, hot springs of water of around 108 degrees, an aqua temp determined by Mother Nature and the U.S. Geodetic Survey.

There is a tale of hundreds of German merchant sailors who happened to be in U.S. ports when World War I broke out. They were gathered up and sent to an internment camp in Hot Springs. The story goes that the internees were treated kindly by the locals, and many came back with their families to visit after war was over. Except for one. He hightailed it out of camp even before peace was proposed and walked, climbed and crawled the many miles of mountain to the town of Asheville, where he hitched a ride to NYC, never to be heard from again.

PRESENT DAY: Located 35 miles NW of Asheville, NC, and 70 miles E of Knoxville, TN, the restorative waters of Hot Springs still do their duty. You can sign up, by the hour, for your very own hot water soothe.

The minerals contained within a soak sound ominous: sulphate of magnesia, bicarbonate of iron, silica, alumina, chloride of potassium, sulphate of potassium, bicarbonate of lime…you get the picture. And the benefits behind these scary names can be felt: laxative effect, anemia correction, blood strengthening, relaxed nerves, better digestion, tissue protection, strengthening of bone and tooth structure.

MAP: Hot Springs, NC

The water is piped to modern outdoor Jacuzzi-type hot tubs that are drained and sanitized after each use.

One of the most important benefits: how your skin looks after a good long soak. Bright. Younger. Colorful. And how relaxed you feel, looking out over the French Broad River, up to your neck in carbonated water that fades any tension you brought with you. And it’s safe and refreshing to drink as well.

And yes, you can take it with you. Bring empty bottles or jugs (plastic…no glass, please) so you can take some mineral water home with you. Great for drinking, coffee-making, face-washing, etc.

Soaking time and cost? During the daytime, hourly rates are between $12 - $50, based on the number of people per tub. In the evenings, after 6 p.m., it costs $30-$60. It has been our experience that soaking for two straight hours is the way to go for the best relaxation.

Massage therapy is also available at Hot Springs: Swedish, deep tissue and hot stone massages are available. Ask for Kraig. He’s a terrific massage therapist and an interesting conversationalist if you feel like talking.

Call ahead for reservations: 828-622-7676. The one complaint we have is you can’t make a reservation online via the Hot Springs Web site. Oh well. Give them a call and go there. It is worth it.