Happy Feet

Trip Start Apr 15, 2008
1
18
24
Trip End Apr 26, 2008


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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Based on my story of the amazing hike on the Great Wall, Andy determined that the next thing I needed to experience was a foot massage, so we left the Pudong area.  Apparently Andy, his wife and co-workers gets a foot massage after any long business trip because of its therapeutic effects.  I am not sure what area we went to, but every other shop was offering massages...Hmm.

In the salon, we got a private room with a TV and ordered some beer.  Next, the masseuse came in and placed my legs into a wooden bucket and covered them with a towel.  As she was massaging my shoulders and neck, it was heating up under the towel...sort or a private sauna for the legs.  As it started to get intolerable, we proceeded to the next phase, the leg and foot massage.  Supposedly, the masseuse could diagnose what might be ailing you based on the points of the feet where she inflicted pain...how is this an enjoyable experience?  Probably because of the Paulaner lagers we had in Pudong or the Heinnies we were drinking now, I felt no pain. 

Next the masseuse brought in a bowl of this icky looking paste.  When I asked Andy, what the paste was used for.  He laughed manically.  The masseuse continued to place this paste on my legs, it felt quite cool.  Next, she placed some scalding hot towels around my legs.  Now being an engineer, I fully expected that over time the heat I was feeling would subside...not the case it proceeded to get hotter and hotter.  When Andy asked how I was doing, I was determined not to let him see me sweat and replied everything was fine.  I won the contest of will because Andy cried "uncle" first and request his ginger (thats what this toxic waste was made of) wrap to be removed.  When the masseuse removed the towels, my legs continued to burn.  I do not know if this truly helps your circulation as advertised, but I am sure this radioactive stuff will make my legs glow in the dark.

As I was undergoing this therapy?!? we watched the NBA playoffs.  I was not surprised that basketball is so popular in China because of Yao Ming; however Yao is not the most popular sports celebrity in China.  Liu Xiang is the most popular person in China.  Liu who you ask.  Liu Xiang is the current holder of the world record in the men's 110m hurdles.  In case you missed his historic race, every other commercial break the station would show the race when he smoked the other competitors.  BTW Liu won the gold in the Athens 2004 Olympics and is the favorite to win the gold in Beijing. 
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