Travel plan idea blog

3 types of massage in China

I went to China for the weekend. It was my first time, but I knew things would be fairly cheap and I like cheap massages. So after checking into the Century Hotel, we get a call asking if we want a special massage for 1,000 Yuan (over 100.00 US). I said no.

We went down to the front desk to find out where the sauna was (next door). I asked them what to do if we changed our mind about the special massage (I knoew the hotel had offered it because they called our room and asked for us by name). They said we shouldn't talk about the special massage and we figured it was something dirty.

We went to the sauna and after a bit of heat and a nice swim we asked them about massages. After the special massage phone call, my wife wanted us to get the massages together. However in the sauna men and women are separated. They said we could get the massages in our hotel room; it didn't matter - same massage, same price. They were 78 each (about 10 US dollars).

It did matter. Our first clue was the that the masseuses who came to our room looked like 20 year old girls (or younger) and were wearing tight jeans, tight tank tops (showing some belly and cleavage). One of them was carrying Johnson's baby oil.

They spoke no English but we communicated no babyoil to them and got on our stomachs. They motioned for us to get on our backs and started by massaging our heads, then right arm (while siting next to us), then pelvic region. My masseuse tried to take off my pajamas.

My wife said, "What's going on over there?"
I said, "I don't know but my... "

Anyway, we asked around and to get a professional massage your best bet is the sauna. Women get naked and get massaged by naked women (in a room with glass walls but only other women to spy). Men get naked and massaged by a presumably naked man (I don't know any men who did this so I'm not sure).

Anything in the hotel room will be a dirty massage or so I'm told...

Posted by James Trotta at August 29, 2005 11:17 PM