This afternoon we went for a much needed massage. Our backs and shoulders have been hurting from lugging around our seemingly small but heavy-as-hell backpacks. We hopped on the back of a moto and, on the recommendation of Lonely Planet, headed to Long Bien Hotel. The moto ride is a blog in itself, but we survived the crazy traffic of Hanoi in one piece or rather two pieces.
In we went at what appeared to be a reasonably well-kept hotel by Vietnam standards. The concierge took us to the spa, just off the main hotel entrance. After taking off our shoes, we were led through some rather sketchy corridors by no less than 3 different women who didn't speak a word of English. We were pointed to a room with about 8 or so beds and motioned to take off our clothes. Confused, we obliged. We were then taken to a common shower room, locker-style. After we washed and scrubbed ourselves, we dipped into small oak barrels filled with ginger/herb infused water. We then moved on for a short stay at a couple of jetted tubs next to the barrels, followed by a hot steam room for further purification. All this was done with the efficiency and expedience of what felt like the assembly line of spa treatments.
After the sauna we were given a pair of disposable underwear and were taken back to the massage room for one of the better massages I've ever had. These women use both their hands and their feet! At one point I glanced over at Morgan and saw her masseuse, standing on the bed, pressing down with one foot on M's thigh while pulling her bended leg upward. No photos available of this event. At about the same time, my own masseuse had me turned over to my side and, towering over me, violently pulled my left arm while simultaneously pushing down my rotated hips with her foot. I screeched with pain and started laughing uncontrollably at how comical the whole thing must've looked.
All in all, a well spent $7 and my shoulders do feel a lot better.
EK
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