After my weaving class last Saturday, my back had tightened right up. So today I headed for the spa on the 2nd floor of our hotel to book in for a massage at 2pm today. I picked the cheapest, baic Lao, $22 for an hour. As a hotel guest, I get a 10% discount.
There are massage rooms etc everywhere here and I know you can get an hour on the street for 45,000 ($60) but I am sceptical about that. In LP, if you gave a donation to the Red Cross, you got a free one! With lymphedema in my right arm, I have to explain to people what not to do. Also we are sweating like pigs so the thought of a non AC room, towels that may have been used before, etc. makes me nervous. Hence, head to the spa in your hotel, I say.
Like the Hanoi hotel spa, it is a lovely little haven down there on the 2nd floor. One room has mats on the floor, the other 2 beds. For a Lao massage you take off your clothes and don a pair of rough silk pajamas, a V-necked slip-on top and baggy shorts that tie at the waist. You lie on the mat on the floor, face down, and this sweet young thing does all sorts of magic first on your back, then your front. They concentrate on the legs and feet, but also back and shoulders. Let me tell you, Paw found knots in there I didn't know about yet. I am sure I'll be sore tomorrow but hopefully loosened up after that. She wants me to come every day while I am here. It's certaily tempting.
I'm the only one in the spa til I am ready to leave, when an English lady arrives. She had the works yesterday and now wants a facial later today. As she says, it's too hot out there to do anything else. I'm with her on that. Paw serves me a lovely cup of ginger tea and I'm on my way, feeling like a butterfly.
Back to the room for coconut water, the rest of my almond tarte, and the delicous home-made cookies from our huge hotel breakfast buffet. Don't want to be into that Laobeer on an empty stomach again today. Juices here from Thailand are lovely, so we clear our fridge of all the pop and crap, and fill it with cold water and fruit juices. I particularly like the guava and lychee.
This room has 75cl of both Smirnoff and gin, and 35cl of Jack Danials. Who drinks this stuff? Must be the Japanese, of whom there are certaily lots as there are sushi bars around here too.
It is good to be in an upscale hotel, the staff are super friendly to do everything for you, dining room staff little short on English but big smiles all the time. We're in the boutique Salana Hotel at US$130 a night not cheap. Coming back to your cool, quiet room after the mayhem on the street is good.
Meanwhile Ted is off on one of his walks, ever the Boy Scout, he is checking out where we will eat next and how far I can make it before we have to take a tuktuk. We haven't figured out what to pay but when ou walk out of this hotel within sight of a tuktuk, you kow you are going to pay double, even when you bargain them down. It's supposed to be 20,000 (US$2.5) for 1-2k but they try to double it for two people - hello?? - yesterday we got quoted 40, I said 30, and off we went.
There are massage rooms etc everywhere here and I know you can get an hour on the street for 45,000 ($60) but I am sceptical about that. In LP, if you gave a donation to the Red Cross, you got a free one! With lymphedema in my right arm, I have to explain to people what not to do. Also we are sweating like pigs so the thought of a non AC room, towels that may have been used before, etc. makes me nervous. Hence, head to the spa in your hotel, I say.
Like the Hanoi hotel spa, it is a lovely little haven down there on the 2nd floor. One room has mats on the floor, the other 2 beds. For a Lao massage you take off your clothes and don a pair of rough silk pajamas, a V-necked slip-on top and baggy shorts that tie at the waist. You lie on the mat on the floor, face down, and this sweet young thing does all sorts of magic first on your back, then your front. They concentrate on the legs and feet, but also back and shoulders. Let me tell you, Paw found knots in there I didn't know about yet. I am sure I'll be sore tomorrow but hopefully loosened up after that. She wants me to come every day while I am here. It's certaily tempting.
I'm the only one in the spa til I am ready to leave, when an English lady arrives. She had the works yesterday and now wants a facial later today. As she says, it's too hot out there to do anything else. I'm with her on that. Paw serves me a lovely cup of ginger tea and I'm on my way, feeling like a butterfly.
Back to the room for coconut water, the rest of my almond tarte, and the delicous home-made cookies from our huge hotel breakfast buffet. Don't want to be into that Laobeer on an empty stomach again today. Juices here from Thailand are lovely, so we clear our fridge of all the pop and crap, and fill it with cold water and fruit juices. I particularly like the guava and lychee.
This room has 75cl of both Smirnoff and gin, and 35cl of Jack Danials. Who drinks this stuff? Must be the Japanese, of whom there are certaily lots as there are sushi bars around here too.
It is good to be in an upscale hotel, the staff are super friendly to do everything for you, dining room staff little short on English but big smiles all the time. We're in the boutique Salana Hotel at US$130 a night not cheap. Coming back to your cool, quiet room after the mayhem on the street is good.
Meanwhile Ted is off on one of his walks, ever the Boy Scout, he is checking out where we will eat next and how far I can make it before we have to take a tuktuk. We haven't figured out what to pay but when ou walk out of this hotel within sight of a tuktuk, you kow you are going to pay double, even when you bargain them down. It's supposed to be 20,000 (US$2.5) for 1-2k but they try to double it for two people - hello?? - yesterday we got quoted 40, I said 30, and off we went.
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