On a completely different wavelength than my recent posts...I just got back from a Korean spa. I went with my pregnant friend Amy, and two other friends, Abbe and Leah, for something special to do with Amy in her last weeks of pregnancy. Her body deserves to be pampered these days!
This was my second Asian spa experience in the last 2 months, but they were definitely different experiences. The first was in China, at a super huge spa, with lots and lots of services, and very, very cheap. There, only one employee spoke English. This was a smallish Korean spa in Lynnwood with just a few things to do, but everyone spoke English. Also, at this one I had to be naked. This was quite a stretch for me. I have always been very modest about showing my body to anyone. I would say in the last year since I have started getting regular massages I have gotten less self-conscious to a degree, but that was with a professional masseuse, and she would be the only one seeing most of my body, and the only part of me that is exposed is the part she is massaging. But here, I had to walk around completely nude with other women around, including 3 of my friends, which is even more intimidating than if they were all strangers. But you only had to be naked in the pool area (which was women only, thankfully - I wouldn't do it otherwise), and for your body treatments.
First of all, we all got in the hot whirl pool, then in the warm pool, which was pretty hot too, actually. I think I spent too much time in there, because I felt overheated, but then the other girls got a body scrub done, so I went and put my "uniform" on (shorts and t-shirts they provide) to go to the different therapy rooms. They had a jewel room, a clay room, and a rock salt room, which ranged in temperature from 160 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. I lasted, oh, about 3 minutes max in each of these. I actually nearly passed out when I walked out of the last one. Then I thought I'd better go back to the pool area. I got in a warm pool for a bit, then went in the jade sauna, where I lasted about 15 seconds. It was unbelievably stifling. It was a steam sauna, and the walls were so hot that when my back touched the wall, it felt like it hit a frying pan! I just don't tolerate heat well! So, I lay on a mat on the floor and dozed for about an hour until my body treatment.
I got a full body moisturizing treatment, which included light massage, then moisturizing with hot oil, milk, and also cucumber on my face and hands. It was about 45 minutes long. It felt great! I have to say, though, it is a little weird to be laying on a table with nothing on, and have someone else rubbing me down completely. And I mean completely. Boy, does my skin feel nice now though!
We had a good day. It was fun to do with girlfriends. I would do it again. I feel like it was a step for me to be more comfortable with my body. Not that I think modesty is a bad thing, but I also think I have been too self-conscious, and even embarrassed, about my body my whole life, and I don't really have a reason to be. No one's body is perfect. I am sure everyone has things about their bodies that they wish were different, but if I don't have problems with other people's bodies, why should I be worried about what others think of mine? It's just my own hang-up, so this was a stretch for me today, and it really wasn't bad. Yay!
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