Tough Chinese chicks
Yesterday I added three Cantonese words to my Chinese vocabulary; this (ni goh), please (cheng) and pain (tung). They all got a work out. The first two got me my lunch, the last one stopped the Chinese masseuse from killing me! RB and I went out for a post-work massage at our local place. This time we scored much better masseuses, two ladies less interested in chatting with each other and more interested in working all our pressure points. The foot massage was MUCH better this time, and my lady worked points along the top of my toes and even around the sides of my heels. It was less about the foot soak this time and more about her powerful hands doing reflexology magic!
This time we did the foot and body massage. It was a full work out! I have already described the foot massage (which also includes back, shoulders, lower and upper legs) in my first blog post. The body massage involves lying down on a table fully clothed with a towel over you. RB and I were in a room with two tables, but I don't really see the point in that as a good massage for me involves forgetting where you are and just relaxing. It was during the body massage that I tested my newest word, tung. While I don't have a hope of mastering the six basic tones of Cantonese in my brief stay, the masseuse knew which word I meant when I said "Tung!!!!!" OOWWWW.
It was not until I experienced massage in Asia (firstly in Hanoi and now here) that I ever thought it could be an experience other than relaxing (I miss you aromatherapy massage!) Asian massage for me is so often about gritting your teeth and trying to hang on as you test yourself for pain or discomfort thresholds. I had a few relaxing moments in between the pressure points last night, usually when she had finished working one part of the body. The body massage involved working on my head then the tops of my shoulders, arms, tummy and legs, then rolling over for the shoulders, back, bum and legs. I got used to the sensation of every one of my toe and fingers being cracked, but while she worked my back I was breathing so hard trying to get through the pain that both RB and the two masseuse ladies thought I was having trouble with my head down the massage table hole. LOL.
Today I have little finger/knuckle size bruises at different places across my body - on my thighs, bum, and I'm sure I'll find some more later. Other spots are just sore. But in between all these ouchy points my body feels really good. I'd like it to someone making a beautiful pizza dough, kneading it, throwing it in the air, stretching it, but then getting the rolling pin and just whacking the hell out of it a few times! Hahaha. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger! I'll be going back for another go next week!
Tomorrow we are off to see Foshan for the weekend. Wish us luck to get home on Sunday, as we only have our train tickets out of Guangzhou ;)
This time we did the foot and body massage. It was a full work out! I have already described the foot massage (which also includes back, shoulders, lower and upper legs) in my first blog post. The body massage involves lying down on a table fully clothed with a towel over you. RB and I were in a room with two tables, but I don't really see the point in that as a good massage for me involves forgetting where you are and just relaxing. It was during the body massage that I tested my newest word, tung. While I don't have a hope of mastering the six basic tones of Cantonese in my brief stay, the masseuse knew which word I meant when I said "Tung!!!!!" OOWWWW.
It was not until I experienced massage in Asia (firstly in Hanoi and now here) that I ever thought it could be an experience other than relaxing (I miss you aromatherapy massage!) Asian massage for me is so often about gritting your teeth and trying to hang on as you test yourself for pain or discomfort thresholds. I had a few relaxing moments in between the pressure points last night, usually when she had finished working one part of the body. The body massage involved working on my head then the tops of my shoulders, arms, tummy and legs, then rolling over for the shoulders, back, bum and legs. I got used to the sensation of every one of my toe and fingers being cracked, but while she worked my back I was breathing so hard trying to get through the pain that both RB and the two masseuse ladies thought I was having trouble with my head down the massage table hole. LOL.
Today I have little finger/knuckle size bruises at different places across my body - on my thighs, bum, and I'm sure I'll find some more later. Other spots are just sore. But in between all these ouchy points my body feels really good. I'd like it to someone making a beautiful pizza dough, kneading it, throwing it in the air, stretching it, but then getting the rolling pin and just whacking the hell out of it a few times! Hahaha. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger! I'll be going back for another go next week!
Tomorrow we are off to see Foshan for the weekend. Wish us luck to get home on Sunday, as we only have our train tickets out of Guangzhou ;)
posted by Polecat at 8:41 PM
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