Thai Massage

One of my favorite things here. I'm finding that I enjoy a quiet weekend night just as much as going out. Tonight is a quiet night. On these nights I usually go out for a walk, grab some food from a market, and indulge in a massage. I've had a handful of massages since being in Chiang Mai and I have to work my willpower to limit myself to one per week. Someone like myself could easily spend more on massages than on rent. Tonight I got an hour long foot massage. The idea of a foot massage in Thailand is somewhat contradictory because the feet are considered the lowest, most potentially insulting part of the body. You must never use your foot to point at anything, you must never sit with your feet pointing toward people, especially a Buddha statue in temple. It is always appropriate to take your shoes off when entering temples, homes and some places of business. The foot is a taboo thing here, so it's odd that foot massages are so incredibly popular. I wonder if the Thai women masseuses feel any secret resentment that they work with feet all day. Either way, they are incredibly talented at their jobs. For a foot massage, you can find a row of reclining chairs at most outdoor markets and eager Thai ladies to have you sit down. They wash your feet and use acupressure, lotions, voodoo magic because every time it's better than you anticipate it to be, I swear. Sometimes I'll read a book, sometimes just close my eyes and doze. Some people eat their dinners, or even yak away on the cell phones. Each time for the last 15 minutes I seriously contemplate asking if she can continue for another hour and I'd pay her appropriately. It's probably good that I don't know this phrase in Thai, because I could quite well get stuck using that line for the rest of the night.

Traditional Thai massages are a little different. You can still get these done in public, on mats on the ground, but most places offer traditional massages inside storefronts or huts. The massage I got last week tore me to shreds. It was fantastic. I went with the two hour massage, and I was surprised to have a male masseuse. First one I've seen here. Traditional Thai massage is not like your typical massage listening to sounds of the rain forest smelling lavender laying down and relaxing for an hour. You do lay down and it is relaxing, but your body is continuously contorted into positions you didn't think were possible or even healthy. You get stretched in every possible way, and rather than a lot of rubbing, they just push on pressure points. It's really interesting to see how your body reacts to this. There were a couple of times when I thought my hip was going to pop out of its socket and the survival instinct in me wanted to kick the guy and run away, but I stuck it out. It was worth it. After two hours in the hot little tiki hut made entirely out of bamboo and walking away in a numb stupor out into the heat, I'm lucky if I can find my way home.

How can I afford these one or two hour massages, you ask? Typically a one hour massage costs about $4, maybe $5 after tip. The magical tiki hut charges about $7 for a two hour massage/muscle annihilation. There is no question why the Thai people are so laid back all the time. By the time I'm done in Thailand, I hope to have seen most of the masseuses in Chiang Mai. Wish me luck.