Sunday, November 6, 2011

18 hours at a Chinese Hot Spring. . . .


Two weeks ago I rescheduled my Thursday afternoon class so I could go to a Hot Spring in Zhongshan. I went with Yin, YIn’s father-in-law, a man who I have not had an actual conversation with--obviously because he does not know English, and his girlfriend. Apparently the two of them like the Hot Spring. . . .  a lot. I call Yin’s father-in-law Grandpa because, around me, he has never been referred to by any other name. But, frankly, he reminds me a little of Grandpa J. The four of us caught the city bus at 2:45pm and began our three hour journey for hot water, sleeping rooms, locker rooms, and unlimited food.
The journey included two points where we got off our bus and switched to a new one. We traversed busy streets to get to the new bus stop to be picked up. This included a turn in the wrong direction, cars dodged and many questions to passersby for help on where exactly the next bus would be. Needless to say I quickly learned each Chinese city can be new and just as confusing to the Chinese navigating it as it is to the western traveller. We were dropped off at the end of a dirt road. Fish farms lined either side and as we walked to the Hot Spring Resort. 
Once we waited for a few minutes. We had to wait because we could only be at the Hot Spring for a total of 18 hours. We arrived a little early to be able to insure three meals within those 18 hours. We waited so we would be able to enjoy dinner (that night), breakfast and lunch before we had to leave: by 1pm the next day. Minutes passed, the staff, complete with Hawaiian shirts and cowboy hats, gave each of us a bracelet-- to be worn at all times. It was the key to you locker too. 
Off to the locker rooms then straight to the chinese buffet. I was ecstatic to find unlimited coffee. It was a little too sweet but I will take what I can get. We stuffed ourselves full and then stuffed ourselves into our swimsuits (best idea of my life) to begin the Hot Spring extravaganza! The heat is unbearable at first. As you slide your body into the pool it becomes okay and then, eventually, relaxing. I was a little disappointed to find, instead of natural basins, different man-made pools the resort pumped hot spring water into. The pools were jacuzzi-like and lined with stones.  Patrons are not suppose to stay in any Hot Spring/Jacuzzi for more than 15 minutes and we did not. We basically tried every different pool except for the ones you have to pay extra for. For example, one pool housed a school of fish that would, after you step into the pool, swarm and nibble at your skin-- a form of acupuncture I was told. 
My favorite was the salt sauna. Yin and I took turns. I massaged her back then she did mine to exfoliate our skin. The salt seeped into our skin as if we were cured meat. The salt melted fast and our sweat dripped from our skin as if we were melting. We exited the sauna and jumped into another hot spring pool to rinse off our new skin. Smooth: like a baby. 
The sleep arrangements are a whole other story. Yin and I, after a midnight snack of cafe and bean paste filled rice balls, moseyed on over to the sleep room. One room. Full of about 50 chinese people all in there own reclining chairs. There were two left calling our names. Each reclining chair foldout into a bed. You are allotted one towel and one pillow. Everyone’s chairs come equipped with its own TV, headphones and moveable table. It was not that bad-- just a huge Chinese sleepover with about 48 other strangers. I was thankful for my ipod though. Public service announcement: snoring is common, no mater where you are.
After a night of great sleep, for me, and restless sleep for Yin (she did not have an ipod).  We finished our Hot spring day with breakfast. Then out to the hot spring pools and then back in for lunch and off we travelled back to Jiangmen. The ride back was less chaotic. Grandpa, Girlfriend and I even got a nap in and Yin gave me my first taste of Hershey’s chocolate in two months. I do not even like the stuff in America but was happy, so happy, to taste it in China

On a more recent note. . . . I had my first experience giving oral finals the first week back after the hot spring. I now know what my teachers went through. I think giving the Final is more exhausting than taking it. To follow it up our first week with a new group of students was this last week. This second group seemed less difficult than the first and perhaps it was because of confidence from my minute amount of experience.
Tidbits
It is so easy to fall into a routine no matter where you live. I still remember, as if it was last week, running out of my room into the living room where my college roommates were hanging out and writing papers. “I am going to China.” I told them. Some days, I find, I forget that this is China and then, suddenly, it will occur to me. . . . I AM IN CHINA.
Your feet will never be completely clean here. 
Motorbikes (Mopeds) are the popular mode of transportation here. In fact, I have seen whole families (the most a family of four) all on the same motorbike. The largest feat I have seen yet was three freshmen riding on one bicycle. 
It baffles me but the Chinese buy and sell MANY t-shirts with english phrases/words on them. MInd you, most Chinese do not know what the words mean or what they imply.   Also, sometimes, even the words do not make sense. The best t-shirts so far: “I am not easy but we can discuss it.” Wore by a fellow teacher’s student. One of my students even had a tee shirt on that said Vodka complete with a picture of a glass of vodka. 

No comments:

Post a Comment