Pre-Birthday Japanese Spa

I don't understand people who say their birthdays aren't a big deal to them. Me? I like to celebrate mine all month long and sometimes or often into the next month. Any reason to celebrate, right!?

This year found me a little sad in the weeks before my birthday. The whole getting more into my 30s thing and I weren't getting along. It's silly, I know, but it's how I felt. Combine that with being away from all my close friends; I was struggling a bit. 

It occurred to me no one here would know when my birthday would be. So I did what anyone would do...I reminded people often. 

The day before my birthday found me in our morning staff meeting smiling with my hands on either side of my face hiding what I was POSITIVE were a bajillion wrinkles. Our eldest and wisest coworker rolled her eyes and walked out as our all-female staff became stuck on a conversation on facial wrinkles. 

That evening a couple friends and I headed to a Japanese Spa. Since I couldn't find anyone to go on the world's scariest hike with me for the weekend of my birthday, I at least wanted to do things unique to China!

But ya'll, China is not known for their cleanliness or ability to comfort - Japan is. 

A Japanese Spa was first on the list! I'd tell you the name but it's in Japanese. The website even the English version was in Chinese. So all I knew was how to show the taxi driver the screenshot Sara sent me and call her when the driver got lost.

She'd told me about this place a few weeks ago and got me all excited to have a bunch of gal pals together for my birthday. Until she came in one morning and said, "Oh, I forgot. You may not like it. You don't have any clothes when in the baths." 

Oh. Well then. 

So much for inviting all the ladies I know.

It was amazing. Of course, I will have to go back with Sara so she can explain everything we missed there was a lot, I'm sure. We were only yelled at once. It had something to do with wearing clothes to get the towels. 

Still not quite sure what happened there.

The what to/not to do sign was oh so helpful! It EVEN had the English translation that made sense! This place was classy.

We enjoyed massage pools, some hot pools Sara told me this morning that each one had a specific healing property to them - we missed that, a very Japanese on-person bah, and we will surely never forget the pool where we were immediately shocked once we sat down! It was the Electric Pool. 

What is it with Asia and shocking therapy?

The lady beside me was the only other foreigner there. She's in Shanghai for a couple months working on the new Disney theme park. It's nice we ran into each other after putting our clothing back on. The other lovely lady and I met on the first trip I went on in China. She surprised me with a hand-made voucher for a weekend mountain getaway! 

While the three of us were eating, my other friend was checking out the sauna and hot stones. We met up with her later and enjoyed some peaceful relaxation on the stones. 



One of the best Friday nights in Asia yet! Can't wait to go back! 

It was a perfect start to my birthday weekend...