Sea Moon Water Palace

Women's day is celebrated all over the world, and in China.  The day is celebrated by giving some women a half day of work, and people buy flowers and presents for the women in their lives!  I am all for celebrating mothers, but how about those of us who don't have children or don't want them!  So my primary school invited me to a "Water Palace."  I said "Of course!"  Lucy was excited, and her excitement was infectious.  The next day I met her and we walked to the "Sea Moon Water Palace."  It was a fancy spa, after 3 attempts I finally got some sandals that fit.  Then we walked into ladies room, a big sign that said "Males Stop" in English was proudly displayed.  We went to our lockers and changed out of our clothes.  It wouldn't have been so awkward if the other teachers were trying to hide their bodies.  I shrugged and went with it.  There were showers, two giant baths with TVs playing soap operas.  One had water massage in it, beds with jets that you could turn on.  Then there was a sauna and a steam room.  Both with windows so you could watch TV!

"Do you want to have a hot towel massage?"  Asked Lucy with a smile, I looked confused so she immediately said the Chinese phrase of "You can have a try." This is what my dear friend Lucy says to me every time I look apprehensive about something.  So I get led to a massage table, the lady puts down saran wrap and tosses water over the table.  Then gestures for me to shed my towel and lay down.  I do so and she tosses water over me, opens a towel from a bag.  And starts to scrub the shit out of me, then I realize she is ripping all of my skin off.  With a hard scrubby towel!!  It hurt, and made me giggle, then made me really uncomfortable as I saw the rolls of dead skin accumulating on my arms and legs.  Then I got to flip over, and man, she did everything.  I felt like she had just rubbed off all my skin.  Which of course she had.  Then a shower and then into some pajamas.  XXL (and they were still a little small)  It was too early for dinner, so we went up to the 3rd floor.

The 3rd floor had low lighting and rows and rows of comfy chairs.  There were personal TVs for each individual chair. But Lucy and I chose to chat and eat watermelon.  Our conversation flew over all the place, talking about mothers and daughters.  And my teaching and my plans for the future.  Then to a buffet it was terrible... then home.  I was finally warm.