Hot Springs, Take Two

Waking up on Thanksgiving also felt strange. I didn’t realize what a creature of habit I actually am. It was my first Thanksgiving without family. In the morning I was feeling a thrown off, so Kelly and I watched Thanksgiving episodes of FRIENDS exclusively, and made hand turkeys and a construction paper American-style traditional feast.

Then we went with some friends to a real, outdoor Hot Springs. It took about an hour and a half, subway/taxi, and we were there. Our 30 min. cab after the subway cost us Y60, or $9, split 3 ways. Like I said, I’m a baller here.

The outside looked similar, and for a moment I was worried I had actually made the same mistake twice. Luckily, I soon saw a sign advertising the “Outdoor hot springs” and relaxed. The place was all that I’d hoped for and more. There were stone-lined paths that led to many different areas with hot pools and hot tubs. One side was lined with different saunas.

My favorite was the Jade sauna, which was lined inside with beautiful gemstones and had swanky red mood lighting. They also had those wooden, basket-looking pillows that I’ve previously seen only in museums. I’ll say, what they lack in fluffiness, they make up for in support. We also found a Turkey Sauna, which had a decorative statue of what must have been a turkey but looked more like a pterodactyl on top of a ginormous blue egg. That was the closest I got to Thanksgiving décor.

It was incredibly cold outside. On the way there, I cursed myself for wearing only a pea coat, gloves, and boots. How dare I leave the house without my hat and scarf?? This made it even more strange to be outside in my bathing suit, under a thin terry-cloth robe. The robes they gave us were orange, which effectively made us look like monks on holiday. They did not effectively keep out the cold, as they because wet and frozen after their first few wears.

Luckily, that didn’t matter for long. The water was so warm that I quickly found myself standing up in the calf-deep water, with most of my body enjoying the cold. We spent some time in the “medicated” hot tubs, and then more time in a larger pool, surrounded by stones and willow trees, as we drank pi geo (who remembers what that is?)

Then we decided to be adventurous and spring the extra Y88 to try out the mud bath. First we were instructed, via mime, to spread the jars of condensed mud onto our faces. This was stage one of the hilarity. Stage two was easing into the giant hot-tub-like pool of watery mud. The trick was, while the water was cool, the bottom had to have been some kind of electric burner. It actually burned if you kept your body touching it for more than one second. We were struck with the challenge of lowering ourselves into this pit of watery mud, without touching the bottom for too long.

Ultimately, we realized that we couldn’t and had to be burned. Once I lay down in the mud, my head perfectly supported by the floatie they wrapped around my neck, I honestly didn’t care that my foot was throbbing slightly. This was not the most convincing evidence for everyone, so for a while it was just me and Eric in the pit. Eventually, though, everyone braved the burner and made it into the mud.

I had a really relaxing time in the watery mud, spreading it around and, as Kelly put it, seeing what our skin would look like if we were black. Roxanne, our Jamaican friend especially appreciated our discovery.

The post-mud shower wasn’t near vigorous to get all of the mud off. I’m not convinced that I won’t find some for the next few showers. Even so, it was a worthwhile adventure.

After that we sat in over-sized arm chairs and had 45 minute foot massages, included in our Y198/$30 package. Sometimes, I just love China. After a few more hot tubs and a quick jump in the giant, un-heated lane pool, just for fun, it was time to go.

Then went home and stuffed ourselves on sushi.

Writing it now it sounds silly that I felt so out of place. It’s not every year (or any year before) that I get to have such treats on Thanksgiving. Really though, I missed you all. I’ve also decided that I need to do more cultural familiar traditions for myself so that another holiday doesn’t just pass me by like this one. (Aka I’ve already started listening to Christmas music, and am about to make a multitude of snowflakes, daily.)